Traditional Brazilian Clothing

Brazil is a huge country located in eastern South America. It is world-famous for its several attractive tourist destinations and cultural diversity. The roots of Brazilian culture are found in the African, European and Indigenous traditions and cultures. However, the major influence is of the Portuguese culture. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, German, Japanese, Italian, Arab and Spanish immigrants settled in Brazil and contributed a lot in creating a multiethnic and multicultural society.

Brazilian culture is flourished with great literature, arts, music and sumptuous, flavorful cuisines. Brazil is well-known for its spectacular street parade during the Carnival. Costume is an integral part of the culture of any country. Each country has its unique traditional clothing, which represents its cultural and social status. The type of costume is determined on the basis of climatic conditions, traditions, ethnic groups and migrations. Brazil is a large country with diverse climatic conditions in different regions. Hence, the traditional clothing of Brazil varies from region to region.

Traditional Brazilian Clothing

Brazil is known internationally for its stylish and sophisticated clothing. Brazilian clothes are comfortable, vivid, beautifully crafted and decorated with attractive laces. Brazilian clothing is not very distinctive and there is no particular costume in Brazil. Traditional Brazilian clothing is influenced by a combination of different races and immigrants from all over the world. In the south region of Brazil, there is a mixture of German, Russian and Italian immigrants; while in Rio de Janeiro, immigrants from England, Portugal and Africa are predominant. Bahia region of Brazil is influenced by the African culture, hence their traditional clothing is Bordado Richelieu. Rio de Janeiro is popular for its magnificent beaches; hence, people in this region mainly wear beach style shirts, bermudas and sunglasses.

A true traditional Brazilian clothing can be seen in the countryside, where men's clothing includes shirt, jeans and dresses made from inexpensive cotton. In Rio Grande do Sul, the south plains regions of Brazil, the cowboys (gauchos) wear a distinctive dress including baggy trousers, called bombachas, ponchos, wide straw hats and boots. The cowboys in the Northeast region (vaqueiros) wear coat, hat and leather chaps. In Amazon, native Amerindians wear traditional tunics and paint their faces. They make use of beads and feathers to decorate their bodies. They are known for their distinctive hairstyles and body painting. However, these days, many native Americans have adopted a contemporary clothing and lifestyle. In Bahia, many women prefer traditional African clothing that includes a bright colorful shawl, long full skirt and turban-like head scarf. They are fond of colorful, beaded necklaces and bracelets.

In the urban areas of Brazil, most people prefer modern clothing. Young men wear jeans and T-shirts. Short skirts and dresses are very popular among women. Brazilian jeans is the most common staple in the Brazilian wardrobes. Jeans made for women are tight-fitting and loosely tapering near the feet. Brazilian jeans come in a wide variety of designs, styles and textures. Due to abundance of beautiful beaches, beachwear is a very popular clothing in Brazil.

Next time, you visit Brazil, don't forget to purchase graceful traditional Brazilian clothes, which make your wardrobe complete.