Üksikesemest ülikonnani Virumaa rahvarõiva näitel / From a single item to an outfit (on the basis of Viru county folk costume)

In practice, the wearing of folk costume stopped in Viru County at the end of the 19th century, somewhat earlier in the western parts of the area and somewhat later in the eastern parts. Around the same time, people started to collect and preserve folk costumes. Since most of the Viru folk costumes are represented in museum collections as single items, this article examines how the traditional outfits have been assembled from single items and what has been considered important by those doing so. Three main books have been studied: “Estonian Folk Costumes” by Helmi Kurrik (published in 1938), “Estonian Folk Costumes from the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century” (1957), and “Estonian Folk Costumes” by Melanie Kaarma and Aino Voolmaa (1981). Some publications that were based on historical materials and that haven't changed the nature of the folk costumes and that were published before and after the above books are also mentioned briefly. Keywords: folk costume, traditional outfit, short blouse, sleeveless shirt