Trnava
The folk costumes of Trnava region are known for their opulent goldwork embroidery that has attracted the attention of textile and folk art collectors since the turn of the nineteenth century. Because of this, a relatively large number of garments has survived and the folk dress of Trnava is surprisingly well represented in Slovak and international collections.
Trnava is a city in western Slovakia and the administrative center of the Trnava ethnographic region. The folk dress of the approximately two hundred villages in this region is more cohesive than in other parts of Slovakia, which caused collectors and ethnologists to classify it together under the umbrella term trnavsky kroj (Trnava regional dress). Due to the perceived unity, village provenance was rarely documented and distinctions that were once evident between villages became blurred. For decades, kroje were removed from these villages, collected, sold, dismantled, mixed, and reassembled. Consequently, many costumes from this part of Slovakia are today identified only as being from Trnava - as opposed to a specific village - and are frequently a patchwork of pieces.
The Vonnie Brown gift included two women's kroje from the Trnava region. Considering their tangled history, it's not surprising that both costumes were a pastiche of pieces that did not start off life together. In order to present a more accurate representation of Trnava folk dress, certain elements have been replaced by more suitable pieces from the MOEDA collection and the newly assembled costumes are presented here. While improved, the costumes remain a mix of garments from unidentified villages in the Trnava region and may still be imperfect ensembles.
Woman's folk dress from the end the 19th C.
Dolné Orešany | Photo taken in 1956
Detail of headdress frame worn under the cap
Dolné Orešany | Photo taken in 1956
Young men and women in local folk dress
Hrnčiarovce nad Parnou | early 20th century
The most curious pairing in one of the donated costumes was a man's vest that was mixed in with the women's attire. The green floral brocade silk used in its construction is typical of both men's and women's vests, however the open cut in the front gives away its original function as women's vests were always fully closed. Furthermore, the triangular button formation on the back was found only on men's garments in this region. Given its dazzling appearance, it's not surprising that someone without specific knowledge of the local dress might confuse it for a woman's garment.
Another historical inaccuracy in the donated ensembles was the joining together of a simple white blouse with a highly ornate vest. While both of the garments could have theoretically originated in the same village, it is unlikely that they would have been worn together in a traditional context.
The silk brocade of the vest shown here is woven with metal threads and decorated with expensive metallic trim. Given the cost of these materials, a vest such as this would have been reserved for church and holiday wear and would have been worn with an equally elaborate blouse with metallic embroidery.
The white blouse, on the other hand, which is made of plain cotton without ornate decoration, would have been part of a Sunday afternoon or dance outfit and worn with a less costly cotton or velvet vest. This blouse is worth particular attention, because fewer everyday garments were collected and are thus rarely represented in collections. Consequently, the reconstructed dance costume in this exhibit was based around this blouse in order to introduce a simpler, less common variation alongside the more frequently seen festive kroj.
This style of simpler dress was worn for social dances, during harvest celebrations, and for other events where a lighter version of kroj was more practical. The thicker crochet lace on the cuffs was less prone to damage than delicate bobbin lace and the sturdier vest was more likely to survive increased movement and a boy's sweaty palms.
Girl in traditional dance attire
Dolný Lopašov | interwar period
For dances and everyday wear, costly skirts and voluminous underskirts were not worn. Instead, only the hemp rubáš was worn under the apron.
Rubáš is a Slovak word for the traditional undergarment that formed the basis of nearly all Slovak folk dress. It consisted of a tight midbody section that kept everything confined and a lower skirt-like section that served as a slip. Originally, this was the only underwear women wore in most regions until well into the twentieth century. Rubáše (pl.) provided a level of support, were easy to wash, and protected finer clothing by absorbing the bulk of bodily fluids. They were the primary article of clothing worn on a daily basis and served as the foundation of all more elaborate kroje. Up until the twentieth century it was common for peasant women to wear only a rubáš with a simple blouse and apron when working in the fields.
Depending on the occasion, women would layer various other garments over the rubáš, including numerous under and overskirts. One characteristic that defines the festive folk dress of Trnava is the abundance of expensive manufactured materials. In addition to the silk brocades used for both men's and women's vests, heavily gathered skirts were made from imported silks and satins and a wide array of ribbons and trim. Due to their fine pleating, greater yardage was required than for a flat skirt, which could easily translate into exorbitant costs. In order to economize, the expensive fabric was used only for the exposed back section of the skirt, while the front was made from less expensive cloth that was entirely covered by a wide apron. The precise micro-pleating could not be achieved at home and so specialized women were employed in making the skirts, which were sold ready made at markets or by custom order.
Yet the most characteristic and easily recognizable element of Trnava folk dress is the goldwork embroidery. The gold and silver raised motifs are found on blouses, caps, aprons, and other accessories throughout the region. This style of embroidery is known in Slovak as cez kartón - literally meaning "over cardboard" - which was embroidered over a thick template that gave it the distinct raised structure. This technique required precision and skill as the metallic threads were difficult to work with and were secured from the back using a second, non-metallic thread. The motifs were typically stylized floral designs with the occasional addition of hearts, stars, and initials. Due to the time-consuming nature of the work, only a few women in Slovakia still practice this style of embroidery today.
Trnava
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