The „fustanela” was also worn as a festive summer costume, complemented by additional decorations and ornaments. It has developed as a lighter version of the „foustan”. The cut is as dress - fitted on the body buttoned up with buttons and sewn skirt on “plohi”.
The decoration is made of edging and applying with velvet stripes on all edges, bosom and skirts. The lower part is widened and resembles a „harbala” to the skirt. The fabric is woven from factory cotton yarn by the women , and the light base has a vertical stripe in a dark color. The canvas was „beleno” on the river for several days and several times a day it was put to dry in the sun to get the desired wavy look of the fabric. The “fustaneli” were most often white, but also yellow, orange, red for girls and brides, and for adults they are the opposite - dark with a light stripe. When working in the fields, the women took off their „fustaneli” and wore more worn „fustaneli” coats to keep them clean and beautiful by putting them on at home.
Underneath is a shirt (koshulya) with wide sleeves, embroidered with „zapeski”, characteristic for Razlog - flowers and short lace at the end.
The „fustanela” of young women is girded with a "futen preskutnik" - in small red and green squares and a plant stripe in white on all sides. The ties are „lashnitsi”, decorated with small geometric ornaments, woven on a loom without a hill.
The head is covered with a white veil, called a "white edge", decorated with "aspri" at the end.
There are only earrings (mingushi) on the ears, which the little girls start wearing from an early age, after the ritual piercing of their ears on Blagovets (25.03).
The legs are with knitted from fine wool socks, whose heels and toes are red and shod with comfortable leather shoes. The woman should always have an apotropaic (objects, red color or embroidery) to protect her from "unclean forces and thoughts", because left outside she is in danger. „Zapeski” - "crosses" are embroidered on the sleeves of the shirt.
Elitsa Parparunova from Razlog put on this costume.
This costume is owned by a family from Razlog.
The project "Study of the specifics and richness of national costumes from the Razlog region in the light of cultural diversity" is realized with the financial support of the National Culture Fund under the program "Cultural Heritage".
In fulfillment of the goals of the project we present some of the most beautiful traditional costumes, typical for the Razlog valley in the last 2 centuries.
We offer our sincere thanks to our hosts from the Historical Museum - Razlog, and to all local people who helped with the realization.
Special thanks to all participants and team members who took their time and with useful information, knowledge and valuable advice made possible the work on the project.
A reverence to the girls and boys from the town of Razlog, who stood in front of our camera and with their enthusiasm, youth and beauty revived for a new life the most beautiful costumes from old Mehomiya.