In midst of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the rest of the world is taking a lot of cultural interest in Ukraine, which is the second-largest country by area in Europe after Russia, and learning more about its customs, clothing, way of life, and so on. While protestors in many countries around the world condemn the attack on Ukraine and its sovereignty, Estonian President Alar Karis displayed his solidarity with the war-torn country by donning the embroidered national costume of Ukraine, known as a vyshyvanka. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his gratitude for the same with a tweet.
The largest demonstration in the modern history of Estonia took place in support of Ukraine. I am grateful to the Estonian people and @AlarKaris for their solidarity in these difficult times. Mr. President, our vyshyvanka suits you. pic.twitter.com/giMvr5d6HW— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 26, 2022
People waving the Ukrainian flag in the streets can be seen in the photos, as well as Karis posing in a vyshyvanka with yellow and blue ribbons — the colours of the Ukrainian flag — fastened to his coat.
This might intrigue you as to what exactly is a vyshyvanka. It is an embroidered shirt that is a part of the culture of Ukraine. While it is also seen in Belarus, the Ukrainian vyshyvanka is distinguished by various distinctive embroidered characteristics unique to Ukraine. There is also a day dedicated to this outfit. On the third Thursday of May, the country commemorates Vyshyvanka Day. It falls on May 19 this year.
The vyshyvanka is a “staple uniform for women, men, and children, who adorn traditional and modern renditions of the sartorial piece of history,” according to a 2016 Vogue feature.
It consists of an embroidered shirt or blouse with complex and intricate patterns for the uninitiated. It is regarded as a folk costume, but it is also worn in urban areas of the country with fundamental colours such as black, red, and white, and extra colours such as yellow, blue, and green.
The patterns on the shirt appear to be sewed on. According to Ukrainian traditional beliefs, the vyshyvanka is said to protect those who wear it, thus giving it sort of a talisman status in the country.
