Shepherds’ cloaks – Yamurlok or Opandzhak

The simplest and oldest form of over garment is the hooded shepherd’s cloak (yamurlok or opandzhak). These were made from woven goats hair or wool or a mixture of wool and goats hair, which was often woven in alternate brown and white rectangles.

Sheepskin jackets – Kozhuh or Kozhuhche

Jackets (kozhuh) and waistcoats (kozhuhche) made of sheepskin, usually worn with the fur on the inside are found in the north of Bulgaria along the Danube plain, and are similar to jackets worn across the Danube in Romania.

Felted woollen overcoats, jackets and waistcoats

Over garments made of white felted woollen material were worn with the belodreshnik and double aprons costumes in the north, with the shape and decoration of the garments worn by men and women being similar, and around Sofia by men. Around Nikopol and Tarnovo black woollen flared waist length coats and waistcoats decorated with blue braiding and red, blue and white embroidery were worn by in men and women. The cut of these garments is the same as the white over garments worn further west. Long sleeved waist or hip length jackets over garment worn with by women with sukman and soya were similar. Long sleeved overcoats could be knee length and called kaplama or longer and called golyama dreha.

Fabric outer garments – linen, velvet or silk

In some areas of eastern Thrace and Dobrudzha men’s sleeveless waistcoats and jackets were made from thinner red checked or striped material. From the late 19th century padded black or maroon sleeveless waistcoats made of velvet became popular with women and men in north eastern Bulgaria. In western Bulgaria around Trun men’s long white sleeveless jackets, made of woven linen or cotton fabric, and edged with a narrow row of dark braid. In the eastern Rhodopes a waist length long sleeved quilted jacket (anteriya, zaboun, or kaftan) open at the front was introduced relatively recently. Jackets in this style were also worn by men in eastern Thrace and Dobrudzha and were made of silk or woollen fabric in bright colours.