Skirt `burka`

The woollen skirt for the festive costume was hand-made by Anna Dzyruk at the end of the 19th century in the village of Hołownie. It is sewn from self-made maroon material. It was cut from two rectangular pieces of fabric sewn together at the sides. It is 78 cm long and 72 cm wide. The front is plain, as this part of the skirt was covered by an apron and the sides and back have small pleats. At the top of the skirt there is a narrow strip, called a stitch, made of linen canvas. Two strips of fabric extend beyond the waist to form longer ends, called ‘troczki’, used to tie the skirt at the waist in the middle, where there was a slit to make it easier to put on. The skirt is decorated at the bottom by a 20.5 cm wide woven pattern consisting of multicoloured stripes in orange, sapphire, white, green, yellow and amaranth, edged by a 1.2 cm wide selvedge in orange, green, amaranth and white. The bottom of the skirt is reinforced by sewing of a 7-cm wide pleat made of linen canvas on the left side.

Such skirts were worn for festive dress, i.e., on Sundays when going to church, and during family and annual ceremonies. The skirt reached almost to the ankles and covered high laced boots so that the legs were not visible. This was due to the precepts of modesty and the fashion of the time.