Jamaica doesn’t only turn heads with its music, way of being, and exotic beaches. More than once, tourists have been mesmerised by Jamaicans’ taste in clothing. In this article, we’re going to talk about traditional Jamaican clothing, and how they mirror the country’s rich and often tumultuous history.
Contents hide
1 A Few Considerations on Traditional Jamaican Apparel
2 1. Quadrille Dress
3 2. Bush Jacket
4 3. Kariba suit
6 Jamaican Style Accessories
7 Conclusion
A Few Considerations on Traditional Jamaican Apparel
They say that even a mere rag has its own story. Well, imagine what kind of story a traditional Jamaica costume can tell us – a story with no beginning, but with such a colourful, vibrant and ever-changing ending.
For some, traditional Jamaican clothing may lack refinement, but the simplicity of Jamaican attire and their modesty, have such a great impact on the eye. Be mindful of the fact that traditional clothes were and are designed with a very well-defined purpose – being able to move about in a country where the sun always shines aka in the tropics.
Jamaican clothes are gauzy but well-tailored. Most of the fabrics used to create colourful outfits such as the quadrille dress, the Kariba suit or the so-called Yucatan shirt allow the skin to breathe during hot weather without compromising style.
If you are still wondering what do Jamaicans wear, the colonial era’s influence is still visible, as you can see if you follow the link. Although Jamaicans have a strong bond with their past, they didn’t mind incorporating elements belonging to other cultures. Called fusion, an artistic style popularised by music and theatre, has also inspired fashion designers to create unique pieces.
For instance, the Kariba suit, which was introduced in Jamaica during the 70s, is actually the more formal version of the safari jacket, a versatile and lightweight suit designed specifically for tropical climate zones.
The same can be said about the quadrille, a bright-red dress worn by women dancers, which is a simplified version of the more complex flamenco dress.
Jamaican clothing stores online aren’t so easy to come across but if you’re looking for Jamaican clothing online such as the quadrille then your best bet would be Etsy or Zazzle where you might just find yourself a little treasure.
Let us now talk a little about the rich history behind Jamaica’s most popular clothes: the quadrille dress, the bush jacket, and the Kariba suit.
1. Quadrille Dress
Image source: Wikipedia
The quadrille dress is a Jamaican folk costume, worn by women during celebrations, specifically when they perform the so-called quadrille dance. Interestingly enough, Jamaica’s not the only Caribbean country where women wear quadrille dresses. This type of women’s clothing has also been observed in Haiti, where it’s called karabela, in St. Lucia, where it’s called a Kwadril dress, and in Dominica.
The quadrille dress or bandana skirt, as Jamaicans like to call it, is made out of white and red cotton plaid. Another version of the bandana skirt incorporates white and maroon plaid.
During the quadrille, women typically wear this skirt with a ruffled blouse with sleeves and a head tie. The male dancers wear shirts and white pants made from the same material as the quadrille dress. Some versions of this folk costume include a headscarf that resembles a turban.
The quadrille dress closely mimics the 18th-century Jamaican clothes worn by a peasant.
2. Bush Jacket
Image source: Pinterest
Also called a guayabera or a Yucatan Shirt, this type of summer outfit is not a Jamaican folk costume, nevertheless found its way into the people’s wardrobes. The bush jacket can be described as light summer sh*ts, typically worn outside of the pants, with two rows of vertical lines running along the front and the back of the shirt.
Guayaberas can be made from cotton, silk or linen, and can be either long or short-sleeved. Men typically wear this type of summer shirt to formal events, like weddings or during office hours.
Although the tuxedo’s worn during a typical Jamaican wedding, in some instances, the groom could appear dressed in a white bush jacket made from linen and black trousers. The earliest versions of the Yucatan shirt also included complex embroideries, which were later removed to simplify the outfit.
3. Kariba suit
Image source: Wikipedia
One of the best choices in men’s formal attire is the so-called Kariba suit, a two-piece suit adapted for Jamaica’s tropical climate. History reveals that the design has been introduced in the early 70s by fashion designers who grew weary of having had to follow the European standards in style suits.
Few know this, but the short-sleeved version of the Kariba suit was popularised by the People’s National Party’s leader, Michael Manly. Interestingly enough, in 1972, Manly declared during a Parliament session that Kariba suit is the perfect alternative to the more conservative European black suit and went on meeting Queen Elizabeth II in one.
Pattern-wise, the Kariba suit is considered the formal version of the bush jacket. Jamaican men will typically wear this type of suit without any kind of accessories such as ties. Furthermore, given the fact that the Kariba is a two-piece suit, it’s worn with no shirt.
4. For Babies & Toddlers
Now that we’ve talked about traditional clothing for men and women have a look at these Jamaican styledbaby onesiesfor your little one or some Jamaican flag coloured outfits for your toddler.
Jamaican Style Accessories
The red, yellow and green colours are the emblematic colours of Jamaica, and each colour represents the unique history and culture of Jamaica. Jamaican style custom patches from GS-JJ have many options, you can customise shoulder patches, clothes decorations, etc. You can attach them to jackets, T-shirts, hats and shoes, and show your unique style and love for Jamaica. This custom patch is perfect for local souvenirs to sell to tourists.
Another market leading custom patch maker Vivipins from where you can make a patch at the lowest price with no minimum order quantity. Their specialised team can advise you to make an extremely profitable patch business.
Conclusion
As you can very well see, Jamaica’s fashion was powerfully influenced by European culture. However, this did not stop them from creating unique styles and attires that reflect the Jamaican’s way of living and, of course, thinking.
