Mulgi folk costume
Estonian folk costume is our ancestors' historical clothing that has developed over the centuries according to the possibilities, needs and customs.
The development of Estonian folk costume was, over the centuries, influenced by the fashions of the upper classes and the traditional costumes of neighbouring countries, however, all foreign influences were adjusted to one’s taste and tradition (Estonian National Museum). Clothes were basically made of homespun woollen or linen fabric. In the 17th century, knitted pieces were added to the clothing.
Most of the clothes remained undyed: linen garments were bleached white, woollen outer garments were mainly sheep-brown or black. Other tones were achieved with herbal dyes.
Southern Estonian folk costume was characterised by the survival of several very old types of garments. Old traditions in clothing were especially well preserved in Mulgimaa: special shirt cut, wrap-skirts, headscarves, hip-apron with archaic verdure ornament, linen and woollen capes and scarfs, men's trousers.
Folk costume, as we know it today, is festive clothing of the 19th century peasants and a result of historical development and creation of centuries, reflecting the wearer’s social status and national belonging, as well as marital status, age, origin, etc.
The changes occurred slowly, along with local fashion trends, traditions and customs.
One of the most well-known folk garments is definitely a long woolen Mulgi coat. In Mulgimaa, both women and men wore the long coat, while in other parts of Estonia, women mostly wore a jacket. Mulgi long coat was black. To get black dye, brown woolen yarn or fabric was soaked in marsh water that was rich of iron. In Halliste region, women’s long coat had a grey or brown collar, while men’s coat had a blue collar. Wealthier Mulks had their robe hems’ insides covered with an expensive red fabric which they bought from a shop. Coats were decorated with a lucet cord that formed unique knots on the surface of the coat.
Among women, a hip-apron was very popular, whereas in other places in Estonia this item had been long forgotten so that no item or even description has survived. In Mulgimaa parishes, hip-apron was very common, there are descriptions available but also real items preserved in the museum collections. Hip-aprons were made of white linen fabric, which was decorated with colourful embroidery. The main colours were indigo, madder-red, yellow, green. Madder-red dye was made with madder root, and yellow dye with birch leaves.
Verdure ornament was most popular in embroidery but also religious motives - such as the powerful and ambiguous tree of life motif – were quite common.
Lucet cord motif on the Mulgi long coat. Lucet cord is made with a special tool (lucet) and it is widely used in Mulgi folk costume (see the lucet cord motif below).
