Hello
I travel to Latvia end of september, and I would ask if someone knows where I can buy Latvian Folk-costumes in Riga, have someone adresses?

Sorry for my bad english. =O/

Greetings Sonja

A few places will have ready-made folk dresses, but most will measure you & create one exactly to your measurements.  This can take 1-2 weeks depending on the dress, the fabric they have on hand, how many orders are ahead of yours, etc.

Maybe the best thing is to contact some of the salons (call them, fax them your measurements) ahead of time, so you can go in for a first fitting when you arrive, and then take the clothes home before you leave.

People to contact to find salons:

Vecākais speciālists folkloras jautājumos-Andris Kapusts tālr. 7322234

He works at:
Valsts aģentūra “Tautas mākslas centrs”
Adrese: Pils laukums 4, Rīga, LV - 1365
Tālrunis: 7228985; 7221732
Mobilais tālrunis: 6436135
Fakss: 7227405
E-mail:

There are approx. 200-250 different folk dresses in Latvija, some have similarities from one town to the next, others are more unique.  Each town can have a handful of variations in the skirt or vest fabric; the fancier variations might be known as wedding apparel.
You would need to know which town’s dress you would like.

>A few places will have ready-made folk
>dresses, but most will measure you &
>create one exactly to your measurements.
> This can take 1-2 weeks depending on
>the dress, the fabric they have on hand,
>how many orders are ahead of yours,
>etc.

We used a “folk costume” seamstress shop near the language department of LU that is used by a lot of folk dance groups in Riga.  They were truly a hole in a wall...even a hole in a wall and then up a floor and over!  But they were much less expensive than other places we talked to and really knew all the choices and had them available.  As pointed out there are hundreds of variations to choose from.  The downside, it took more than a month as they fit you in between large orders for the dance groups.

I would suggest you contact Maruta Grasmane at Sena Klets to start with.

Tautas tērpu centrs “Senā Klēts”
Adrese: Merķeļa iela 13, Rīga, LV-1050
Tālrunis: (+371) 7242398

It’s located in Latvieshu Biedribas Nams on Merkela, just off Barona.  Beautiful shop to visit no matter what you are looking for.

Maruta has written a beautiful book on Latvian folk costumes that you might want to get first to think about which region’s costume you’d like.  She’s often in the shop to consult with you and answer questions, if necessary. In fact the book contains patterns for many parts of different folk costumes...embroidery patterns, blouse patterns, etc.  You could ostensibly purchase the parts of the costume that are difficult to duplicate (the handwoven material for the skirt, the head covering, saktas, etc.) from Sena Klets and then with the book have the costume made for you at home, using the patterns in the book.

If you have it made in Latvia, you also need to tell them what you want the costume for.  Some things may be made differently if it’s for dancing and not for show. I know my daughter’s skirt was shorter and she was made a longer vest instead of a short jacket.

Hello
Many Many thanx for help, I have a conception how the costume look like, I’ve seen a picture and I love it, but what for a region is it? Maybe Kurzeme?

Here is the costume:
http://62.75.214.166/userpics/alben/new_ones/7661_fotoalbum_1136664167.jpg

But the skirt must go to feet, I need it not for dancing, separate for medieval markets here in Germany, our costumes are so boring, and I love all the latvian pattern. =O)

Greetings
Sonja

Isn’t this the President’s regional costume?  So I want to say it’s Balva (it’s in the Kurzeme region, no)...correct me if I’m wrong, Ilze.

Note:  this will likely be a veeery expensive costume...with all the hand embroidery on the blouse and wrap...as well as the ornate crown.

@McTalzeme
Yes I imagined that the costume are expensive, but I love it, and I must have it, therefore I prepared for it. ;)
But… before I get a shock, what do you think, how much money I must calculate?
500 Euro?
Erm 500 Euro are 348.677 Lats.

I hope you can help me.

Greetings Sonja

I think I paid about $200 total for my daughter’s terpi...but that was 4 years ago.  And it wasn’t this intricate.  A band, not a crown, a much simpler blouse.

I would say you could spend almost that much on that crown alone.  And, if you buy a beautiful sakta of the size required by that costume...another good bit.  I certainly don’t know what the current prices are, but I would say that 500 euros may be a little high, but perhaps not much.

It looks in the photo that it is Rucavas terps in full glory. Note that to be corect the crown must be exchanged by married womans cap, if married. I am not sure it that crown is not barroved from Nīca costume. Only another dress is more spectecular. Nīcas “trakie brubnči”, flaming red, with a stiff hard twisted rope in the hem of the skirt to stop the cloth from falling straight. The skirt than falls in rather elegant vaves. 

I was thinking, ‘Barta’.  On the little postcards I have here at home showing the different costumes, Barta has a dark blue navy (black?) skirt.  The white blouse is embroidered with black, the crown red, high and intricate.  The Rucavas skirt looks a lighter blue, almost royal, the white blouse is embroidered with red and the crown is smaller in height, more like a ‘vainags’, less intricate.  Nica has the red skirt, high crown similiar to Barta. As Monte suggests, maybe the crown is ‘Nicas’?  I’m wondering what the distinguishing features, differences are between these three: What makes a Barta,say, different from a Rucava, Nica. What the finer points are.  And if mixing and matching are OK?  Just curious, as this thought just suddenly occurred to me.

This painting of the costume that Sonja sent is certainly very beautiful.  I love all these 3 Kurzemes’ terpi (costumes). Among my favorites are also Alsungas--love the bold purple, reds and the saktas that go with the costumes.  Latgales is also very nice, all white with some red embroidery...guess, I just can’t decide(sigh)!!!

In any case happy wearing, Sonia, ‘un lai tev labi veicas.’

Irena

@McTalzeme
Hm, OK thanx for help, so I’m not shocked when I enter the shop. =O)
I think I’ll not have the crown, I’ll have coloured ribbons.

@monte
Moment I understand that correctly: The crown is just for married women?
But it sounds interesting how you explaine that, ah, I’m look forward to the Costume.

@Irena
Oh God, I cannot wait any longer, I hope my money be sufficient,
Yes and I think I’m happy with it.
And for me it has another meaning to get these costume, it shall always remind me of this country, when I’m back at home.
That may sound emotive, but… I think I have lost my heart on this Country. =O)

Greetings at all
Sonja

The crown is unmarried womans glory! Loosing the crown means loosing virginity. There is a ceremony at wedding, “mičošana” where married women surrounds the bride and singing the appropite “dainas” take of the crown and replace with a “sievas” cap. Usually emmbroidred to mach the the dres. 

I am with you Irene, I think it is a Barta. I have a hand me down Bartas tautas terps. My mother actually had to replace the skirt and being a steamstress, cut the bottom off and re-sew the “raksti” (latvian symbols) part onto a new skirt. My “nieburs” (vest) looks like the one in the Bilde.

The deep purples and colors alsungas terps are amazing. I always wanted that as growing up. I didn’t want the hand me down. But I still like my tautas terps.

Barta!  That’s it...a B word!  Irena, don’t know about you, but increasingly I have been having this probably age-related problem.  I say one thing and another word (usually one starting with the same letter) comes out of my mouth...or in this case my fingers.  Barta....not Balva(?)

Hey, I just arrived in Riga last night late...I need to stop and see Maruta Grasmane in any case for something I ordered from her.  If you’d like me to stop and just price things with her (on the understanding that it is likely that anything Maruta makes for you might be the top end of what you can expect to spend...she is a perfectionist) I would be happy to do that.  And I can find out what a vainags like that would cost.  I think I’m pretty close on that though...my daughter collects vainags and jostas from across the Baltics and we have some pretty good examples...not always an inexpensive gift!

BTW, the little brain problem I described in the first paragraph is also happening with Latvian...my daughter has forbidden me to speak...because if my mind can’t find the word in Latvian (or even if it can) a similar sounding spanish word is coming out.  You can imagine the puzzled looks I’m getting.  Ah well...gotta go to bed...tomorrow morning is an early morning tirgus run.

>BTW, the little brain problem I
>described in the first paragraph is also
>happening with Latvian...my daughter has
>forbidden me to speak...because if my
>mind can’t find the word in Latvian (or
>even if it can) a similar sounding
>spanish word is coming out.  You can
>imagine the puzzled looks I’m getting.

He, he, I can picture this very well—McT wandering around the streets of Riga, muttering in her own little SpanLatvLish language...and her daughter rolling her eyes...he, he.

BTW, make sure you stop at the Okupacijas Muzejs, Susanna, and give the English audioguide a whirl. I hear it’s great. ;-)

Donot worry Girls! I was doing that when I was in my 20th. Switching from english to latvian and back again without any effort. I am pushing 77 and still doing the same, fluent in boths or in a free mix.

No making fun, Dainabo… Cait just out and out told me this morning to stop trying to speak as I was embarassing her...children!

I did discover this morning that if I try not to think about it, the right thing, or something remarkably close to it comes out of my mouth.  Maybe if I just started having drinks at intervals...I would be loosened up enough to speak freely.  Tee hee…