Sharovary () are a kind of loose traditional
Ukrainian men's pants. The trousers are fitted at the waist and ankles, and loose at the hips and legs. They may be accompanied by a wide silk belt.
Similar pants in other cultures are
sirwal
Sirwal, also sherwal, saroual, seroual, sarouel or serouelSmith, Robin (199''American Civil War Zouaves'', p. 52. Osprey PublishingAt Google Books. Retrieved 23 August 2013. ( (''sirwāl''), also known, in some contexts, as (a subtype of) Hare ...
,
salwar
Salwar or shalwar is cloth worn from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately. It is the lower-garment of the shalwar kameez suit which is widely-worn in South Asia. It is known for its lively hues, rich fabrics, and embroidery. ...
,
shalwar kameez
Shalwar kameez (also salwar kameez and less commonly shalwar qameez) is a traditional combination dress worn by men and women in South Asia, and Central Asia.
'' Shalwars'' are trousers which are atypically wide at the waist and narrow to a ...
, etc., and these are often translated as ''sharovary'' or ''shalvary'' in Russian and Ukrainian.
Sharovary are part of the stereotypical national clothes of
Zaporozhian Cossacks
The Zaporozhian Cossacks (in Latin ''Cossacorum Zaporoviensis''), also known as the Zaporozhian Cossack Army or the Zaporozhian Host (), were Cossacks who lived beyond (that is, downstream from) the Dnieper Rapids. Along with Registered Cossa ...
.
The presence of sharovary in the dress of the
Zaporozhian Cossacks
The Zaporozhian Cossacks (in Latin ''Cossacorum Zaporoviensis''), also known as the Zaporozhian Cossack Army or the Zaporozhian Host (), were Cossacks who lived beyond (that is, downstream from) the Dnieper Rapids. Along with Registered Cossa ...
is noted by German ambassador Erich Lassota in the 16th century. A comprehensive description of Cossack dress is included in the 1651 book "Description d'Ukranie…" (''Description of Ukraine...'') by Polish-enlisted French-born cartographer and military engineer
Guillaume Le Vasseur de Beauplan
Guillaume Levasseur de Beauplan ( – 6 December 1673) or William le Vasseur de Beauplan was a French-Polish cartographer, engineer and architect.
Beauplan is best known for his maps of Ukraine (which he spelt as ''Ukranie'' or ''Vkranie'', wi ...
. Its translation mentions "sharovary", but narrow linen pants (d'un caleçó) were specified in the original instead.
Today sharovary is an important element of the
Ukrainian culture
The culture of Ukraine is composed of the material and spiritual values of the Ukrainian people that has formed throughout the history of Ukraine. Strong family values and religion, alongside the traditions of Ukrainian embroidery and Ukrainian ...
. At the same time the word "sharovary" gave rise to the derogatory term "
sharovarshchyna
''Sharovarshchyna'' ( ; also ''sharovarstvo'' [] or ''sharovarnytstvo'' []; from ''sharovary'', stereotypical Cossack pants) is a Culturology, culturological and journalistic term, usually negative, for the ethnic stereotype of Ukrainian culture ...
" for the pseudo-folk,
kitsch
''Kitsch'' ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as Naivety, naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous or of banal Taste (sociology), taste.
The modern avant-garde traditionally opposed kitsch ...
steoretyping of the Ukrainian culture.
See also
*
European loose trousers The sirwal or shalwar forms part of traditional costume in some parts of Europe.
Sharovary pants
The salvar is known as sharovary in Eastern Europe, which is worn with any upper garment. In Ukraine, the sharovary are voluminous.
File:23. Kozaky r ...
*
Harem pants
Harem pants or harem trousers are baggy, long trousers, pants caught in at the ankle. Early on, the style was also called a harem skirt. Inspired by Middle East clothing styles, especially şalvar (Turkish trousers), so-called 'harem pants/skirts' ...
*
Turkish salvar
References
Literature
* Nikolayeva T. History of costume. - Kyiv, Lybid 1996
Ukrainian folk clothing
Trousers and shorts
{{ukr-hist-stub