Traditional Lefkas Dress

The island of Lefkas is unique in as much as the older women, especially up in the villages, still wear the traditional dress. The three main colours worn today are emerald green, dark blue and brown, and these change according to region.

The traditional costume consists of a very long pleated dress with long sleeves that is open at the front. The ‘Kotolo’, a thick petty coat is worn underneath. A padded wooden board, the ‘Spaletta’ is still used to support the chest and a long scarf to cover the bare area at the front. The front of the dress used to be decorated by attaching gold chains with ornate pins into the ‘Spaletta’ through the scarf, this also held the scarf in place. The ‘Kefalopani’, a long headscarf, covered their heads.

The wedding gown was most beautiful; usually made of silk in bright colours, red, purple, blue etc. Three ‘Kotola’ were worn, two in bright colours and one white and embroidered. Before the scarf was attached a short sleeved overcoat the ‘Tzoumbes’ was worn which was beautifully decorated with gold thread on the arms and down the front. A silk white scarf was attached to the ‘Spaletta’ and covered with jewels and gold chains. The ‘Fessi’, a small flat embroidered hat was placed on their head, covered with a ‘Kefalopani’ and secured in place by the ‘Tremoula’ a large pin decorated with gold and pearls.

You will very rarely see Lefkas men in the traditional dress only very occasionally up in the more remote villages.

The men wore thick trousers that came just below the knee known as the ‘Bourzana’, a white shirt with very wide sleeves and an embroidered waistcoat. The ‘Bourzana’ was supported by a long woven belt, which was twisted around their waist very tightly. Thick stockings were worn on their legs and traditional shoes, ‘Tsarouchia’, with pom-poms on the toes. They wore the ‘Skorseza’, a hat with a small tuff, on their head and to keep them warm during the winter months they had the ‘Kamzes’, a sort of cape with short sleeves.