Cultures & Countries Still Wearing Their Traditional Clothing

What we wear is more than just material sewn together to protect and over us. Our clothing is a signifier of our identity and culture. It has been used over the centuries the communities have been using clothing as a means to communicate status, celebrate important events and show unity among many more things. Over the last 100 years, the world has changed so much in more ways than one. Before each country, region, and nearly every town or tribe all wore different styles of traditional clothing for a variety of different reasons. Some were for the weather, others were for class, some because those colors and materials were the only things available and it was/is all beautiful. Many people have changed to a westernized outfit like jeans and a t-shirt. These clothes are mass-produced and easily shipped around the world and are usually easier to work in.

These are the people of different cultures and countries around the world that still wear their traditional clothing.

Pakistan

Pakistan is a beautiful country with a very rich culture. Shalwar Kameez is the national dress of Pakistan which is equally popular in the region as and one of the traditional dresses for men and women of South Asia. This dress is also worn in some states of Central Asia. Shalwar Kameez or Shalwar Qameez is long attire that normally goes below the knees. For men, it is a two-piece dress, shalwar (trousers) with Kameez (Long tunic shirt) and for women, it is a three-piece dress, i-e Shalwar (trousers also known as the pajama), Kameez (top which is also known as kurta) with Duppata (Scarf).

Muslim and Hindu practicing people usually wear saris and saris are worn in cities more commonly than anywhere else. These traditional clothing outfits are cotton lightly draped around the person’s body which is warm in the winter and is cool in the summer. Other countries also wear a sari with India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh.

Kalash is a beautiful northern city of Pakistan. When it comes to the way the Kalash people dress, it is usually the female clothes that grab someone’s attention. Kalash men have abandoned their traditional goat-hair tunics for shalwar-kameez. But Kalash women still wear chaos, baggy black cotton dresses brilliantly embroidered at the collars, cuffs, and hems. Glass beads drip from slender necklines. Long head-dresses are decorated with regimented waves of cowrie shells and elaborate embroidery, with blood reds, shocking pinks, Byzantine blues, canary yellows, and emerald greens woven together in kaleidoscopic tapestries. These kupas are packed with tight rows of cowry shells brought from the Indian coast. The shells are believed to embody prayers for fertility.

Indonesia

Indonesia is a series of islands that has dozens of different cultures that all wear different traditional and westernized outfits. The first dress we will focus on is the kebaya. The kebaya is also worn in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, parts of Thailand, Cambodia, and parts of the Philippines. It’s almost always floral and usually worn with a sarong which is made out of silk, cotton, or polyester. It is the traditional outfit of Indonesia but is mostly worn by the Javanese, Balinese, and Sundanese. There are 3 parts of the traditional clothing outfit usually worn, the blouse which is the kebaya, the brooch, because the original and traditional kebaya has no buttons, and sarong or skirt. It’s made modern by many different styles today and it’s common to see among the people.

Maasai of Kenya

The Maasai aren’t just in Kenya, many are in Tanzania as well. Before the 1960s the traditional clothing they commonly wore was animal skins that were dyed in different colors. Their favorite color is red. Today they wear cloth that still has all sorts of colors and patterns. Both men and women wear flowery patterns. The most common traditional clothing outfit is kanga which is one piece worn over the body. Wearing beaded jewelry is also common and each color has a different meaning for example white means peace, and red means warrior or brave. Before European contact, the beads were made out of many materials, clay, seeds, bone, etc. Today the beads are mostly made out of glass. Head shaving is also a right of passage for both genders. Even though they use modern materials, it seems like the traditional clothing styles of the Maasai aren’t going anywhere.

Sami of Sapmi

The Sami live in what is now northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Bright colors, intricate patterns, all in different styles are exactly what they wear. It is called a gakti and is worn from ceremonies, working, and herding reindeer. Traditionally the gakti was made out of reindeer leather, but today it’s usually made from cotton, wool, or silk. The colors, patterns, and jewelry is worn tell where the person is from, if they’re married or not, and can even be specific to the family. Even with new materials being made to wear their traditional clothing, it looks like the Sami are sticking to their bright colors for generations to come.

Kilts of Scotland

The kilt is a standard item of men’s Highland Dress. A ‘true Scotsman’ wears his kilt with pride and honor as it embodies his heritage and tradition. Worn at weddings, christenings, and military parades alike, this icon of Scottish clothing endures to this day. Known as the Scottish national dress, kilts have been recognized the world over. A symbol of patriotism and national identity, they have deep-seated cultural and historical roots. Across the globe, Scottish people proudly sport kilts as a tribute to their heritage. Originating in the traditional dress of men and boys in the Scottish Highlands in the 16th century is a skirt-type garment with pleats at the rear.

Bhutan

Bhutan is a small country just south of China. Men and women still wear their traditional clothing. For men, it’s called a gho. For women, it’s called Kira. The men’s outfit is a knee-length robe that is tied at the waist. Sometimes while in celebrations a kabney, a silk scarf that stays on the left shoulder down to the right hip is also worn. The traditional clothing, gho, is actually required for men in Bhutan to wear if they work in the government or in schools. The women’s Kira is an ankle-length dress, clipped at the shoulders with brooches and usually has something to tie around the waist. Certain jackets and blouses are usually worn with this outfit called toego and wonju. Because Bhutan still requires this traditional clothing to be worn.

Sardinia

Most of the traditional clothing is quite similar in Sardinia, however, each town and region does have its own design and meaning. In the past, each color combination, pattern, and style meant the line of work someone was in if they were married, their social status, etc. but in the middle of the 20th-century things began to change. Many materials could be used such as wool, linen, or silk. There are several different components of the outfit from the headgear, the jacket, trousers, or skirt. Today mostly the elderly still wear this traditional clothing on a regular basis, the rest of the population wanes more toward modern fashion.

Japan

We have all heard of the kimono, which actually means “thing to wear” in Japanese. There are many different types of kimono. There is the women’s kimono and the men’s kimono. The women’s has 12 different components in the most complex ones. Not only are there different styles of the kimono for different occasions, but different styles of obi and how to tie it for formal and informal occasions. The men’s kimono is much simpler, usually being 5 pieces. Today there are usually darker in color like blues, blacks, and greens but are sometimes lighter in color for more casual events. Today kimonos are usually used just for ceremonial purposes and those that make the kimono are becoming farther and fewer in between.

Mongolia

The country of Mongolia is known for its nomadic people. The traditional clothing that has been worn for centuries is called a deel. It is usually made from silk, cotton, wool, or brocade. Outside of major cities, it is still worn daily, in urban areas usually the elderly wear it or for festivals only. The long dress is usually worn passed the knee and it is tied together on the sides. A silk wrap is worn around the waist. There is not much that distinguishes women’s clothing and men’s. Throughout history, each tribe had its own pattern, although overall the outfits did tend to look similar. Because in urban areas the deel is no longer worn regularly.