This Polish folk dress vest, with beaded tulips across its chest, represents one of 60 variations of ladies’ Polish traditional wear. The silver beads across the black velvet fabric allow the light to catch them on stage, therefore capturing the attention of the spectator. The vest piece of the women’s folk costume is typically made of high quality materials such as wool, damask, silk and velvet. The typical woman’s outfits consist of a vest (normally embroidered or beaded), a skirt, a white blouse, an apron, and a wreath or other kind of headwear. The folk costumes play a very important role in Polish culture and the several variations of designs and embroideries can say a lot about the person who is wearing the traditional outfit and the region they are from. For someone coming from Poland to America, bringing a traditional folk dress vest demonstrates how much they valued possessing a piece of their culture in a new and foreign place. 

Provenance: Unknown

Author: Stephanie Afonso, History major, Elms College.