Woman’s shirt

Straight-silhouette 'bodice' shirt (to the waistline). Sewn from three panels. The sleeve is straight with a gusset and shoulder inset sewn along the grain, gathered at the bottom into small pleats using the 'sewing to collar' technique, on a cuff with a slit loop and button; decorated at the top with 8 cm 'puffy' gathers. The cuffs, sleeve, and shoulder inset are sewn with double 'backstitch.' The bodice and shoulder insets are gathered near the neckline into small pleats using the 'sewing to collar' technique. The oval neckline has a 35 cm slit at the center front, finished with a narrow binding with two slit loops on both sides. It is tied with a red crocheted tie. The shirt is decorated with black-and-red floral and geometric embroidery. The neckline binding has a red ornament in the form of a zigzag line. The shoulder inset features a 2.3 cm wide garland of roses (Rosa centifolia) with leaves and branches, framed above and below by parallel strips of leaflets with branches. The sleeves have a scattering of similar ornamental motifs: flowers with branches and leaves. The cuff is decorated with two embroidery bands: a wider 1.5 cm band of connected branches with berries and leaves, and a narrower band of stylized butterflies. The cuff edge is adorned with black and red looped serrations (2x2). Legend: The shirt was purchased during a 1970 ethnographic expedition by the Kharkiv Historical Museum in Pryshyb village, Balakliia District, Kharkiv Oblast (M. Ivanivka Street) from Sekletyna Mykolaivna Shevelina, who made it in the early 20th century.