Cretan women's costume varied from place to place, but was noted for its well matched combination of colours, fabrics, patterns and embroidery.
In most cases it consisted of a red pleated half skirt (the misi fousta) tied around the middle, covering one half of the lower body from the navel to the spinal cord. The bottom corners were raised up diagonally and held around the waist by a cord.
The skirt was worn over a women's vraka, under which was a full-length cotton shirt. A woven woollen belt (the zoni) was tied around the waist, over a woven apron (podhia) with red and blue embroidery at the hem.
The upper body was covered with a gold-embroidered, long-sleeved felt jacket (the kontochi or chryssozipono) with a plunging neckline. The head was covered with a red silk kerchief with golden tassels (the gaza or skoufoma).
