Women's local costume of Skopelos Bridal costume of Skopelos

The bridal costume of Skopelos is called “foustana” or “stofa” after the long, richly pleated outer sleeveless dress, which is made of 16 metres of black silk satin. There are four underdresses: the small and the large “f’stana” (a sort of crinoline), the “malakofi”, and lastly the “kolovoli”, identical in shape to the outer foustana. The “anetorali” is a white silk chemise with gold embroidery and lace. The short velvet bodice is known as the “bamboukli” and its sleeves as “broumanika”: these are turned back to reveal the “timbadoxa” (the interior ornamentation). The bamboukli is usually held in place by the “kolaina”, a kind of small dickey, embroidered all over in gold, from which hangs the “tsatsaraki”, a short double ribbon, usually red or blue. The hair is worn in plaits, with loose strands forming curls (“dzouloufia”) on the cheeks. The head is covered first with the “bounes”, a sort of snood made of black bouclé wool. Over that, on the crown, is the “kavouki”, a kind of round cap, held on by a gold-embroidered chinstrap, the “chrysokap’tseli”, with the “salpa”, an ornament of white satin and gold embroidery, attached on the right side. The bounes is covered by the “tsitsakia”, gold braids embellished with tir-tir and spangles, with the ends hanging down on the right. Over all goes a tulle headscarf, the “aeras”. This is the only costume in Greece that is worn with fingerless mittens, made of black or white lace. The footwear consists of knitted white openwork stockings and distinctive slippers called “kondoures”. Peloponnesian Folklore Foundation Collection