Traditionally, African dress has conveyed social information as well as aesthetic interest. Specific garments can indicate membership in a religious, occupational, or group association.
For example, a Ghanaian man wearing a handwoven kente toga displays his status by wrapping the full-length cloth around himself while leaving one shoulder exposed. Other examples of wraparound garments include the kaftan worn by women in Western Africa and skin aprons used by men.
Enclosing Garments
Embroidered African clothing is a beautiful expression of culture and tradition. This style of dress is often worn for formal events and to show pride in one’s culture.
The Makoti dress, also known as the ii-Shweshwe dress, has become a popular choice of attire for women in Africa. It is worn to celebrate weddings, cultural ceremonies and other important occasions. This dress is very elegant and flattering.
Enclosed seams are a higher-end sewing technique that creates a professional finish on your garment. In this video, Colleen Exline demonstrates how to use five common types of enclosed seams on your next project. This is a great technique to add to your repertoire!
Attached Garments
Women often adorn their dresses with beads and embroidered designs. They also wear a wide range of jewelry, including rings and necklaces.
The torso is the focal point of most African dresses for women, although garments covering the hands and feet are important, too. Garments communicate status and mark rituals, while revealing or concealing personal identity.
Some enclosing items of dress are heavily embroidered, like the robes of royalty and masquerade garb. Others are less decorated, as with the kente wrappers sewn on handlooms in West Africa. Similarly, the same cloth patterns may have different names across countries. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, one pattern is named after the famous 1960s Congolese rumba song “Independence cha cha,” while in Ghana the same fabric pattern is called Senchi Bridge after a suspension bridge on the Volta River.
Wraparound Garments
Women in traditional dresses often wear long embroidered gowns that are richly decorated to grace their body and shape. They are worn at different occasions such as for wedding ceremonies.
The Xhosa people have a proud culture and their traditional attire reflects it. These dresses are a beautiful sight to behold and they make stunning appearances on the red carpets of fashion shows and the pages of magazines.
The Ndebele traditional dress is one of the most colorful and elegant attires in Africa. It consists of long dresses for women and shirts and trousers for men. It is also known for its intricate beadwork. Its designs and patterns tell stories of the Ndebele people’s heritage and history.
Preshaped Garments
Embroidered or beaded garments are common throughout Africa. These include shirts, blouses, and robes worn by men and women. Embroidery is often evidence of cross-cultural contact, as on the striped Ghanaian cloth called kente worn by American and European Peace Corps volunteers in the 1960s or the embroidered gowns of Herero and Efik women of Namibia.
The wrapper is the most common indigenous covering in sub-Saharan Africa. It covers the body from waist to knees or feet, leaving the chest bare or covered. Both men and women wear wrappers, and both types of wrappers can be long or short. Among Masai warriors, for instance, a short wrapper is said to emphasize masculinity. These wrappings may be adorned with beads, sequins, or tusks. A bulky figure indicates power, as in the robes of an Asante king.
Headwear
The world has a variety of cultures and traditions from different regions. The beauty of these cultures is evident in the wholesale boutique clothing and dresses worn by people around the globe.
One such dress is the cheongsam, which has entered the palace of global culture as the embodiment of Chinese tradition. This elegant dress accentuates the feminine softness of the female body and enhances its beauty.
Similarly, beads are an important ornament in Zimbabwean traditional dresses for women. The beadwork is done with utmost care and intricate detail, which adds to the elegance of these dresses.
The trend of customization among consumers is another factor driving the headwear market. With the rise in fashion sensibility worldwide, more and more people are opting for personalized headwear to match their attire.
