Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz avaThe national costume of Kyrgyzstan hasn’t changed much for the last almost 700 years. A lot of garments remain practically identical to vintage items. But, of course, slight changes occur with time – mainly in decoration and details of the outfit or sometimes in the cut. For instance, modern Kyrgyz folk dresses can be shorter and more fitting, while the traditional embroidery patterns are still used to embellish them. But let’s look at 5 curious features of Kyrgyz national male and female costume.

elechek avaKyrgyz folk headpieces are remarkable accessories. There are 3 main types of female headgear: a tebetei (fur hat), a topu (skull-cap), and an elechek or kalyak (long piece of cloth wound around the head like a turban). Let’s look in detail at these traditional Kyrgyz headwear items worn by women. Particularly, we’ll learn a lot about the elechek – this folk female headdress is perhaps the most charming and useful article of clothing in Kyrgyzstan and it reflects the local cultural peculiarities perfectly.

Kyrgyz costume avaKyrgyz traditional outfits not only look pretty but also are very comfy to wear. Actually, that’s the main feature of Kyrgyz folk dress because these are nomadic people who originally spent much of their time on horseback. Today, the lifestyle of modern Kyrgyz people is a bit different, especially for city-dwellers, but the traditional clothing remains the same – loose, comfortable, multilayered, and with minimal decor.