THE 4 MOST POPULAR TAMAULIPAS TYPICAL COSTUMES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

The typical costumes of Tamaulipas remain in force throughout the region. Unlike other Mexican states that have a single typical costume, in Tamaulipas there are several outfits that can be considered traditional. The most popular of these is the leather.

Tamaulipas is a state of Mexico. It is considered the sixth largest state in the country, and limits with others such as Veracruz and San Luis Potosí to the south, and with Nuevo León to the west.

Its capital is Ciudad Victoria, although its most populated city is Reynosa. It is a territory of great extension, whose history and coastal qualities have given it a cultural roots that are maintained to this day.

In various regions of the state every year different festivals are held that preserve their culture.

Many of the activities are carried out with the intention of counteracting the manifestations of violence in the territory, since Tamaulipas is considered one of the states with the highest rates of violence in the Mexican nation.

This violence is caused mainly by organized crime. This is a common phenomenon in several states that border the United States.

The 4 main typical costumes of Tamaulipas

1- The tamaulipeca cuera

It is considered the most typical costume of Tamaulipas. It is a garment with a mainly masculine cut; its characteristics were inspired by those clothes that cowboys used to face the dangers of the elements.

It is currently used as a gala garment to commemorate events, dances and celebrations.

His presence spans the entire state. Their presentations may vary, but they start from the same origin.

It is a smooth and long jacket, made in principle with deer suede, whose thickness allowed whoever wears it to protect themselves from branches and dangers of nature.

Later, ornaments and patterns began to be added to the original textile design, including decorative ribbons called beards.

The first patterns illustrated in Tamaulipas leather were representative flowers of the region where the first pieces were made, at the beginning of the 20th century.

It was officially adopted as a regional pledge of Tamaulipas during the government of Norberto Treviño Zapata.

Although it is considered a male garment, attempts have been made to make a leather for women. This consists of two pieces: the same jacket and a long skirt.

Very similar to other Mexican women's outfits, this leather has the same details and patterns as the men's.

The Tamaulipas cuera has been present in other forms of cultural and artistic expression, both in Mexico and internationally; the cinema and music have been a reflection of this.

It is a very colorful garment that has served to easily identify Mexicans, especially in movies.

Leather has been the subject of controversy because it is made from animal skins, which today has been the subject of criticism.

However, you can find some styles of Tamaulipas leather that use synthetic material for their manufacture.

2- Polka dress

It is an exclusively feminine garment that polka dancers use in festive events of this type.

It is a dress that assimilates a single piece, with long sleeves at the top and a long skirt that allows the dancer to extend it to the sides as an aesthetic gesture.

It is a dress that resembles a country outfit, with square patterns on the skirt and fairly light colors.

The upper part has details on the arms, such as a greater width between the shoulders and elbows.

Polka celebrations allow women to wear a wide variety of styles around this dress, with more details and colors, but always keeping the long and wide skirt and ornamental blouse as a base.

3- Campero dress

It is a dress with much simpler features. It is similar to the polka dress, with the exception that the campero dress leaves the shoulders and arms of the woman free.

You can see models of very lively and contrasting colors, and the main detail that differentiates it is the presence of fringes, both in the upper part, at the level of the torso, and in the lower part, at the ends of the skirt.

These fringes are very similar to the beards of the Tamaulipas leather, and they maintain the same main color of the dress.

It gives the woman who wears it a much fresher and more informal look, without giving the feeling of being a dress limited to traditional celebrations and festivities.

Another striking aspect is the patterns, sometimes floral or ornamental, found at the bottom of the skirt and at the neckline at the top.

4- Picota suit

It is a much simpler dress than those described above, both for its eye-catching and for the materials used to make it.

It is commonly white and in one piece. It is made with a fine blanket fabric that allows striking patterns and prints to be painted or printed.

It has a "V" neck, without being a neckline. On the edges of the neck you can see uniform stripes of different colors, which can also be present at the bottom of the skirt to give more color to the whole outfit.

A colored ribbon is placed in the middle of the dress that is tied in a picturesque bow at the back, giving the dress details both on the front and on the back.

Women who wear this type of suit often complement their outfit with accessories on the face and head, such as flower crowns and striking large-diameter gold earrings.

It is a dress used mainly for the representation of some traditional dances, in which women are the center of attention and are accompanied by their partners, who dress completely in white.

References

1. VMC Agency. (2016, April 10). Tamaulipas and its culture. The morning.
2. Castañeda, RZ, & Ortiz, XM (2001). Mexican dance costumes.
3. Tamaulipas state government. (2016). Costume. Obtained from Tam tiempo de todos: tamaulipas.gob.mx
4. Torres, JM (2008). Tamaulipas, environment, history and customs. Mexico: Government of the State of Tamaulipas.