Kierpce

Kierpce is a local type of footwear. It occurred mainly in mountainous areas.

It is footwear, which was made by manual processing of natural leather. Its bindings were made with thongs. Hence the footwear as well, which at first glance looks a bit primitive, it was actually very durable. There were also special clubs made, which were chosen in terms of colors for women and men. Usually, women wore a light colored heart, while men more often opted for a dark color.

It turns out, that Kierpce gained the greatest popularity in the 20th century. At that time, they could be found especially in the Carpathian Mountains and also in the Balkans. For example in Albania, according to the local dialect, such a heart was called opinga.

Today, we can meet a real highlander less and less, who is dressed in traditional folk costumes from head to toe. Rather, such clothes are worn on special occasions, for example, holidays, festivals or other events.

Kierpce can be a great souvenir brought from the mountains. Above all, we can talk about made shoes, especially for small children. Such shoes are still made, especially for tourist purposes. They are later sold in local stalls or souvenir shops. Kierpce are also characterized by this, that they look a bit similar to a kayak. Namely, they have pointed tips.