Vevcani’s traditional costume
The traditional costume in Vevcani represents a gathered reflection of the people’s cultural tradition whose roots are ethnocultural ideology of the Macedonians, some elements are of the ideology understandings and some are from the aesthetical understandings throughout the centuries. An influenced part in t he creation of the costume has the geographical area. It features with a special form but mostly for the woman’s costume. There is also a great know-how gathered onto the costume that has been passed from generation to generation. This costume, except to protect the human body has ornaments from great times of the past, such as meanings and significances. It also has a territorial affiliation, family position and a mutual society relation distinction among ages.
During the time when there were no industrial products and only the self-made products were known to the villagers, they were the only source for creating the costume. The upper part of the costume, the men’s and women’s is made out of wool – klashna. The shirts were firstly made out of hemp linen and later out of cotton linen.
Of all the aesthetical categories and disciplines in knitting the costume the most valuable and appreciated part is the knitted area called "vez". The knitted part can be on the shirt and the headscarf, called "ubrus".
Another interesting part that includes knitting are the knitted socks called "arganojci".
Special decoration with a dominant part has the metal jewelry, and from the middle of the 19th century the beads.
There are several kinds of traditional costumes in Vevcani.
The women’s costume has several kinds depending on the weather conditions and the social status. The most noticeable woman costume is the bride’s one, dating from the 19th century. From the upper part of the clothing we can mention the following; a shirt knitted with cross and "vasilicarka", smaller knitted shirt, "zoban"that has velvet sleeves and a knitted decoration from a sterling silver, "klasenik", "sokaj", "jube", "bovca resacka", belt, "kolance-prepaska", scarf, chin piece with coins, "scarf with "kesme", as for the lower part of the clothing there are: socks and shoes. Decorative elements are: "kiska", belt with beads, belt with coins, "caprak", needle, "tunturici", "panzur", earings.
The newer tipes of costumes are more oriental and have more color on it, and more noticeable are the: longer shirt, shorter shirt, scarf for the head called "ubrus", a belt with beads, under it there is a fringed scarf, chin piece, "kiska", needle, "tunturici", woolen socks and shoes.
The costume for an elderly woman is more modest and it is a combination of a longer shirt, shorter shirt with fewer colors, "zoban", "bovca", no special decoration, black belt, handkerchief, scarf for the head, socks and shoes.
The male, groom’s costume is characterized with linen clothing decorated with black lace. It has: shirt, "becvi", "djamadan"-vest, "gunce", red woolen belt, "dolama", shallow hat – "kece", red socks- "arganojci", leather shoes.
