The Russian Peasantry, 1888
"All the peasants dress in pretty much the same manner, which is extremely simple: no undergarment, a shirt of homespun tick or of chintz, sometimes of red fustian (this last…
From: 1888 C.E. To: 1888 C.E.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
The Russian Peasantry by Stepniak, 1888.
All the peasants dress in pretty much the same manner, which is extremely simple: no undergarment, a shirt of homespun tick or of chintz, sometimes of red fustian (this last is very much appreciated) and light cotton or linen, trousers.
The richer wear boots, which are used by the, poorer sort only on great occasions. The "bast" shoes, which were used in the Middle Ages in Europe, and have since disappeared, are in common use among the bulk of the great Russian peasants.
In the winter a kind of home-made woollen boot is preferred, and the long woollen homespun coat is replaced by a sheepskin overcoat, by rich and poor alike. The peasants wear this fur dress the whole year round, rarely taking it off unless when at work or asleep. Being so seldom changed, the peasants' clothes are not a model of cleanliness, but both men and women, as a rule, keep their bodies very clean.
Every family not totally destitute has its hot steam-bath, where all wash, on the eve of every holiday, with great punctiliousness. The poorer among them who have no bath of their own use the family oven for this purpose just after the removal of the coal. This is a real martyrdom, as the first sensation of a man unaccustomed to such exploits is that of being roasted alive.
Stepniak, The Russian Peasantry: Their Agrarian Condition, Social Life, and Religion (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1888), 233-235.
About TOTA
TOTA.world provides cultural information and sharing across the world to help you explore your Family’s Cultural History and create deep connections with the lives and cultures of your ancestors.
