Nowadays it has become quite common for people living in cities in Tatarstan to dress similarly to urban population around the world. However, there are still several features characteristic of Traditional Tatar clothes that are unique to the Tatars. Everybody knows what is tyubeteika, shawl, and cotton headscarf.
It is worth noting that just a few decades ago, the traditional costumes of Tatars looked quite different. Men’s traditional clothing included broad and long shirt sleeves called kyul’mek. Usually it was assembled with easy-to-wear dressing gowns with straight backs (yshtan), and camisoles (kamzun). During the winter months, men would wear fur coats (tun) or multon coats (tulup). Their headgear would consist of tyubeteika. Headwear included round fur caps, malahay, and hats in the summer and spring, and felt and fur hats in the winter (burek). Popular items of outer clothing for men also included Bukhara dressing gowns (chapan). As well as scarves, which did not have high and turn-down collars.
Traditional Tatar female clothes shared many elements with men’s clothing, including long shirts (kyul’mek) and trousers (yshtan). Women’s clothing was typically adorned with embroidery and trim and included velvet camisoles and an apron. One unique element of Tatar women’s clothing was the kalphak. Tatar women also wore various headgears, such as shawls (yaulyk), ear-flaps, and so on. The Tatars often wore leather boots (kata, chitek, kevesh) and multicolored shoes. Young women even wore breast ornaments made from corals and coins. While Tatar girls would often walk with uncovered heads, adult women would typically wear cotton shawls as a manner of dress.
