Lithuanian couple in traditional dress - Image taken on a festive ocassion by Shay Haas
Lithuania is a small European country located along the coast of the Baltic Sea and bordering with Poland and the Russian Federation in the southwest, Belarus in the east, and Latvia in the north. The capital is Vilnius which is an ancient city of the region and has remained a trade and cultural hub for many centuries. The Lithuanians speak Lithuanian which is also the official language of the country. This language is also one of the two remaining languages in the Baltic branch of the Indo-European languages. The country has remained under the control of different invaders and the Lithuanian heritage is marked with the occupational influences.
Lithuanians are generally considered as reserved in their behaviors but they are strongly committed to their traditions, rituals and customs. When it comes to the apparel of Lithuania, the Lithuanians have limited the usage of the traditional attires only to the extent of national events or folk ceremonies.
The traditional dress of Lithuania was mainly made with linen weaving and till the start of the nineteenth century, handmade costumes were very common. Many Lithuanian women were involved in the business of hand woven garments and other articles. But since the things are replaced by the stitching machines and units, traditional handmade costumes have become rare.
The traditional dress of the Lithuanian women generally consisted of woven colorful garment having geometric patterns. Other articles involved were the belts, ties, scarves and other accessories. The designs of the traditional costumes are really impressive as those were followed by the weaving techniques applied on the hand looms during the nineteenth century. This was the era when the Lithuanians start to recognize their cultural importance and their patriotic zeal was reflected in their creativity. Embroidery was also a major characteristic of the traditional Lithuanian costumes and it was embellished with woven ornament.
The skirts of the Lithuanian women were usually worn at ankle length, and usually those were made with the wool or linen. Women used to wear the aprons as compulsory part of their dresses. Women also used bodice when they were ready to participate in any wedding ceremony or festive occasion. This garment were usually hip length and included a peplum or large lappets, had woven designs finer than those found in the apron or skirt, and fastened in front.
The unmarried ladies loved to wear the crown-shaped open topped headdresses. Another note worthy ingredient in the traditional dress of Lithuania was sash that tended to be 3 to 4 inches wide, circling the waist twice and hanged down quite a bit. Sash was usually inkle woven, although other techniques are also used.
The Lithuanian Men also used to wear the homespun costumes made and the basic dress for men consisted of long stripped or diagonally stripped trouser and the lower portion was woven in darker strips. The trousers used by the Lithuanian men were usually tapered and they wore the loose waist-length vests as their outer garments.
The motifs and colors used in the traditional dress of Lithuania were having different colorful and magnificent patterns. This woven colorful garment was also having fasteners made with metal, string, leather or wood. Many traditional pieces that were prepared with the traditional weaving techniques are still preserved in the museums of Lithuania and those are really symbolic in terms of the nation’s pride and prestige.
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