Return to Traditional Ukrainian Dress page.

UKRAINIAN FOLK COSTUME/UKRAIINSKYJ NARODNYJ ODIAH, World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations, Toronto and Philadelphia, 1992. Fully bilingual (Ukrainian and English), 310 pgs. LCCN: 90-071681, no ISBN. Reviewed by T. D. O'Neill, author of Ukrainian Embroidery Techniques - Ukrainski Stiby. E-mail her at TaniaD.ONeill@yahoo.com.

Ukrainian Folk Costume was recently published by the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations. Both men's and women's costumes are presented, the time frame for the costumes being the end of the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century.

This book is a very good resource for learning and understanding the principles upon which Ukrainian folk clothing is based, as it provides basic information in both visual and verbal form.

The book is divided into sections that present the basic regional costumes typical of the broadly-defined 17 ethnographic areas (or "regions") of the native Ukrainian population on its native lands. Each section includes full-color, full-page-height, illustrated figures of men's and women's costumes (more women's, since their clothing shows more diversity), as well as black-and-white photos (most from the 1920s and 30s). Written descriptions, photos, and some illustrations present the several parts which constitute the whole costume, both for men and women.

Additionally, each section shows at least one full-color photo of an example of embroidery (four show two) and often a few black and white photos of embroidery designs (I wish some of these were in color). Illustrations of other articles of dress (necklaces, "aprons"/skirts, pants patterns, footwear) are shown at the end of each section. However, this is not a "how-to" book.

Supplementary information, consisting of a page or two of text with additional illustrations or photos, is provided on traditional Ukrainian shirts, types of headcoverings, outercoats, kerchiefs in Ukrainian life, ritual cloths (rushnyky), and blockprinted fabric (vybiyka). There is also a half-page presentation titled "From the History of Embroidery".

The book also contains a "Foreword"; the "Translator's Note"; a somewhat lengthy "Historical Research of the Ukrainian Folk Costume" section, which basically acts as an introduction, reviewing and listing works done on the stated topic. It concludes with an extensive glossary of terms; an ethnographic map of Ukraine which folds out to double-page size and shows the 17 "regions" as defined by the editorial committee; and "endnotes" (actually a bibliography).

This volume is well constructed: a sewn hardback 8.75 inches by 11.25" high, 3/4" thick, weighing 2.3 lbs. It is a beautiful book, and beyond its apparent "field-guide" approach for identifying regional clothing, may be useful to some talented seamstresses. It would be wonderful if all the various dance-groups outside of Ukraine would use this book as a guide to their "folk-dance" costumes. However, I repeat: this is not a "how-to" pattern-book.

Although I personally had hoped for more than a field-guide, I'm glad I have this book in my reference library. IT IS FULLY BILINGUAL, and can be a great gift to any library, and for yourself and your children.

How to purchase this book: Ukrainian Folk Costumes is available from the World Federation of Ukrainian Women's Organizations (WFUWO), 2336 Bloor St. West, Toronto ON M6S1T0, Canada; the cost is $45 US plus postage and handling or $50 Canadian plus postage and handling. The book is also available from Tania D. O'Neill (e-mail: tdo@netaxs.com, P.O. Box 2085, Jenkintown, PA 19046.