What is a justacorps and why did European royalty love this piece of clothing so much?
In the late 17th century in Europe, there appeared a lovely men’s ornate coat called a “justacorps”. It looked a lot like Eastern long…
The collection
All articles
977 articles about clothing, craft, and tradition.
Chinese changshan or changpao – male formal robe worn before Western-style suits became popular in China
The history of this particular Chinese garment is a bit complicated. The thing is, the changshan robe was brought to China when the Manchus…
Moroccan men’s traditional outfit ideas – everyday and festive traditional attire, folk music costumes, tribal garments
Moroccan men traditionally wear fine loose-fitting robes made from different but usually natural fabrics. The climate of Morocco determines…
Irish traditional Galway shawl was called velvet or fur shawl, although there is no velvet or fur in it
Such a traditional garment as the shawl is among the oldest pieces of clothing in the world. Basically, it’s a rectangular cloth wrapped…
Top 5 extravagant female folk headdresses. What inspired them to invent something like this?!
The traditional clothing and accessories are so diverse and unique that you can easily tell in most cases what country or ethnic group it…
Extravagant 100-year-old spinning and weaving tools from central Ukraine
In Ukraine, spinning and weaving using the simplest tools were widely common until the mid-20th century. Even today, there are many…
Most curious examples of snake-shaped jewelry throughout the ages
Various jewelry in the shape of a snake is classic and everlasting. You can see it in different cultures throughout the world and in…
Mokorotlo straw hat – traditional headdress and trademark of Lesotho
You can find the image of this traditional straw hat on the Lesotho flag and on Lesotho license plates – that’s how important it is for the…
Finnish nutukas, finnesko, or Saami boots – lovely winter footwear with stiff beaked toe
Probably the most unique and extravagant folk clothing accessory in Finland are the nutukas, fur boots with an odd upturned stiff toe. This…
How did railway workers’ bowlers turn into Bolivian traditional bombin hats? Unique fashion story
Bolivian traditional bombin hats – charming bowlers the local women balance right on the tops of their heads – are accessories with a very…
Traditional clothing of Venda people in South Africa
The national costume of the Venda ethnic group from South Africa looks typically African. Animal skin loin cloths and aprons, colorful…
Medieval bone buttons in Kyivan Rus’ – charming hand-crafted decorative fasteners
Hemispherical bone buttons are a typical accessory for the 12th-13th century in the Byzantine Empire, Western and Central Asia, Caucasus,…
Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. Which show costumes are better?
We’ve analyzed in detail the movie costumes of both these spectacular TV shows – Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. They have some of…
Algerian djeba and karakou – ornate velvet garments of extreme beauty
The traditional clothing of Algeria is absolutely charming and very regal-looking. Especially women’s garments, not to mention bridal…
Top 5 most unique ancient beaded jewelry pieces. Some of them are 5,000 years old!
We often think about our far ancestors, people who lived millennia of years ago, as dumb, undeveloped, uncivilized creatures who knew…
The short history of mule shoes – the most common 16th-century footwear
In the 16th century, both men and women loved to wear mules – backless high-heeled shoes. This footwear was the top trend and shoemakers…
All our articles about traditional makeup and the history of makeup in one place
Usually, we write about traditional clothing, folklore costumes, and the history of fashion, but makeup is another aspect of traditional…
Khmer traditional sampot. What kind of clothing is that?
Men and women in Cambodia wear a traditional garment for the lower body called “sampot”. There are many variations of this skirt – sampot…
Loveliest 18th-century petticoats from Europe and America (photos)
In the 18th century, all of the European and American ladies wore petticoats under their skirts. Petticoats were rather voluminous, usually…
Viking lost mitten from Lendbreen is one of a kind find. How was it made?
Ancient clothing artifacts are extremely rare because fabric disintegrates quickly. And it’s a startler when archaeologists discover…
Top 5 awe-inspiring old folk craft tools used for yarn making
Today, we buy industrially-made clothes that are cheap and super easy to find. But only 150 years ago, most people had to make their own…
Show costumes in The Empress / Die Kaiserin series. Not historically accurate but so lovely!
The Empress or Die Kaiserin is a 2022 German historical drama series on the life of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. This series was released…
Espadrilles or alpargatas – very popular casual shoes from South America
These shoes are popular throughout South America and in some European countries as well. They’re worn with the traditional apparel, folk…
All our articles about outerwear, winter wear, and outer garments around the world
The variety of outerwear around the world is stunning. All those coats, jackets, mantles, cloaks, parkas, raincoats, and many more garments…