19 th Century Upper-Middle Class Influences and Local Characteristics in Women’s Traditional Clothes of Szeged and Its Region

The process began in the mid-19 th century, when the changing fashion trends in the attire of the upper-middle class were gradually incorporated into people’s own wardrobes in Szeged and its surroundings. This was driven by a combination of existing customs, economic conditions, and local tastes.

We shall illustrate certain aspects of this change by presenting the traditional dress typical of the districts Szeged-Alsóváros and Tápé. Both places preserved the traditional way of life of the peasantry and characteristic folk customs for a long time.

In Alsóváros, livestock farming was the dominant industry, followed by tobacco cultivation from the early 19 th century, until the increasingly profitable cultivation of paprika took over.

Tápé is the oldest Hungarian village; it has been constantly populated since the Árpád age. Today, it is Szeged’s easternmost inner-city district, situated on the right bank of the river Tisza, outside the embankment.

From the 1860s through to the period culminating in the great flood of 1879, Szeged was referred to as the capital of the Great Hungarian Plain. During this time, clothing became more colourful and even opulent, a trend also reflected in the materials that were used: satin, silk-rep, velvet, printed fabrics and French textiles. There was also an important factor in the production of garments, namely, that, from 1866, sewing machines could even be purchased on instalment in Szeged. Within a single outfit, the combination of colours and patterns was guided by folk taste and individual creativity.

At this time, the style was close to that of the Biedermeier period: the loose, gathered skirts were reminiscent of the European crinoline fashion, which enjoyed its heyday until the mid- 19th century. The apron played a prominent role; it was decorated with layered ruffles and made of heavily patterned fabric, whose colour was always in contrast to the skirt. Over the blouses, women wore lustrous, richly patterned (so-called ‘brocaded’) silk shawls, crossed at the front and tied at the back at the waist.

In Tápé, they wore a so-called ‘ankle-length’ skirt that fell just above the ankles, over the petticoat. Those who had few skirts would wear them with the right side out on Sundays and the wrong side out on weekdays. The lined ‘testhönálló’ (a women’s sleeved garment made of brocade, velvet or silk, reaching below the waist and fitted to the body) was worn only on special occasions.

The pace at which upper-middle class fashion gained ground continued to accelerate as the turn of the century approached. The 1890s were characterised by a slimmer style and saw the rise of the tailored skirt. The lines characteristic of the Art Nouveau style had the greatest impact on the ‘testhönálló’: the high-cut sleeves and the various cuts and embellishments covering the chest were increasingly less concealed by the large silk scarf – so it fell increasingly out of fashion. This period was also characterised by the rise of pastel shades alongside the earlier, more vibrant colours.

Thanks to the trade fairs, the blue-dye craftsmen of Szeged supplied goods to a vast area. The heyday of the craft spanned from the mid-19 th century to the turn of the century. Plain or patterned dyed fabrics – both sold by the metre and as ready-made garments – were used primarily for everyday women’s clothing, but also for men’s attire.

Slippers became widespread during the period of Ottoman rule, primarily in southern Hungary. Their emergence as a characteristic part of Szeged’s traditional dress is linked to the town’s economic recovery and reconstruction following the flood of 1879: amongst the women of Szeged, who had already grown averse to boots and sandals, slippers became increasingly popular as light yet inexpensive footwear suitable for wearing outdoors. From then on, the decorative embroidery also became increasingly elaborate and colourful, featuring stylised botanical motifs such as poppies, rosebuds, cornflowers, ears of wheat and wildflowers. Between the two world wars, these velvet-topped, embroidered shoes became one of Szeged’s symbols and a characteristic souvenir; furthermore, during this period, women from the intellectual classes also enjoyed wearing them as Hungarian-style indoor footwear.

Slipper-making was originally part of the boot-making trade: the soles and uppers were sewn with the right sides turned inside out, and they were single-footed, that is, reversible slippers – hence the saying that ‘Szeged slippers are singular’. From 1922, slipper-making became a trade in its own right, and then, driven by demand from the middle classes, shoemakers also began to produce them from the 1930s, now in both-foot versions, using glued construction, and decorated them with tassels. This footwear, which remains popular to this day, regularly inspires contemporary designers and creators alike.

The living tradition of making and wearing Szeged slippers has been included on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List since 2018.