Traditional costumes

Today we can see the typical Ayas costume worn on the occasion of festivals or solemnities or by local folk groups.

The authentic costume was composed as follows:

men:
- trousers made of cloth, velvet or cloth, narrow and short, buttoned at the bottom, just below the knee, or even tied with colored wool ties
- jacket also made of black fabric, cloth or velvet; it was elegant, with flaps, with two buttons at the top of the back slit, two on each side on the flaps, with pleats, and another six on the double breasted
- waistcoat of black or even white cloth, double-breasted, with two rows of metal buttons, shiny like gold
- black felt headdress, with wide brims.
- white shirt, made of hemp or hemp and cotton
- tie consisted of a silk neckerchief, variously colored with flowers or checks, to which a nice big knot was tied
- both men and women wore long white wool socks and wore "sabots", typical wooden clogs;

women:
- bust supporting the skirt, composed of a double hemp lining, in the middle of which there were vertical ribs of sorghum or raffia filaments, with strong stitching of hemp thread between one and the other. on the outside, with side stitching, it was covered with fabric similar to that of the skirt
- skirt of fine fabric for brides, while the one in common use was made of rougher wool, spun and woven at home. The shape was squat: it had large and rigid accordion folds on the back and gave women an awkward appearance, at least according to today's aesthetic standards. At the bottom of the skirt, a hem approximately 10 cm wide was placed inside. colourful, green or red.
- very short bolero over the skirt.
- apron made of mostly gingham, with printed floral designs, straight on the front with a rectangular-shaped raised lapel, supported on the chest by two pins: it was tied at the waist with a ribbon and was made by hand, with a precision, uniformity and finesse of points to make you wonder.
- over them they wore a white shirt and over their shoulders they put a large silk scarf with fringes in sumptuous and bright colours.

This costume was once worn every day, especially by the local women, up until at least the Second World War, while today its use is reserved only for festivals and events, or performances by the local folk group.

The women’s costume, the like of which is found nowhere else in Valle d’Aosta (although a similar costume exists in the Val Soana, in the neighbouring Piemonte region), is characterised by a wide black skirt made from a thick, rough fabric that was once woven in the village, with a high waist, puffed out at the back and covered at the front by an apron in glossy black fabric, folded upwards, which reaches up to the chest. This austere ensemble is contrasted by the white shirt, with a starched, pleated pillow lace collar, hand made by the local women. Several strands of coloured glass beads are worn around the neck, with a cross hanging from them.

The men’s costume is composed of a white woollen sweater, open at the front, with red and green edges and pompoms of the same colours on the white shirt, worn with black trousers and a black waistcoat.
The black, white, red and green of the costumes (the women’s costume features ribbons in the latter two colours) forms an attractive colour combination.

Red and black, the colors of the flag of the Valle d'Aosta region, also distinguish the typical costume of Courmayeur.

The female costume is enriched at the neck and wrists by a thickly pleated, starched high lace raised at the nape of the neck. It is inspired by the clothes that women wore on festive occasions: heavy home-woven wool, colorful silks for the aprons, an open-fronted bolero and traditional jewels, a beaded necklace and a black velvet necklace with a heart and a gold cross.
The men's costume, rigorous and elegant, takes inspiration from the Napoleonic uniforms passing through the Aosta Valley in 1800.

Having fallen into disuse at the beginning of the twentieth century, the female Gaby costume was brought back into vogue for folkloristic purposes after the last world war.

The dress is made of black cloth and is made up of a tight waist, ankle-length skirt and a long-sleeved bodice sewn together.
Over the dress, the apron brightens the dark shade of the dress with its brocaded or iridescent silk; it is sewn in narrow folds, held together by a velvet ribbon that acts as a belt.
To enrich the costume, also the shawl, square in shape with long fringes, in assorted silk and coordinated with the apron.
The most original element of the costume is undoubtedly the headdress made up of a halo of lace and a white tulle background framed by a composition of flowers and fruits, as well as an iridescent silk ribbon that falls on the back.
It is customary to decorate the costume with some jewels: a cross and a small gold heart suspended from a black velvet ribbon, beaded necklaces and gold pins used to fasten the bib of the apron to the bodice.

The traditional costume of Gressoney is among the most beautiful in the Aosta Valley.

In ancient times Gressoney’s women were used to wearing their traditional costume every day, even when they were working. Of course, it was not so elegant and so richly decorated as today’s costume. On the contrary, it was shorter and plain.
In the course of times Gressoney’s inhabitants began to wear other clothes, so that the beautiful costume with its valuable bonnet, made of filigree and precious stones, became the best clothe, which was only used for fests and special occasions.
Besides the scarlet costume with golden ornaments, there is a so-called violet “mourning costume” with silver decorations.

La Magdeleine's costume is based on the holiday clothes used by the peasants belonging to the house of Cly, branch of the noble feudal Challand family.

On the apron are depicted, intertwined, five flowers that symbolize the villages of La Magdeleine: the gentian for Messelod, the daisy for Clou, the anemone for Brengon, the scrub rose for Vieu, the edelweiss for Artaz. The costume is completed by a white wool shawl and a cap on which only the flower relating to the village to which the costume refers is embroidered.