Traditional and cultural African dresses and clothing

Africa is a dynamic continent full of cultural diversity.

Africa is the 2nd largest continent in the world with 53 countries and over 1000 ethnicities and cultures. In the north are the Arab Africans and their fashion or traditional dress will be very similar to that in the Middle East. In East Africa we have so many variant cultures and different traditional dress some of which have been transformed into national dress. The common thing is the "shuka" in the form of Khanga or kitenge which may be worn in different ways. Most African dress is very colorful and Africans are known for the traditional jewelry worn in various ways..

North Africa
The countries of North Africa are Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Morocco. Most of these countries practice the Muslim faith and their culture is heavily influenced by Islam. Women will mostly be veiled with long dresses that cover their body completely. The men in North Africa may also cover their faces mainly because of the environmental conditions, like dessert winds in the area. The garment used ensured they kept heat off during the day and warmed them during the night.

The fez cap:  This originated in Morocco, yet was first popularized in the Ottoman Empire. The fez cap was worn by the army members, but quickly adopted by Turks and was worn by many different religious and ethnic groups in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. It is however not very popular today.

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