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Chapter 13 - Clothing

from Part II - Russian Social and Political Contexts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 January 2023

Anna A. Berman
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

When we think of Tolstoy we picture a man who looks as far from a typical Russian nobleman as possible: bearded and wearing peasant-style clothes. This chapter examines the clothing choices Tolstoy made throughout his life and sets them in the contexts of imperial dress codes and his own thinking about Christianity and his place in the world. After Peter the Great introduced European dress for the nobility in the early eighteenth century, a large cultural divide developed between peasants and nobles. Tolstoy grew up wearing the clothing of the European elite while the peasants on his family estate wore more traditional Russian dress. However, in the 1860s Tolstoy began to wear a peasant-style beard and long, loose shirts, albeit made from more luxurious materials than were worn by the peasants themselves. Then, in the 1880s he began to make his own leather boots. This was all part of his broader philosophical project and attempt to lead a simpler, more Christian life. Though Tolstoy’s lifestyle choices often made things more difficult for his family, he nonetheless inspired many followers who imitated his dress style.

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Tolstoy in Context , pp. 101 - 110
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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  • Clothing
  • Edited by Anna A. Berman, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Tolstoy in Context
  • Online publication: 05 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108782876.017
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  • Clothing
  • Edited by Anna A. Berman, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Tolstoy in Context
  • Online publication: 05 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108782876.017
Available formats
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Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Clothing
  • Edited by Anna A. Berman, University of Cambridge
  • Book: Tolstoy in Context
  • Online publication: 05 January 2023
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108782876.017
Available formats
×