Feriaz

Feriaz’ 

(also ferez’), a garment worn by both men and women in old Russia. The feriaz’ was a narrow, unfitted, ankle-length garment, with narrow sleeves or sleeveless. It had no collar and was closed with buttons and loops or with ties. The winter feriaz’, lined with fur, was worn over a caftan or letnik (women’s summer garment with long wide sleeves).

The feriaz’ was worn by various strata of the population. From the 14th to 16th centuries feriazi for tsars, boyars, and princes were made of velvet, satin, or broadcloth and were decorated with gold and silver lace and buttons of precious metals. Peasants wore feriazi made of plain fabric, as did the strel’tsy (semiprofessional musketeers), for whom it served as a military garment.

Until the end of the 19th century the term was also applied in Novgorod, Tver’, and Yaroslavl provinces to a woman’s holiday dress that had a ribbon sewn the length of the garment and decorative buttons down the front, simulating a closing.