Traditional Peruvian Dress

by Best Dress2014 dresses

Just as national costume distinguishes one country from another, so do the subtle differences in traditional Peruvian dress identify the wearer's regional origin. The similarities lie in the types of clothing worn by men and women, but the differences are in the designs and embroideries and the shapes of the hats. Textiles and weaving are part of a long cultural tradition that predates the invasion of the Conquistadors in the 1500s, and are marked by vibrant natural colors and distinctive style.

One of the most striking elements of wedding dress is the variety of wide brimmed "mantras" or hats, distinguished by flat or tall crowns and tied on with decorated straps. Made from alpaca wool felt, mantras indicate a mountain region, a rural area or even a particular cluster of two or three villages. A smaller hat worn by men under a wide brimmed felt sombrero is the "hullo," a knitted cap with tasseled flaps that cover the ears.

Known as "poll eras," woolen skirts are another distinctive feature of Peruvian dress. Women often wear several of these skirts that not only retain warmth in the cold of the high Andes, but reflect the traditional costume of several hundred years and a strong cultural identity. As Foemen notes, the clothes of traditional Peruvians make the person and tie him or her into the historical roots of Peru; poll eras are often embroidered around the hem with designs handed down through many generations.

An individual set of traditional Peruvian dress is known collectively as a "boarded," and while this is more common among the women, the elements are often worn by men along with a pair of woolen trousers instead of the poll eras. The clothes are strongly tied in to the wearer's sense of identity, and although in urban and city areas you see western dress, the brocades retain high cultural, historical and generational significance, with designs reflecting a deep connection to the earth and generational history.