Garments worn with white belodreshnik costume
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. These garments included long sleeveless flared waistcoats (kusak, gloukhche, klasnik), waist length flared waistcoats, short sleeved waist length flared jackets (dolaktanka), long sleeved waist or hip length jackets (dolama, aba, gluhche, kussache, doramche, dolaktanka,dolama, mintan), or knee length (kaplama) or full length long sleeved overcoats (golyama dreha). These over garments were often trimmed on the edges with coloured thread and were embroidered along the front opening
The styles of over garments changed from the second half of the 19th century as a result of urban fashions and the production of clothing in craft workshops. The white woollen outer garments were replaced by black hooded cloaks (klashnitsi or djubeta) for urban wear in towns.
Long sleeveless flared waistcoats – Kusak, Gloukhche, Klasnik
Long sleeveless flared woollen waistcoats were worn in the northwest and Pleven regions. These were knee or hip length open in front and flared below the waist. They were decorated with coloured, usually red braid around the edges and appliqué work in red, yellow, blue and green around the pockets, and tops of the gussets.
Short sleeveless hip length outer garments which could be either straight or with gussets at sides and richly decorated, were worn with sukman costume in (Smolyan, and the Tundzha valley).
Waist length flared waistcoats and jackets – Dolaktanka
Men’s waist length jackets were either short sleeveds or sleeveless. These were decorated in similar style to the longer flared waistcoats but had additional decoration on the upper part of front, often in trapezoid shapes which were outlined with braid and filled with embroidered linear geometric motifs. 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 – Dolama, Aba, Gluhche, Kussache, Doramche, Dolaktanka, Dolama, Mintan
The over garment worn by women with sukman and saya costumes were similar. Those worn with sukman were called mente, kicha, gunche, kusse, saltamarka, whilst those worn with saya were called saltamarka, or kontoshche (fur coats). Around Smolyan a waist length long sleeved jacket made of dark woollen material was worn. This was edged with brown fur, and decorated with silver braid around the cuffs.
Full length long sleeved overcoat – Kaplama or Golyama dreha.
Long sleeved overcoats could be knee length and called kaplama or longer and called golyama dreha. These often had little decoration with only a row of coloured braid sewn round the front edges and hem. Kaplama worn by men in the north for weddings were worn with belts crossing over the front of the chest.
Garments worn by men with black chernodreshnik
Long or short sleeved coats (dolatnik aba, or anteriya) and sleeveless waistcoats (lek or elek), worn by men with chernodresnik were made of the same fulled dark woollen cloth as the trousers (potouri), and are also made by tailors in urban workshops. These outer garments are waist length, open at the front, and are fitted into the waist, with the styles being strongly influenced by Ottoman fashions. They are decorated with dark coloured woollen braid (gaitan) along the seams, front opening and pocket edges. In some areas the braid is supplemented with embroidery in black silk or cotton thread and appliquéd pieces of red woollen cloth. The sleeveless waistcoats had a round neck and buttons on the front. Around Haskovo, Smolyan, and Stara Zagora, men’s long sleeved coats were longer, open in front, and were cut in at waist with a slight flare below the waist. This style of coats sometimes has a leather lining.