Traditional

Costumes
About vyshyvanka

• Ukrainian traditional costume

includes Vyshyvanka. It is a casual
name for the embroidered shirt in
national costumes. Ukrainian
vyshyvanka is distinguished by
local embroidery features specific
to Ukrainian embroidery.
A folk costume (also regional costume,
national costume, traditional garment, or
traditional regalia) expresses an identity
through costume, which is usually associated
with a geographic area or a period of time in
history.

• Many Ukrainian brands have created

their own interpretations of its shape,
colour and length, thus, making it a
popular item all over the world. Fashion
celebrities like Anna dello Russo (Vogue
Japan journalist) and Dita Von Teese have
been spotted in vyshyvanka by Ukrainian
designer Vita Kin. Locals do not miss the
opportunity to show off in the
embroidered clothing either.
A girl is supposed to wear a shirt without
outerwear, while a married woman has to
cover her head with a shawl and supplement
the outfit with her waistcoat and maxi skirt.
Meanwhile, the highlight of the clothing are
accessories like belts, jewellery and
headdresses (a shawl or a floral wreath),
decorated with ribbons and fresh and artificial
flowers, not to mention the abundance of
beads and ducats (coins), which determine the
women’s status. 
Men’s traditional clothing is
simpler: they resemble the outfits of
other Slavic nations but differ in the
way they are worn. Thus, there are
two main elements: a linen shirt and
cloth pants, distinguished by the
kind of embroidery
• REGIONAL CLOTHING
DIFFERENCES
Western Ukraine Western Ukrainian apparel reflected its
Polish and Hungarian historical past and was distinguished
by complex geometrical patterns. The richness of decorative
elements like embroidery, weaving and appliqué prevailed in
the Carpathian region. However, the geometric ornamental
motifs of rhombuses, triangles and crosses were
implemented in the multicoloured embroidery with a
predominance of red and black. The clothing was also
decorated with coloured beads, silver or gold thread and
metal elements. Hutsuls (an ethnic group of Ukrainians that
inhabited the Carpathian Mountains) decorated the bottom
edge of trousers with embroidery from the inside — yellow
and green woolen threads — and folded it upwards
• the clothing of Northern Ukraine was distinguished by
the modesty of traditional decorative elements. A fair
amount of attention was paid to weaving and
embroidering in monochrome or bicolour combinations.
Black and red threads symbolized the wisdom and
courage of generations, while red and white embroidery
signified purity and happiness. Thus, the apparel design
in Polisia (a historical region in Northern Ukraine and
Central Europe) was quite restrained and had clear
geometric ornamental patterns.
• Eastern Ukraine The traditional apparel of Eastern Ukraine
is a combination of both the local features of the ancient
Slavic clothing and Russian cultural influence. So, shirts
preserved the simple tailoring with narrow sleeves and
neat decoration on the sleeve’s cuff. Multicoloured
embroidery was complemented by elements like bright
ribbons, lace and grey fringe. Ornamental elements and
waist accessories also played a significant role and were
appliquéd from brocade or cotton velvet.
• Central Ukraine The central areas like Poltava were
characterized by white-on-white embroidery and also by a
large amount of black and red patterns. The
ornamentation was geometric or vegetative, and
considerably less zoomorphic. In the 20th century,
women began to use multicoloured threads to decorate
shirts, while in the 17th and 19th centuries the
embroidery was minimalistic — just red and blue on
white. Another key feature was the decoration of
sleeveless and outer clothing with a cotton appliqué.