National costume of South Estonia

Women in South Estonia wore simple shirts made of linen. The shirts were long, over the knee, and also worked as underskirts. Women didn’t wear skirts while working, they had long shirts and a sash. The shirts were decorated with red embroidery. People believed that the colour red would protect from harm. Shirt collars, edges of skirts and sleeves were embroidered with red so that evil wouldn’t get in.

South Estonian girl in summer clothing
and authentic hairdo 

The sash was wrapped tightly around the waist and it helped do hard work. It was also believed to offer protection and was even worn at nights. The sash is about three metres long – it was made long enough to be wrapped at least three times around the person wearing it. Every region had its own sash patterns, there are hundreds of them altogether.

The sash had to be tied tightly around the waist, which was a feat that often required male assistance

Striped skirts were worn in the 19th century. The skirts were woolen and the stripes of the skirts were different in every region.
Checkered shawls were popular overgarments which were worn triangularly on the shoulders.

South Estonian girl in woolen skirt with a shawl

The man's clothing consisted of a white linen shirt, woolen over-the-knee pants and a short woolen overcoat, which in South Estonia were blue. In the summer, men could wear linen clothes with the same cut. Felted top hats were worn as well. More fashionable men also wore vests.

South Estonian man

South Estonian girl and boy

Both men and women wore white stockings, which were held up by braided garters. These were made from coloured pieces of yarn that were left over from handicraft. For this reason, they often have colours of women’s skirts in them. Maatasa's garters were braided by ourselves.

The most common footwear was peasant shoes. They were worn everywhere, being suitable for both working and dancing. In the case of peasant shoes, there was no right and left one, they were worn in turns, so that they would wear out at the same time. Wealthier people wore shoes and later boots.

Peasant shoes and garters on female

Peasant shoes and garters on male

As jewellery, both men and women wore silver brooches. These were both for fastening the placket of the shirt and decoration. Some women wore more than one brooch. The amount and size of the brooches showed the wealth of the woman.

In South Estonia, women tied a red ribbon under the collar. It was believed that red from the ribbon would reflect from the brooch to the cheeks and give the woman a beautiful glow.

Female accessories

Female accessories

Women also wore glass bead necklaces. Even young children were given bead necklaces to wear under their collars. The beads would protect from harm and not wearing a necklace was a sign of great poverty. On special occasions, many rows of necklaces were worn on top of the shirt.

Young girls wore wreaths with red ribbons or headbands. A married woman could be distinguished by a special headpiece. A married woman could not have a bare head and had to wear an apron. Young girls in Estonia did not wear aprons.

Folk Club Maatasa consists of young women, of which nobody wears the headpiece.
 In the summer the girls craft themselves flower crowns.