Costumes: Macedonia - Orini

Orini consists of two villages, neighboring each other, known as Orini and Ano Orini. Both are mountainous villages, as their names imply - earlier they were known as the Phrastena - with Orini situated at an altitude of 750 meters and Ano Orini at 820 meters.

The mountainous situation of the two villages, the agricultural nature of their economy, the restricted, "closed" life of the villagers and the absence of tourism - the road from Serres to the villages is for the most part only roughly paved - all have contributed effectively to the preservation of the villagers' traditional modes of life.

Women's costumes of Orini, Ano Orini, and Xirotopos, Serres, are characterized by the same basic elements that make up the majority of village costumes in the Balkans (underdress, middle dress, overcoat, sash, apron, stockings and head kerchief). Visually, they immediately call to mind the costumes of Volakas, Drama and of those villages sharing similar costumes (Xiropotamos, Monastiraki etc.) Like all of the costumes of Greece, they differ according to the circumstances under which they worn (i.e. denoting every day wear, to mark festive or nuptial occasions, to denote single or married status). Thekouralak, a small round box dressed with material of some kind and worn on the crown of the head, is an important accessory to the bridal headdress.