Chechen national costume

The Caucasus is a very multinational region of Russia. Side by side, various nations coexist here, closely interacting and sharing the experience accumulated over the centuries.

The national Chechen costume is a vivid example of the unique creativity of craftsmen, a sample of ancient customs, evidence of the deep interaction of the Chechen people with neighboring nations. The national costume reflected not only the lifestyle of the mountaineers and their traditions, but also spiritual values ​​and faith.

The Chechen people are distinguished by deep respect and reverence for their ancestors, therefore, the national costume is not kept in museums, but is widely used in everyday life.

The way of life of the Chechen people is directly related to the materials that have been used in the manufacture of national clothes since ancient times. Fabrics were spun from sheep wool, the fur and leather of local animals were widely used.

Cloth, felt - everything was own production. All costumes were made only independently. Virtually every woman could sew or spin. Skills for the production of national clothing handed down from generation to generation and was considered the subject of national pride.

The main parts of any men's suit were pants and an elongated semi-caftan (beshmet). Pants had a cut, narrowed down to make it convenient to fill them in boots.

The beshmet is a semi-caftan, tailored from lightweight fabric, served as a undershirt. Beshmet tightly adhered to the figure of a man to the waist, and below he widened almost to the knee. This form ideally emphasized the slim and muscular shape of a Chechen man. On the chest beshmet should always be tightly fastened with special buttons-knots. The same buttons decorated the cuffs of the narrowed sleeves of the half-caftan.

Beshmet was used both as homewear and as festive. The difference was only the fabric used. A simple cotton fabric was used for the casual version, and an expensive multi-colored satin for the festive occasion. Despite the tight fit of the beshmet on the figure, he was always comfortable and did not constrain the movements of the man. Therefore, such clothing was used for uniforms of troops.

Circassian is a similar in appearance and cut with a beshmet part of a men's suit. Circassian performed the function of festive clothing, so it was always made of more expensive materials. Usually used cloth of the best quality. Cherkessk was worn over the beshmet, repeating its shape. Narrow to the waist, it expanded downwards and covered her knees. Unlike beshmet, Circassian buttoned only on the belt.

The most interesting detail of this garment was gas pads, which were located on both sides of the chest. They served to store spare cartridges. Currently, the direct purpose of this detail is no longer necessary, however, it is still present as a dress decoration.

Burka was made only by women, and only the best masters had this right. For the production they used only high-quality sheep wool.

The value of the burqa is difficult to overestimate.In the unpredictable conditions of highland, this warm and wind-proof raincoat served as clothing, bedding, and a blanket.

The traditional costume was supplemented with a headdress - a papakh, and leather boots up to the knee, where men tucked their boots. A hat is a symbol of honor and dignity of a Chechen man. Made it from a natural sheepskin. She could be long-haired or short-haired (astrakhan). The hat was inherited, and if the man had no sons, the hat was passed with great respect to the most respected man of the clan.

Touching someone else's hat is forbidden so as not to offend the host. Interestingly, in some cases, the hat could be replaced by a young man on a date. A friend, taking the groom's hat, could replace him with a meeting with a girl. And she could talk to him like her lover.

Hats and now are the Chechens' permanent headgear, having stood against the pressure of modern fashion.

A mandatory element of the suit was also a leather belt. Decorated with metal inserts, it served to carry a weapon or a firearm.

The Chechen woman is the very modesty, chastity and beauty. Girls never show their body to outsiders. This behavior is reflected in the cut of a traditional costume.

Women's costume is very diverse in color. Older women wear calmer colors, while girls wear dresses of various colors and shades, decorated with gold and silver threads and expensive stones.

Women's outfit consists of four mandatory parts.

It was in the form of a tunic and fell down to the ankles. Narrow to the waist, it flared slightly downwards, forming light flowing folds. There was a small cut-out on the chest, and a neck-collar with a small button covered the neck. The bottom dress has always been distinguished by very long sleeves reaching to the tips of the fingers.

Such a dress was allowed to be worn with loose trousers and freely go out into the street, of course, by complementing the costume with an appropriate headdress.

The underdress was modest, and women used special breastplates for decoration. They were ordered from the masters and worn, sewn to the top of the tunic. For decoration, they used silver and gold threads, as well as precious and semi-precious stones. The appearance of the bib reflected the material well-being of the family.

It was like a caftan or a long bathrobe. It had no collar and opened the chest so that the beautiful bibs were clearly visible. At the waist it was fastened with small hooks, as a result of which the female figure acquired a very feminine shape.

The top dress was very beautiful. The most expensive and beautiful fabrics were used - brocade, morocco, silk, satin, velvet. It was decorated with luxurious embroidery, stones, beads. The floors of the skirt dispersed like two petals, which gave the party more grace.

This outfit was typical only for young girls, and adult women dressed more modestly.

The head of the Chechen woman must have covered either a scarf or a light shawl. After marriage, the girls put on a special bag, where they removed their hair - a cheukh. A scarf for a woman was just as important as a hat for a man. He symbolized purity and chastity.

The belt for the woman was very important. For him, used silver, gold, precious stones. He was handed down, and mothers gave the first belt to daughters before the wedding.