Oltenia & Muntenia Folk Costumes
Traditional Romanian folk costume was more than clothing. It functioned as a visual language within the community. The way a person dressed could communicate where she came from, her age, marital and social status and the occasion for which the costume was worn. Cut, materials, colours, embroidery, woven decoration, head coverings and the combination of individual garments all contributed to this language.
Women’s folk dress from Oltenia and Muntenia is constructed as a complete textile ensemble. At its centre is the traditional Romanian shirt, usually made from straight pieces of cloth joined together and gathered around the neck. In the well-known shirt with altita, the sleeve decoration follows the structure of the garment: the embroidered shoulder panel, the gathered section beneath it known as incret, and vertical embroidered rows extending along the sleeve.
The lower part of the costume may consist of two rectangular woven pieces, such as catrinte or zavelci, worn at the front and back, or of a fuller gathered skirt known as a valnic. The valnic could be woven from wool for the cold season, while lighter versions were also made from cotton, linen, hemp or silk. A woven belt secured the garments at the waist and completed the ensemble.
Linen, hemp and cotton were widely used for shirts, while wool, cotton, linen, hemp and silk appear in woven garments according to season, locality and period. Fine borangic silk was used for festive marame and could also appear in festive Romanian shirts. Embroidery, weaving, decorative picking techniques, beads and metallic threads enriched the costume without replacing its underlying construction.
Colour and accessories could also carry meaning. Depending on local custom, certain colours were associated with age, vitality or social position. Young unmarried women could wear flowers or other ornaments in their hair, while married women covered their heads according to local tradition, including with marame.
The character of Oltenia and Muntenia folk costumes lies in the relationship between cut, fabric, weaving, embroidery, colour and the way the individual pieces are worn together. This coherence of the complete ensemble is essential when identifying authentic vintage Romanian clothing.
