The outlook and function of Chod folk costume in the past and nowadays

The district of Chodsko ranks a very special position, considered from the point of view of evolution of the traditional clothing in the area of Bohemia. Although the men traditional costumes were put away during the 19th century, the women traditional costumes evolved and formed on, and the purposes of their use adopted up to recent times. The top form of the women festive traditional clothing from the half of the 19th century retained until these days, even though it might be seen only by help of ethnographic groups and on very rare occasions. The Postřekov sleeves, a slightly modernized form of a traditional costume that arised in 20's of the 20th century, are put on exclusively on balls or during the shroving season. The Postřekov sleeves are worn by women of age between fifteen and fifty. In Mrákov, only young girls and women wear the women festive traditional costume, in case of various church ceremonies. Whereas the women of the oldest generation do not wear this type of clothing at all. The only type of women traditional costume worn up today in Chodsko during working days is dress (direct translation). Slight modification of dress is so-called kandřuš which is even nowadays seen on balls, during the shroving season, in church, etc. The history of kandřuš is really interesting because it..