Today, 24 June 2026, Romanians all over the world. celebrate the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Sânzienele and the Universal Ia Day. Those who follow my posts, know I love writing about the traditional Romanian folk dress.
As I mentioned in my previous articles, my Romania IA is much more than just a fashion icon. It is a way of staying connected to my people, their past and all the good and not-so-good moments they have experienced. It is about my Romanian identity and heritage. It is about my grandmother’s gift, Queen Marie of Romania way of honoring the people and the country that loved her and in return she unified.
The Iconic Romanian IA
— DOINA IȘFĂNONI, Ethnologist at the “Dimitrie Gusti” Village Museum”
“The IA, as an iconic garment in Romanian culture and civilization, bears the marks of its history and serves as a form of identity. This garment resembles a piece of calligraphy; it resembles a high-quality painting, because the ia has the power to fascinate you—because it is original, unique, and, to a certain extent, strange—because it is different from what everyone is used to.”
The Romanian IA - a complete snapshot
— Mihaela Savu, Communication & PR Consultant
“The people, the community, or the individual must have a clear understanding of where they come from in order to know the direction in which they are heading; points of reference are extremely important in any human activity. Traditional folk attire serves as a link to who we are as a people and how we came to be. Romanian traditional costume embodies our political, religious, spiritual, behavioral, interpersonal, and status-related history. We have the “fustanela” worn by Geto-Dacian horsemen, which closely resembles elements of traditional Greek attire; likewise, the Geto-Dacian heraldic rose stands proudly on Turkish blouses or “paftale.” Even the word “fotă” comes from the Turkish language. All these words, objects, and symbols show that a people is a living organism that adapts to the new, yet at the same time takes care to preserve its roots.
A traditional Romanian costume is a complete snapshot of the beliefs, resources, and aspirations of an individual within the community.“
What Romanian IA stands for ...
— C.D. ZELETIN
“The Romanian peasant’s attire is a mirror of a spirituality and an aesthetics that are deeply rooted and very ancient. Its beauty has sprung from thousands of thoughts, flowed through countless hands, and brought happiness to entire generations, yet it has remained unchanged since the depths of Thracian times. It is the Dacian attire, that of our modern-day mountain folk. Our ancestors wore it with a dignity that is generally not embodied in clothing, but in the symbols of nobility. With these, they walked through the smoldering ashes of so many national tragedies. The harsh circumstances of early Romanian history did not allow life experience and philosophy to gather in particular writings of wisdom, but they forged them into the extraordinary metaphorical power of language, into its paremiological species, and into a life-saving temperament. Those same hardships, on the other hand, caused the history of our soul to be encoded in the serene beauty of the rivers depicted on the “ii,” in the refinement of the diaphanous headscarves, and in the robust simplicity of the white Haţeg coats. In them, our soul can be read as clearly as in an open book. So decisive was the testamentary command to preserve the traditional costumes, during a long period when attempts were made to overwhelm them with influences intended to undermine their steadiness, that it became a manifestation of the steady nature of our character—flexible in other matters of life and shaped by an innate intelligence.“
Wearing my Romanian IAs every day, any occasion ..
Yes, I do not only talk and share stuff about the Romanian traditional blouse and folk costumes. At some point I took interviews with people that do know all there is to know about it. And, I also got involved in organizing and promoting The Universal IA Day.
From Peru and Cuba to the Romanian National TV station’ main studio, to 2015 World Information Architecture Day, to highschool reunion, parties and office, my Romanian IAs are always there … as you can see in the pictures below.
And, the photo on your left is a fresh new one, taken today while having coffee with my dear friend Elena.
Happy Universal IA Day!
#ZiuaUniversalăAIei #ZiuaIei #IaRomaneasca #LaBlouseRoumaine #RomaninaBlouseDay #UniversalIaDay