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ABOUT THE ORCHESTRA: Our Costumes

Our Instruments About Our Costumes History & Highlights
St. Nicholas Church

Our Costumes

Orchestra costumes are the traditional attire of Slavic cultures. The overall appearance and details—the fabric, color combination, and trim—have been faithfully preserved through many generations. Little has changed since the 17th and 18th centuries, and regional differences in style, color, and trim have remained consistent.

Slavic peasants had none of the gold or precious metals valued so highly by other cultures. Rather, they made use of what they had: flowers, ribbons, bright colors, simply patterns, and most of all, traditional embroidery.

Ladies' Costumes are fashioned after the sarafan (pinafore) with embroidered trim. The sarafan is worn over a shirt or blouse with a high collar and long bloused sleeves with an embroidered trim.

Men’s costumes are influenced by uniforms of both the Cossacks and the Slavic sailors. Shirts are fashioned after the rubashkas with a wide neck opening, high collar, long bloused sleeves, embroidered trim, and braided belt.