Ethiopian suit
Encyclopedia
An Ethiopian suit is the traditional formal wear
of the men of Ethiopia
. It consists of a long sleeve, knee-length shirt, and matching pants. Most shirts are made with a Mandarin, band, or Nehru collar. The suit is made of chiffon
, which is a sheer silk
or rayon
cloth. A shawl called a netela or a kuta
is wrapped around the suit, see Culture of Ethiopia
. During the 2008 Summer Olympics
Opening Ceremony, Parade of Nations, the Ethiopian team marched in white suits.
For informal events, men wear the Ethiopian dashiki
. The main difference between the dashiki and the Ethiopian suit is the collar. The dashiki does not have a collar. The dashiki is similar to the style worn in West Africa
. However, Ethiopian dashikis are usually white, off-white, or natural cotton
. The front is decorated with Ethiopian themes and motifs. For formal events, the dashiki suit is worn and consists of a dashiki
shirt and matching pants. (see wikimedia commons for photos)
In the United States
and the Caribbean
, the Ethiopian suit is also worn by Rastafarian men.
The Ethiopian suit is worn for weddings, church
and synagogue
services, and other special occasions.
Formal wear
Formal wear and formal dress are the general terms for clothing suitable for formal social events, such as a wedding, formal garden party or dinner, débutante cotillion, dance, or race...
of the men of Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. It consists of a long sleeve, knee-length shirt, and matching pants. Most shirts are made with a Mandarin, band, or Nehru collar. The suit is made of chiffon
Chiffon (fabric)
Chiffon, , from the French word for a cloth or rag, is a lightweight, balanced plain-woven sheer fabric woven of alternate S- and Z-twist crepe yarns. The twist in the crepe yarns puckers the fabric slightly in both directions after weaving, giving it some stretch and a slightly rough...
, which is a sheer silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
or rayon
Rayon
Rayon is a manufactured regenerated cellulose fiber. Because it is produced from naturally occurring polymers, it is neither a truly synthetic fiber nor a natural fiber; it is a semi-synthetic or artificial fiber. Rayon is known by the names viscose rayon and art silk in the textile industry...
cloth. A shawl called a netela or a kuta
Kuta (clothing)
Kuta is a handmade cloth many Eritrean and Ethiopian men use to cover their head and shoulders when they wear clothing made out of chiffon, especially when attending church. It is made up of two layers of fabric, unlike gabi which is made out of four. Netela or netsela is the female version....
is wrapped around the suit, see Culture of Ethiopia
Culture of Ethiopia
Ethiopian culture is multi-faceted, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the country; refer the articles on the Ethnic groups of Ethiopia for details of each group.Among many traditional customs, respect is important...
. During the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
Opening Ceremony, Parade of Nations, the Ethiopian team marched in white suits.
For informal events, men wear the Ethiopian dashiki
Dashiki
The dashiki is a colorful men's garment widely worn in West Africa that covers the top half of the body. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored suits. Traditional female attire is called a caftan, or kaftan...
. The main difference between the dashiki and the Ethiopian suit is the collar. The dashiki does not have a collar. The dashiki is similar to the style worn in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. However, Ethiopian dashikis are usually white, off-white, or natural cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
. The front is decorated with Ethiopian themes and motifs. For formal events, the dashiki suit is worn and consists of a dashiki
Dashiki
The dashiki is a colorful men's garment widely worn in West Africa that covers the top half of the body. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored suits. Traditional female attire is called a caftan, or kaftan...
shirt and matching pants. (see wikimedia commons for photos)
In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, the Ethiopian suit is also worn by Rastafarian men.
The Ethiopian suit is worn for weddings, church
Church service
In Christianity, a church service is a term used to describe a formalized period of communal worship, often but not exclusively occurring on Sunday, or Saturday in the case of those churches practicing seventh-day Sabbatarianism. The church service is the gathering together of Christians to be...
and synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
services, and other special occasions.
See also
- BernosBernosBernos is a wool cloak-like garment and hood woven in one piece, worn by Ethiopian highlanders. Bernos seems to be an adaptation of the Arab version of Burnous; Levine notes that the wealthier men of Menz "wear the barnos, a tailored cape made of dark wool."The bernos has a hood-like extension on...
- DashikiDashikiThe dashiki is a colorful men's garment widely worn in West Africa that covers the top half of the body. It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored suits. Traditional female attire is called a caftan, or kaftan...
- Ethiopian coffee dressEthiopian coffee dressAn Ethiopian coffee dress is the traditional attire of Ethiopian women. In Ethiopia, this dress is called habesha qemis. Rastafarian women in the African diaspora also wear these dresses. The ankle length dress is made of white cotton. Most dresses are decorated with Ethiopian motifs. The...
- GabiGabiGabi is a male or female given name. Its origin is the Aramaic Gabriel, which means "Man of God". The female version is derived from Gabriela.Gabi or GABI may refer to:* Gabriel Agbonlahor, English footballer...
- Culture of EthiopiaCulture of EthiopiaEthiopian culture is multi-faceted, reflecting the ethnic diversity of the country; refer the articles on the Ethnic groups of Ethiopia for details of each group.Among many traditional customs, respect is important...
- Coffee ceremonyCoffee ceremonyA coffee ceremony is a ritualised form of making and drinking coffee. The coffee ceremony is one of the most recognizable parts of Arab, Eritrean and Ethiopian culture. Coffee is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life...