This article presents a selection of colorized historical photographs showing traditional costumes from Maramureș, Romania, mostly from the interwar period. The images come from archival material preserved through Europeana and the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, an important photographic fund connected to studios in Sighetu Marmației.
The photographs document men, women, brides, young people, and families wearing local forms of Maramureș folk dress. They reveal homespun linen and hemp shirts, wide summer trousers, winter wool garments, embroidered sheepskin vests, bead collars, coral necklaces, wool aprons, gathered skirts, headscarves, and traditional footwear.
The colorization was created to make these archival images more accessible to today’s viewer, while preserving their documentary value. The purpose is not to alter the historical meaning of the photographs, but to bring attention to the structure, materials, colors, and craftsmanship of Maramureș traditional costume.
Young Men in Maramureș Traditional Costume, Interwar Period
This remarkable studio portrait shows three young men wearing traditional male costume from Maramureș, most likely during the interwar period. Their clothing reflects the clean, powerful elegance of Romanian village dress: short white shirts made of homespun linen, wide summer trousers reaching the ankles, black boots, and richly ornamented sheepskin vests worn with the wool facing inward.
The beauty of the costume lies in the contrast between the simplicity of the white handwoven garments and the dramatic decoration of the leather vests. Each vest is worked on a deep red ground and covered with floral embroidery, small leather appliqués, and colorful ornamental details. The broad sleeves of the shirts, the deep neck opening fastened with several buttons, and the long, straight lines of the trousers create a distinctive masculine silhouette specific to Maramureș.
Two of the young men wear the traditional feciorească bag, a young man’s woven wool shoulder bag, decorated with wide straps and fringed flaps. These bags were not only practical accessories, but also visual markers of youth, pride, and social identity. The hat held by the young man on the left adds another charming detail, suggesting the carefully composed nature of the photographic studio portrait.
Although the image was taken in a photographer’s atelier rather than outdoors, it preserves the dignity and presence of rural youth from old Maramureș. The three men stand close together, solemn and self-possessed, offering a rare visual document of Romanian folk costume, village masculinity, and textile craftsmanship from the early 20th century.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, documentary collection of Nicolae Pipaș. Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Women’s Traditional Costume from Apșa de Sus, Maramureș
This studio photograph shows two women wearing traditional female costume from Apșa de Sus, Maramureș, an important ethnographic area in northern Romania. The image documents a rich form of Maramureș women’s folk dress, combining handwoven linen garments, embroidered sheepskin vests, bead collars, wool aprons, and printed or woven skirts.
Both women wear a floral headscarf, tied in different ways, together with a homespun linen shirt with a rectangular neckline. The shirts are gathered and decorated with floral motifs around the neck opening and on the sleeves. The wide sleeves, the gathered structure, and the visible hand-finished details reflect the domestic textile traditions of Maramureș village communities.
Over the white linen underskirt, gathered at the waist, the women wear different outer garments. The woman on the left wears a zadia în vârste, a wool apron with horizontal stripes, in warm yellow, green, and red tones. The woman on the right wears a sugna or sumnă, a wide gathered skirt, often made from cashmere-type fabric, but also encountered in silk or cotton versions. In this image, the skirt is dark, floral, and richly patterned, creating a strong visual contrast with the white shirt and underskirt.
The upper garment is a short decorated sheepskin vest, known locally as a cojoc cu ciucălăi, here understood as a sheepskin vest with tassels. The red ground, floral ornamentation, and applied decorative elements make the vest one of the most visually distinctive parts of the costume. Around the neck, the women wear a zgărdan, a tight beaded collar made from small beads, a characteristic accessory in the traditional adornment of women from Maramureș.
The photograph was taken in a studio, probably in one of the photographic ateliers from Sighetu Marmației. Although staged, the image preserves valuable information about the structure, materials, and ornamentation of women’s traditional costume from Apșa de Sus and the broader Maramureș region.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young People in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a group of young people wearing traditional costume specific to their local area and community in Maramureș. The image documents both male and female folk dress, with a clear contrast between the white homespun linen garments, the dark woolen outer pieces, and the richly decorated red sheepskin vest worn by the young man.
The young man wears a straw hat, a homespun linen shirt, and gatii, the wide summer trousers traditionally worn by men in Maramureș. Over the shirt he wears a decorated sheepskin vest, while at the waist he carries a small feciorească bag, a young man’s shoulder bag associated with youth and social identity. His boots and upright posture complete the ceremonial appearance of the portrait. The position of his hands on the shoulders of the two young women suggests the carefully staged composition of a photographic studio.
The young women wear pânzături, headscarves tied at the back, together with homespun linen shirts and white linen underskirts. Over these, they wear skirts and aprons, creating the layered structure typical of women’s traditional dress in the region. Their black sleeveless vests are made of pănură, a very thick woolen cloth used for durable outer garments. Around the neck, each young woman wears a zgărdan, a tight beaded collar, together with two additional strings of beads. They also wear high boots, a distinctive element in this studio representation of rural youth.
The photograph was made in a photographic studio and belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection. As a visual document, it preserves important information about Maramureș folk costume: the cut of the garments, the use of homespun linen and thick wool, the role of beadwork, and the combination of everyday textile materials with festive presentation.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Man in Winter Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young man wearing traditional male costume from a Maramureș village, most likely during the interwar period. The costume represents a cold-season variant of men’s dress from the region, combining a white homespun linen shirt with thick wool trousers, a decorated sheepskin vest, a straw hat adorned with flowers, and a young man’s woven shoulder bag.
The basic garment is the white shirt, cut with wide sleeves and a simple, upright structure. In winter, men wore cioareci, straight trousers made of pănură, a very thick woolen cloth used in Maramureș for warm and durable garments. Their heavy texture contrasts with the lighter white shirt and gives the costume a strong winter character.
Over the shirt, the young man wears a richly decorated pieptar, a sleeveless sheepskin vest. Its red ground, applied ornaments, embroidery, and tassel-like decorations make it the central visual element of the costume. Across the chest hangs the feciorească bag, a small woven wool shoulder bag associated with young men. It is decorated with floral motifs, fringe, and a wide strap, adding both color and social meaning to the ensemble.
On his head, the young man wears a straw hat decorated with flowers, a festive detail that softens the solemnity of the studio portrait. The photograph was taken in a photographic atelier, where painted backdrops, furniture, textiles, and floral props were used to create a formal setting. A distinctive detail is the vase placed on the table, made from an ornamented shell casing, a studio object that also reflects the material culture of the period.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a significant archival fund containing approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is an important visual document for the study of Romanian folk costume, Maramureș men’s dress, and interwar rural photography.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Woman in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a woman wearing traditional female costume specific to her local community in Maramureș. The image documents a complete festive ensemble, combining a white floral headscarf, a homespun linen shirt and underskirt, a decorated sheepskin vest, a floral skirt and apron, bead necklaces, and high leather boots.
The woman wears a white floral năframă, or headscarf, left open over the shoulders. The headscarf is an important element of women’s traditional dress, framing the face and adding a ceremonial quality to the portrait. She also wears a homespun shirt and white linen underskirt, both woven on a traditional loom. The shirt has three-quarter sleeves, gathered at the lower arm and finished with small ruffles, a detail that emphasizes the cut and hand-finished structure of the garment.
Over the shirt she wears a short sheepskin vest, decorated and edged with ornamental elements. This type of vest belongs to the broader category of Maramureș sheepskin garments, valued for both warmth and display. The floral skirt and apron introduce color and pattern into the costume, contrasting with the white linen base of the shirt and underskirt.
Around her neck, the woman wears a zgărdan, a tight beaded collar made from small beads, together with two additional strings of beads. These ornaments are characteristic accessories in women’s traditional costume from Maramureș and mark the importance of beadwork in local dress. She wears high boots, a frequent element in studio portraits of women from the region.
The composition was made in a photographic studio. The woman holds a small bouquet of flowers in her left hand, while her right hand rests on a tall wooden stand covered with a white floral headscarf. A vase with flowers is placed on the stand. These studio props create a formal setting and help document the costume as it was worn and represented in early Romanian rural photography.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Woman in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young woman from a Maramureș village wearing traditional female costume from the interwar period. The image documents a festive form of women’s dress specific to the region, with garments made from homespun hemp and flax cloth, a gathered skirt, an apron, beadwork, and high leather boots.
The main garment is a long shirt made of hemp and flax, woven in the home. It has a full, gathered cut, with wide sleeves and a simple neckline. Small embroidered motifs appear at the shoulders, while the generous volume of the shirt reflects the traditional construction of rural clothing in Maramureș.
Over the shirt, the young woman wears a wide, gathered sugnă, a skirt type that varies from one sub-region and village to another. Over the skirt she wears a șurț, or apron, which forms an additional outer layer of the costume. In this photograph, the dark blue floral textile creates a strong contrast with the white homespun shirt and the lace-trimmed lower edge of the garment beneath.
Around her neck, she wears a zgărdan, a close-fitting collar made of small colored beads. This type of bead ornament is characteristic of traditional women’s costume in Maramureș and is an important element of local adornment. On her feet she wears high boots with tall shafts, a common feature in formal studio portraits from the region.
On her head, the young woman wears a floral wreath, adding a youthful and ceremonial note to the portrait. The photograph was taken in a photographic studio, where floral arrangements, lace-covered furniture, and a carved wooden chair were used as props. These details help place the image within the context of interwar studio photography while also emphasizing the presentation of the traditional costume.
The photograph belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival collection comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Couple in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young couple wearing traditional costume from a Maramureș village, in a form associated with the cold season. The image documents both male and female dress from the interwar period and preserves important information about garment structure, materials, accessories, and the formal presentation of rural costume in photographic ateliers.
The young man wears high leather boots, a white shirt made of homespun linen-hemp cloth, wide gatii trousers, and a decorated cojoc or sheepskin vest. In his hand he holds a felt hat adorned with flowers, an accessory that appears frequently in festive studio portraits from Maramureș. The white shirt with broad sleeves and the loose-cut trousers give the costume its characteristic masculine silhouette.
The young woman wears a long white shirt made of tort cloth, together with a sumnă, a wide gathered skirt wrapped around the waist. Around her neck she wears a zgărdan, a close-fitting collar made of small colored beads. On her head she wears a năframă or pânzătură, a traditional headscarf, while on her feet she wears high leather boots. Her costume presents the layered structure typical of women’s traditional dress in Maramureș, combining a white homespun base garment with a darker wrapped outer skirt.
The photograph was taken in a photographic studio, where the sitters were posed in a formal manner and accompanied by decorative props, including a flower arrangement placed on a small stand covered with an embroidered and lace-trimmed cloth. Such studio settings are characteristic of interwar rural portrait photography and help frame the costume as both everyday heritage and ceremonial representation.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a significant archival fund consisting of approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is a valuable visual source for the study of Maramureș traditional costume and Romanian folk dress.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Family Group in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows two young women with two children, wearing traditional costume from a Maramureș village during the interwar period. The clothing represented here belongs to the warm-season form of local dress and documents women’s and children’s garments, footwear, head coverings, beadwork, and wool and sheepskin outer pieces.
The women’s costume is built around a white shirt with a rectangular neckline and long sleeves. Over the white linen underskirt, the women wear a sugnă, a wide gathered skirt, and a zadie, a wool apron worn at the front. The woman on the left wears a striking striped wool apron with broad horizontal black and red bands, while the woman on the right wears a dark floral gathered skirt, probably made from a printed textile. These differences show the variety of women’s dress within the same regional costume tradition.
Both women wear sleeveless outer garments. The woman on the left wears a dark vest made of thick woolen cloth, while the woman on the right wears a decorated sheepskin vest with ornamental details and tassels, locally associated with the cojoc or pieptar tradition. These garments had both practical and decorative functions, providing warmth while also marking the festive character of the costume.
The women wear headscarves, also known as năframă, pânzătură, or batic, tied in different ways. Around the neck, a zgărdan, a tight beaded collar made from small beads, appears as an important traditional accessory. The footwear is also significant: the image includes leather opinci, tied with straps, as well as boots, showing the coexistence of older rural footwear and more structured leather shoes in interwar village dress.
The children are also included in the formal studio composition. One child is held in the arms of the young woman on the right, while the other stands in front, holding flowers. Their presence gives the photograph documentary value beyond costume study, preserving an image of family representation, childhood, and rural identity in Maramureș.
The photograph was taken in a photographic studio, with floral props, a lace-covered table, and a formal arrangement typical of interwar studio portraiture. It belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund of approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Girl in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio portrait shows a young girl wearing traditional costume from a Maramureș village during the interwar period. The photograph focuses closely on the upper part of the costume, allowing the structure of the shirt, the neckline, the sleeve embroidery, and the bead ornament at the neck to be clearly observed.
The girl wears a white shirt with a rectangular neckline and long sleeves. The shirt is gathered around the neck opening and finished with a narrow decorative edge. On the shoulders and upper sleeves, the embroidery includes floral motifs worked in blue, yellow, green, and other bright colors. In the costume of young girls from Maramureș, blue, red, orange, green, and yellow were frequently used alongside the white ground of the homespun cloth.
The lower part of the costume would have included poale, the white underskirt, over which zadii were worn. Although only partially visible in this cropped portrait, the dark textile at the lower edge suggests the layered structure of the costume. Around her neck, the girl wears a zgărdan, a close-fitting beaded collar made from small beads, an important traditional accessory in women’s and girls’ folk dress from Maramureș.
The girl holds a bouquet of flowers, a common studio prop that adds a formal and youthful character to the image. The portrait was made in a photographic atelier, probably in Sighetu Marmației, and belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum. This archival collection includes approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from local photographic studios.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young People in Traditional Costume, Possibly from Tisa, Maramureș
This studio photograph shows three young people wearing traditional costume from a Maramureș village, possibly Tisa, during the interwar period. The image documents both male and female dress and preserves important details regarding clothing structure, accessories, and the formal presentation of rural costume in studio photography.
The two young women wear white long-sleeved shirts, headscarves (năframă or pânzătură), wide gathered skirts (sugnă), and aprons (șurț) worn over the skirt. On their feet they wear high boots. Around the neck, both women wear a zgărdan, a close-fitting collar woven from small colored beads. One of them also wears a costly necklace of coral beads, an important element of festive adornment in traditional women’s costume from Maramureș.
The young man wears a white shirt with wide sleeves, summer trousers known as gatii, and a decorated sheepskin vest with tassels, belonging to the cojoc tradition. Around his waist he wears a wide leather belt decorated with copper buckles, an accessory that gives structure and emphasis to the male costume. On his head he wears a barșon hat, while on his feet he wears lace-up boots.
The composition is typical of an interwar studio portrait. The young man stands in the center with his hands resting on the shoulders of the two young women, creating a balanced and formal group arrangement. The photograph is valuable not only for the study of Maramureș traditional costume, but also for the documentation of social presentation, youth identity, and regional dress practices in northern Romania.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young People in Winter Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows two young men and a young woman wearing traditional costume from Maramureș, in a form specific to the cold season during the interwar period. The image documents both male and female dress and preserves valuable details regarding garment cut, textile materials, accessories, and the formal representation of rural youth in studio photography.
The two young men wear lace-up boots and cioareci, winter trousers made of thick woolen pănură. In this example, the lower part of the trousers ends in a broad cuff-like section, giving the garments a distinctive silhouette. Their shirts are short and simply cut, made of homespun hemp cloth, with wide sleeves gathered from the shoulder. Over the shirt, each wears a decorated sheepskin vest belonging to the cojoc tradition. One of the young men also wears a wide leather belt, an important structural and decorative accessory in Maramureș men’s costume.
The young woman wears boots, a sumnă, a wide gathered skirt, and a șurț worn over it. Her shirt is made of white tort, a homespun fabric traditionally woven from linen and hemp threads. Around her neck she wears a zgărdan, a close-fitting ornament made from small colored beads, together with a more costly necklace composed of multiple strands, emphasizing the festive character of the costume.
The composition is typical of an interwar studio portrait. The two young men stand on either side of the young woman, each resting one arm on her shoulder, creating a balanced and formal arrangement. The image is valuable not only for the study of Maramureș traditional costume, but also for the documentation of youth identity, winter dress, and rural self-representation in northern Romania.
The photograph belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Bride in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young bride wearing traditional costume from Maramureș, in a form specific to the cold season during the interwar period. The image documents an important ceremonial version of women’s dress, preserving details of bridal adornment, festive clothing, jewelry, and studio presentation.
The bride wears a cunună, or bridal crown, together with a șlaier, a bridal veil that falls over the shoulders and marks her passage into the status of a married woman. In her hand she holds a bouquet of flowers, another element associated with ceremonial portraiture. Around her neck she wears a zgărdan, a close-fitting ornament made of very small beads, together with additional necklaces that emphasize the festive character of the ensemble.
Her costume includes a sumnă, a wide gathered skirt, and a șurț worn over it. Over the white shirt she wears a decorated sheepskin vest with tassels, belonging to the cojoc tradition. The layered structure of the garments, together with the beadwork, the veil, and the richly ornamented vest, gives the costume a distinctly bridal appearance. On her feet she wears lace-up boots, a common feature in formal studio portraits from Maramureș.
The photograph also provides useful cultural context. In Maramureș, visible differences in costume could appear from village to village and according to age. The shirts worn by unmarried girls were often more richly ornamented and finished with additional ruffles, reflecting age-related distinctions within the local costume tradition.
The portrait was taken in a photographic studio. The arrangement includes floral props and tables covered with fringed cloths. A notable detail is the vase placed on the table, made from an ornamented shell casing, an object encountered in the material culture of the interwar period and sometimes used as a studio accessory.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is a valuable visual document for the study of Maramureș bridal costume and Romanian folk dress.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Woman in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young woman wearing traditional costume specific to her local community in Maramureș. The image documents a carefully assembled festive outfit, with particular attention to the cut of the shirt, the use of bead ornaments, the braided belt, and the formal presentation of the sitter in a photographic studio.
The young woman wears a shirt made of homespun cloth woven on the household loom, together with poale, the white undergarment traditionally worn beneath the outer layers of the costume. Over this she wears a dark floral apron or overskirt, paired with high leather boots. The contrast between the white shirt and the dark printed outer layer gives the costume a clear and balanced structure.
The shirt has three-quarter sleeves gathered at the elbow, with the sleeve fullness controlled at the lower part of the arm. It is decorated at the neckline, on the shoulders, at the cuffs, and along the small ruffled edges. These ornamental details help define the costume of a young woman and show the importance of decorative finishing in Maramureș dress.
Around her neck, she wears a zgărdan with geometric motifs, together with light-colored bead necklaces. Her hair is braided and brought forward over the right shoulder, with ribbons tied at the end of the braid. At the waist, the costume is fastened with a braided yarn belt ending in tassels, an accessory that adds both structure and movement to the ensemble.
The portrait was taken in a studio setting, where the young woman is posed beside a small table covered with a decorative textile and accompanied by flowers and books. These studio elements frame the image as both a costume document and a formal representation of youth, femininity, and local identity in interwar Maramureș.
The photograph belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației.
Source: Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Woman in Traditional Costume from Slatina, Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young woman wearing traditional costume from Slatina, Maramureș. The image documents an elegant regional form of women’s dress, characterized by a white woven shirt, layered skirts, a richly decorated sheepskin vest, and a beaded neck ornament.
The young woman wears a white homespun shirt, simply decorated, with long and wide sleeves. At the neckline, one can observe a zgărdan, a close-fitting beaded collar that forms an important part of women’s traditional adornment in Maramureș. Beneath the outer garments she wears poale, the white underlayer of the costume. Over these appears the sugnă, a wide gathered skirt, with a șurț worn over it as an additional outer layer.
A particularly striking element is the short sleeveless cojoc, a sheepskin vest worn with the fleece on the inside. It is richly ornamented with floral motifs covering the entire surface and displays a wide variety of colors. The vest also belongs to the type locally described as cojoc cu ciucălăi, a decorated sheepskin vest with tasselled ornamentation, and it gives the costume much of its visual richness.
Her hair is braided into a plait arranged on the top of the head, a hairstyle that contributes to the composed and formal appearance of the portrait. The photograph was taken in a studio, where the sitter is posed beside a table covered with a fringed cloth and flowers, within a setting typical of interwar photographic ateliers in Sighetu Marmației.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is a valuable visual document for the study of women’s traditional costume from Slatina and the broader Maramureș region.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young People in Summer Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows three young people wearing traditional summer costume specific to the Maramureș region. The image documents both female and male dress and preserves valuable details regarding clothing structure, ornamentation, hairstyle, jewelry, and the formal arrangement of rural youth in studio photography.
The young woman on the left wears a homespun shirt, a decorated sheepskin vest with tassels and floral embroidery, poale, a sumnă, and a floral apron worn over the skirt. Her hair is braided and arranged neatly, with sprigs of greenery inserted into the braids. Around her neck she wears a zgărdan made of small beads, together with an expensive multi-strand coral necklace. On her feet she wears ankle boots.
The young woman on the right wears a similar costume: a homespun shirt, a sheepskin vest with tassels and floral embroidery, poale, a sumnă, and a floral apron. The shirt is distinguished by geometric motifs at the cuffs. Her hair is also braided and decorated with greenery. Around her neck she wears a small-beaded zgărdan and a rich multi-strand coral necklace. She also wears ankle boots.
The young man, seated on a chair, wears a black hat decorated with a small bouquet of greenery, a homespun shirt, a sheepskin vest, gatii—summer trousers made from the same type of household-woven cloth as the shirt—and boots. His costume is further completed by mânecări, woven wool wrist adornments with colorful ornamental motifs. These details enrich the festive character of the male costume and underline the decorative sophistication of Maramureș dress.
The composition is typical of an interwar studio portrait. Each young woman rests one hand on the young man’s shoulder, while in the other hand each holds a white handkerchief. This carefully balanced arrangement emphasizes sociability, youth, and ceremonial self-presentation, while also allowing the traditional costume to be clearly displayed.
The photograph belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is a valuable visual document for the study of Maramureș summer costume and Romanian folk dress.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
Young Woman in Traditional Costume from Maramureș
This studio photograph shows a young woman wearing traditional costume from a Maramureș village during the interwar period. The image documents a refined form of women’s festive dress, with particular emphasis on the white homespun shirt, the layered skirt structure, the richly decorated sheepskin vest, and the expensive coral bead adornment worn at the neck.
The costume is built around a white shirt made of undyed homespun hemp cloth. Its most distinctive features are the wide sleeves, gathered both at the shoulders and at the wrists, creating a full and sculptural silhouette typical of women’s traditional dress from Maramureș. The cut and gathered construction of the sleeves are of considerable artistic value and form an essential element of the regional costume.
Over the white underlayers, the young woman wears a sugnă, a wide skirt, together with a șurț worn over it. The dark outer garments contrast strongly with the pale shirt and help define the layered structure of the ensemble. At the waist she wears a short sheepskin cojoc, lined with fur and cut to the level of the waist. Its vivid decoration and compact form give the costume both warmth and ceremonial richness.
Around her neck she wears an expensive multi-strand coral necklace, an important element of festive women’s adornment in Maramureș. The abundance of coral strands adds status and visual emphasis to the portrait, framing the face and upper body with a striking note of color. On her feet she wears heeled leather footwear, completing the formal appearance of the studio portrait.
The photograph was taken in a photographic atelier, where the sitter is posed beside studio furniture and decorative props. A noteworthy detail is the vase placed on the stand, made from an ornamented shell casing, an object encountered in the material culture of the interwar period and sometimes used as a studio accessory.
The image belongs to the Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection of the Maramureș Museum, a major archival fund comprising approximately 7,000 glass and celluloid negatives from photographic studios in Sighetu Marmației. It is a valuable visual source for the study of women’s traditional costume, jewelry, and rural portrait photography in Maramureș.
Source: Europeana / Muzeul Maramureșului, Nicolae Pipaș documentary collection.
Colorization: GreatBlouses Historical Archives.
The historical photographs of Maramureș traditional dress reveal a world of handmade beauty: homespun shirts, embroidered leather vests, woven wool aprons, floral scarves, coral necklaces, and carefully layered garments worn with pride.
Glossary of Maramureș Costume Terms
Cămașă
A traditional shirt, usually made of homespun linen, hemp, or linen-hemp cloth. In Maramureș, women’s shirts often have wide gathered sleeves, embroidery at the neckline, shoulders, cuffs, or sleeve ends, and may vary according to village, age, and occasion.
Poale
The white lower part of the women’s costume, usually made of homespun cloth. It is worn under the outer skirt or apron and forms the light-colored base of the traditional female outfit.
Sugnă / Sumnă
A wide gathered skirt worn by women in Maramureș. It could be made from different textiles, including cashmere-type fabric, silk, cotton, or other printed materials, depending on the village, period, and social context.
Șurț
An apron or overskirt worn over the sumnă or over the lower part of the costume. It may be plain, dark, floral, or decorated, and is part of the layered structure of women’s traditional dress.
Zadie / Zadie în vârste
A wool apron worn at the front of the costume. The expression zadie în vârste refers to a striped wool apron, usually with horizontal bands of color. In Maramureș, this element could vary from one village or sub-region to another.
Cojoc
A sheepskin vest or sleeveless outer garment, usually worn with the fleece on the inside. It provided warmth but also had a strong decorative role, especially when embroidered or covered with colorful appliqué and floral motifs.
Cojoc cu ciucălăi
A decorated sheepskin vest with tassel-like ornaments. In many photographs, this is one of the most visually distinctive parts of the Maramureș costume, often richly embroidered and brightly colored.
Pieptar
A sleeveless vest worn over the shirt. In the context of Maramureș costume, it is often a decorated sheepskin vest, similar to or overlapping with the local use of the term cojoc.
Pănură
A very thick woolen cloth used for durable garments, especially winter clothing. It appears in men’s trousers, women’s vests, and other warm outer pieces.
Cioareci
Straight winter trousers made of thick woolen pănură. They were worn by men during the cold season and often appear in interwar studio photographs of Maramureș traditional costume.
Gatii
Wide summer trousers worn by men, usually made from homespun household-woven cloth, similar to the shirt fabric. They are part of the warm-season male costume in Maramureș.
Tort
A homespun fabric traditionally woven from linen and hemp threads, or similar household-produced plant fibers. It was used for shirts and other white garments in Maramureș traditional dress.
Pânzătură / Năframă / Batic
A headscarf worn by women, tied in different ways depending on local custom, age, and occasion. It could be white, floral, printed, or colored, and is an important element of women’s traditional costume.
Zgărdan
A close-fitting beaded collar made from very small beads and worn around the neck. It is one of the characteristic ornaments of women’s and girls’ traditional costume from Maramureș.
Zgardă de corali
A costly multi-strand coral bead necklace worn by women, especially in festive or ceremonial contexts. Coral necklaces were valuable ornaments and could indicate status, wealth, and family investment in traditional adornment.
Trăistuță feciorească
A small woven wool shoulder bag associated with young men. It often has a decorated flap, fringes, and a wide strap, and appears frequently in studio portraits of unmarried young men from Maramureș.
Mânecări
Woven wool wrist adornments worn as part of the male costume. They are usually colorful and decorated with ornamental motifs, adding detail and visual richness to the outfit.
Cunună
A bridal crown or ceremonial head ornament worn by a bride. In Maramureș wedding costume, it marks the special status of the bride and belongs to the ceremonial vocabulary of marriage dress.
Șlaier
A bridal veil worn together with the cunună. It symbolizes the bride’s passage into the status of a married woman and appears in formal studio portraits of brides from Maramureș.
Opinci
Traditional leather footwear made from a single piece of leather and tied with straps called nojițe. In rural costume, opinci represent an older type of practical footwear.
Nojițe
Leather straps used to fasten opinci around the foot and lower leg.
Botine
Ankle boots worn by women, often visible in studio portraits. They show the coexistence of traditional dress with more urban or commercially produced footwear.
Cizme cu tureac
High leather boots with a tall shaft. They were worn by both men and women and often appear in formal studio photographs of Maramureș villagers.
Pălărie de barșon
A velvet or plush-type hat worn by men in traditional costume. It appears in some Maramureș studio portraits as part of festive male dress.
Pălărie înstruțată
A hat decorated with flowers, greenery, or other festive ornaments. It is often associated with youth, celebration, and formal portrait presentation.