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Folk costume

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Folk costume

A folk costume (also regional costume, national costume, or traditional garment) expresses an identity through costume, which is usually associated with a geographic area or a period of time in history. It can also indicate social, marital and/or religious status. Such costumes often come in two forms: one for everyday occasions, the other for festivals and formal wear.

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Following the outbreak of romantic nationalism, the peasantry of Europe came to serve as models for all that appeared genuine and desirable. Their dress crystallised into so-called "typical" forms, and enthusiasts adopted that attire as part of their symbolism.

In areas where Western dress codes have become usual, traditional garments are often worn at special events or celebrations; particularly those connected with cultural traditions, heritage or pride. International events may cater for non-Western attendees with a compound dress code such as "business suit or national dress".

In modern times, there are instances where traditional garments are required by sumptuary laws. In Bhutan, the traditional Tibetan-style clothing of gho and kera for men, kira and toego for women, must be worn by all citizens, including those not of Tibetan heritage. In Saudi Arabia, women are also required to wear the abaya in public.

Central Africa

  • Cameroon – Pagne (female), Toghu (male)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo – Pagne
  • Gabon – Pagne
  • Republic of the Congo – Pagne
  • São Tomé and Príncipe – Pano

    • Eastern Africa

  • Burundi – Imvutano
  • Comoros – Lesso (female), Kanzu (male)
  • Djibouti – Macawiis (male), Koofiyad (male), Dirac (female), Garbasaar (female)
  • Eritrea – Kidan Habesha (male), Zuria or Habesha kemis (female)
  • Ethiopia – Ethiopian suit or Kidan Habesha (male), Habesha kemis (female)
  • Kenya – Kenya is unique among African nations in that it is the only country that does not have a national costume. All tribes have their respective traditional garments, for example: Maasai traditional costume: Kitenge, Kikoi, Maasai beadwork
  • Rwanda – Mushanana
  • Madagascar – Lamba
  • Somalia – Macawiis (male), Koofiyad (male), Dirac (female), Guntiino (female), Garbasaar (female)
  • Tanzania – Kanzu and Kofia (male), Kanga (female)
  • Uganda – Kanzu and Kofia (male), Gomesi (female)

    • Northern Africa

  • Algeria : Binouar (Sétif), Bikhmar (Ouargla), Blouza (Oran), Burnous (Algérie), Caftan (Algérie), Caftan El-Bey (Algérie), Chemsa (Jijel), Fergani (Constantine), Gandoura (Algérie), Gandoura Annabiya (Annaba), Ghlila (Algiers), Haïek (Algérie), Jellaba (Algérie), Karakou (Algiers), Kachabia (Djelfa et Laghouat), Labsa Kbaylia (Kabylie), Labsa M'zabia (M'zab), Labsa Naïlia (Ouled Naïl), Labsa Touratia (Hoggar), Lefa we dlala (Annaba), Melhfa Chaouïa (Aures), Melhfa Sahraouia (Tindouf), Mlaya (Algérie), Sarouel (Algérie), Sarouel Mdawer (Algiers)
  • Egypt – Galabeya
  • Libya – Jellabiya, Farmla (an embroidered vest), Fouta
  • Morocco – Djellaba, Fez hat and Balgha (male), Takchita (female)
  • Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic – Darra'a (male), Melhfa Sahraouia (female)
  • Sudan – Jalabiyyah, Taqiyyah, and Turban (male), Toob, a cotton women's dress (female)
  • Tunisia – Jebba, Chechia, Fouta

    • Southern Africa

  • South Africa – Afrikaners and British diaspora: slouch hat, safari shirt, veldskoen khaki Bermuda shorts; Zulus, Xhosa, etc.: Madiba shirt, shweshwe clothing, Zulu crown (isicholo)
  • Angola – Pano
  • Malawi – Chitenje
  • Lesotho – Shweshwe clothing and blankets, Mokorotlo
  • Mozambique – Capulana
  • Namibia – Herero traditional clothing
  • Zambia – Chitenje
  • Zimbabwe – Safari shirt (male), Chitenje (female)

    • Western Africa

  • Benin – lace Dashiki suit and Aso Oke Hat (male), lace Buba and wrapper set (female)
  • Burkina Faso – Batakari (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Cape Verde – Pano de terra
  • Côte d'Ivoire – Kente cloth (male), Kente kaba and slit set (female)
  • Gambia – Boubou (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Ghana – Kente cloth or Ghanaian smock and Kufi (male), Kente kaba and slit set (female)
  • Guinea – Boubou (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Guinea-Bissau – Boubou (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Liberia – Dashiki suit and Kufi (male), Buba and skirt set (female)
  • Mali – Grand boubou and Kufi (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Mauritania – Darra'a (male), Melhfa Sahraouia (female)
  • Niger – Babban riga, Tagelmust, Alasho (male), Kaftan (female)
  • Nigeria – Agbada, Dashiki or Isiagu and Aso Oke Hat (male), Buba and wrapper set (female)
  • Senegal – Senegalese kaftan and Kufi (male), Kaftan (female)

    • Central Asia

  • Kazakhstan – Chapan
  • Turkmenistan – Chapan
  • Tuva – Deel
  • Uzbekistan – Khalat, Tubeteika

    • Eastern Asia

  • China – Hanfu, Cheongsam, Tangzhuang
  • Tibet – Chuba
  • Inner Mongolia – Deel
  • Japan – Kimono, Junihitoe, Sokutai
  • Korea – Hanbok
  • Mongolia – Deel
  • Taiwan – Similar to China. Also, all aboriginal tribes have a distinct tribal costume.

    • Southern Asia

  • Afghanistan – Pashtun dress: Afghan cap, turban, Shalwar Kameez (male), Firaq partug, Chador (veil) (female)
  • Bangladesh – Kurta and Lungi (male) and Sari and Dupatta (female)
  • Bhutan – Gho (male) and Kira (female)
  • India – Achkan, Dhoti, Kurta (male) and Sari (female)
  • Maldives – Dhivehi libaas (women) Dhivehi mundu (men)
  • Nepal – Daura-Suruwal, (male) and Gunyou Cholo (female); Traditional Newar clothing
  • Pakistan – Peshawari pagri, Shalwar Kameez, Churidar (male), Shalwar Kameez and Dupatta (female)
  • Sri Lanka – Dhoti (men), Sari (women)

    • Southeastern Asia

  • Brunei – Baju Melayu (male), Baju Kurung, Tudung (female)
  • Cambodia – Sampot, Apsara, Sabai, Krama, Chong kraben
  • East Timor – Tais cloth clothing
  • Indonesia – (See: National costume of Indonesia). Every ethnic group in the country has their national costume. Kebayas, sarongs and the Beskap jacket of the Javanese and the Kain batik and dance costumes of Bali are some examples.
  • Laos – xout lao, suea pat, pha hang, pha biang, sinh
  • Malaysia – Baju Melayu and Songkok (male), Baju Kurung, Baju Kebarung (Kebaya/Kurung hybrid), Tudung (female)
  • Myanmar – Longyi, Gaung baung
  • Philippines – Barong Tagalog (male) and Maria Clara gown (female)
  • Singapore – Baju Lokchuan (male) and Nyonya Kebaya (female)
  • Thailand – chut thai: Thai female: Thai Chakkri, Thai male: Suea Phraratchathan, Both genders: chong kraben and sabai.
  • Vietnam – Áo giao lĩnh, Áo dài, Áo tứ thân, Áo bà ba.

    • Western Asia

  • Abkhazia – Chokha
  • Armenia – Each region has its own style of folk costume.
  • Azerbaijan – Azerbaijani traditional clothing
  • Bahrain – Thawb
  • Georgia – Chokha (Every region has its own specific design of Chokha)
  • Israel – Tembel hat, Biblical sandals, Yemenite Jewish clothes; Jewish religious clothing: Rekel, Bekishe, Tzitzit, Kippah, Tichel.
  • Iran –Chador, Turban, Khalat, Azerbaijani traditional clothing, Assyrian clothing, Kurdish clothing
  • Iraq – Assyrian clothing, Keffiyeh, Bisht, Kurdish clothing, Dishdasha
  • Jordan – Keffiyeh, Bisht, Bedouin clothing
  • Lebanon – Tantour, Keffiyeh, Taqiyah
  • Kurdistan – Sirwal (pants), Kurdish clothing, gold coin belt and necklace for women.
  • Kuwait – Thawb
  • Oman – Dishdasha
  • Ossetia – Chokha
  • Qatar – Kandura
  • Palestine – Keffiyeh, Taqiyah (cap), Palestinian costumes.
  • Saudi Arabia – Thawb, Ghutrah, Agal, Bisht, Abaya, Jilbab, Niqab
  • Syria – Dishdasha
  • Turkey – Fez, Kaftan, Shalvar.
  • United Arab Emirates – Kandura
  • Yemen – Similar to Saudi Arabia, but with the addition of an ornate jambiya and leather bandoliers for the men's costume.

    • Eastern Europe

  • Belarus – Slutsk stash, the national type of wimple (namitka)
  • Bulgaria – Every town has its own design of a national costume (nosia), with different types of clothing items traditional for each of the ethnographic regions of the country.
  • Romania – Romanian dress
  • Russia – Sarafan, Kokoshnik, Kosovorotka, Ushanka, Valenki; (Sami) Gákti, Luhkka for colder weather
  • Chechnya – Chokha, Taqiyah (cap), Ushanka in cold weather
  • Ukraine – National costumes of Ukraine: Vyshyvanka, Sharovary, Żupan, Ukrainian wreath

    • Central Europe

  • Poland – Żupan, Kontusz, Rogatywka (National costumes of Poland)
  • Czech Republic – Kroje
  • Hungary – National costumes of Hungary
  • Slovakia – Kroj (embroidered traditional dress)

    • Northern Europe

  • Denmark – Folkedragt
  • Faroe Islands – Føroysk klæði
  • Greenland – Parka
  • Estonia – Rahvariided
  • Finland – Every region has its own specific design of national costume (kansallispuku, nationaldräkt). (Sami) Gákti, Luhkka for colder weather
  • Iceland – Þjóðbúningurinn
  • Ireland – Aran sweater, Irish walking hat, Grandfather shirt, Leine
  • Norway – Bunad; (Sami) Gákti, Luhkka for colder weather
  • Sweden – Sverigedräkten has varied from region to region but since 1983 has an official National Costume in one common version; 18th century: Nationella dräkten; (Sami) Gákti, Luhkka for colder weather
  • United Kingdom:
  • England – English country clothing, Morris dance costumes, Pearly kings and queens, Flat cap, English clogs
  • Cornwall – Sou'wester hat, fisherman's smock, gansey, bal-maiden clothing; see also Culture of Cornwall and Cornish kilts and tartans.
  • Northern Ireland: Similar to Ireland.
  • Scotland – Highland dress: Kilt or trews, tam o'shanter or Balmoral bonnet, doublet, Aboyne dress, and brogues or ghillies.
  • Wales – Traditional Welsh costume

    • Southern Europe

  • Albania – Albanian Traditional Clothing
  • Andorra – Barretina, espadrilles
  • Croatia – Croatian national costume, Lika cap, Sibenik cap
  • Greece – Fustanella, Amalia costume; Ancient Greek clothing: Peplos, Chiton.
  • Greek fisherman's caps in many coastal villages by the Aegean sea.
  • Italy – Italian folk dance costumes; Roman clothing: Toga, Stola
  • South Tyrol – Tracht and Dirndl
  • Sardinia – Every town has its design of a regional costume.
  • Sicily – Coppola, Arbereshe costumes
  • Kosovo – Traditional clothing of Kosovo
  • Macedonia – Macedonian national costume
  • Malta – Għonnella
  • Montenegro – Montenegrin cap
  • Serbia – Serbian dress, Šajkača, Opanci
  • Portugal – Every region has its own specific design of a national costume.
  • Slovenia – Gorenjska noša (Upper Carniola)
  • Spain – Every autonomous region has its own national costume.
  • Basque Country – Beret, espadrilles

    • Western Europe

  • Austria – Tracht and Dirndl
  • Belgium – Bleu sårot
  • France – Beret, Breton costume, Sabot, Breton shirt, Alsatian costume
  • Germany – Every region has its own specific design of a national costume. For example, Bavaria's well-known Tracht: Lederhosen and Dirndl.
  • Liechtenstein – Tracht, Dirndl
  • Netherlands – Dutch cap, Klompen; poffer (North Brabant)
  • Switzerland – Every canton has its own specific design of a national costume.

    • Caribbean

  • Cuba – Guayabera, panama hat (male), guarachera (female)
  • Dominican Republic – Chacabana
  • Dominica – Madras
  • Haiti – Karabela dress (female), Shirt jacket (male)
  • Jamaica – Madras-cloth Quadrille dress (female), Madras shirt and white trousers (male)
  • Puerto Rico – Guayabera, panama hat (male), enaguas (female)
  • St. Lucia – Madras
  • Trinidad and Tobago – Shirt jacket (male), Booboo (female)

    • Central America

  • Guatemala – Huipil, Corte skirt, Tocado (female), Todosantero suit (male)
  • Nicaragua – Huipil, Rebozo (female), Sombrero, white shirt and trousers (male)
  • Panama – Pollera (female), Montuno (male)

    • Northern America

  • Bermuda – Bermuda shorts
  • Canada:
  • Aboriginal Canadians – button blanket, buckskins, Capote, moccasins, Chilkat blanket, Cowichan sweater
  • Nunavut– Parka, mukluks, amauti
  • Métis – Ceinture fléchée, Capote, Moccasins
  • Quebec – Ceinture fléchée, Capote, Tuque
  • Mexico – Charro suit, Sarape, Sombrero (male), Rebozo, China Poblana dress (female); every state has a typical folk dress, for example:
  • Yucatan – Guayabera (male), Huipil (female)
  • Chihuahua and Coahuila – cowboy hats, cowboy boots, jeans, bandanna and Chaps
  • Tamaulipas cuera tamaulipeca
  • Oaxaca: Tehuana
  • United States:
  • American Southwest, Texas and Midwestern US – Western wear, derived from original American pioneer garb is traditional dress in Texas, the Southwestern US, and many rural communities, including cowboy hats, Western shirts, cowboy boots, jeans, chaps, prairie skirts, and bolo ties.
  • American Upper Midwest, the northern portions of the Great Lakes Basin, Pacific Northwest and Maine – Due to the cold weather the garb in rural areas tends to more closely adhere to heavier materials, such as flannel, the occasional parka, and trapper hat. A good example is seen in the typical attire of Paul Bunyan, a folk hero popular in areas where logging was a common occupation, as well as lumberjacks working in the area.
  • Deep South and other parts of the American South – Traditional Southern US wear includes white seersucker suits and string ties for men, and sun hats and large Southern belle-style dresses for women.
  • New York City and New England – According to folklorist Washington Irving, knickerbockers similar to the breeches of the Pilgrims and Founding Fathers were traditionally worn by many wealthy Dutch families in 19th century New York. These short pants remained commonplace among young urban American boys until the mid 20th century.
  • Nantucket – Summer residents of Nantucket will often wear Nantucket Reds.
  • Amish (in Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio), the Pennsylvania Dutch and some sects of Mormon fundamentalism (especially in Utah) preserve traditional 19th century clothing styles.
  • Moccasins, buckskins, glass beads, breech clouts, and war bonnets or roaches are traditional pow-wow regalia for Plains Indians.
  • Alaska – kuspuks, worn with dark pants and mukluks, as well as parkas are traditional native wear.

    • Australia and New Zealand

  • Australia – European Australians: Bushwear: Khaki shorts, safari shirt, cork hat, slouch hat, Australian work boots; Aborigines: Aboriginal Australian tribal dress, lap-lap, fibercraft-made clothing, possum cloak
  • Torres Strait Islands – Augemwalli
  • New Zealand – Māori Flax Skirts

    • Melanesia

  • Fiji – Sulu, Tapa cloth
  • New Caledonia – Manou, Robes mission
  • Papua New Guinea – Meri blaus, lap-lap
  • Vanuatu – Kustam dress

    • Polynesia

  • Cook Islands – Pareo
  • French Polynesia – Pareo
  • Marquesas Islands – Pareo
  • Hawaii – Aloha shirt, Muumuu
  • Samoa – Lavalava, Puletasi, 'ie toga clothing
  • Tonga – Tupenu, Ta'ovala, Tapa cloth

    • South America

  • Argentina – Gaucho costume
  • Bolivia – Poncho, Chullo, Andean pollera
  • Brazil – Each region has its own traditional costume. Vaqueiro clothing for the northeast, Baiana and Abadá for Bahia, Brazilian carnival or Samba costumes for Rio de Janeiro, Amazonian clothes for many states within the Amazon rainforest and the Xingu River area, and Gaúcho costumes for Rio Grande Do Sul. Caipiras (Brazilian country folk), in Sao Paulo, Goiás and many rural areas, conserve traditional folk styles of clothing, imitated by participants of festa juninas.
  • Chile – Huaso costume, Chamanto
  • Colombia – Sombrero Vueltiao, ruana, white shirt, trousers and alpargatas (male), Sombrero Vueltiao, blouse, pollera and alpargatas (female); every region has a distinct costume.
  • Ecuador – Poncho, Panama hat
  • Guyana – Shirt jacket (male), Booboo (female)
  • Paraguay – Ao po'i
  • Peru – Chullo, Poncho, Andean pollera
  • Suriname – Kotomisse
  • Uruguay – Gaucho costume
  • Venezuela – Llanero costume: Liqui liqui and pelo e' guama hat

    • References

    Folk costume Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA