Traditional shoes and boots in Ukraine

Ukrainians often used leather to make the traditional footwear. They made high leather boots (festive footwear) and soft leather shoes called “postoly” or “khodaky” (both everyday and festive shoes). Postoly and khodaky are typical for the western regions of the country. Leather boots were used in all of the regions of Ukraine.

Traditional leather shoes called “khodaky” from Transcarpathian region of Ukraine (the most western part of the country), the early 20th century

Male leather shoes called “postoly” from Hutsul region of Ukraine (western part of the country), the early 20th century

Male leather shoes called “postoly” from Hutsul region of Ukraine (western part of the country), the early 20th century

High female leather boots called “chornobryvtsi” (it is translated as “marigold”). Eastern Podillia region of Ukraine (western part of the country), the early 20th century

High female leather boots called “kondury”. Bukovyna region of Ukraine (southwestern part of the country), the early 20th century

High female leather boots called “chornobryvtsi” (it is translated as “marigold”). Pokuttia region of Ukraine (western part of the country), the early 20th century

High leather laced boots from Lemko region of Ukraine (part of Transcarpathian region, western part of the country), the early 20th century

Bast shoes were popular in the northern regions of Ukraine, Polissia area (woodlands). They were the peasant shoes. This footwear is made from bast (fiber from the bark of the linden tree or birch tree). Similar shoes were used in Belarus, Russia, Finland, and in other countries with a thick forest cover.