Women's Fashion of Hanseti-Ruska

[MissToni 3487]

Women's Fashion of Hanseti-Ruska

 

Fashion, an ever changing beauty of a population. Yet traditions are also an important part when it comes to the certain rules of clothing and how it is worn. This is a study on the current fashion of women in the kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska.

 

Wzuvar and Bycva

 

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I. Fashion in the Royal Court

II. The Kokoshnik Tiara

III. Traditional wear of Hanseti

IV. Traditional wear of Reinmar

V. Traditional wear of Ruska

VI. Coats, Shawls and Pants

 

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     I. Fashion in the Royal Court

The fashion in the royal courts of the palace often changes. But a specific style first started by the Grand Lady of the Nikirala Prikaz, Charlotte Baruch year 350 ES. Followed swiftly by the Prinzenas Royal and baroness of Antioch, Katerina Ceciliya Barbanov. 

 

The fashion in question is seen as a more formal attire during court, balls, celebrations and feasts. The dress has a wide neckline, going wide enough as to give a subtle hint of the shoulders before stopping. The sleeves hanging like a long V down the side of the arms. Delicate embroidery adoring the gown. Its shape is that of an hourglass of sorts as it is tight fitting on top before it plunges out by the waist. A wool gown is worn under the dress to keep the ladies warm. Some women also opt to line the edges of the dress with fur along with the wool dress under the court gown for more warmth.  

 

Children often wear more simple versions with just raised skirts above the feet to make play easier along with other child shenanigans.  

A painting of Her Royal Majesty, Koenas Mametr Isabel of Valwyck donning a royal court gown in cream colours with golden embroidery and a red sash. Her hair adorned with the traditional kokoshnik tiara. 

 

The royal family and some of the higher ladies with titles in the court often style themselves with a sash. Though it is seen as improper for a commoner who is not part of the aulic council to wear one. The colours often vary, though most common is a deep red and a light blue.

 

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     II. The Kokoshnik Tiara

The Kokoshnik tiara is a thick diadem or a tiara in the style of a half moon and or with a slightly pointy tip at the top middle of it. It almost reminds one of a halo when worn upon the head or seen in paintings. It is often worn by prinzenas or koenas of Hanseti-Ruska. The tiaras are usually made of gold, adorned with many diamonds and other coloured gemstones. The story behind the kokoshnik tiara is one passed on through generations. It was said that a koenas of Haense, though not known which as such was lost in history, had the first kokoshnik tiara made. At the time the sun had not been seen in ages, it was dark and cold in the lands of Hanseti-Ruska. When the koenas got her diadem delivered to her it was in the shape of a thick half moon. She thought it rather odd and ugly as it was not like other tiaras she had worn before. But as she put it on her head to wear during court, a sunbeam shined down through the windows of the grand hall and lit up the piece with lovely sunlight. And the next day the skies had cleared, the people rejoiced and claimed it as a sign that the kokoshnik tiara had been blessed by Godan himself. Thus it was custom for most koenas and prinzenas to wear tiaras or diadems in the style of the kokoshnik tiara in hopes of blessing their kingdom with happiness and cheer. As it represents a beacon of hope and prosperity. 

A depiction of Koenas Mametr Isabel wearing a diamond kokoshnik tiara.

 

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     III. Traditional wear of Hanseti

Hanseti is one of the subcultures in Haense, their fashion slightly different from that of Ruska. 

 

Sanguss

(Sansk = Dress, Guss = Poor)

The Hansetic version of the “sanguss” is a traditional dress worn by the Haeseni women of low status. The dresses are sewn with cheap fabrics of linen and wool, though still beautiful and often colourful. Unlike its Ruskan counterpart the dress features distinct cinching strings across the bodice, and ribbon bows around the waist instead of a belt. The ribbon is worn on the woman’s right hip if she is married, a ribbon on her left hip to display she is unmarried. The ribbon on the middle to show she may be undecided or courting. 

 

 [Art credit to Unbaed]

 

Sanbej

(Sansk = Dress, Bej = Long)

The “Sanbej” is the expensive counterpart to the “Sanguss.” They are beautiful gowns often worn by the nobility within Hanseti-Ruska. The wonderful quality of these gowns are of silk, wool, satin and linen. They often do not don the classic bow of the “Sanguss”, instead one sees patterns and embroidery. They are at floor length and consists of multiple layers of fabric, helping to keep one 

warm. 

 

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     IV. Traditional wear of Reinmar

Reinmar is one of the subcultures in Haense, their fashion differing more than that of Ruska and Hanseti. 

 

 

Tracht

(Tracht = Costume)

The “Tracht”, meaning “costume” in Reinmaren, is a dress that is made from a vest and skirt sewn together as a dress, sometimes long sleeves as well for the winter variation. Though during summer the vest and skirt dress is usually worn over a white linen shirt. The colours mostly used is black, though including the Reinmaren colours of green and blue. The “Tracht” is often made of silk, satin, wool or linen along with other fabrics under the dress for extra warmth. The dress often includes wonderful embroidery on the vest, bottom and the sides of the skirt of the dress. 

 

A depiction of a Reinmaren woman of Haense wearing the Tracht, surrounded by lovely rose bushes.

 

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     V. Traditional wear of Ruska

Ruska is one of the subcultures in Haense, often known as the Raevir. Their fashion is largely popular these days.

                                                                                                                      

The traditional Ruskan version of the dress known as “Sanguss,” worn by peasants and commoners, is often composed of three things. The sarafan itself, the dress shirt under and the belt. It is often made of cheap quality linen or wool. Even if the dress is of cheap quality it is often beautiful and colourful. Under the dress there is a shirt that can be of four colours. White, blue, black or brown. These shirts go under the sarafan for more warmth and are often made of linen. Some Ruskan sanguss are decorated with a little embroidery on them. 

 

The Ruskan version of the “Sanbej” dress, the expensive counterpart to the “Sanguss,” often has beautiful embroidery of gold, silver, flowers, stars, birds, fruits etcetera etcetera. The dress is made of good quality linen, satin or wool, sometimes even silk. It’s a long dress that reaches the floor and just about covers the chest area, it also consists of multiple fabrics for warmth.

 

A depiction of Her Royal Highness, Prinzenas Alexandria Karina Wick neé Barbanov wearing a Ruskan Sanbej with a kokoshnik tiara

 

The belt that can be worn with the Sarafan goes over the dress, if the woman is married the ties of the belt will hang on the front-right side. If unmarried it is tied on the front-left side. If a woman is undecided or courting the tie might be hung in the middle. 

A depiction of a noblewoman of Haense wearing a Ruskan Sanbej, showing off her married status with the belt.

 

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     VI. Coats, Shawls and Pants

The coats used during colder weather, often worn in the winter of Hanseti-Ruska, are often made of wool or linen, sometimes lined with fur. The coats can be of any sort of variation or form. Though the most common one in Haense for women are long fur coats. These coats almost reach floor length, but are put just a little bit over the shoes so they don’t slag in the snow or mud. Some of these coats are embroidered, but it’s not as common for the coats to have such. Mostly because they are usually used for the outside and often taken off again when inside. 

A depiction of a noblewoman wearing a beautiful red fur coat.

 

Shawls in Hanseti-Ruska is a more rare sight, but has recently started to trend again. It is a headwear wrapped over one's shoulders with some extending over the head as well. These shawls are mostly made of wool or silk. These are commonly adorned with beautiful embroideries of one or many colours. They are mostly used by women that have come of age and older as children tend to lose theirs when playing around, or they get their shawls tangled into branches, bushes and other things and thus ending up stuck. 

A depiction of Her Royal Highness, Prinzenas Royal Katerina Ceciliya Barbanov, wearing a golden shawl.

 

Pants for women is also a thing that has become more common in Haense, the reason might be because of more women joining the army than before. Our current Queen-Consort is often seen in pants, she claims it is more comfortable than a dress and allows her more movement. The fabric used for the pants is often linen, satin or wool. The colours are usually quite plain in either brown, black, gray or beige so as not to stand out with the other clothing the person is wearing. 

 

A depiction of Her Royal Majesty, Koenas Mariya of Aurveldt wearing gray coloured pants.

 

It is also common for women of Haense to often be seen in gloves of leather where some of them are aligned with wool and/or fur. 

 

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Signed,

Her Royal Highness, Prinzenas Royal Katerina Ceciliya Barbanov, Bossiras of Antioch

 

[!] Another parchment is pinned to this one:

 

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/193157-traditional-haeseni-dress-and-attire/?tab=comments

 

Spoiler

OOC: Credits to MikoMonster for the first post that is linked at the bottom of this post and the original making of the sanguss and the sanbej dress. Credits to Unbaed for the drawing of said dress. The other paintings/drawings are from google. And credits to Big_Lulah for making the golden shawl.

 

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An 'Ame of repute would smile at the study, regarding it with much favor. But alas! There was but a singular problem with the issue...

 

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[ARCHITECUS 4788]

"Fashion among all classes of the civilized world is advancing and refining in this period of relative stability. It is a good sign." Remarks J. Fitzpeter upon reading a publication in Providence.