The document provides an overview of traditional Greek folk costumes, highlighting their historical significance and regional variations. It details specific costumes for women and men, including the influences of Queen Amalia and descriptions of garments from various areas like Peloponnese and Arcadia. Additionally, it discusses the loom's historical role in weaving, reflecting the cultural heritage tied to these costumes.

1. GREECEGREECE
TRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMESTRADITIONAL FOLK COSTUMES
PELOPONNESEPELOPONNESE

2. TRADITIONAL COSTUMESTRADITIONAL COSTUMES
Queen Amalia - King OttoQueen Amalia - King Otto
(19(19thth
c.)c.)

3. Amalia’s costumeAmalia’s costume
This ladies’ famous costume was introduced by
Queen Amalia in the 19th
c. It used to be her
daily garment and she imposed it on the ladies
of the Royal Court.
The costume was then spread to all the urban
centers of Greece as a costume for the
festivities.

4. This ladies’ costume consists
of a gossamer silk shirt
with fine gold embroidery,
a precious pleated silk
dress with wide sleeves in
a variety of colors, and a
velvet short jacket, all
trimmed with gold braid
and embroidery. The
costume is completed with
a red fez, and silk tassel.
The neck and chest are
decorated with rows of
pearls and a precious
brooch.

5. MEN’S COSTUMEMEN’S COSTUME
EVZONE:EVZONE: guardian of therdian of the Palace,Palace,
now guardian of thenow guardian of the Parliament.Parliament.
This men’s costume
consists of a white shirt
with very broad sleeves,
white elastic trousers,
knee bands and a kind
of a very flared skirt
(fοustanella) with 400
pleats. The length of
the skirt is 50 cm.

6. EVZONEEVZONE
Yesterday and TodayYesterday and Today

7. PAIR OFPAIR OF
ARCADIANSARCADIANS
Husband with hisHusband with his
WifeWife
15th century.15th century.

8. Traditional costumes ofTraditional costumes of
ServoServo,, ArcadiaArcadia

9. TSAKONIA (eastern Arcadia)TSAKONIA (eastern Arcadia)
MELANA - TYROSMELANA - TYROS
This women’s costume is worn onThis women’s costume is worn on
the east coast of Arcadia,the east coast of Arcadia,
Tsakonia, one of the most historicTsakonia, one of the most historic
places in the Peloponnese. Theplaces in the Peloponnese. The
place has been inhabited sinceplace has been inhabited since
prehistoric times. The Tsakonianprehistoric times. The Tsakonian
dialect (still alive) is the closestdialect (still alive) is the closest
language to the ancient Greek one.language to the ancient Greek one.
The dance of this region, theThe dance of this region, the
Tsakonikos Dance, is one of theTsakonikos Dance, is one of the
oldest and similar to the ancientoldest and similar to the ancient
Greek dances.Greek dances.

10. TSAKONIKOS DANCE (5/4)TSAKONIKOS DANCE (5/4)
(Mother, I told you not to get me(Mother, I told you not to get me
married to an old man…)married to an old man…)

11. DOLIANA-ARCADIADOLIANA-ARCADIA
Men’s costumeMen’s costume
The man wears a blackThe man wears a black
headscarf tied at the backheadscarf tied at the back
of the head.of the head. The dress isThe dress is
woven on the loom in greywoven on the loom in grey
with black stripes.with black stripes.
Underneath, he wearsUnderneath, he wears
trousers with knee bandstrousers with knee bands
((ggοοnataresnatares) and the special) and the special
kind of shoes that arekind of shoes that are
calledcalled tsarouhia.tsarouhia.

12. NESTANI-ARCADIANESTANI-ARCADIA
People who participate in the event are dressed in
traditional costumes and they hold tsipianitiki
(shepherd’s) crook which is adorned on the top with
flowers, lilacs, and other plants of the Greek earth,
such as wild celery (agrioselino).

13. TEGEA-TRIPOLITEGEA-TRIPOLI
The dress of the
costume is black and
woven with embroidered
shirt sleeves. Inside the
dress the woman wears
a white shirt with fine
lace. On the head there
is a white silk
headscarf. At the edge
of the skirt the red
felt gives a special
finishing and a silk
apron tightens the black
dress.

14. Traditional folk costumesTraditional folk costumes
(of every day life)(of every day life)

15. THE LOOMTHE LOOM

16. The history of the loomThe history of the loom
The loom is a machine which was used for weaving clothes in older
times. It was widely used in the pre-industrial era and later,
mainly in rural areas, played a major role in the domestic
economy, since it has been the primary means of weaving and
textiles. After the industrial revolution, the old classic,
wooden, and moved by muscle power loom, was replaced by a
mechanical one. Today it has almost disappeared, as the
weaving process has been automated and the loom has been
replaced by the industrial textile machine.

17. KALAMATAKALAMATA
(south-west Peloponnese)(south-west Peloponnese)
The women’s costume
of Kalamata is one of
the most elegant and
exquisite costumes of
all over Greece. The
dominant colors of
those costumes are
white, yellow and
black, combined with
gold embroidery and
gold jewelry.
.

18. MANI (southern Peloponnese)MANI (southern Peloponnese)
Women’s costumeWomen’s costume forfor the upper classthe upper class

19. MANI-MANI-Ceremonial costumeCeremonial costume
The ceremonial women’s costume consists
of:
• A long white shirt with embroidered bodice
and sleeves.
• A sleeveless dress of dark-colored woolen
cloth with deep cut of the bodice and a
skirt that falls in folds, the outer part of
which is decorated with a very wide cotton
band of red color, while the inner part,
namely the hem, is decorated with a narrow
red band.
• Around the waist: a striped belt.
• For the head: Two headscarves-one of
blue color and a silk one that is called bolia.

20. MManiani
Men’sMen’s costumecostume
The Maniatis-the man of Mani-
looks like a pirate. On his head
he wears a black strapped
headscarf. He wears a shirt
with colored embroidery on the
sleeves and over it a short red
or black vest. He also wears
dark blue breeches with black
trousers and tsarouhia without
tassel. This attire was used in
pirate raids.

21. ARGOLIDA (eastern Peloponnese)ARGOLIDA (eastern Peloponnese)
Women’s costumeWomen’s costume
The women wear white
headscarves tied
behind the head. The
dresses are pale yellow
with lace on the
bodice, on the edge of
the sleeves and on the
hem. Over the dress
there are a black vest
and a yellowish oval
shaped apron with lace
on the edges.

22. CORINTHCORINTH (north-east Peloponnese)(north-east Peloponnese)
Bridal gownBridal gown
The bridal costume consists of:
• A white cotton shirt with
embroidered sleeves and hem.
• A short fitted front with
embroidered sleeves, too.
• A neckline with gold embroidery.
• A white apron embroidered with
multicolored geometrical
patterns.
• A red belt.
• An open outer short garment
made of thick weft-knitted cloth,
decorated with multicolored
cording.
• For the head: a headscarf
(bolia), embroidered
with multicolored geometrical

23. CORINTHCORINTH
The villager’s costume (horikos)The villager’s costume (horikos)
This long shirt is the
every-day-life
costume of the old
Arvanites.It is the
ancestor of the
special men’s skirt
(foustanella).
Underneath he wears
trousers, gonatares
under the knees and
tsarouhia.

24. Finishing touchFinishing touch
The differences between the similar
kinds of the traditional costumes
demonstrate the origin of a genus or the
social status or the economical power of the
family or even the personal story of a
woman (mourning).
That's why the diversity of our
traditional costumes marks the unique path
of culture in the Greek history.