Costumes: Asia Minor - Pontos

The Pontian dress was an urban costume, in accordance with the eastern models which began life in the center of Hellenism at that time, Constantinople. This phenomenon was to be observed in most urban centers of the Ottoman Empire.

Underneath the ladies wore a fine silk chemise, the bodice and sleeves of which were trimmed with crocheted lace, and then a pair of silk or satin breeches. Next came the well-known urban style kavadi, open at the front and with two side openings down to the hips. This garment was always lined and decorated round the hem with silk ribbon and delicate embroidery. Round the hips was wound a large silk scarf, trimmed with fringe of silk thread, folded into a triangle. With the birth of the first child, this scarf was replaced by one made of fine striped taffeta which was tied at the back, hanging down like an apron on the front. It was carefully ironed into ten-centimeter-wide horizontal creases. Silk jabots were positioned on the bodice, trimmed with white silk embroidery and crocheted lace or gold stitching. On top of this went a sleeved waistcoat, originally of black felt and later of dark-colored velvet decorated with silver stitches. From the wedding day onwards the bride wore a silk- covered disc decorated with a row of little coins that hung across the forehead.

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