Hispanic Fashion
by Alex Curry
Happy Hispanic Heritage Month everyone! As we are welcoming the everchanging embrace of fall, we should also take the time and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This month, we recognize the influence Hispanic countries have had on history and culture. More specifically, the fashion and styles that have been birthed from these cultures. I’ll be exploring a couple of essential clothing pieces from Hispanic fashion.
Many of the very vibrant clothing or garments you see in movies or pictures are typically worn in a show/festival setting. They are also worn for sun protection because of the hot and humid climate.
Dresses/Skirts
Probably the most widely recognized apparel worn by people of Hispanic descent are the dresses. These dresses come in various different colors and patterns that depend on the region and beliefs. As said before most dresses are worn in a performance setting.
Bata Cubana:
In translation, the Cuban Rumba Dress made popular by the famous singer, Celia Cruz is a passionate piece. With a fairly tight bodice and flowy frills on the sleeves and bottom, this style of dress is very sleek and familiar in Cuban clothing. They are often paired with a scarf headpiece accompanied by flowers.
Mexican Traditional Dance Dress:
These dresses are frequently worn for festivals to dance. These dresses usually come in lively colors for cultural reasons. The long skirts of the dresses are a main part of the dancing, as dancers` use the skirts to showcase their talent.
Bolivian Caporales Dress:
The Caporales dance originated in Bolivia, and is based upon the rhythms of Saya and Tundiqui. Both rhythms are inspired by the cultures of Bolivia ( their history with Spain) and Africa. The dance is very physically demanding hence the design for the female dresses. The miniskirt and smaller hats make it easier to move around.
A friend of mine who is Bolivian, Erin Cowan, and her mother shared more information about the dancers and the dresses. They mentioned that this apparel is usually worn during Carnival and festivals. The dance is done to show their appreciation to the Virgin Del Socavón for protecting the children.
Hats
The Chullo:
The peruvian Chullo is an ancestral symbol of Andean culture. They were created to protect its users from the extreme cold faced in higher elevated regions. Since they are a mode of identification, other places create the hats with different colors and patterns. The Chullo has Spainish origins and influences.
Ecuadorian Hat:
After arriving in what is now Ecuador, Spanish Conquistadors named the commonly worn hat paja toquilla. As the popularity of these hats began to rise, hat weaving developed as a cottage industry along Ecuadorian coast beginning in the early 1600s. These hats were often advertised to Panamanian citizens, hence why it can sometimes be referred to today as the Panama hat.
Mariachi Sombrero:
The name sombrero stems from it’s actual purpose, to shade it’s wearers from the hot sun. It’s wide brims give wider coverage than most hats. These hats originate from Spain but are popular in multiple Hispanic countries, especially Mexico. They are worn in multiple settings by various people. Depending on the region sombreros look different. More specifically, a Mariachi Sombrero is worn for performances and festivals. Hispanic tend to wear them while singing or playing instruments.