Thursday, March 10, 2011

When Fashion Meets Culture

Fashion concepts that would want to preserve the dignity and wholeness of any occasion is becoming rare and attenuated.  When we speak of fashion, we imagine catwalks and wardrobes that reference to anything trendy and voguish.  So how can fashion merge into the concept of culture?  With the myriad of choices in clothing that we have nowadays, it is rather overwhelming to know that many people still want to go back to their roots and dress up with inspirations from their tradition and the society they came from.  That is where African Clothing comes to the picture - a fusion of fashion and culture.
African clothing has been widely associated with significant cultural roots. It reflects their way of life, values and practices.  It is the product of the creativity of Africans attributed by their various ceremonies and celebrations involving tribal chants, singing, dancing, and storytelling.   Ceremonies like weddings, anniversaries, and rite of passage for young girls command time and special details to put together an ensemble befitting the celebration.  African fashion is not just pieces of fabric sewn collectively but an embracement of the culture that has influenced their tribes throughout the ages.
Most African clothing is comfortably designed to be loose with unique colors, patterns, and embellishments.   The style may vary from region to region which can either be long robes, dresses, trousers, jackets, or two to three piece sets and usually comes with a head wrap, crown or a hat.  Most widely used fabric for this special kind of clothing are Kente and Kitenge.  There are a lot of fashionable pieces that have emerged on the genre of African fashion that have evolved through time.  There are a lot of choices that showcases the intricacies of African designs and embroideries spread throughout the garments.  You may want to check out some of these beautiful and interesting pieces online through http://www.facebook.com/african.clothes and http://www.afrawear.com.
Being fashionable while encompassing culture is never an easy task, but with the wonderful innovations we can find online, everything just proves to be true and possible.  So if you want to create a lasting impression, feel relaxed and glamorous with your own style, never waver to embrace who you are and what you can be!

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