Mexico

World Wide Customs: Mexico

Mexico:

Traditional Mexican clothes were designed to keep people cool in the hot climate that can be found in the deserts to the north to the jungles in the south.

Originally, more often than not, these dresses were made mostly from cotton however following the Spanish colonization of Mexico, silks and wools started to become more popular as clothing material.

(1)

Most common in the late 1850s, the China Poblana (1) was a combination of a skirt, shawl and blouse meant to flatter a woman's feminine features. The China Poblana gets its name from Puebla, a country in Mexico, where the style of Mexican clothing emerged. 

However, the inclusion of "China" 

in the term is still disputed. 

The name of the dress is not the only thing about it to draw controversy. During its introduction, many women in the upper class were scandalously labeled because the Poblana was considered too provocative for traditional clothing at the time.

(2)

Perhaps one of the best known pieces of traditional Mexican clothing is 

the Sombrero (2).

 It is a tall and wide-brimmed 

hat designed to shade one from the 

harmful rays of the sun. 

Traditionally reserved for cowboys

(vaqueros) and mariachis, Sombreros are now worn by many and have influenced a variety of hats, from baseball caps to beanies.

   Despite their gimmicky title, Mexican Pointy Boots, also known as "Tribal Boots" (3) , are a popular addition to the traditional and party wardrobes of many Mexican men. Most of these boots find a home amongst comedy sketches and nightclubs; Pointy Boots aren't all that common at the workplace. With good reason too, these boots can reach upwards of three feet in length.

(3)

(4)

Another iconic piece of clothing with origins in Central and South America is the Poncho (4). 

Use of the Poncho dates as far back as 500 B.C., before Spanish colonization. 

Initially designed out of materials such as wool or fleece, Ponchos were intended to keep the wearer warm and dry even in the wettest of climates. Their exceptional ùeffectiveness at this task led to a cheap plastic adaptation as they have quickly become a must in wetter climates.

Here is a traditional Mariachi performance: