Let's take a
look at the different kinds of traditional Mexican clothing that was
worn since the ancient days!
Different Styles of
Traditional Mexican Clothing
Vivid and strong
colors form a part of the traditional Mexican clothing. Mexican
clothing has a major use of fabrics such as cotton and fibers such as
bark and agave. Native Mexican and pre-Hispanic civilizations mainly
used such fibers to make traditional Mexican clothing. The Spanish
introduced wool and silk later on.
The huipil is one such beautiful garment
that forms a part of traditional Mexican clothing. Huipil can be
described to be a sleeveless tunic or can be roughly said to be a
sack-like garment. Generally, cotton is used for huipil, but at times,
one can even see the use of wool. Here, rectangular strips of cloth are
cut in varied lengths, either long or short, and this can also be
either wide or narrow in width. Only women wear the huipil garment.
Here, the fabric is woven and embellished with motifs that tell a story
of the old folklore.
The quechquemitl is another such garment that
can be called the traditional Mexican clothing gear. This garment is
one of my favorites and when one speaks of the Mexicans, this is what
crops up in my mind. This garment is almost cape-like in its appearance
where the head has to pass though the center opening and the corners of
the fabric are left hanging on four sides. For those who are not yet
getting the basic idea of the quechquemitl, you can rummage through
your wardrobe and take a look at the very stylish poncho. It is not
only the Mexican women who adorn the quechquemitl - the poncho is one
such ubiquitous garment and has often made a comeback in the fashion
scenario. Generally, one can find the use of hand woven cloth in the
creation of the quechquemitl.
The rebozo is another kind of a garment
that can be included in the Mexican clothing. The rebozo is worn by
women in Mexico. The origins of this piece of clothing cannot be placed
correctly; experts say that the rebozos originated due to the
intermingling cultures that were colonized by Spain. It is also noticed
that the term rebozo has not made its appearance in the Spanish
language till the year 1562. The rebozo is rectangular in shape and
these are found in materials like cottons, silk, wool, or even
articela. The rebozo is also worn as a shawl or a scarf. Women also use
the rebozo to carry goods to the market.
When one speaks about
Mexican clothes, the Puebla
dress
is also one such kind that belongs to this category. Puebla dresses and
blouses generally have short sleeves and loose fits. It became famous
as Boho dress, later on.
The Mexican folklore
dresses are used by the traditional folk dancers and are very fancy in
their overall look. The design of the upper half closely resembles the
Puebla blouse. The design of the lower half is also fancy and in many
tiers. The traditional Mexican dress is more about comfort due to the
breathable fabrics. Mexican clothing was all about comfort and letting
the body be at ease with the kind of temperatures faced. This kind of a
dress is long and flared, and has little puffed sleeves.
Another factor I have
noticed about traditional Mexican clothing is the amount of embroidery used. You can get a glimpse
of beautifully styled and colorful embroidery on the Mexican peasant
dress and other garments. These embroideries are also known to use
symbols that have a specific meaning behind them.
Skirts also formed a part of Mexican
clothing and these are generally rectangular in shape. This is worn by
wrapping it around the body and tucking one part of it towards the
inside.
The Mexican
sombrero
forms an integral part of Mexican clothing. This term simply refers to
a kind of a hat that has a brim. The brim acts as a way of protection
from the sun. Such sombreros were generally worn as a part of
traditional Mexican clothing. The peasant sombreros are generally made
of straw, whereas, some are even made of felt, which inclines towards
the expensive side.
Traditional Mexican
clothing is still sought after by many with many websites that offer
options to design and create your own traditional Mexican garment. This
would help you obtain your own creation, no matter how far you are away
from Mexico!
