Tropoja is characterised by its rich culture and tradition. The community of Tropoja tries to keep this tradition alive with small details through weddings, parties and even daily life, whether with a Tropojan dance, proverbs, food or clothes. Tropojan women who are distinguished for their high and rich virtues, with their handcrafts have attracted a lot of foreign tourists and not only. Tropojan women and men look far more charming when wearing those colorful outfits that carry great value. Tropojan clothing is considered as the most beautiful folcloric clothing among the other traditional costumes throughout Albania . Tropoja differs for two characteristic Tropojan clothes ; two for women and one for boys.
“Pshtjellak i ngushte”( mostly worn by young women)
and its constituent elements – long white shirt down below the knee .Shirt chest embroidered with colored thread or beads. Short sleeves up to the elbow, wide and covered with ojme (handmade); Short sleeves on the wrist from hand to elbow that were covered by the rest of the shirt coming from the shoulders. The first part of the wrist is worked with a black piece. Zaprega-so called but means apron (comes from Serbian) is placed on the front of the female at a short distance from the waist. It is held by two twisted wires that are caught in the two opposite corners of the zaprege above and that are connected in the middle at the back, in crosses. The back “pshtjellak” (it does not have a specific name in english) is placed on the buttocks. “Shoka” is placed behind the diagonal slope in the cross below the waist, embroidered part and the whole with various ornaments with beads. The vest is knitted with 3-4-5 threads sewn together. Both shoulders are gripped by it and intersected back at the shoulders. The socks are crocheted, for girls with white threads and for brides with colored threads that go down to the knee. Mestes are made of wool yarn and embroidered with different yarns. Opinga bed cover with cowhide, made sideways with twist (leather cut like twine). The upper part is made of thread embroidery in different colors.
“Pshtjellak i gjere (gjane)” mostly worn by married women. This costume also has its ingredients. Beige shirt, with short sleeves up to the elbows and wide, embroidered. Long up to the thighs. The front of the chest is embroidered with thread and colored beads. Twisted turn – the twisted turn is worked on loom (with wool yarn). Wrinkling (in pairs) is done with a technique that permanently preserves this wavy, accordion. It is decorated with beads and sparks. At the end is glued a strip, not wide, white decorative.
“Tirq”(Men`s clothes) – are made of wool in the loom, passed into vajavice, trampled and turned into “zhgun”. Shirts – meringue shirts with long sleeves, open neck and embroidered with a light design with white threads. Vest – the vest consisted of a piece of black or brown silk and embroidered neckline, chest and sleeves with thick gold silk threads. Shock and scarf – the scarf is made of wool on the loom combined with colored yarn approximately the colors of the rainbow, long enough to wrap around the waist several times, as long as the “shokë” itself. The white hood or sphere in the shape of a rounded sphere on the top is placed on the head aside.
