Once upon a time, the Bulgarian woman used to make her own clothes, choosing the materials, colours and elements, and the apron was a kind of a “introduction card”. It could be used to tell which place the woman was from, how wealthy she was, whether she was a widow or looking for marriage. And the colour of the apron even could reveal the age of its owner.

The types of traditional Bulgarian aprons strike with their variety – special ones for bachelorettes and brides, worn one year after the wedding, worn until the birth of the first child, for widows, etc. They are decorated with beads, coins, tassels, lace and each element on them has its own symbolism and meaning.

Toma Belev reveals about the vast world of this part of the traditional Bulgarian clothing and about his collection of over 300 traditional aprons in the publication of Radio Bulgaria Toma Belev’s magnificent collection of 19th-20th century aprons.

Editor: Dessislava Semkovska