Female traditional costume

‘A femmena ‘e core! – 1900

Povera abbandunata! – 1902

Marenà, marenà – 1902

Torna Maggio! – 1900

“This civilization of ours is the crazy genius of the world! And when it couples with fashion, oh, the things it does!”

— Francesco De Bourcard

In the descriptions by Francesco De Bourcard, the female costume is characterized by its colors, fabrics, ornaments, and accessories: the washerwoman wore a “corset of red or sky-blue silk, a skirt in a color contrasting that of the jacket, and a white apron for contrast […] in her ears a type of pendant […] known as rosette.” The flower girl’s apron was also “sky-blue,” with her head covered by a kerchief and a small basket of flowers under her arm.

By the middle of the century, however, this heritage already appeared to be transforming. De Bourcard notes how “civilization” and fashion were progressively replacing traditional styles with clothing closer to that of the city, bearing witness to a changing society.