Traditional women's clothing of the Old Believers of the Republic of Moldova: recent historical discourse and the present situation (based on field research)

Abstract

Among the Old Believers – including the Chasovennye, the Semeyskie, and others – the traditional women's costume has been preserved to this day, regardless of the region in which they live. It is notable for its diversity, with particularly significant variations in the design of headdresses. The article presents the results of a multiyear study conducted by the author in several villages and towns of the Republic of Moldova, and it presents the main features of the women's costume, examines the issue of its preservation, and explores the contexts of its use today. According to informants, in rural areas – and in some villages even as late as the 1980s – the traditional women's costume among the Old Believers continued to be worn in everyday life. After that, the scope of its use began to diminish. Today, this costume is mainly worn during prayers, as well as at weddings and funerals. In everyday life, the most persistent elements proved to be the belt, the kichka, and the headscarf. Informants link the rapid changes to the beginning of the new millennium, indicating demographic factors among the main causes.