African Attires and Dresses

By Staff Writer

African fashion is considered one of the most colorful fashions in the world. That is tightly connected to the African culture itself. When talking about African culture and fashion it is inevitable to mention the popular African print that is the base of every all fashion clothing that comes under the name of African fashion.

African fashion dates back as long as its culture, and through the centuries, it has developed and upgraded a lot. However, whit the mention of African fashion one cannot miss the colorfulness of the garments and the prints that come on each piece. That is deeply connected to the African heritage and history of the culture, which is very valued today. Many fashion designers, with or without African origin, find the African culture and fashion as vivid inspiration for their creative process of designing new collections.

As African fashion evolved and changed, some of the clothing garments remained cultural icons and true representation of African fashion. Before we get into the different traditional clothing styles for both men and women, it is inevitable to explain the importance of the famous African print.

A quick history of the African print fabrics

The term "African print" is used to describe a special category of textiles that are made of 100% cotton fabric and come in bold and vibrant colors. They are printed by a machine that uses resins and dyes that give the fabric a batik-like effect on both sides. Wax is preventing the entire dye to enter the cloth, which defines the patterns on the fabric. Another popular and very used name for African print fabrics is the name Ankara.

Today, the African print fabrics involve and include details from modern pop culture and different art references alongside graphic and geometrical patterns. However, being spread throughout the entire world, the quality of the original African print fabric has been lost due to the many copies that sell cheaper.

Traditional African clothing

As mentioned above, the traditional African clothing is colorful as is the African print that comes as a base to many traditional African garments. The traditional clothes are comfortable and maybe the most unique ones that can be found entirely. What creates the uniqueness of the traditional African clothes is the continent itself. Africa has lots of different tribes, each of those unique in their language, culture, tradition, lifestyle, and of course, fashion. That is why when talking about African clothing there are many different directions and styles that need to be considered and they include everything from dresses made of grass to designed kaftans.

Traditional clothing for men

There are many different and varied fashion styles that can be seen and worn by African men, but one traditional outfit that stands out is “Danshiki”or “Dashiki”. It is a large shirt that is very long, airy, and ends just a few inches above the knees. The length of the sleeves reaches the elbows. It comes in many different patterns and designs, which are also very unique and colorful in the parts around the base of the shirt and around the neck. "Dashiki" is usually styled with traditional men's pants, called “Sokoto”. Even today, in the modern-day living and variety of fashion choices, "Dashiki"s are still fashionable and preferred choice worn by African men. The styling today includes pants or jeans, letting the traditional shirt shine in its full light.

Besides the “Dashiki” and the “Sokoto”, another traditional African Men’s piece of clothing is the “fila”. This is a traditional cap that is worn with the rest of the outfit. It is a preferred choice for men, and it comes in the same level of importance and fashionability as African women's scarf. It is an accessory and worn very often because without it one outfit is considered incomplete.

Just like the women’s traditional clothing, the “Kaftan” is also worn by the men. It s a loose-fitting pullover garment, with an ornate V-shaped or round collar, and tailored and embroidered neck and sleeve lines.

In ancient times, men used to wear kaftans that were called "Boubou". They came with a lot of tie and dye designs. Back then, the indigo plant was used for dyeing these traditional attires.

Another traditional African men clothing is the Ghanaian smock. It is a plaid shirt that is similar to the dashiki, worn by men in Ghana. The smock is also called a fugu or a batakari. It is made of hand-loomed strips of Kente fabric that come in three to four inches in width.

Traditional clothing for women

One traditional women’s outfit is called Aso oke. It is a look that comes from four different clothing pieces:

- Buba – Yoruba blouse; it is one of the names for a flowing wide-sleeved robe;

- Iro – a wrap skirt;

- Gele –head tie;

- Iorun or Ipele – a shawl or shoulder sash.

The traditional women's clothing mainly consists of a variety of “Kaftans”. The "Kaftans" come in different styles, prints, colors and deliver a truly unique and colorful look. The style of the free-flowing kaftan is a popular and expected dressing style of the commoners, while the well-fitted kaftan is a piece worn by the African royalty, queens, and women that come from prominent and wealthy families. The color choices and options of the kaftans are very different and vary a lot. The options range from light earthy tones to vibrant, bold, and striking colors like the fiery reds and violets. The prints on the kaftans and very large and consist of the traditional tribal details, designs, and symbols. When kaftans became a clothing choice for African women, their design was hugely inspired and impacted by Egyptian clothing. Cleopatra, the Egyptian queen was famous for wearing kaftans that were made from silk. These kaftans had a variety of prints, amulets, mirror work, and an abundance of embroidery.

An important piece of traditional women's clothing is the head wrap also known as gele. Gele is an important and big segment of the history and culture of Africa and it is considered as part of African outfits. It was originally worn to represent the wealth and social status of the women wearing it, but later and today, it serves its purpose, especially including religious occasions as well as being a fashion accessory.

Where to shop for traditional African attire for men and women?

With the rise and popularity of online shopping and e-shops, getting your hands on some of the most unique and rare pieces is made much easier. The situation is the same for traditional African clothing. Whether it comes to some event that requires traditional African clothing, family gathering, or just a desire to own it, the fashion today as well as online selling has made the process of acquiring these items much easier.

These are some of the online stores that sell traditional African traditional clothing for men and women:

1. Africa Imports - Women's African Clothing | Africa Imports

2. Afrikea - Buy African women clothing | Bespoke traditional designs – Afrikrea

3. D’IYANU - traditional – D'IYANU

4. African Clothing Store - JTAphrique Official Online Store | Authentic African Clothing Store

5. Metro4Fashion - Men and Women African Clothing - Dashiki Dresses - African Dresses - pantsuits | Metro 4 Fashion

With the greater and stronger accent today on inclusion and acceptance, African fashion is becoming closer and more acceptable to those who are willing to learn it and appreciate it. Although some consider it a trend and a good move to wear African-inspired fashion clothes, the members of the African race believe the African fashion as well as the culture need to be understood. Only then, wearing African clothes will make sense and display the fashionable and cultural impact on the modern world.