Page:The nomads of the Balkans, an account of life and customs among the Vlachs of Northern Pindus (1914).djvu/70

 without sleeves is to be worn. On his legs he puts a pair of homespun leggings reaching to the middle of the thighs and called tshoaritsi. These are tied round below the knees with garters, kăltsuvetsi, and bound at the bottom with braid. This braiding is a great feature of the Vlach garments and though in appearance like braid is really an embroidered edge made by needlework with a very narrow kind of silken braid. Consequently the better the clothes the more braiding there is, for to make it well requires much expenditure of time, money and skill. The great point of the leggings is that they should fit tightly to the calf so as to shew the leg to the best advantage, and neatly round the ankle rather like a spat. Next comes a double-breasted waistcoat of jean with or without sleeves according to the type of shirt worn. This, which is called dzhibadane, fits very tightly across the chest and is fastened with hooks and eyes. Over this is worn a garment of homespun like a frock-coat that reaches to the knees, but does not meet in front and has no sleeves. This is called tsipune and is girt round the waist with a leather belt over which is wound a long woollen sash laiown as hrănu. This is the universal foundation of the Vlach male costume over which a variety of outer garments may be worn. In Plate VII 3 a muleteer is shewn wearing the ordinary weekday great-coat of his class. This is a thick coat known as malliotu and is a little longer than the tsipune which it hides. It has tasselled buttons and can be made to meet in front; at the back of the neck is a small conical hood which can be drawn over the head in bad weather. It is trimmed round the edges with red or blue braid, and has sleeves which are slit half-way down on the inside, so that if the wearer does not want to put his arms in them he may thrust them through at the shoulder and then the sleeves will hang loose down the back. On his feet he has particoloured woollen socks {lăpudzi) knitted by the women from wool spun and dyed at home. The peculiarity of these socks is that they are usually knitted from the toe upwards with bent needles. His shoes are tsdruh'i, the usual peasant shoe of the Southern Balkans. These have rather thin soles well studded with nails, hardly any