A hat fully made of fur (like ushanka) was very expensive. The very word "hat" could be substitute by a name of textile a hat was made of: pukhovaa (made of down feather), plisovaa (made of velvet), mekhovaa(made of fur). Sometimes people added an adjective to define a type of fur: belichi kolpak (made with squirrel's fur), sobachi kolpak (with dog's skin), etc.
Men's headpieces were very diverse in fashion, decoration, and fabric used. Any tassels or bands were allowed only until the first child's birth. Usually, men's hats were made of woolen coating, duffel, and fur. From now on, his capability to be a proper husband and father was symbolically expressed by an expensive fabric of a hat, not by an arty-crafty decoration. Right after his wedding, newlywed switched from his previous bachelor-style hat to a traditional headpiece (special for each region). And, for wedding ceremony, embroidered plat (a ritual towel) carried symbols of fertility and prosperity had to be tied around groom's hat.
After engagement, a groom-to-be beautified his headpiece with wide silken bands, paper flowers, beads, and pearls - depended on his family's wealth. When a boy found a girlfriend (not a bride yet), he started to decorate his headdress with small gifts made by her: tassels, bows, etc. The only rule was: the fancier, the better. Tradition didn't require any particular shape of color. Young men, who were searching for bride, wore city-style hats with wide brim and high crown.
Kartuzy (hats) for boys after their 15 (age of marriage, for village youngsters) had been made of more expensive and stylish textiles than before. New details reflecting process of maturation had been added to them almost each month. However, later, between ages of 11 and 15, headpieces became bright and fancy. Girls of the same age started to wear modest kerchiefs and earrings. At his 8th birthday, boys got their first hats (along with the first porty - pants). Therefore, people could switch from one hat to another every year (or, even more frequent, e.g., during adolescence).īeing a marker of maturity, headdresses were forbidden for " mladency" (children before their age of 8). Head covers of Russian peasants expressed any changes of wearer's health and/or family situation very precisely and carefully. According to ethnographers, usage of a headdress (or, of a hairdo) as a marker of physical maturity was common for all traditional cultures around the world. It reflected age group of a wearer (to be more precise - her/his ability to have offspring), her/his marital status, number of children, etc. Russian language still keeps words and proverbs connected with that tradition.Īs a whole, headpiece was kind of passport for village people. Bare head was a shame (for women), and an insult for other people (for men). All members of village community had to cover their heads (and, for women - hairs) completely when they went outside their homes. Russian peasants considered head dress as an important part of an outfit.
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