Currently in northern Albania, the xhubleta is seen as a beautiful traditional dress in ceremonies of dance and marriage. Women wear the xhubleta to look their best. These are reproductions of the xhubleta, made with non-traditional techniques and materials, purchased in shops. The dress is seen as an object, unattached to the lives of the wearers.

This is very different from the ways that the xhubleta was seen in the past, even in recent history. One no longer sees the dresses that were crafted for a woman’s wedding day, worn in day to day life, full of rips from constant use, and intertwined with social obligations. The less appealing side of the dress, and the traditions surrounding it, are veiled from observers. By looking at the xhubleta, one cannot understand the numerous paradoxes that it represents. The xhubleta came from a period of time where women were fiercely oppressed by a patriarchal society.

The dress is related to darker subjects areas of women’s lives in northern Albania. Stories of bullet shaped ornaments digging into the flesh, carrying the dress’s weight as they stand for two days of their wedding, and the tongs used to express servitude towards their husband. Yet, women fondly recall the memories that the xhubleta holds for them. Some saw the dress as a personal shield from the hardships that they faced.  Others reminisce about the maternal connections that were created when learning to craft the dress. 

All of the women that were spoken to said that the dress holds an important place in their lives, and the culture of northern Albania. Their personal histories add to the larger conversation about traditional dress in Albania. By sharing these stories, a new voice and perspective that is often dismissed will be added to this discussion about how the xhubleta has taken shape to reflect their lives.