A Finnish woman in Festive Dress.

A Finnish woman in Festive Dress with rich embroidery, 1803.

Une Finnoise en Habit de Fête.

IN winter, the country women, in easy circumstances, wear rich furs on holidays. The summer dress is similar to that which we have just described, but more elegant, and made with more taste and skill.

The jacket is of silk, longer than ordinary, and trimmed with a border like a furbelow, of a different colour to the jacket. In the front it, is ornamented, from the knee to the furbelow, with elegant embroidery and glass pearls. The apron, though narrow, is striped with various colours, embroidered, and richly ornamented with medals and glass pearls.

The girdle is decked with ornaments of steel or brass, in the form of buttons, and tied before with several ribbons. The front of the bosom is also carefully embroidered, and adorned with glass pearls and shells. Several rows of false pearls are worn round the neck. A quantity of ribbon, about six inches in breadth, passes through their large ear-rings, and floats upon the shoulders and sleeves of the chemise, which are wide, open, short, and prettily embroidered with wool of different colours.

The head is covered with a scarf tied in the manner of a cap; it passes through the girdle, and descends to the heel.

Source: Costume of the Russian empire by Edward Harding.