National clothes

The Kazan Tatars clothes and adornments are very interesting and peculiar and differ from the clothes and adornments of the other nations of the Volga region.

Old Turkish long shirts and wide trousers are the basis of the Kazan Tatars clothes. Outerwear was single-back with the close –fitting back. Sleeveless jacket was put on over the shirt. Sleeveless jackets for women were made of velvet and the coat-breasts were decorated by braids and fir. The preference was given to bright colors – yellow, green, blue and light violet. The costume was multilayer and heavy because of the numerous decorative units.

The main elements of the costume decoration were metal belts with fasteners, cast laced buttons. Coins also were the part of the decoration. The preference was given to the coins of Catherine and Elizabeth periods. The total weight of the Tatar women adornments reached 6 kilograms. People said, that because of the noise maid by the numerous heavy pendants, rings and earrings, wide bracelets you can rather hear the Tatar woman than see her.

The famous headdress of the Tatar men was half-spheric form embroidered tubeteyka. The famous headdress of the Tatar women was kalfak, decorated by pearls, small gilded coins and satin stitch embroidery. The Tatar women put much effort and skills for making the kalfaks, as kalfaks were the part of the dowry and were transmitted from generation to generation. Sometimes the old Tatar women put the shawl on their heads.

Young girls and women did their hair in 2 braids with the parting in the middle. The braids were decorated by pendants, tassels – chulpas. According to the Tatar women’s opinion the chulpas weighed down the braids and made them grow.

Patterned lady’s boots (ichigi) were the part of the Tatar women costume. Colored morocco – material for ichigi - was rather famous in ancient times as even nowadays in Central Asia chamois leather is called “bulgari”. The art of inlaid leather, originating from the culture of the Old Turkish wanderers, was known only by Kazan Tatars.

Nowadays traditional Tatar costume is used only in folk musical ensembles. Clothes designers create the models of the Tatar national costumes for the museum expositions and exhibitions.

Tatar national clothes can be bought in the souvenir shops.

Source: http://www.tatar.ru