We are getting ready to march once again on 5th Avenue in commemoration of Greek Independence Day. Here is the one time per year (maybe second) where you can sport your Amalia costume.  Just in case you didn’t know–

The Amalia costume was purposefully designed by Queen Amalia, King Otto’s Bavarian wife, to serve as the national costume of Greece.   It consists of patchy – Greek and foreign-elements.  Over her Viennese-fashioned dress she wore a tight kind of jacket that is inspired by the “kavadi” of the Karagounes of Thessaly. Over the “kavadi” she added the “zimpouni” which is a costume element on many Greek islands.

The fez is also characteristic in “Amalia’s” costume . The rich tassel is typical of married women and single women wore another type of hat, the “kalpaki”.

This year, because of all the political and economic turbulence in Athens, the parade of 5th Avenue might just be not only the largest parade outside of Greece, but the largest and most attended parade for Greece in the world! So don’t let a few drops of rain hinder you from getting out there and waving your white and blues.  Zito i Ellada! Zyto Ameriki! Zyto i Elefteria!