FOLK

The Belarusian costume, having common roots with Ukrainian and Russian national costumes and formed on the basis of the mutual influence of Lithuanian, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian traditions, is nevertheless distinguished by its originality and is an independent phenomenon. In addition, it absorbed the trends of international urban costume and thus fit into the pan-European context.

There are at least 3 types of Belarusian folk costume:

- peasant;

- bourgeois;

- noble

The Belarusian peasant costume has deep historical roots and has retained many archaic features. Combining practicality and aesthetics, it was and is much more than just clothing or a work of art. The Belarusian peasant costume reflected local traditions, the needs and social status of the representatives of the Belarusian people, the worldview of the craftsmen who made it, and entire meaningful stories are sometimes read in the decorative ornament. Usually it is the peasant costume that is meant when they talk about the national costume of Belarusians in general.

Traditional folk weaving has long been widespread in Belarus. The raw materials for it were linen, wool, and hemp. The processes of its processing and preparation were carried out manually: the threads were spun using a spindle and a spinning wheel, they were whitened or dyed (in decoctions from the bark of trees, plants, flowers), woven on hand looms, from the end of the 19th century. - on their technically improved versions - workbenches, which expanded technological and artistic capabilities.