Facts On African Fashion Designs

By Larry Olson


The culture of a given community plays a significance role in identifying that particular group of people. Clothing and fashion design is an aspect of culture which is also vital in a given community. Africans had different kinds clothing styles which were designed for special occasions. However, the coming of the visitors from East and Western countries, the African fashion designs were changed.

As already mentioned, a significant change in the clothing design began with the coming of visitors. The influence of the Arabs to new African design is evident by the design of robes and embroideries which are worn by most people today. On the other hand most modern people today have adopted the Western styles of clothing.

Kaftans or boubous is an example of the natives clothing. These are full length embroidered robes which today are mainly worn by the East African women. The garment was initially worn by men from West Africa. It is made from cotton or silk. Kaftan is also traditional female clothing in countries such as Mali, Senegal, and Ghana.

The traditional; women garments are of different styles, prints, and color which ranges from earth tones vibrant indigos. Usually, women wear dreaded skirts, veils or blankets having elaborate motifs. Besides, women are very popular with colorful jewelry made of copper, grass or beads. For instance, the women from Ndebele community like wearing traditional clothing adorned with beadwork.

The queens dress is also popular among many women. This type of dress has a flamboyant design and style which makes every woman to love it because it shows off the full figure of a woman. Also, the tie dye is another traditional dress which many young women like. It is characterized by symbols and designs suggesting fertility meaning.

Now lets have a look at men clothing. In most the East Africa region, kangas and kitenges are like the Tshirts and are usually worn around the waist in hot weather. The popular dress code for Kenyan men is known to be a long sleeved dashiki shirt that goes with matching shirt and a hat or kofia. The men from their neighboring country Tanzania wear white robes called kanzu while Buganda men are fond of wearing dashiki shirts and a hat during informal events.

In exceptional occasions, people put on special clothes dedicated to those events. Africans value their culture so much to the extent that they have designed special clothes for specific events. For example, there are specific styles of clothes which are worn during engagement ceremonies and while undertaking ritual celebrations of a girl entering womanhood. Besides, following the marriage ceremony, women put on beads on their collar and brass earrings which resemble the wedding rings. To add, Zulu boys while courting wear western clothes.

There is something unique with the Zulu clothing design. Even as people are adopting to the Western styles, they still put on their traditional leopard skin and brightly colored feathers as well as bishops feathers adorning their headdress. However, today only a few people are wearing the traditional clothes. With the coming of the western and eastern people, the culture of Africans on clothing designs changed and most people nowadays have fully adopted the foreign designs.




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