TRADITIONAL MEXICAN CLOTHING

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Mexico has a lot to offer in terms of literature, arts and even music. It is also known that Mexico has one the largest tourism industries in the world. This popular tourist destination has loads of things in store for you. One thing that has intrigued me apart from the really intense and spicy Mexican food is the traditional Mexican clothing. The traditional Mexican clothing is quite different from the modern Mexican clothing but this holds true for many cultures. Due to globalization, the modern Mexican clothing is quite similar to the clothing one sees in many cities. 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 generally 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 I have come across which can be called as 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 rebozo 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. The Puebla dresses and the Puebla blouses generally have short sleeves and loose fits. The Puebla dress was also known as the 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. The traditional 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 even 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!

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