Costume
Costume - Daniela Spoto 2023, © CCIAA NU

Costume

Traditional costume is a distinctive element of the area and known for its beauty and variety.

Orune, Sardinian costume
Orune, Sardinian costume - © M.C. Folchetti, Archivio Aspen

The costumes vary by region, town and occasion, but they do share a few common features. 
They are often made with fine fabrics, hand embroidered and decorated with intricate details.

Lula, traditional costume
Lula, traditional costume - © MIRA Sardegna, Archivio Aspen

Their variety has been a constant source of amazement to visitors, artists, painters and photographers. 
The prevailing image is of a joyful population depicted in their colourful dress, a representation that still crops up today during religious celebrations and traditional festivities.

Irgoli, traditional costume
Irgoli, traditional costume - CC BY-SA 4.0 Gianni Careddu, Commons Wikimedia - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Irgoli_-_Costume_tradizionale_(03).JPG

Traditional costume follows rigorous, codified rules during festive occasions and mourning. Everyday clothing, on the other hand, is often marked by variants that nevertheless still maintain the style typical of each place.

Nuoro, Museo del Costume. Hall of traditional costumes
Nuoro, Museo del Costume. Hall of traditional costumes - CC BY 3.0 Sailko, Commons Wikimedia - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nuoro,_museo_etnografico_sardo,_interno,_sala_dei_costumi_tradizionali_04.jpg

The traditional clothing of the Nuorese represents the identity and history of its town and community, preserving a tradition of immense importance for Sardinian culture.

An important collection of traditional period costume is preserved in the Museo del Costume in Nuoro, part of the ISRE (the Istituto Superiore Regionale Etnografico, or Sardinian Regional Institute of Ethnography).