African Fashions

Seeing Africa in the eyes of a fashionista may not be as adventurous as that of someone from National Geographic but for fashion lovers out there it can be as exciting as trekking the four magnificent ranges of the Atlas Mountains.

Africa is the second largest and most populous continent on Earth.  Being a vast area, much is expected of its geographies.  Now allow me to take you to a quick tour and experience Africa.  What crosses your mind first when you hear of Africa? Of course, Safari!  We begin to imagine wildebeest, magnificent tigers, roaring lions, and gigantic herds of elephants.  Famous safari destinations include Kenya, South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbrook and Kruger parks and Tanzania’s unbelievable Serengeti and Ngorongoro national parks and the soul of Africa, the soaring Mt. Kilimanjaro.  Off the beaten tracks of Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, you will be awed with Africa’s finest and exquisite craftsmanship.  For breathtaking sceneries and real water wonders, explore the landscapes of Namibia and Morocco and the flourishing splendor of Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls.  There you have it; Africa, even in a few words is just simply amazing.

What is a fashionista?   A fashionista is a term used for a person with the penchant for fashion clothing and apparels.  Nowadays, the image of a fashionista is one that exudes an optimistic, dauntless, and powerful feminine character.  So what can a fashionista find in the land of safaris, sweeping savannahs and poetic citadels?  It’s a bit of a wonder as to what men and women in these areas wear.  I asked around and see for myself.   In major cities, people wore the western-styled clothing.  Looking for traditional, men wore long and loose robes that come with turbans or skullcaps.  Women wore long and simple dresses that are sometimes paired with jackets or loose trousers accentuated with headgears as well. 

What caught my interest was the surprising array of patterns, prints and colors that comes along with their clothing.  Traditional African clothing varies from simple earth colors to elaborate striking indigos.  These airy dresses just have the right mix of tradition and fashion.  The styles range from flowing kaftans, printed sundresses to fitted African Queen Outfits.    If you are interested to see a lot more of these designs, try looking at www.afrawear.com or http://www.facebook.com/african.clothes.

So no matter whose eyes will view Africa, anyone will still be surprised and impressed as to how much this continent has to offer.