Clothing design, fabric, and symbols indicate the origin of a culture. Many traditional renowned crafting skills are shown through clothes. It is obvious that our ancestors did not possess these tremendous weaving skills billions of years ago. Gradually, they learned the complex art of designing clothes. With the flow of time, these specialized crafting abilities are now embedded in our genes.
The civilization of Morocco is rated as one of the flourishing cultures in the African continent. Morocco is well known for its diversity of dishes and enchanting attire that attracts a multitude of foreign tourists. The Moroccan traditional dresses exquisitely reflect the nation’s cultural heritage and proudly represent their own identity.
The following article will elaborate on the history of traditional Moroccan dresses and how, over time, these legendary garments have survived. How Moroccan fashion connects both the past and present and acts as a unique way of cultural expression that continues to attract attention on a global platform.
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An Overview of Tradition and Fashion
It was some 1300 years ago that an Islamic dynasty arose in Morocco, giving way to 600 years of French and Spanish influence. Moroccan culture was thus born from this gentle mix of Islamic, French, and Spanish ingredients. Traditional garments like the djellaba and kaftan are examples of the heritage mentioned above.
Exotic Morocco is steeped in culture and history, with much of the country’s heritage apparent in its traditional clothing. These apparels denote the influences that Morocco has gathered at the level of sophistication: Arab, Berber, and Andalusian combined into appealing and unique designs.
The most popular traditional attire for women includes the Kaftan, Djellaba, takchita, and khadra, while those mostly worn by men are the Djellabaj and gandora. All these put together depict the rich tapestry of Morocco and its tradition of fashion.
Moroccan Women’s Traditional Clothing
Most Moroccan traditional dresses are cut from the same pattern. They are long and baggy from the shoulder down to the ankle.
The traditional common dress that is easygoing for females is called a kaftan; it is an opulent gown with long slopping sleeves made of satin, velvet, or silk. The universal fame of a kaftan owes its origin to a unique blend of grace and utility that makes it appropriate everywhere.
The kaftan is conventionally secured at the waist with a belt, known as a mdamma, looped around it in order to give more structure and shape to the garment. The belt can also be very heavily embroidered to give an extra touch of glamour with regard to the overall outfit. The kaftan is worn by women of all ages and is often passed down through generations as a way of passing on family history.
The takchita is more elaborate than the kaftan; it consists of two parts like the latter, an inner one and an outer layer. The latter is called dfa. Besides, it has more decoration on the outer layer with intricate embroidery, sequins, or stones, whereas the inner portion is much simpler. This makes the takchita a favorite on special occasions, especially weddings. The takchita is also one of those forms of variation of the kaftan that has won the favor of brides as part of wedding attire in Morocco. The dress is symbolic of elegance and womanhood, and the women are proud of their takchita since it reflects Morocco’s rich heritage in textiles and their designs.
The haik, which is also known as “izar” and pronounced as Hayek, is a traditional Moroccan outfit that covers the whole body except for your hands and face. In Morocco, especially in some regions, women also wear it. It’s also popular among the Algerian people.
Moroccan Men’s Traditional Outfit
The djellaba is one of the most worn traditional dresses for Moroccan men. Gentlemen in Morocco are usually dressed in light-colored Djellaba (a sort of long mantle), a traditional Fez or Tarbush (a head-dress commonly red, and at times with a tassel on top), and soft yellow babouche or balgha that is heel-less, made of leather, and worn essentially in major religious activities and weddings. In addition to the djellabah is the loose-fitting hood, the qob that narrows at the back to a point.
Fabrics and Colors
Traditional Moroccan dresses are famous for their bright colors and expensive fabrics, such as silk, satin, brocade, and velvet. These expensive fabrics are used because of their rich texture and appearance. The color of the dress may define the specific meanings; the example could be that green signifies growth and fertility, while red is a color of joy and celebration.
Moreover, additional gold and silver are used to give extra elegance to the dresses. All these beautiful fabrics and their colors, combined, make a Moroccan dress unique and highly appreciated in Morocco, as well as worldwide. Moroccan traditional dresses could be given precedence for one of the most important occasions.
Moroccan Wedding and Traditional Dress
It has been said that weddings are the major confluence of traditions for the culture of any country. During Moroccan weddings, they wear their traditional attire; for different parts of a wedding, they have to wear many different traditional dresses which bear their own specific symbol. The bride, in particular, is seen wearing multiple outfits during her wedding, usually starting with a simple kaftan and later switching to more elaborate takchitas.
Guests who attend weddings also wear traditional attire. Moroccan women take pride in wearing traditional dresses during their weddings. The wedding is a significant cultural expression through the ceremony that is depicted visually through Morocco’s fashion. Thus, weddings are fashionably spectacular events.
Wrap Up
In every part of the world, clothing is usually a part of the culture. Along with food and scenery, among other attractions, traditional clothing draws tourists and brings into focus cultural, religious, and regional identities.
Every region in Morocco differs from one another, and so do the traditional dress styles. Please take this opportunity to try on captivating outfits that you can wear and feel the supremacy of their history. You have full freedom to share all this information with others to make them appreciate the beauty of Moroccan traditional dresses and their cultural significance.
