Africa has influenced and been influenced by other countries. The beauty of Africa is deeply rooted in its culture; which is multi-various, with each and every tribe having distinct characteristics. One of the best kept secret of Africa is its unrivaled beauty in fashion and style.
Africans are inventors. The greatest styles in fashion the world has ever seen emanated from Africa. From the peak of mountain kilimanjaro in east Africa, to the impeccability of Victoria falls in southern Africa and the remarkable engineering of the Abu Simbel, there is no denying it, there is beauty in every corner of Africa. This raw beauty is reflected in her rich culture, fashion and clothing materials.
Check out the style and fashion in some African countries that are simply beautiful.
1. Algeria
Algerian traditional attire- is evidently gorgeous. The style and functionality has been maintained for over centuries. The Algerian bride rocks the traditional dress on her special day. Although western style dresses can be seen in main cities, the remote areas of Algeria, where most of the rural class reside, the traditional Algerian attires are in full use.
2. Bamiléké (Cameroon)
The Bamiléké traditional attire is from the western region of Cameroon. The elaborate style is a show of correct attention to detail, hard-work and dedication. Its no wonder the western region people of Cameroon are called the Jews of Africa. (because of their hard working mind).
3. Yoruba (Nigeria)
A typical Yoruba man or woman takes jumbo pride in their attire. In the Yoruba culture, the types of clothes worn by an individual is a direct reflection of his personality and social status.
Their most popular and sometimes favourite material is the Aso-oke. It is used for a variety of occasions and its style fits all. The hand-loomed cloth made of different patterns and colours sewn in a vast number of designs can be use by both male and female.
Other attires worn by the Yoruba women are Iro (wrapper), Buba (blouse) with matching Gele (head gear).
4. Benin (Nigeria)
The Edo culture is one of the richest in Nigeria. An Edo bride wears the Edo wedding attire for her traditional wedding. The rich and regal outfit consists mostly of beaded coral attires.
Her head is styled and crowned with coral beads which form a crown (okuku) on her head. Underneath the coral beaded vest, she wears one a gorgeous fabric material either, velvet wrapper, lace or george. To complete the regal tradition, they bedeck their necks and hands with beads known as Ivie-uru and Ivie-obo.
5. Basotho blanket (Lesotho)
In Lesotho, the use of the Basotho blanket as an everyday life attire is one of the reasons it is known in the world. The colourful designs and pattern are unique to each blanket which has improved over the years with the blessings of the Lesotho royal family.
The blanket is made with bold colours, symbols and pin-stripe, which originally was a weaving fault and evolved to a brilliant design that symbolizes growth when worn in the traditional manner. Traditionally, Basotho blankets are manufactured from wool which offers protection from the wind and rain and provides warmth in the high altitude of The Mountain Kingdom.
6. Djibouti
Djibouti is a multi-ethnic country. When not dressed in western clothing, men wear macawiis; a sarong-like garment worn around the waist. The women wear different attires for various purposes and occasions. the married ones wear sport head-scarves referred to as sash and cover their upper body with a shawl. For some occasions such as festivals, women may adorn themselves with specialized jewelry and head-dresses similar to those worn by the Berber tribes of the maghreb.
7. Botswana
Botswana is known for its rich cultural beliefs and traditions. Fashion is one of the dressing aspects that the nation uphold with respect and esteem. There are a variety of tribes who have different cultural dress. The northern part of the country has Herero tribe who are known for their exotic Herero dress, sewn with layers of fabric.
8. Hausa (Nigeria)
The hausa culture is rich in style. In a typical hausa traditional wedding, the bride is adorned with jewelry and henna designs on her arms and legs. For her outfit, she ties a wrapper called abidah made with very colourful material with a matching blouse, head tie and shawl. the groom wears a flowing gown known as baba riga with a robe called jalabia. The fullah; an embroidred cap is also rocked by the groom.
9. Republic of Benin
The traditional dress of Benin is a top example of the intelligence of Africa. It represents aboriginal colours alonside age-long traditions and customs.
Benin is a french-speaking nation in West Africa.
10. Guinea
Guinea is a country located in West Africa. It is a predominately Muslim community.
Paupa new guine has a vast number of cultural groups, each cultural group carves its identity from its distinct style in dance, music, costume and songs. Most of their traditional costumes are made from the bird of paradise which one of the main symbols in Papua new guinea and can be seen on their flag, and national emblem.
Their head dress is made of birds feathers and their grassy skirts made form bark of trees. the colours of the costumes are also individually made.
