Mexico is a bright and well-dressed country. Its national flavor is also expressed in its traditional costume. Real Mexicans must have a colored poncho, a wide-brimmed sombrero hat and light guarachi sandals in their wardrobe.
Poncho - Traditional Mexican Style
Poncho is the first thing that comes to mind when you mention Mexican clothing. This item is a colored cape composed of a rectangular piece of cloth with a hole in the middle. This clothing was common in the life of the Mexican Indians, the Inca and Mapuche tribes. Ornaments and colors of ponchos could tell about the social status of the owner, his tribal affiliation and even the composition of the family. Also, amulets from the evil eye and curse were often placed on the fabric. The finest fabrics were made by the male weavers, while the rougher, more casual garments were woven by the women. In Mexico, ponchos are worn with long white shirts and white trousers.
In Europe, this clothing has become popular since the middle of the 20th century. At first, bright capes became a hippie accessory, and later they penetrated the catwalks of fashionable capitals. The peak of popularity of traditional Mexican clothing came in the 70s of the last century. Ponchos returned to fashion in the early 2000s, but even now these clothes periodically appear in the collections of fashion designers.
Modern ponchos have a lot of varieties - they can be sewn from wool and thinner fabrics, have tassels and belts, reach to the waist or to the knee.
Sombrero - national Mexican hat
The sombrero is part of the Mexican folk costume. This headpiece is a wide-brimmed hat with a high crown. The brim of the hat is usually curved upwards. There is a lace or ribbon at the bottom that is tied under the chin. Mexican peasants wear straw sombreros, while wealthier townspeople prefer felt, velvet, or felt hats. Previously, this hat was an indicator of wealth - the rich wore hats embroidered with colored patterns, laces and gold threads. By the way, the origin of these hats is not Mexican, but Spanish. Wide-brimmed hats helped protect Spanish shepherds from the sun. Later, a useful headdress came to Mexico, and then became its national treasure. Nowadays, sombreros are no longer so common on the streets of Mexico, but tourists are happy to wear them on the beach.
Sombreros entered the fashion collections of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Roberto Cavalli and Moschino.
Guarachi - Mexican sandals
Guarachi are flat sandals with many straps. The first guarachi were made from tough yucca leaves and thin ropes. Later, straps were made of rawhide. The Guarachi of wealthy Mexicans were decorated with colored cords, gold and embroidery. Now these sandals are ubiquitous - they are worn by men, women and children. Guarachi are worn with traditional white trousers, long skirts and even cocktail dresses. This footwear is also widespread in Europe - it is comfortable, unpretentious and hardly felt on the foot.
