Swedish bonnet avaCaps, coifs, and bonnets were a must for European women since around the 10th century and up to the mid-20th century. The variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and adornments is so impressive that modern glamorous fashion designers would envy the artisans’ imagination. Although, floral prints, cute ruffles, embroidered designs, and fancy laces are among the favored decorations for all times. For example, here are a few lovely examples of Swedish headwear pieces from The American Swedish Institute that date back to the 19th – early 20th century.

lavalava avaIn many countries with hot and humid climate around the planet, men and women traditionally dress in simple rectangular wrap-around garments for comfort. There exist many different names for these “kilts”, like sarong, dhoti, pareo, saram, maʿwaz, futah, and so on, but probably the cutest word for this handy garment appeared in Polynesia – the locals call this skirt-like cloth “lava-lava”. The Oceanic peoples wear their lavalava with beach clothing, everyday outfits, business suits, and any other style of clothes.

Folk belt avaThe variety of Ukrainian traditional belts and sashes used by men and women in the 19th – early 20th century is huge. There are folk belts to any taste and imagination – different sizes, widths, materials, and decorations. The most popular were hand-woven belts called “kraika”, wide fabric sashes, and decorative leather belts. Also, there was a tradition to belt the bride with a ceremonial cloth (similar cloths typically framed religious icons in Ukrainian houses). Here is a small collection of vintage folk belts and sashes from different regions of Ukraine.

Ruana avaFew traditional pieces of clothing are so beloved and popular that people organize whole festivals to honor them. Colombian authentic poncho-like garment called “ruana” is one such folk item. There are not one but two events dedicated to a ruana – World Day of Ruana and the National Festival of Ruana. Herewith, this traditional blanket has a rather mysterious origin. It’s sort of a fusion between Spanish capes and the traditional blankets of the Andean Muisca and Timoto-cuica indigenous groups.

Indian jewelry avaIndian traditional attire is famous for its brilliant jewelry items. The local jewelers make wonders with gold, silver, gold plating, precious and semi-precious stones, crystals, and even fake gems. The masterpieces they create can impress anybody in India and far across its borders. We’ve gathered a collection of photos with modern Indian jewels made to look like vintage traditional pieces. Mostly, they’re worn by brides for their weddings, but Indian women use beautiful jewelry even for festive occasions and in daily life – they try to bring beauty everywhere they go, even when their surroundings are poor, filthy, and unattractive.

guernsey avaSome traditional garments are so charming and beloved by the locals that they’re still in use today, in the 21st century, even though their design has seen little change throughout the decades or centuries even. A British guernsey is one such piece of folk clothing. A hand-knitted fishermen's sweater became a heritage piece and a symbol of the British knitting industry that developed since the late 1400s. Today, you can often see a guernsey at folk festivals, local celebrations, and other similar occasions in the UK.

Luhkka avaAs the Saami people live in the far North of Europe, they need really warm and cozy clothing. Today, that’s not a problem, with all the modern high-tech materials and clothes-making techniques. But hundreds of years ago, people didn’t have that many options. There is one particular winter garment traditional for the Saami that is both comfy and cute-looking, and that’s a luhkka – a hooded cape that protects the top half of a body. Let’s see what it looks like and how to make it.

Headdress avaFor many centuries, Ukrainians (and people of the Kyivan Rus’ before them, Slavic tribes before them, and Scythian and Sarmatian tribes before them) wore headdresses in everyday life. The variety of headwear was wide and depended on the occasion, status of the wearer, region, season, and other factors. While men’s hats were optional and were used for warmth and as a festive accessory, women’s headdresses were an obligatory piece among the married females. This time, we’ve decided to show you different vintage headpieces of Ukrainian men, married women, brides, and maidens from the 19th – first half of the 20th century.

Peruvian avaThe traditional clothing of Peru is so colorful, unique, and unforgettable that many photographers do their best to create wonderful pics of Peruvians in their folk outfits, with the local landscapes as a background. When you look at these costumes, you admire the flamboyance and can’t help but think of taking unusual selfies and photos. Like the ones we’ve gathered for you in this post. Aren’t they fresh, and funny, and cheerful, and beautiful?

Panama7 avaThe traditional attire of Panamanian women called “la pollera” is one of the most beautiful, flamboyant, and elaborate folk dresses around the world. Any pollera looks wonderful, but the so-called “pollera blanca” or “white pollera” is even more exquisite. It’s pure white, adorned with snow-white lace and whitework. Sometimes, there are some colorful accents or accessories that only highlight the whiteness of the skirt and blouse.

korowai cloak avaThe Māori people of New Zealand historically wore a variety of cloaks, including hieke, korowai, kahu huruhuru, kahu kurīб kaitaka, and some more. Each style is different but equally cute. Māori weavers were and still are very skilled and creative. Their hand-crafted woven cloaks look gorgeous and are really functional – they protect their wearers (men, women, and kids) from harsh weather conditions and, at the same time, indicate the status of a person. Today, we’re going to talk particularly about the korowai cloak.

Necklace avaEvery Ukrainian maiden and woman had a necklace 100 years ago. It was a must. She could not wear earrings, finger rings, or bracelets, but she usually had some necklaces on, even when doing daily chores. In some regions, adornments were extremely cheap and simple, in others – women went to the field in a Venetian glass necklace for, if her house got destroyed by fire when she was out, she could take off her necklace, sell it, and rebuild the house. That’s how expensive these jewels could be. But let’s have a good look at various vintage necklace sets from different regions of Ukraine.

capulana sarong avaOne of the most traditional and common pieces of clothing in Mozambique is a sarong-style garment called “capulana”. It’s popular both among men and women, but females wear it more often because it’s comfy, pretty, and multi-functional. A capulana became the local folk attire of Mozambique centuries ago when it replaced traditional animal skins. Since then, it hasn’t lost its popularity. Today, capulanas have a more contemporary design and color palettes, but they’re still a significant part of Mozambican cultural heritage.

kuspuk avaAlaskan traditional garments are often rather comfy, but this particular overshirt also looks very contemporary. It has a large front pocket and a hood – just like our modern beloved hoodie. Although, the fabric print choice is different, as a lot of kuspuks are sewn from the cloth embellished with tiny floral prints or other motley designs. And a small flaring skirt adds femininity to this authentic folk overshirt.