The original Ukrainian folk dress is first of all the clothes of Central Ukrainians, as the costumes of the population of border territories - Polesie, Lemkivschina, Boykivschina, Hutsulschina and Bukovina - are markedly influenced by other cultures (Polish, Romanian or Hungarian).

The history of Ukrainian folk dress is closely linked to the traditions of Kievan Rus. Evidence of this can be found in the Ipatiev Chronicle, or in the famous "Tale of Igor's Campaign," where such items of clothing as jacket, shirt, retinue, korzno (ancient cloak) and others are mentioned. Since that time the most widespread women's clothing - a long belted shirt - has also survived. It was usually embroidered with magical ornaments, most of them geometric in shape. The most common figure was the rhombus with hooks. Depending on its location, this symbol could mean land, fertility or a woman. From the Old Russian times there was also a custom of using different-colored woolen threads, duck feathers, various aromatic herbs in the maiden's headdress. In the rural areas of the Dniester and Dnieper regions this custom was preserved until the beginning of the XX century.
Women's Ukrainian costume was especially picturesque and original. It consisted of the already mentioned elongated vyshivanka (embroidered vest), belted with a mottled belt-edge, zapaska or plahta - belted clothing made of two partially sewn sections of plaid woolen fabric. This dress was supplemented with a corset, i.e. a sleeveless jacket made of thin woolen cloth, velvet or silk, and an apron decorated with embroidery underneath. On the left bank on the sleeves, collar, breast and bottom of the shirt were embroidered in pale gray linen thread, and on the right bank - in red and black. Colored ribbons and monistas served as a supplement to the clothes, giving it a festive atmosphere.

At the beginning of the XX century stockings and plahta were gradually replaced by factory-made skirts and dresses but they also had their own features in different regions. Ukrainians wore boots with a low heel, with laces or buttons, and in winter they wore leather boots decorated with ornaments, mostly red.
A special element of women's clothing was the headdress. It indicated a woman's marital status: unmarried girls wore a wreath with different decorations - bronze or silver pendants, coins, ribbons, flowers, and married women wore a high cleavage, covered tightly with a piece of thin white cloth covering their hair. Walking barefoot, i.e. "shining" hair, was a grave sin. It was believed that it could cause crop failure, loss of livestock, and other troubles.