Women’s traditional costume of Alexandreia (Roumlouki), Imathia. The costume consists of the shirt, the plastron, the embroidered blue sayias (overcoat), the cropped, gold-embroidered vest (kontosi), the additional gold-embroidered undersleeves, the embroidered apron (futa), the sequined belt and the elaborate headdress that looks like a helmet (katsuli). The costume is completed with various pieces of jewellery, such as a chain with coins on the chest, a buckle with coins on the apron and/or a belt with a large buckle. It is the bridal and formal/festive costume of the Roumlouki region. According to tradition, the costume, and particularly the headband, dates back to the time of Alexander the Great. According to this story, Alexander, wanting to punish some of his soldiers for their cowardice during battle, took their helmets and gave them to the women, who had been bringing water and supplies to the soldiers constantly. This tradition and the Greek origin of the costume are supported by one of the costume’s characteristics, namely the belt with silver sequins, which resemble an ancient breastplate.
