The Montenegrin National Famale Garments:

Garment

From which material a skirt was made depended a lot from the social status. The skirts were usually made of flax and of hemp; festive skirts were made of silk and damask, and were usually decorated with lace or golden embroidery. The skirts were buttoned with buttons, and “ambreta’s” which had both decorative and useful function.

Rasa is a clothing item which was worn over the white shirt. Rasa was made of different kinds of wool.

Skirt was the dressing item which women who had “rasa” had, and who were members of the richer class of immigrants. They were made of “indijana”, silk “kambelot” and other materials.

The belt is a part of traditional costume. Wide belts are made of wool. Later they were replaced by “jakicar”, a hard leather belt which was decorated with red color. Then the belt was usually made of linen or flax. The belt was buttoned with buttons or a buckle or, what was usually the case, it was simply tied around the waist and was usually 6 to 8 cm wide.

What was really characteristic for Montenegrin folk costume is “cemer”. It replaced “jakicar”. It is an easier female belt which is decorated with silver filigrees and has two buckles decorated with various stones (most often those are green or dark red stones). Cemer could else be found made in forged shape. Below the old heavy belt there was another one, known as “zenski trak” (female band). “Zenski trak” is a coarse fabric band which is up to 6cm wide and 5 and more meters long with which women wrapped their waist in order to protect themselves from the pressure of the heavy belt which they wore.

Apron was considered an unavoidable part of the traditional Montenegrin folk costume. Aprons were worn with the traditional costume and were usually intended for the everyday use. Such aprons were made of “tela” and “indijana”. There were those aprons which were worn for festive occasions and such aprons were decorated with silk and golden embroidery.

Jecerma is a kind of a short vest, which goes down to the waist which was made with buttoning and without it and was usually made of coarse fabric or velvet.

Kamizola is also a kind of a vest which was worn over the shirt. It was made of silk and damask. This vest only had women from high social classes.

Zubun was made of coarse fabric, “bombazine” and velet. Zubuns were made in various lengths. They were made without sleeves and with them and they usually had buttons on them with which they were buttoned.

Dolama is a kind of an upper dress which was most often made of coarse fabric and had a festive usage. The length of dolama usually reached the knees, though sometimes it could go even below them, and dolamas always had sleeves. They were decorated with golden buttons or golden ropes.

Bran is a wide female dress. It was worn over the shirt, and it is made of an upper and lower part – from “stan” and of skirt. “Stan” was tight and close to body, while the lower part was made of 5 folds. The length of “bran” went all the way to the feet.

Footwear

Traditional footwear was made of opanci (peasant footwear), slippers, shoes and pasamage. They first put on the socks or knee socks.

Knee socks are a piece of cloth which was used to tightly surround the calves. Their cutting is not at all simple. Knee socks on their ends have some hooks and loops sewed on with which they are tightened so that they can be completely smooth. Tying of knee socks lasts long. It s very important that knee socks are tightened well, because then people are stepping more securely which is of great importance for the Montenegrins who walked a lot and moved around the very steep and stony terrain of Montenegro and even wider.

Socks (bjecve) could be found in Montenegro in several shapes, their length was below the knees, up to the half of the calf or somewhat above the ankle. Lower part of the socks was woven from the wool, while the upper part which was visible most often was made in color – usually in red and in black. The socks had a small slit from the side (inner side), and the rims of the socks were hemmed with red or dark blue color.

Opanci – were the footwear which was most often worn in Montenegro. They are made of beef’s skin. The ends of “opanci” are very low, and they do not have heals, while their front part is edged, and the peak of “opanci” is very tough. The front part of “opanci” is woven into with a “cord”, thin threads of goat’s skin, which was laid transversally, from one end of “opanak” to the other. Down the length of “opanak” and along its middle three or four rows were woven which end in loops, and through them “opanak” was attached to leg. So with this part only a half of the foot was covered, because of which “opanak’ has to be firmly attached to leg. Therefore a small belt is made also from cord with which you surround the foot and with which you bind the front art with the lateral sides of “opanak”. In order for “opanak” to be softer and more comfortable Montenegrins have put inside a insole,, which was extremely significant when “opanak” is already worn or when the skin of “opanak” is already thin. The cord, the material which is used for making “opanak”, was made by Montenegrins themselves. Goat’s skin was dried and after that stretched. Then the wool was shaved, and the skin was cut in small bands, which are then softened, then woven in, attached, and winded up in balls. For making “opanak” beef’s skin can also be used. This skin was wetted, of which it folded, and then it was put in cast after which one could make “opanak” from it. Depending for which time of the year “opanak” is made, depends which skin will be used for its production. For making of “opanak” for the summer Montenegrin uses salted skin, and for all other seasons of the year he will use the unsalted skin.

Pasamage are just another kind of easy shoes or let’s say slippers in traditional Montenegrin folk costume.

Slippers or “nanule”(wooden slippers) are the footwear of oriental origin which have a wooden sole, and on top they have a leather band in which the foot goes in.