Latvian Folk Dress - Latvijas Institūts

Latvian
Folk
Dress
Zemgale
Zemgale dress bears some traits of Finno-Ugric traditions, especially
in the earliest examples of its garments. Atypical for a border region,
it does not show any resemblance to Lithuanian clothing. Zemgale is
the region which was most industrialised and economically developed
during the 17th and 18th centuries. Many peasants were employed in
manufacturing and learned advanced techniques of patterned textile
production. This influenced Zemgale dress: its typical skirt has vertical
weft-patterned stripes. The most common is the rose motif; while
zigzags, diamonds and triangles also appear. A wide woven sash was
worn above the skirt – it was usually patterned with red suns and
crosses alternating on a white background, and with a thin thread of
blue or green along the centre line.
The economic prosperity of the region led to the earlier loss of national
dress. The first items to vanish in the 19th century were the maiden’s
crown and wife’s head cloth, as well as the white woollen shawls and
their brooches. Silk scarves came into use instead of crowns and head
cloths. However, homemade white linen scarves with coloured threads
were everyday headwear for married women and girls alike. Skirts
remained in production for the longest period, as they were often made
by professional weavers.
Zemgale dress, 19th century.
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