Traditional Russian fashion is hardly imaginable without famed colourful scarves that instantly evoke associations with “babushka”, rural countryside and practically everything that is historically deemed to be Russian. These vivid and characterful scarves were once a necessity for innumerous villagers and city dwellers of then Old Russia and [Continue reading...]

HISTORY OF FASHION: New Look to Now By June Marsh Vivays Publishing, 288 pages Writing about history of fashion (and pretty much any kind of history, for that matter) is like staging Romeo and Juliet. We all know that Christian Dior showed the New Look back in 1947 and it was groundbreaking. What’s more to [Continue reading...]

A GUIDE TO BUYING AND COLLECTING AFFORDABLE COUTURE By Jemi Armstrong and Linda Arroz Vivays Publishing, 208 pages “I like to have my money right where I can see it – hanging in my closet”, said Carrie Bradshaw. Aren’t we all tired of disposable, badly sewn and even worse fitted mass market clothes? But the [Continue reading...]

I positively cannot think of another piece of clothing or accessory that would feel more “Russian”. Kokoshniks were worn as early as in 10th-12th century and had quite a history since then. Together with other elements of traditional Russian costume they were banned by Peter the Great in order to modernize Russian social system, but [Continue reading...]