Habit of a Country Woman in Russia in 1764

by Thomas Jefferys

The engraving above entitled, “Country Woman,” is an intriguing illustration of ethnic fashion from the mid-eighteenth century. Included in Jefferys’ groundbreaking book, A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, it offers a glimpse at the blend of utilitarianism in Slavic costume and the entrenched social structure.

In the year 1764, Russia had only recently entered the rule of Catherine the Great. As the nobility adapted to French fashion trends, the “Country Woman” shown above remains true to peasant tradition.