Costumes: Thrace - Kavakli

The people of Kavakli arrived as refugees in 1906 and settled in a number of villages. The region was in Northern Thrace, which today is in Bulgaria. The women wove and embroidered their clothes themselves with stitching of exquisite quality. The shirt reached half way down the calf. the upper part was made of deep blue woven cotton cloth and the skirt of white. The embroidery around the neck, cuffs and hem was done using multi-colored threads of silk or wool. The sleeveless woolen garment worn over this was dyed a deep blue. The opening of the bodice was richly embroidered with brightly colored threads. The women pleated their skirt, decorating the hem with stripes of silk, gold braid and embroidery. The four-meter-long sash was usually red with multi-colored stripes and sewn on the slant for a better fit at the waist. Over it was tied a woolen apron with its woven decoration. It was possible to distinguish between married or single women, mothers or women in mourning just by looking at the type of apron worn.

In winter the women wore a sleeveless topcoat made of woven wool, which was modestly stitched and embroidered around the hem. On their head a little fez was shrouded with a printed woolen scarf folded into a bend. Over this was thrown a large printed scarf with a fringe, the ends hanging down loose. The bapka, a decoration consisting of 5, 10 or even 15 coins, arranged in the shape of cross, was attached to the fez and hung down over the forehead.

The costume continued to be worn in Greece as well, but simplified bit by bit until it was finally abandoned altogether. It belongs to the category of village type costumes.