13 TYPICAL COLOMBIAN COSTUMES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical costumes of Colombia display a range of colors and garments, adorning the costume of women and men and resulting in a unique and perfect garment; thus, for the man a suit is made to suit the one worn by the woman. Both suits are extremely showy.

The typical Colombian costumes are a legitimate representation of its diversity and cultural richness. The process of transculturation gave rise to a strong miscegenation that was expressed in the different artistic manifestations throughout the region.

Portrait of a «paisa» family group. Source: Juliancufiño

The designs of the typical Colombian costume Colombia is an area with a very marked diversity in each of its regions. The climate and the relief are determining factors in these differences, and history has brought to the country varied and rich cultural expressions.

The fusion of the indigenous culture settled in the country with the other communities of South America and the European and African culture that came to these lands during the colonization process, has contributed details to the Colombian folklore that can be appreciated in the costumes designed for the typical dances of each region.

Colombia is a country of many traditions. The peoples proudly exalt their customs and defend their beliefs and the elements of each region, since their cultural expression manifests itself in multiple and varied ways in a kind of unity in the diversity that characterizes them.

General description of the typical Colombian costume

Female wardrobe

The suit for women consists of two pieces. The first is a black satin skirt, which has a background that serves to highlight the applications or designs that are placed to decorate it.

In the simplest case, it consists of ribbons with the tricolor of the flag (yellow, blue and red) placed at the lower end of the piece. Near the hem, white or gray is included.

The other piece that complements the outfit consists of a blouse with a rounded neckline and sleeves; the latter vary according to the season, but are usually long.

The footwear consists of sandals (espadrilles) with the same colors as the ribbons of the skirt. As the only accessory they use a scarf or a red or beige hat.

Menswear

The man's suit conforms to the woman's. They wear black pants, a white long-sleeved shirt, a red neck scarf and a beige hat, which can be similar or different from that of the lady. The footwear (you quote) is very similar to that of her dance partner.

Typical Colombian costume by regions

Depending on the specific area, the Colombian costume can vary according to the dance and the characteristics of the place.

Each region of Colombia has its own customs. There are differences in gastronomy, in artistic expressions and even in the accent of the language, and in all of them you can notice the roots and respect for their traditions.

The emblematic regions of Colombia are the following: Caribbean, Pacific, Orinoquía, Andina and Amazon. Taking these areas into account, a description will be made of the typical Colombian costumes that are used to celebrate the specific festivals and traditions of the region.

Typical costume of the Caribbean region

Dancing beingsese or mapalé del negro

Source: youtube

Antioquia is considered the department of “los paisas”, who inherited the clothing of the muleteers who colonized the area during the 19th century and were coffee pickers. The typical dance is the Black Sense or Mapalé.

The men wear a white hat decorated with a black ribbon, a poncho or ruana that was used to protect themselves from the cold, and espadrilles. For their part, the women wear a long skirt and a white blouse adorned with flowers.

For this typical dance, the women wear an orange or white skirt with ruffles or faralaos, and wear the typical and colorful espadrilles. The men wear pants, a white shirt and a hat, in addition to espadrilles.

Cumbia

Source: The Herald

El Atlántico is the department where one of the most widespread rhythms in Colombia is danced: the cumbia. This dance is strongly influenced by the three cultural currents that merged on that soil: indigenous, African and, to a lesser extent, European.

The history of this costume refers to the fact that, in colonial times, dressing servants in an elegant way was synonymous with power. This group attended social and religious events accompanying their masters, and slaves were exhibited as property.

The man's suit is very simple. It consists of trousers and a white shirt with a red scarf around the neck and the typical hat (vueltiao).

For her part, the woman wore a long dress (skirt) made of red and white checked fabric. She carried some candles in her hand, which she handed over to the man during the dance through a series of movements that have various meanings within the artistic language.

The farota

Image source: tipicosbailes2.blogspot.com

The farota is another of the traditional dances of the Atlantic region, typical of its capital, Barranquilla. It is a dance performed during carnivals by men disguised as women and tells the story of the deception that the indigenous people did to the Spanish to avenge the rape of their women.

The costume consists of a very colorful floral skirt and a long-sleeved shirt, accompanied by accessories such as an apron, a hat with flower applications on the front, large and long earrings, and an umbrella that they carried in their right hand..

Dance of gabarato

Source: periodicoelpunto.com

The doodle dance represents the struggle between life and death. The typical suit of the man is composed of a yellow long-sleeved shirt to which is added a blue bib embroidered with sequins and decorated with lace. At the bottom he wears black pants with a kind of twisted knee pad.

The shoes are black, they wear white socks and a white hat with ribbons the color of the Barranquilla flag (red, yellow and green). In addition, they wear a red cape adorned with sequins and colored figures. In their hands they carry the stick that gives the dance its name.

The typical costume for women is a long ruffled skirt in the color of the Barranquilla flag. They wear a ruffled blouse and held at the shoulders, exposing part of the chest and neck. Her head is adorned with flowers and she wears black shoes.

They are from the black

Image source:.revistacredencial.com

The son de negro is a typical Colombian dance, whose African heritage gives it a lot of joy and a festive atmosphere. It was a kind of satire or mockery that the slaves made on the Spaniards of the time.

The dress for this dance is very simple: the men are bare-chested and wear a peasant hat adorned with brightly colored flowers. They wear fisherman pants or rolled up to the knee.

In the case of women, they wear long skirts combined with multicolored blouses that leave a bare shoulder in the basin style. The dancers cover their bodies in black paint with the intention of highlighting the skin of Africans, and paint their lips fiery red.

Congo dance

Source: carnavaldebarranquilla.org

In the Caribbean, the dance of the Congo is also a typical expression. One of the most important events in Colombian culture are carnivals, and this dance is an indispensable part of these celebrations.

Men's clothing consists of long shirts in exotic colors and trousers in the same shades. They are recharged with accessories such as cylinder-shaped turbans, which can measure up to fifty centimeters high and are adorned with flowers.

Mapalé

Source: Mapalé

In Bolívar the mapalé is an Afro-Colombian rhythm that accompanies the fishermen's working days and is performed with drums. Currently this dance takes place in the communities of the Pacific.

The suit is very close to the coastal environment. Very short skirts with small ruffles and fringes are used that adorn the accelerated movement of the hips.

The blouse has short sleeves with ruffles and is tied, exposing the abdomen. Women can perform this rhythm barefoot or wear very low-soled shoes, and wear a colored turban on their heads.

For his part, the man wears trousers that reach the ankles and have fringes or fringes at the mouth of the hem. The upper part is similar to that of the woman, very showy, and generally goes barefoot.

Typical costume of the Pacific region

Abozao

The abozao is a traditional dance from the Pacific. The men's wardrobe is white shorts or rolled up sleeves, and the shirt is buttonless and straight over the pants.

They wear a scarf and a hat as accessories. The dancer wears a wide skirt and a blouse with large, unicolored or white faralaos; sometimes, complement the outfit with turbans.

Contredanse

For the Colombian contradanza, the woman wears a beautiful suit consisting of a very wide mid-calf skirt and a unicolor blouse with brightly colored ruffles or washers, which are sometimes the national tricolor.

As accessories she wears a short white apron, as well as a white scarf. The dancers wear espadrilles.

The men wear dark pants with rolled up sleeves, solid-colored long-sleeved shirts, a hat and a handkerchief. They also wear espadrilles.

Typical costume of the Orinoquia region

The Llanero costume is distinguished by preferring light colors, especially white. The use of espadrilles and beaver hats, felt and e 'guama hair is typical. The wide sash is still used to hold the knife or stir.

The liqui liqui is an emblematic suit of the area and consists of long pants, preferably white, and a long jacket closed at the neck Mao type. The woman wears a wide skirt with superimposed ruffles, on top of which a ribbon is placed; underneath they wear the petticoats

The blouse has a high neck and on the back it has buttons of the same color as the skirt, adorned with colored ribbons. The sleeves are of a three-quarter design and the shoes have a thin sole. Some adorn their heads with bows, and others wear their hair down with a cayenne.

Andean region typical costume

Sanjuanero

Source: lanacion.com.co

The typical costume of this dance stands out more in the female version. The women wear white tray-cut blouses with lace trim, as well as lace with sequin appliqués that fit at the back, which is closed with a zipper.

The midi skirt is made of satin fabrics of various colors and oil-painted flowers. It has three flights and the widest is decorated with lace washers.

The outfit is completed with an ornament of artificial flowers placed, in braids or bows on the back or right side of the dancers' heads.

Men usually wear white or black pants, usually white open-necked shirts, decorated with lace or sequins, and a handmade hat. A leather belt and silk scarf serve as accessories to accompany the outfit.

Dance of the guaneña

The guaneña dance is known as one of the typical dances of Nariño, in the Andes region. The typical clothing of this dance in women uses a skirt or mess, with a petticoat made of brightly colored wool.

They also use a white blouse, sandals or espadrilles woven in various colors and large accessories such as eye-catching hoops or earrings.

For their part, the men wear white shirts and black pants, as well as a woven wool ruana and a cloth or straw hat. Their showy espadrilles and their garments are usually made with heavy fabrics to keep them warm.

Typical costume of the Amazon region

Offering dance

Image source: lapanoramicavision.com

This region is made up of most of the indigenous groups of Colombia and, for this reason, their dances are usually performed to celebrate special religious days of worship to their gods. In each tribe there are some outstanding dances and costumes, which are well worth mentioning.

One of the most popular indigenous dances is called the offering dance, and it is performed honoring the memory of deceased relatives and loved ones. It is done in a circular way and circling around someone wearing a chieftain's clothing.

The male dancers dress in costumes that simulate a fisherman, with white shirt and pants and indigenous necklaces made with seeds. The women wear wide skirts, sometimes short and above the knees, and others a little above the ankles.

These skirts are in bright colors and with thick stripes in other shades with the intention of generating a striking contrast. They also wear indigenous necklaces and baskets or plates with meat, eggs and vegetables. These baskets are adorned with colorful flowers or branches, and some carry them in the hand, while others do it on the head.

References

1. "Cultural Colombia" in the National Cultural Information System. Retrieved on May 18, 2019 from the National Cultural Information System: sinic.gov.co
2. "Typical Colombian costume" in EcuRed. Retrieved on May 18, 2019 from EcuRed: ecured.cu
3. "Typical costumes that represent the traditions of Colombia" in Colombia. Retrieved on May 18, 2019 from Colombia: colombia.co
4. "Colombian clothing. Characteristics of their colorful outfits ”in Cultura10. Retrieved on May 18, 2019 from Cultura10: cultura10.org
5. Ocando, J. "Colombian folklore, customs and traditions" in Google Boks. Retrieved on May 19, 2019 from Google Books: books.google.cl
6. "The footwear of European influence" in Danza en Red. Retrieved on May 19, 2019 from Danza en Red: danzaenred.com