Folk costume, traditional dress, traditional attire or folk attire, is clothing associated with a particular ethnic group, nation or region, and is an expression of cultural, religious or national identity. If the clothing is that of an ethnic group, it may also be called ethnic clothing or ethnic dress. Traditional clothing often has two forms: everyday wear, and formal wear. Europe, pre-industrial peasantry came to serve as models for all that appeared genuine and desirable. The word “costume” in this context is sometimes considered pejorative, as the word has more than one meaning, and thus “clothing”, “dress”, “attire” or “regalia” can be substituted without offense. In areas where Western styles of dress have become typical, traditional garments are often worn during special events or celebrations, particularly those connected to cultural tradition or heritage. International events may cater to non-Western attendees with a compound dress code such as “business suit or national dress”. There are also contemporary societies in which traditional garments are required by sumptuary laws. Garments that evoke peasant dress were made from traditional pre-industrial textiles. In Bhutan, for example, the driglam namzha mandates what citizens should wear in public spaces. Djibouti – Macawiis (male), Koofiyad (male), Dirac (female), Garbasaar (female); the Afar people have their style of traditional clothing. Afrikaners and Rooineks – slouch hat, safari shirt, veldskoen, knee-high socks, khaki Bermuda shorts or trousers. Han Chinese – Hanfu (shenyi, ruqun, shanku), also Manchu-inspired clothing (tangzhuang, cheongsam, changshan). Ethiopia – Ethiopian suit or Kidan Habesha (male), Habesha kemis (female); each ethnic group has a traditional style of dress. Javanese people – Beskap, Batik shirt, Blangkon, Songkok, Sarong (male), Kebaya, Tudung, Sarong (female). Many stereotypes that foreigners have regarding Chinese folk costume (as well as other customs) actually come just from the Han Chinese. Malaysia – Baju Melayu and Songkok (male), Baju Kurung, Baju Kebarung (Kebaya/Kurung hybrid), Tudung (female); every state has its style of baju including a special baju for the Federal Territories. Palestine – The keffiyeh, a symbol of Palestinian identity. Austria – Each state has a specific design on national costume; the most famous is that of Tyrol, consisting of the characteristic Tyrolean tracht and dirndls. Germany – Every state has its own specific design of a regional costume (Tracht). For example, Bavaria’s well-known tracht: Lederhosen and Dirndl. Many stereotypes that foreigners have regarding German folk costumes (as well as other customs) actually come from the state of Bavaria. The thawb, its most popular styles being from Bethlehem and Ramallah decorated with traditional Palestinian embroidery. Switzerland – Every canton has a specific design of national dress. The most famous Swiss costumes come mainly from the German-speaking cantons of Appenzell, Bern and Zug. Finland – Every region has its own specific design of national costume (kansallispuku, nationaldräkt). These vary widely. Many of them resemble Swedish costumes, but some take influences from Russian costumes as well. United Kingdom – Every constituent country has its own national costume. For the Sami in Finland, each place has its own Gákti or Luhkka for colder weather. Wales – The Welsh traditional dress is often worn by women on Saint David’s Day or by folk dancers, such as at the Eisteddfod. It is believed to have historically been worn commonly by women in rural Wales. Scotland – Highland dress: Kilt or trews, tam o’shanter or Balmoral bonnet, doublet, Aboyne dress, and brogues or ghillies. 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. Greek fisherman’s caps in many coastal villages by the Aegean Sea. Sardinia – Every town has its design of the traditional folk costume (see also Sardinian people for more information). Portugal – Every region has its own specific design of a national costume. The most famous costumes come from Viana do Castelo and Nazaré. Greece – Fustanella, Breeches (Vraka), spring hanfu Amalia costume. Spain – Every autonomous region has its own national costume. Serbia – Every region has different design of a national costume. Néstor Martín-Fernández de la Torre designed a costume in Gran Canaria in 1934 to serve as pan-islander costume for all islands, but only caught on in Gran Canaria, being specific to its capital city Las Palmas. Canary Islands – Every island has its specific style of traditional dress. France – Every administrative region has a style of folk costume, varying by department. Galicia – Each province has its regional costume. For example, Brittany, with Breton costume varying by department and predominantly used in Cercles celtiques, pardons and festivals. In the 21st century, only a few hundred people still wear traditional dresses and suits on a daily basis. They can be found mainly in Staphorst (about 700 women), Volendam (about 50 men) and Marken (about 40 women). Netherlands – Many areas, villages, and towns used to have their own traditional style of clothing. Most well-known parts of Dutch folk costumes outside the Netherlands are probably the Dutch woman’s bonnet and klompen. Bahamas – None, unofficially Androsia-cloth clothing. Junkanoo costumes can be considered folk costume but fall more into the sector of carnival dress than traditional garment. Trinidad and Tobago – Tobago has an Afro-Tobagonian Creole culture with the Bélé costumes as their typical garment, commonly made of madras. Belize – Mestizos – Huipil (female), Guayabera (male); Mayas – All tribes wear distinct kinds of Mayan dress. Lumberjacks of Quebec and Ontario – Traditional logging wear includes mackinaw jackets or flannel shirts, with headgear being a tuque or trapper hat; a good example is seen with folk characters like Big Joe Mufferaw. Many stereotypes that foreigners (non-Canadians) have regarding Canadian folk costume (as well as other customs) actually come from Quebec and Ontario. The Scottish background in Nova Scotia has brought the Nova Scotia tartan as folk wear in the form of kilts, aboyne dresses and trews for Scottish highland dance competitions. Maritimes – Acadians wear their traditional heritage clothing on special occasions like the Tintamarre. Newfoundland – Traditional mummers dress in masks and baggy clothes in Christmas season celebrations; the Cornish influence has also brought yellow oilskins and sou’westers as typical wear in coastal areas. Prairies – Cowboy costume is common on events such as the Calgary Stampede; often worn with Calgary White Hats. Many communities prefer the word “Regalia” to denote their folk dress. El Norte – cowboy hats, cowboy boots, bandanna; indigenous communities, like the Yaqui, Seri and Rarámuri, conserve traditional apparel. First Nations – button blanket, buckskins, moccasins, Chilkat blanket, Cowichan sweater, war bonnet. Alaska – Kuspuks, worn with dark pants and mukluks, as well as parkas are traditional native wear. American Southwest, Texas and rural areas in the Midwestern and Western US – Cowboy costume, derived from original Mexican vaquero and 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. United States – Each region has its own traditional costume. Many stereotypes that foreigners (non-Americans) have regarding American folk costume actually come from this region. American Upper Midwest, Pacific Northwest, the northern portions of the Great Lakes Basin and northern New England (especially Maine) – Due to the cold weather, the garb in rural areas tends to more closely adhere to heavier materials, such as flannel shirts or Buffalo plaid mackinaw jackets, and a knit cap or, in the case of the Upper Peninsula, a Stormy Kromer cap. Utah – Mormons may dress in 19th-century pioneer clothing for Mormon trek-related activities and events. 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. Due to the cold climate very similar to that of neighboring Canada, the style of clothing worn in the region is generally associated more with Canada than with the United States by foreigners (non-Americans). The Amish (mostly found in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana) follow a style of plain dress. Deep 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. Louisiana – The Cajun people of Louisiana traditionally wear the colorful capuchon for Mardi Gras celebrations. Creole women used to historically wear the tignon, mostly in plain or madras fabrics, but it is now sometimes worn for heritage events or cultural reasons. Nantucket – Summer residents of Nantucket will often wear Nantucket Reds. South Carolina and Georgia – Gullah communities in the South Carolina Lowcountry and Sea Islands preserve the traditional African-style clothing and culture. Māori – Piupiu, korowai or kakahu huruhuru. Various styles of Native American clothing; for example, traditional pow-wow regalia for Plains Indians: Moccasins, buckskins, glass beads, breech clouts, and war bonnets or roaches. Argentina – Gaucho costume; every province has a specific design of poncho, with the poncho salteño being the most recognized. Brazil – Each region has its own traditional costume. Samba costumes for Rio de Janeiro. New Zealand Europeans – Swanndri bush jacket, slouch hat, walk shorts, and knee-high socks; or a black singlet and rugby shorts. Brazilian carnival costumes are used only during the four days of Carnival by Samba schools members. Many stereotypes that foreigners have regarding Brazilian folk costume (as well as other customs) actually come from the state of Rio de Janeiro. Outside of Carnival, the most traditional men’s clothing is that of the malandro carioca (carioca rascal) or sambista, a stereotype of the samba singer, with white pants, a striped shirt, white jacket, and a straw hat. Gaúcho costumes for Rio Grande Do Sul. Caipiras (Brazilian country folk) in São Paulo, Goiás and other nearby states conserve traditional folk styles of clothing, imitated by participants of festa juninas. Indigenous clothes for many states within the Amazônia Legal area. In this region, there is an extensive indigenous community with different ethnicities, and each of them has their own typical clothes. Pará – typical clothing of Carimbó, a popular dance from the northern region of Brazil. Colombia – Sombrero Vueltiao, ruana, white shirt, trousers and alpargatas (male), blouse, Cumbia pollera, Sombrero vueltiao and alpargatas (female); every region has a distinct costume. An example (among several) is the kushma used by the Asháninka. Every indigenous tribe wears their tribal clothes during culture events or important occasions. Guyana – Guyana is unique among South American nations to not have a designated style of national dress. Woman from Ramallah wearing traditional Palestinian dress, including a taqsireh and smadeh (c. Baganda people in their cultural outfits. Chief Anotklosh (Taku) wearing a Chilkat robe in Juneau, Alaska (c. Texan folk costume comprising cowboy hats, jeans and checked western shirts (c.1950). A Surinamese woman wearing the traditional koto (c. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Traditional clothing. American Indians in Children’s Literature. Arce, Isis (4 February 2019). “Native Regalia is NOT a Costume!”. Reese, Debbie (15 May 2007). “The word “costume” and American Indians”. Voices of Native Youth. The Fashion Studies Journal. Higgins, Julissa (7 May 2018). “Opinion: Why It’s Time to Stop Using the Word “Garb””. Encyclopedia of Romantic Nationalism in Europe. 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The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Burt, Ben (March 1990). “Kwara’ae Costume Ornaments”. Leigh, Carolyn; Perry, Ron. The Contemporary Pacific. 25 (1): 33-65. doi:10.1353/cp.2013.0007. This page was last edited on 21 November 2024, at 06:30 (UTC). Cummings, Maggie (2013). “Looking Good: The Cultural Politics of the Island Dress for Young Women in Vanuatu” (PDF). Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
