Men’s belt

The velvet belt for men's festive costume was worn in the Krzczonów region. It comes from Piotrków in the municipality of Jabłonna and was machine-sewn by Maria Ciuraj in 1910. It is 88 cm long and 11 cm wide. It is made of black velvet lined with linen. The longer edges of the velvet are cut in serrations sewn with yellow thread, under which is laid a strip of amaranth material, and a gold tape sewn in zigzag on it. The whole piece of material on the edge and the lining is additionally trimmed with a red ribbon called ‘brush’. In the middle of the belt, next to each other, small rhomboids, called windows are cut out in the velvet; they have been trimmed with yellow thread. Underneath each of them, there is a strip of white, red and green fabric with silver thread. Above and below the windows, there are sewn ribbons of amaranth, green and gold in a zigzag pattern. Some of the ribbons have been damaged and are torn out. The belt is fastened with three dark buttons and hand-made loops and hooks.

This belt in the Krzczonów costume was worn from the beginning of the 20th century until World War I on the shirt worn over the trousers. It was after significant changes of this costume, including the use of self-made fabrics abandoned in favour of factory-made ones, that new elements of clothing, including the described belt and other decorations were introduced. These were also used in men's kaftans along the fastening and at the waist parallel to the bottom edge.