Folk costume glossary. Poland

Traditional pieces of the male and female national costumes in Poland: bielunka, bruclek, ciasnocha, cucha, czepiec, czółko, fortuch, galaty, gorset, gunia, jaka, jedbowka, jedwabnica, jelenioki, kabotek, kaftanik, kalita, kapuza, kłobuk, kontusz, kopki, kornet, koszula, krakuska, kurpsi, kyrpce, maciejówka, modrziniec, nogawice, orpant, oplecek, pas, pas kontuszowy, poloki, rogatywka, serdak, spódnik, stroje ludowe, sukmana, szpyncer, trzos, watówka, wystek, zapaska, żupan, and żywotek.

Bielunka – women’s blouse made from linen or cotton with wide bell-shaped sleeves.

Bruclek – Polish outerwear; linen waistcoat worn over a shirt. The color is typically black or navy blue. It can be rather ornate.

Ciasnocha – female underwear; long underskirt.

Cucha – male coat made from woolen broadcloth. Usually, it is white and richly adorned with embroidery and other decorations.

Czepiec – lace female cap; has a decorative part called “czółko” that covers the forehead.

Czółko – tall black cylindrical headpiece for unmarried girls. It covers the forehead and is tied at the back of the head. This headdress is commonly ornate.

Fortuch (fartuch) – a kind of skirt that consist of two parts – front and back. These pieces of cloth are belted to keep them in place.

Galaty – male linen narrow trousers; usually, blue or dark blue. They are belted with a leather belt wound around several times.

Gorset – very ornate female bodice.

Gunia – woolen winter coat.

Jaka – male short jacket worn for festive occasions. The color is traditionally red with black trim.

Jedbowka – neckerchief worn by men.

Jedwabnica – female headscarf.

Jelenioki – tight yellow men’s trousers.

Kabotek – female short blouse with puffed elbow-length sleeves.

Kaftanik – women’s long-sleeved short jacket. It is usually worn by older women.

Kalita – festive shoulder bag shaped like a horseshoe. It is traditionally worn over the right shoulder.

Kapuza – very big male hat made from lamb’s leather.

Kłobuk – male wide-brimmed hat. It is black, tall, and stiff.

Kontusz (kontush, kuntush) – male outerwear worn by Polish, Lithuanian, and Hungarian nobility. It is a long robe (reaches to below the knees or to the ankles) with long sleeves of a particular shape. The sleeves have a special opening where hands are put so that the sleeve is thrown back.

Kopki – female headdress, a kind of bonnet or coif worn by married women.

Kornet – women’s festive headdress. It is usually high and richly decorated.

Koszula – men’s white linen shirt.

Krakuska – male hat that has 4 prominent corners. Also called “rogatywka”.

Kurpsi – footwear made from tree bark, like bast shoes.

Kyrpce (kierpce) – unisex leather shoes worn in the mountainous regions. Similar footwear called “postoly” is used in Ukraine, Romania, and other Slavic countries.

Maciejówka – male cap. It is soft, round, made from fabric with a short hardened leather peak.

Modrziniec – women’s ankle-length apron worn over the fortuch. It usually is blue.

Nogawice – woolen male trousers. They often are beautifully decorated with embroidery. Another name “portki”.

Orpant – jewelry for the żywotek, chain that is used as lacing at the front.

Oplecek – women’s corset. It can be a separate garment or attached to a skirt.

Pas – female metal belt, often silver. It consists of small plates joined by a chain.

Pas kontuszowy (kontush belt) – male ornate fabric sash used to belt the outer garment called “kontusz”.

Poloki – fancy leather boots worn by the rich.

Rogatywka – male asymmetrical, peaked, 4-pointed cap worn by Polish military. Also called “krakuska”.

Serdak – decorative sheepskin vest, prettily embellished. It can be used by both men and women.

Spódnik – skirt. Often, these skirts were made from linen and trimmed with white lace.

Stroje ludowe – Polish name of “national costume”.

Sukmana – traditional peasant coat. It is made from simple hand-woven fabric and has a white or grayish color. The cut of this coat is not straight, it is widening to the hem.

Szpyncer – short male winter coat. It is worn over the bruclek.

Trzos (also called “pas trzos”) – men’s wide leather belt. Usually, it is ornate – adorned with cutting, stamping, metal decorations, embroidery, etc.

Watówka – women’s quilted jacket. Sometimes, this name also applies to one-piece garment (skirt + bodice sewn together).

Wystek – female bodice fastened at the front.

Zapaska – apron belted at the waist.

Żupan – outerwear, long lined winter coat. Similar garments are used in Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Żywotek – women’s bodice similar to a corset. Usually, it is sewn to the skirt to form a one-piece dress. The front part is richly adorned with embroidery, sequins, beading, etc.