The Sari, India
Ostensibly the simplest item of clothing possible – a single length of
fabric, up to nine metres long – the sari is also one of the world’s most
versatile and stylish garments, which can be draped in dozens of different
ways. The sari spans all of Indian society, from simple cotton versions that
are woven in the street throughout the villages of India to extremely glamorous
contemporary styles that grace the catwalk during India Fashion Week.
Kilts, Scotland
From Braveheart to Strictly Come Dancing, the kilt has been used to
represent all things Scottish, anachronistically so in the case of Mel Gibson’s
costume as William Wallace. However, visit any Scottish Highland Games, and you’ll see that kilt-wearing traditions
are alive and well, from the immaculately dressed competitive dancers to the
pipe players in formal attire and, most impressively of all, the participants
in the “heavy events” – for you cannot toss a caber properly unless wearing a
kilt.
Tracht, Southern Germany and Austria
Tracht – that’s lederhosen
for men and dirndls for women – is the
traditional dress across southern Germany and Austria. There are many
variations on the basic styles depending on the area and on fashion, from the
pom-pom hats of the Black Forest (bollenhut)
to thoroughly modern versions: there’s nothing quite like a tight pair of
leather shorts worn at a Pride festival to put a contemporary twist on those
Bavarian lederhosen.
Balinese temple dress, Indonesia
Anyone visiting a Balinese temple should at least wear two basic elements of
Balinese traditional dress, a sash (selendang)
and a sarong-style skirt known as a kain.
However, the full Balinese outfit for women, which also includes the kebaya
blouse, is an elaborate ensemble worn for temple festivals that shows off
Bali’s gorgeous textiles, such as ikat
weaving and batik, to the full.
Maasai beadwork, Kenya
One of the smaller ethnic groups in Kenya, but one of the most recognisable,
the Maasai’s reputation worldwide belies its size, no small part thanks to
their stunning attire: brilliant red cloth, extraordinarily intricate beadwork
and – for young men – long, ochre-dyed hair. The beadwork in particular
contains much meaning, a bride’s collar being the pinnacle of Maasai
craftsmanship.
Herero women, Namibia
The traditional dress of the Herero women in Namibia is an adaptation of
Victorian dress, as worn by the German colonists they fought in a bloody
conflict at the start of the twentieth century, and now retained as a proud
part of Herero identity. The silhouette is distinctive: a full, floor-length skirt,
fitted bodice with puffed sleeve, with a magnificent horn-shaped hat, the shape
of cattle horns, completing the look.
Sámi clothing, Lapland
The northernmost reaches of Norway,
Sweden and Finland,
and the Kola peninsula of northwest Russia, are home to the Sámi, who are among
the oldest peoples in Europe. There are variations in costume throughout the
region, though the main item is the kolt (or gákti
in northern Sámi), a tunic or dress. The simple bright colours of blue, red,
yellow and green always feature and reindeer skin and fur is used for belts,
boots and gloves.
Gho, Bhutan
In Bhutan, a tiny Himalayan kingdom tucked between China
and Indiakira,
and the equivalent scarf is called a rachus., it’s obligatory for everyone to wear the national
dress. For men this means the gho, a knee-length gown tied at the waist by a
belt called a keram. For formal occasions a silk scarf, a kabney, is added to
the ensemble, the colour of which depends on the wearer’s status. For the
women, traditional dress is typically an ankle-length dress called a
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