Thus, the border territories of Polissia, Volyn, Lemkivschyna, Boikivschyna, Hutsulschyna and Bukovyna boast the variations of the traditional dress formed under the Polish and Romanian influence as well as that of Southern Slavs, Hungarians, and people of the Caucasus.
The traditional Ukrainian dress has passed a long way with some of the elements remaining intact since the times of ancient Slavs. For instance, in this manner was inherited the most widespread garment – a long linen shirt decorated with embroidered floral or geometry ornament with a woven waistband. Embroidery is the major adornment of the traditional Ukrainian costume. Special decorative fabrics and different ribbons and threads of beads add festivity to garments.
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A wreath is one of the main elements of a Ukrainian national women's suit, as well as red boots. A wreath is a symbol of purity and youth. Also, it is an inseparable part of wedding garments. The wedding symbolic of a wreath is reflected in love magic and fortunetelling, in the custom of giving a girl a wreath on the engagement day, in the usage of a wreath at the wedding. Maids walked bareheaded which marked the state of being pure. Having lost virginity, a girl had to cover the head by pokrytka meaning “coverage”.
Vyshyvanka is the Ukrainian traditional clothing which contains elements of Ukrainian ethnic embroidery. Many variations of its design were created. Usually, it was made of homemade linen which was produced by loom. Local features are usually represented in the shirt's ornamental pattern.
Ukrainian traditional female costume consists of: vyshyvanka (traditional female embroidered garb), zapaska (a woven skirt) and krajka (woven belt). The beaded jewellery (namysto) is also an important detail of Ukrainian traditional female costume. Ukrainian women, irrespective of their age, liked jewelry very much. Traditionally they wore necklaces of coral, gemstones, glass beads and metal. Often girls and women wore coral necklaces with coins (called "dukachi") or small metal balls. Young girls used many beading threads while married women wore mainly only one thread.
The traditional male clothes comprise a shirt, pants or sharovary (baggy trousers), sleeveless jacket (a sort of a bodice), waistband and boots. The white male shirt with the passage of ages has changed its appearance from the one knee-long and worn outside trousers to become a short one with embroidered collar and cuffs at the end of sleeves, and tucked into pants. It had mid-chest cut with loops made of silk cord or ribbon for fastening. Sometimes a male corset resembling a vest was worn girded by a waistband.
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The main feature of Ukraine's national clothes is the baroque style, which manifests itself in the exaggeration of general forms. Creating an authentic traditional garment is a craftsmanship that has survived through years.
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