#dimija

Yesterday was a dream come true! Thanks to my friends Albulena Purellku and Arijeta Purellku, I finally had a chance to try on a traditional dress in Macedonia. This is an Albanian dimija, which is worn by Albanian brides. This design is local to my town and was worn by the bride on the night after her wedding when the women in her life sang to her. It is adorned with exquisite gold embroidery all over the bottoms, belt, vest, and arm bands. All of these pieces were completely handmade and they are stunning. I learned how to wear the garments, how to pose (arms out, chin up, eyes down), and how a bride greets guests at the wedding. This was so much fun and I hope I get to wear a dimija again!