Researchers note the traditional nature of the clothing of the peoples of Central Asia, which has developed within a unified culture. While there were significant differences in the past, over the centuries they have smoothed out and formed something cohesive. However, despite the unity of the constructive basis, the clothing of the Kyrgyz has not lost its originality, especially clearly manifested in the decoration and manner of wearing. Researchers note the lack of differentiation in some types of men's and women's clothing among the Kyrgyz in the past. The main undergarment for men was a wrap-around robe, while for women it was a non-wrap shirt. When, in addition to the undergarments, outer clothing appeared, it did not differ in cut from men's undergarments—the only difference was in the material and secondary details.
Clothing made from felt, leather, hides of wild and domestic animals, and coarse woolen fabric produced at home was widely spread. Some products were made from purchased fabrics, which mainly came from the Central Asian khanates. Ready-made clothing, shoes, jewelry, medicinal and decorative cosmetics were also imported http://www.izkis.ru/. At the same time, clothing was an important indicator that determined the social and economic status of the population. All researchers of the 18th-19th centuries noted the sharp contrast in clothing between the nobility and the poor.
The upper men's clothing of the Kyrgyz had a robe-like cut. Traditional types include kementai and chepken. In winter, the Kyrgyz wore fur coats (ichik), in mountainous areas— with a fur shawl collar. Another type of national winter clothing was the long, floor-length sheepskin coat (ton) with long sleeves. In northern regions, it was sewn with a large fur collar, while in southern regions—without a collar. The hems, skirt, and collar were trimmed with fur.
Men's undergarments consisted of a long, straight-cut wrap-around shirt and trousers. Festive trousers were especially elegant, made from orange suede. They were decorated with colorful seams; on the sides and at the bottom, they were embroidered with bright complex patterns made of colored silk and garus. Such trousers were worn by people of noble descent.
An essential detail of the men's costume was the belt, which was used to cinch the outer clothing. The most common were kushaks made from hand-woven or factory fabric. In southern regions, large scarves folded diagonally and embroidered at the edges were used for this purpose. Wealthy individuals commonly wore wide leather belts with massive buckles, adorned with silver decorations. On their belts, the Kyrgyz carried small pouches for bullets. One of these rich belts was found in Toktogul. Over time, the owner promised to donate it to a museum.
Headwear was quite diverse. In winter, men wore a fur hat—tebetey—with a wide trim made of black sheepskin or fox fur, with a fabric or velvet crown. In mountainous areas, they wore a malakhai made of sheepskin, trimmed with fur along the edge. The old-fashioned kolpak made of white felt, with a high crown and fields trimmed with black velvet, braid, or colored fabric, was widespread. Different tribal groups had some variations in the cut and shape of the kolpak. Among older men, conical and flattened tüyeteyki were commonly worn. They were worn in summer and also under kolpaks and winter hats.
Footwear was made from rawhide leather. Boots were sewn with low shafts, cut from a single piece of leather. Older men wore boots made of thin black leather, without heels, on a soft sole. They usually wore them with galoshes made of horse leather. The Kyrgyz also made decorative boots with inward-turned heels, narrow soles, and high shafts. The lower part of the boots was trimmed with colored piping. Such boots were worn by both men and women; however, women's boots were mainly made from colored leather.
Women's undergarments, dresses-shirts were mainly sewn from white cotton fabric, less often from colored fabric. They were long with wide sleeves. Women's collars made of white fabric were particularly vividly embroidered.
Upper women's clothing resembled men's clothing in many ways. Like men, women wore a short sleeveless jacket with a lining. A wrap-around skirt was an attribute of married women. It had voluminous gathers, was trimmed with black velvet, or decorated with ornate embroidery. Women's headwear was diverse and original. In summer, girls wore tüyeteyki made from multicolored fabrics, embroidered with silk, garus, silver, and gold. Winter hats had a conical shape, made from colored wool, with the bottom trimmed with fur. A distinctive traditional women's national headwear is the elechek—made from white thin fabric 3-5 m long, which was wrapped around the head in the form of a turban. The shape of the elechek had local variations reflecting clan traditions. The edge of the elechek was decorated with embroidery. Such a turban was worn only by married women.
The main types of clothing and their cuts were widespread everywhere. A very significant feature that determined the external appearance of a Kyrgyz in the past was the class affiliation of the clothing owner. A poor person usually had to be content with a robe made of coarse fabric as outer clothing, while domestic servants received worn clothing from some members of a wealthy or prosperous family.
Despite economic and cultural backwardness, exacerbated by the heavy oppression of feudal lords and constant struggles with external enemies, the Kyrgyz people achieved a high level of artistry, carefully preserving their cultural traditions. Based on these, a unified folk style was created, characterized by simplicity, austerity, expressiveness of artistic forms, and originality.
