Kazakh national attire is a rich reflection of the country’s cultural heritage. Deeply influenced by the nomadic lifestyle and spiritual beliefs, traditional Kazakh clothing was designed to be practical, shielding its wearers from the cold, windy conditions of the steppe, while also providing comfort for horseback riding. These garments were made from natural materials, and their quality often revealed the wearer’s social standing and family background. While poorer individuals wore clothes fashioned from the hides of wild animals, the wealthy favored luxurious imported fabrics such as silk and velvet.
The construction of Kazakh clothing heavily relied on leather, fur, and other animal skins. The Kazakhs were known for their exceptional skills in leather crafting, felt production, and other traditional methods that helped create their distinctive attire. These highly valued products became prominent in the markets along the Great Silk Road.
In addition to practicality, Kazakh clothing emphasized decoration. Garments were often adorned with intricate patterns, precious stones, and even expensive furs. Both men and women wore wide belts with ornate gold or silver buckles to signify their social status and to add a touch of elegance. Wealthier individuals often layered their clothing, with the practical and simple garments underneath, while more expensive, elaborately decorated attire was worn on top.
Footwear was also an important part of Kazakh national dress. In the summer, people commonly wore soft leather boots with heels up to 8 centimeters, while in the harsh winters, they opted for felt stockings and tall boots made from tough leather to ward off the cold. Women’s boots were often embellished with embroidery and decorative overlays. Today, traditional Kazakh clothing is a rare sight, mostly worn in rural regions or during ethnic festivals, and can also be admired in museum exhibits.
Traditional Kazakh women’s clothing typically included a long dress or shirt, pants, a hat, and sometimes a vest or robe. To stay warm during the harsh winters, fur coats were essential. The choice of clothing also depended on a woman’s age and social standing. For instance, young girls frequently wore red dresses, but once they reached the age of 30, wearing red was deemed inappropriate. As women aged, they shifted to wearing blue or black, and their use of jewelry diminished.
The fabric used for women’s garments ranged from lightweight felt to colorful chintz. Wealthy Kazakh women often donned silk and velvet dresses. The close-fitting cuts of these dresses usually had high collars, but by the 19th century, a detachable bodice style became fashionable. Women’s clothing was decorated with embroidered patterns, fur appliqués, and embellished with silver or metal buckles and buttons.
Kazakh bridal attire is particularly notable. A traditional bride’s ensemble included a camisole, robe, and a dress-shirt called a koylek, accompanied by a striking conical headdress known as a saukele, which could be more than 30 centimeters tall. The zhelek, a type of bridal veil, was worn alongside it. Contrary to Western traditions, white is not a color for brides in Kazakhstan, as it symbolizes mourning. Instead, the bride’s colors reflected her family or regional identity.
Kazakh men’s traditional clothing consisted of a simple shirt, pants, and a hat, but the shapan, a long coat or robe, was the most significant piece of attire, symbolizing the wearer’s social status. The shapan came in various fabrics and vibrant colors, though darker hues were the norm for everyday wear. For formal occasions, shapan were often dark blue or black and intricately embroidered with gold. These ceremonial robes were typically gifted to important guests or esteemed individuals, a tradition that continues today.
Hats hold a special cultural significance in Kazakhstan. A Kazakh person’s hat is never shared or given away, as doing so is believed to bring bad luck, illness, or loss of happiness. Hats must be carefully placed in a safe location, never on the ground or a chair. Kazakhstan has various styles of headwear, including takiya, kalpak, borik, kimeshek, and tymak. One of the most iconic symbols of Kazakh culture is the saukele.
The saukele is a unique, handcrafted bridal headdress. The taller the saukele, the greater the bride’s respect for her groom’s family. Some saukele reached up to 70 centimeters in height. This expensive item, often adorned with precious stones, gold, and silver, was highly prized, with its value sometimes equivalent to a herd of horses. Despite its importance, the saukele is only worn once, on the wedding day.
The kasaba is a hat worn by newlywed brides, replacing the saukele until the birth of their first child. After the child’s birth, women would wear a tall white turban called the kimeshek, which they would continue to wear for the rest of their lives.
The takiya is a skullcap worn by Kazakhs of all ages. Made from silk, velvet, and other materials, zer-takiya, embroidered with gold or silver thread, is especially popular among younger generations. In some cases, the takiya serves as a lining for other headgear.
The kalpak is a felt hat that remains a popular choice among Kazakh men. There is also the ayyr kalpak, an upscale version adorned with luxurious fabrics or gold embroidery featuring plant motifs.
The borik is another type of fur-edged hat, traditionally made from wolf fur but now more commonly crafted from otter, fox, or beaver fur. Borik hats are worn in both summer and winter, with variations in the decorative elements between men’s and women’s versions.
Finally, the tymak is a thick winter hat made of sheepskin, designed to protect the wearer from the harsh steppe winds. This hat is also integral to the traditional Kazakh horse game, Tymak uryp zhygu, in which riders compete to knock the tymak off a pole.
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