Traditional African Clothing

Clothing for Men

The traditional African shirt worn by men is known as "Danshiki" or "Dashiki". This traditional shirt is very long, ending a few inches above the knees. Its sleeves are elbow length. There are a variety of pattern and designs on these shirts, especially near the base of the shirt and also around the neck. Danshikis are usually paired with traditional men's pants, also known as "Sokoto". Even today Danshikis have not lost their charm and are worn by men with pants or jeans. Traditional men's clothing will be incomplete without the mention of "fila", which is the traditional cap worn by men in Africa. Like the scarf which the African women support, fila is an accessory, without which the traditional African men's wear is considered incomplete.

Clothing for Women

Clothing for women mainly constitutes a variety of "Kaftans", which come in different styles, prints and colors. The free-flowing kaftan is the dressing style of the commoners, while a well-fitted kaftan is worn by the African royalty, queens and women belonging to prominent families. The colors of the kaftans vary greatly, with women opting anything, right from the light earthy tones to the vibrant, striking colors such as red and violet. The prints are usually very large and consist of traditional tribal designs and symbols. Ancient Africans used a variety of tie and dye designs too on their clothes. Indigo plant was mainly used for dyeing the traditional African clothes.
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Posted by: Kasih Andaresta