There is no place like Africa. If you are the adventurous type, the continent got a lot of landscapes for you to conquer, and if you are a fashion savvy person, you are not going to be disappointed. There are traditional attires that have stories to tell according to culture and climate. Different nationality of people in Africa has their unique traditional attires that you would love. Modern times may have tried to steal away the love for these attires, but it has been difficult to erase.
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We have listed five countries in Africa that have some fascinating traditional attires you may want to wear the next time you visit any of these countries.
Egypt
The traditional attire of Egypt is quite different from the other Mediterranean areas, who often ear pieces of clothes tired around them in different ways. The Egyptians opt for a white linen tunics sewn to perfectly fit them. They either go barefoot or wear leather or straw sandals. The women and men make use of eye shadow and line their eyes with what is called black kohl. The black kohl is used to protect their eyes from the sun.
Maasai
In Maasai, the traditional attire varies by age and location. For instance, the young men go for black for months after they have been circumcised. Red is the people’s favourite colour. In the beginning, around the 60s, the people go for sheep skins and calf hides. The animal skins were accompanied with cotton called Shuka, that is tied around the person’s body. The men and women go for wooden bracelets . Bead works are important to the women who make use of different colours that signifies different things.
Zimbabwe
The traditional attire of this people is colourful. It consists of headdresses for the women and wraparound dresses. Their men make use of breastplate that is made from the skin of animals. The dress of the women is decked up with colourful beads and they combine it with ornaments, which is an integral part of their outfits. Married women are seen with Nguba, which is a blanket that is covered over their shoulders. These women also go for thick beaded hoops of twisted grass that is referred to as Isigolwani. Brass or copper rings are worn around the arms, legs and necks called Idzilla while the breast plate for men is called the Iporiyana.
Mozambique
The different culture of the people of Mozambique is largely represented in the way they dress. The economic status of a wearer is also measured by what he or she wears. The modern Mozambique man is seen with Western-style suits at workplace while the women go for the traditional fabrics that are colourful. However, in the rural areas, the women go for their long strips of fabric that they wrap around their bodies and over one of their shoulders. Clothing is also used to mark ethnic identity in the country.
Madagascar
Have you seen Lamba before? It is only the people of Madagascar that are seen wearing two matching pieces of fabric in the women’s case, and just one for the men. There was a time, the Lamba was the people’s choice. The women were seen making use of it during special occasion or at funeral.
