What you need to know about the Russian headscarf

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Scarves do not go out of fashion, they just sometimes end up at its peak. You have to be able to wear them, this is a whole science. In this article, we are not just talking about accessories and general rules of fashion etiquette, but about Russian scarves: traditions and trends, patterns and seasons. We will teach you how to tie a scarf "in a woman's way", "in a merchant's way" and "in a noble way."

Cause for pride

Think for yourself: is there a craft in Russia that would bring international awards to ordinary villagers? Which is probably so massively forged by Chinese manufactories?

Choosing a scarf

It seems that since the time of Tsar Pea, girls have been wearing Pavloposad shawls. They look so primordially Russian and distinctive that their origin is beyond doubt! In fact, these bright colorful shawls appeared much later: the year 1795 is indicated on the logo of the Pavloposad manufactory. It was then that the industrious peasant entrepreneur Ivan Labzin organized a small scarf factory.

The white openwork "cobwebs" of the Orenburg shawl, which fit in the shell of a goose egg and pass through the wedding ring, really delight. For the first time, they learned about these products at the end of the 17th century, when the Russians, entrenched in the Urals, entered into trade relations with the local population. But the real fame was given to the down-knitting trade in London after the world exhibition in 1862: in the famous "crystal palace", among many hundreds of exhibits, Orenburg down shawls were presented for the first time.

For whom?

Pavloposad shawl. For those who like to jump over the fire and look for blooming ferns on the night of Ivan Kupala.

Orenburg shawl. For those who like to ride warmly before a daring ride on Troika and burn Shrovetide.

Traditions and trends

The female headdress served as a kind of visiting card: marital status, the estate of the mistress, the wealth of the family, one could find out about all this only by looking at the scarf.

So, for example, married peasant women tied a scarf under their chin, "like a woman's" - with the ends back, and the ladies of high society preferred airy scarves, capes that corresponded to their "antique" outfits.

By the way, the fashion of wearing scarves, tying a large knot under the chin, came to Russia from Germany in the 18th century, and the image of "Alyonushka in a kerchief" tied in this way was formed already in the 20th century.

In general, the headscarf, oddly enough, appears in the wardrobe of a Russian woman only in the 17th century. Its predecessor was an ubrus - linen for peasants, silk for noble persons, a piece of embroidered cloth. They covered their heads, chipping them under the chin.

Patterns and seasons

"Russian Shawl" is a painstaking work of talented artists, weaving and dyeing craftsmen. In the colorful compositions of scarves, one can discern the traditions of folk art: carved patterns of door frames, embroidery on homespun towels and shirts, painting icons.

Among the common class, canvas shawls with a woven pattern along the edges, shawls trimmed with kumach and wool velvet, and printed chintz shawls were popular.

Wealthy ladies appreciated the absence of the seamy side (scarves are equally beautiful on both sides), the virtuosity of the workmanship and expensive materials.

Eliseev's shawls and scarves from the Voronezh province were famous for their amazing subtlety of work, the richness of ornamentation and color schemes. The largest manufacturer of chintz and printed shawls was Vladimir.

Interesting Facts

The expression "goofy" has long-standing roots and means: "to be disgraced, to be in a disadvantageous, uncomfortable position."Indeed, it was not considered quite decent for a woman with unkempt hair to appear in front of someone outside, and to rip off the headdress from her head (to leave her simple) was a terrible insult. In Russia there was a tradition of “unleashing the mind”, when a little girl was presented with a skirt and a scarf. It was not necessary to wear it until a certain age, but the girl had already received her first scarf from her father's hands. In the old days, a scarf was the most desired gift. A guy caring for a girl, a peasant husband returning from a city bazaar, a christening appointed in a noble family - a present in the form of a handkerchief, was a sign of love, care, respect. According to an old belief, a wedding handkerchief had special magical powers. It consisted of two colors - red (the color of a man) and white (the color of a woman). This combination meant marriage.