Traditional Ukrainian bridal headgears (+ photos)

Traditional Ukrainian headdress for unmarried girls is a wreath. It is also a headdress for a bride at her wedding. There are many different kinds of wreaths. Usually they are made of fresh flowers and herbs or dried flowers and herbs and embellished with colorful ribbons (by the way, girls used to wear ribbons of specific length at a certain age: toddlers – to the ear, little girls – shoulder blade long, teenagers – below the belt, and brides – floor-long). Sometimes fabrics, beads, feathers, metal, glass and even plastic are used. Today we are presenting you a great collection of Ukrainian national festive headgears for brides from various regions of the country. They are vintage wreaths from museums and private collections.

Bridal wreaths made from different materials with ribbons and a stylized artificial wedding bouquet (at the right)

Bridal wreaths and hairpins made from wax, ribbons and flowers

Bridal wreaths made from artificial flowers and wax, with few ribbons

Bridal wreaths and other headdresses, and a stylized artificial wedding bouquet (below)

Wedding headgears called "chiltse". They are used in the Western part of Ukraine, Bukovina region

Bridal wreaths made from little pompons (which are made of yarn) with different types of ribbon fastening

Very unique bridal headdress made from feathers, artificial flowers, beads and ribbons. It is used only in one village of Ukraine, in Ivano-Frankivsk region. This kind of a wreath is still used in this village as a wedding headdress

Rich and festive bridal wreath made from little pompons and embellished with artificial flowers and long ribbons

Bridal headgear made from colorful fabric

Bridal wreaths. The first one (at the left) is made from artificial flowers and plastic decorations, with colorful ribbons. The second one (at the right) is made from little pompons (which are made of yarn), with long colorful ribbons

Festive bridal headdress, richly ornated. It has embroidery, beadwork and decorative elements (coins sewn to the bottom edge). The ribbons are very bright, colorful and expensive

Simple but delicate and feminine bridal headgear with embroidery and ribbons

Rich and festive bridal headdress. It consists of 3 separate parts: several ribbons embroidered with beads, artificial flowers (could be replaced by fresh flowers) as embellishment, and colorful ribbons with embroidery