A kosovorotka shirt was the main element of Russian men’s national costume. Its name (rubakha in Russian) comes from the Old Russian word “rub”, which means a rough, simple cloth, and its first mention dates back to the 11th century. Kosovorotka refers to a shirt with a slit not in the center of the chest, but on the side, fastened with a button. According to the historian Dmitry Likhachev, such a cut was made so that in the course of work the baptismal cross would not slip out from under the clothes. The style of the shirt was the same for men of all estates, the only difference was in the quality of fabric and trimmings.

The shirt fulfilled not only a utilitarian but also a magical function. A newborn boy was wrapped in his father’s shirt, which was then used to make the baby’s first shirt. In ancient times people believed that in this way the power of ancestors and clan would protect the child from evil and disease. A shirt made of new cloth — novina — was given to a boy on his third birthday. Little children, boys and girls, wore identical shirts until they were 12 years old.

The embroidery on the shirt also served as a protective amulet. Traditionally, the embroidery was used to decorate the bottom of the sleeves, collar and chest — the borders of uncovered body parts, through which evil spirits could penetrate a person. The pattern on the collar and chest was made up of traditional geometrical diamond-shaped elements. A flower with triple petals was inserted into each of them. The embroidery is done in red and black threads in different techniques: satin and running stitch, and double cross. Such a combination of colors was characteristic of the southwestern regions of Kaluga Governorate.

The shirt was made of four wide sheets of linen canvas, reaching to the thighs or knees. The upper part was additionally reinforced against wear and tear by a lining. The main part of the shirt is called “stan” and there are shoulder insets sewn on to it to widen the neck. The sleeves are straight and under the arms there are square pieces of cloth — gussets. They were sometimes made in red, and served to give more freedom of movement. The stand-collar was 2–7 cm in height, and if it was absent, the shirt was called a “bareneck”.

In addition to the shirt, men’s costume included a belt and trousers. The shirt was worn untucked, only young men in some governorates tucked the shirt into their trousers or used braces. Middle-aged and elderly men always wore a shirt over their pants. The shirt was always tied with a silk or woven belt, which was considered a personal talisman.

Name: Kosovorotka men’s shirt
Date of creation: the early 20th century
State catalog number: 002020502
Place of creation: Kaluga Governorate, the Russian Empire
Technique: weaving, sewing, embroidery
Dimensions: 80×70 cm

A poneva or ponka is an ancient women’s clothing item, a woollen skirt that married women used to wear over their shirts. Its name comes from the word “ponyat” in the meaning “to embrace” — the unbuttoned skirt “embraced” a girl. The poneva costume from Kaluga Governorate consists of a poneva, a long shirt and an apron.

Putting on a poneva was a special ritual. People would say of a girl, “She took off her shirt and put on a woman’s yoke”, which meant that she was ready to marry and accept a woman’s lot in life. Poneva was also called a “woman’s care” and “woman’s bondage”.

The poneva on display is dated to the early 20th century. It was called “kind”, meaning good. It is sewn from homespun woolen black fabric with a large checked pattern. The checks are marked with narrow strips of red, white and green threads. It was possible to determine where a girl lived by the width of the checks of the poneva, and her age — by the number of ribbons, embroidery and laces. Three cloths were used to sew a poneva — the back and two side ones. The poneva was most often sewn by hand, but the skirt in the exhibition is made on a sewing machine.

On the front side, red calico is sewn on top of a black checked fabric, as well as gold and silver braid, and pink and green satin ribbons. Along the edges of the poneva is a wide homespun band with a geometrical pattern made of red and green woolen threads. All the stripes are sewn vertically in the front and horizontally in the back. This type of decoration was called “round edged”. The ornamentation takes up two thirds of the poneva, and the black checked cloth is visible only on the top.

In Kaluga Governorate women also wore round ponevas. They were wrapped around the shirt and fastened at the waist with a cord. In the front a shirt was visible between the flaps, which was also beautifully embroidered. During fieldwork the corners of the poneva were tucked under the belt so that the hem would not get dirty. The shirt and poneva were covered with an apron.

When a girl got married, a shirt and poneva became her main garment. A mother would prepare a dowry of 12 poneva cloths for her daughter. 3–4 ponevas were sewn for the wedding, and the rest of the material was put aside for the future.

Name: Poneva skirts from Kaluga Governorate
Date of creation: the early 20th century
State catalog number: 002018737
Place of creation: Kaluga Governorate, the Russian Empire
Technique: machine sewing, assembly
Dimensions: 140×65 cm