Costumes: Crete
/The traditional Cretan costume is fashioned from blue felt by a special tailor, the so-called levendoraftis. The distinctive feature of the costume is the vraka, a kind of wide baggy trousers. The older type of vraka had a longer sela (the part which hangs behind) reaching down almost to the ankles. A sleeveless waistcoat, the yileki, and sleeved jacket, the mindani, are worn the one over the other. The zounari, a sash about 8 meters long, is wrapped around the waist and a silver knife, the basalis, is tucked through it. The kiousteki, an ornamental chain for the watch, is an indispensable accessory. The boots, known asstivalia, are white or black. A black kerchief of special knit edged with a fringe is tied around the head. A cape, the capoto, flung over one both shoulders, completes the costume.
