Archives West Finding Aid

Historical Background of Yugoslavia

Until WWI (1914-1918), Austria-Hungary ruled the territories of today’s Slovenia, Croatia, Vojvodina, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the Ottoman Empire controlled Serbia and Montenegro until 1878, and Macedonia until 1912. People identified mostly with their historic regions or lands until the nineteenth century, when the development of capitalism and integration processes caused the birth of modern national identities—so that Slovenes, Croats, Serbs, Bosnian Muslims (present-day Bosniaks), Macedonians, and Montenegrins each started to identify themselves as ethnic nations. Also at this time, there was a resurgence of interest in regional dress, which coincided with a romanticized and idealized idea of the peasant past, which culminated in the idea of “our dress,” emblematic of national identity.

In 1918, Serbia and Montenegro united with the South Slavic territories of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, which resulted in the formation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1929, this entity became the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, ruled by King Aleksandar Karadjordević. In 1941, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was occupied by Axis forces and became the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, and in 1945, the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. This entity was renamed the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia in 1963. In 1991, it disintegrated into five independent states: the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Croatia, the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (including Serbia and Montenegro), and the Republic of Macedonia. Currently, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia are all independent states. Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with oversight given to the United Nations.

Yugoslav Regional Costume

The people of the former Yugoslavia were very diverse: they spoke different languages such as Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian; they had different alphabets, Roman and Cyrillic; and different religions, Roman Catholicism, Serbian or Macedonian Orthodoxy, and Islam. In addition, there were non-Slavic populations that made their homes there, including Albanians, Hungarians, Romanians, and Turkish peoples. Although these different populations were unified under one governing body during the time Blanche Payne was completing her research, they kept their cultural traditions alive through a revived interest in dance and costume. While the specific materials and motifs of costume varied from place to place, regional costume from the former Yugoslavia also shared common features.

Traditionally, women hand-made clothing for their families, which was altered and worn throughout one’s lifetime. Various factors influenced regional costume design, including social station, marriage status, age, and season. Costume was generally made of linen or wool, originally homespun, that was later replaced by store-bought cloth. Costume ranged in color from monochromatic to very colorful, and embellishment from very plain to featuring decorations such as leather and cloth appliqué, metallic thread stitching, and heavy embroidery. Interaction with other countries and the impact of new technologies resulting from Industrialization affected costume production, materials and motifs. New materials and dyes became available over time. Traditional crafts such as costuming and tailoring declined, therefore types of embroidery (such as the gold thread embroidery of Bosnia and Hercegovina) became less common. As embroidery became more commercial rather than something that was done in the home, new fashionable motifs were introduced to please urban buyers. By the time of World War II, regional costume was mostly worn for festivals and traditional dance.

Generally, the basis of a woman's costume was an ankle long shirt, or long skirt and shirt combination, depending on the geographical region. In some regions, women wore long baggy trousers and voluminous blouses. Over the undergarments women would wear one or two aprons. Over these would be worn an overcoat, varying in style from short to long, sleeveless to long sleeved. Generally there would be a belt or sash of some kind, leggings or stockings, and soft leather shoes. Headdresses could also range from small caps and folded kerchiefs, to long turbans and ribbons. Hairstyles varied according to class and maturity, and women would often weave flowers or coins into their hair. Many times women carried embroidered bags and wore necklaces made of coins or clothing decorated with coins. Clothing like this was often a young girl’s dowry. Women’s costume generally varied in color, with girls and young women wearing lighter or brighter colors such as red, light blue, or white, and married or older women wearing black or dark violet.

A man's costume generally consisted of cotton or woolen trousers, which could be fitted or loose; belts or sashes; and leggings and stockings worn with soft leather shoes, work shoes, or boots for special occasions. Various types of head coverings were worn, including caps and fezzes. Over the clothing, men would wear various layers of waistcoats, long coats, and hooded or sheepskin coats, which would often be heavily embroidered or adorned with metal thread. For special occasions, many men would wear belts with pouches to hold smoking implements and weapons.