Queen Maria and the Outstanding Romanian Traditional Costumes
As a sign of love and respect, Queen Maria proudly wore the Romanian traditional costume.
By Cotroceni National Museum
Cotroceni National Museum
Queen Maria, the woman who put Romania on the map
She fought like a real soldier, she loved with the soul of an artist and she nurtured her country like a caring mother. Queen Maria of Romania was born as Princess Marie Alexandra Victoria of Edinburgh on 29 October 1875 in England. Her father, Prince Alfred, was the second son of Queen Victoria. Her mother, Duchess Marie of Edinburgh (born Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia), was the only living daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. Maria married the Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania, in 1892. She dedicated her life to serving the country. After the First World War started, Maria became a Romanian patriot, and her influence in the country was large. People loved her as she loved them back. An amazing ambassador of Romanians for public opinion from Western Europe and North America in the interwar period, Queen Maria became an inspiration for promoting Romanian history, traditional art and culture.
Royal Style
Queen Maria draw the world’s attention to the beautiful Romanian folk costumes by writing about them and also wearing them. As both princess and queen, Maria of Romania often chose embroidered peasant clothing as her daytime attire. In the evening, she often wore flowing veils and robes.
Princess Maria (1893/1893) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
Although at the beginning it seemed a bit odd, for the Romanian nobility, to see The Royal Family wearing peasant clothes, soon the entire court started wearing folk costumes.
Romanian traditional motifs (2019/2019) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
Romanian folklore is the best preserved, most varied and traditional in Europe. The folklore motifs reflect ethnic identity and document the historical and artistic values of the Romanian people.
Queen Maria (1922/1922) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
The basic garment for the Romanian folk costume is a shirt (IE) which is made from hemp, linen or woolen fabric. Queen Maria` s chemises were made of silk.
Romanian traditional shirt (2019/2019) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
The Romanian traditional blouse (IA) represents a standard of beauty that has a communication language of ancient traditions, a living testimony of a mass creation process.
Queen Maria (1923/1923) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
Women always wear an apron (FOTĂ) over the shirt, a piece of cloth wrapped round the lower part of their bodies and secured by a belt at the waist
Apron (2019/2019) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
The traditional skirts/aprons are woven with a pattern and often have beautiful embroidery.
Queen Maria (1922/1922) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
Queen Maria (1923/1923) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
The folk costumes worn by Queen Maria were embroidered with gold and silver threads.
Queen Maria (1923/1923) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
Queen Maria chose peasant clothing from various areas, matching them with exquisite jewelry.
Queen Maria and Princesses Ileana, Mărioara, Elisabeta (1923/1923) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
Queen Maria taught her children to cherish the Romanian folk costume.
Queen Maria and Princess Ileana (1923/1923) by JuliettaCotroceni National Museum
King Ferdinand and Queen Maria (1922/1922) by MNCCotroceni National Museum
King Ferdinand and Queen Maria, the royal couple that loved and respected Romania and its people.
„Twenty-three years have I now spent in this country, each day bringing its joy or its sorrow, its light or its shade. (...) I want only to speak of its soul, of its atmosphere, of its peasants and soldiers, of things that made me love this country, that made my heart beat with its heart. I have moved amongst the most humble. I have entered their cottages, asked them questions, taken their new-born in my arms”. QUEEN MARIA OF ROMANIA These are some of the opening lines from Queen Maria`s book called “My Country”. Her thoughts reveal a woman who got to know her Romanians in a way like no other. She lived and breathed Romanian and brought the world’s attention on the Romanian culture and tradition.
