Do you know how to discuss clothing in Serbian with the locals? That might not be the easiest task, but we’re here o help you. When it comes to fashion, Serbia is a land of contrasts. From the vibrant and bright colors of the Serbian Danube Valley to the severe austerity of the Serbian countryside, there are endless opportunities for fashionistas to find their style.
But what you might not know is that the country has a rich history of fashion. In fact, Serbian fashion has been around for centuries, and there are many different trends and designs that you should know about. We’ll start off this article with a talk about Serbian folk costumes and move on to modern times to discuss current Serbian fashion trends.
History Of Serbian Traditional Clothing
Serbian traditional clothing is also called Serbian folk costumes (Cyrillic: српска народна ношња, Latin: srpska narodna nošnja). The advent of urbanization, industrialization and the growing market for international clothing trends has led to the disappearance of the traditional clothing of a nation or culture. Today, these traditional costumes are worn mainly by older adults who live in rural areas. Still, they are also worn at special events and celebrations, such as ethnic festivals, religious holidays, weddings, tourist attractions, and by dance groups who perform the traditional Serbian kolo or circle dance.
Neighboring countries have influenced Serbia at different periods in its history. A common situation is for bordering countries to share some clothing features and peculiarities. In the folk costumes of various regions of Serbia, you can easily find elements from Germany, Ottoman Turkey, Hungary, Italy, and Austria. Serbian folk costumes combined Balkan, medieval Serbian, Turkish-Oriental, Byzantine, and Slavonic elements throughout history.
Due to this, women’s and men’s costumes vary in appearance depending on the part of the country. Still, several clothing items are considered to be the overall part of the average Serbian folk costume :
1) Šajkača: Шајкача
Various materials, colors, and designs can be found in these authentic Serbian traditional hats. The šajkača is an unavoidable part of Serbian folk costumes during times of peace.
2) Opanak(Sg.): Опанак
Serbian opanci/опанци (Pl.) were traditional folk shoes worn in medieval times. Besides being made of leather, it doesn’t have any laces, and it is very durable. On the toes, the design has horn-like ends that indicate its origin. “Opanak” derives from the Romanian word “apinci.”
3) Šubara: Шубара
Shepherd’s hat (šubara, fur hat) is worn during harsher and colder weather (winter). The black lamb/sheep fur is predominantly conical or cylindrical. Today, it is part of the folk attire of east and southeast Serbia.
Additional Words Related To Serbian Traditional Clothing
Planning to visit for the first time in Serbia? Learn these other important words today!
| English | Serbian Latin | Serbian Cyrillic |
| folk dress | narodna nošnja | народна ношња |
| national costumes | narodna nošnja | народна ношња |
| fur | krzno | крзно |
| floral ornaments | cvetna dekoracija | цветна декорација |
| gold embroidery | zlatni vez | златни вез |
| glass beads | staklene perle | стаклене перле |
| geometric patterns | geometrijski print | геометријски принт |
| knitted socks | pletene čarape | плетене чарапе |
| wool yarn | vunica | вуница |
Modern Clothing Items In Serbian
Fashion became one of the most prominent ways for individuals, members of ruling families, and the bourgeois class of modern Serbia to represent themselves and construct their identities visually. A fashion market met a modern state whose leaders successfully adapted their appearance to European models with rich and varied offerings that met their needs.
Today, street fashion in Serbia is dominated by bold and sophisticated animal prints. Among fashionable Serbs, leopard print is one of their favorite animal prints. Choose loud and flashy designs with bright, bold colors to emulate this fashion trend.
For stylish Serb beauty, animal prints are not the only fashionable prints. You’ll also find tartans in various colors. Tartan is a colorful and creative fabric that everyone loves to wear.
Taking long walks through the parks, sightseeing, visiting museums, art galleries, or maybe even shopping requires a lot of energy, so daily fashion is fairly relaxed and simple. Wear jeans, sneakers, t-shirts, or whatever you feel comfortable in. The dress code for restaurants and bars varies a lot depending on the part of the city or type of establishment. A smart casual dress code is required for most bars and restaurants in the city center. There are also “relaxed” places that don’t have a strict dress code. We suggest not wearing sportswear, and it is just uncool.
Common Words About Clothing In Serbian
| English | Serbian Latin | Serbian Cyrillic |
| cap | kapa | капа |
| gloves | rukavice | рукавице |
| jacket | jakna | јакна |
| fur coat | bunda | бунда |
| cardigan | mantil | мантил |
| shirt | košulja | кошуља |
| shorts | šorc | шорц |
| underwear | donji veš | доњи веш |
| shawl | šal | шал |
| swimming suit | kupaći kostim | купаћи костим |
| slippers | papuče | папуче |
| socks | čarape | чарапе |
| shoes | cipele | ципеле |
| sneakers | patike | патике |
| boots | čizme | чизме |
| sweatshirt | duks | дукс |
| undershirt | potkošulja | поткошуља |
| sweater | džemper | џемпер |
| T-thirt | majica | мајица |
| trousers/pants | pantalone | панталоне |
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