TRADITIONAL COSTUME OF NUEVO LEÓN: HISTORY, DESCRIPTION AND USES - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The typical costume of Nuevo León is an outfit worn by men and women, traditional from the Mexican state of Nuevo León. The clothing began to be used in a festive way in the middle of the 20th century, but it has roots in the colonial culture of the country and in the character that always identified its inhabitants.

Both men's and women's clothing were developed together, but women's dress design can be seen as a bit more complex than men's. However, both have historical roots that represent the culture of the Nuevo León region.

Although there are various typical clothing from the Nuevo León region, the most common and popular is the so-called regional clothing. It should be noted that other types of clothing are also used for different purposes, but the striking feminine dress and the fringes of the masculine jackets are part of the regional clothing of Nuevo León.

History

It is crucial to have prior knowledge of the history of Nuevo León before analyzing the creation of this typical clothing, which occurred in the early 1950s in the 20th century. In fact, the origins of the clothing date back to colonial times and are related to the work carried out by both men and women.

Nuevo León was a region that was not exposed to great cultural changes by Europeans. This made the culture of the region remain highly folkloric throughout the history of Mexico.

Originally, this region was only inhabited by nomadic tribes, of which there is little historical record and, therefore, it is difficult to identify their specific cultural characteristics. However, after the arrival of European settlers, the region began to develop particular characteristics based on the type of colonizers who occupied it.

The large presence of haciendas defined the commercial activities of the colonial period of Nuevo León. Its inhabitants, both men and women, developed a strong and defined character as a result of the large number of incursions by the Apache Indians, who sought to seize their goods.

Creation of regional clothing

Based on the historical principles of the area, the costume of the Nuevo León region that is known today was created in 1956. It was designed by the Mexican fashion expert Ramón Validosera, to provide identifying clothing to the participants of the Beer Festival, held that same year.

These parties were carried out by the government in conjunction with the local brewery called Cuauhtémoc. Therefore, those in charge of carrying out the creation of this costume were the representatives of the festive committee.

It took two decades for the suit to be used nationally in Mexico. The first time this happened was in 1970. The event in which it was used was a folk dance contest held at the Tepeyac Theater.

Later, during the Ballet Folclórico del Magisterio -where all the Mexican states perform-, the costume was used by the participants from Nuevo León to represent the region. This event was the main cause of the subsequent popularization of the use of clothing, which has spread since it took place.

At present it is used mainly by various folk dance groups when they perform dances related to the central region of Mexico.

Description in man and woman

Male Nuevo Leon costume

One of the main characteristics of this regional dress for men is the use of pants made with khaki fabric, which resembles the traditional cowboy dress. These pants must be complemented with a special gabardine fabric that is resistant to work.

The shirt is made of cotton and featured mainly two colors. This shirt is also the same as the one used by cowboys in the region, being capable of withstanding several hours working in the sun. The footwear also resembles that worn by jeans, with a round toe.

Another of the main and most important characteristics of men's clothing is the complexity of the belt or strap. This one is also denim cut, but it is complemented with a peculiar buckle, which is made of steel, silver and gold.

New Leon female costume

The woman's suit is divided into two essential parts. The first is the blouse, which has characteristics of a peasant style, just as it happens with men's clothing. It is made of cotton and has a fairly simple design. On the sleeves and near the neck, it presents a flower embroidery that serves as an ornament, cutting off the monotony of the suit.

In addition, the white blouse has a total of 52 links that refer to the same number of municipalities in the state.

The skirt is the most important element of Nuevo León women's clothing, as it is the most striking. It can be made on white silk and is adorned at the back with an elegant bow. In the upper part it presents a strip that represents the soil of the region.

In addition, it has commemorative colored motifs that represent two important natural monuments of Mexico. The first is the Cerro de la Silla, and the second is the Sierra Madre Oriental, which can be identified with an “M” embroidered on the dress.

Chunky rings were used to complement the jewelry and a fan that represented the European culture of the area. In addition, the traditional hairstyle was accompanied by flowers on the woman's head.

Applications

The main use of this clothing today falls mainly on the performance of various folk dances. The dress is usually used by the women of Nuevo León when they go to dance polkas and ballet. It is also commonly used when dancing waltz or chotize.

This dress is considered an elegant clothing and serves to represent the hereditary cultural load of the colonial ancestors of Nuevo León.

References

1. Typical costume from Nuevo León, “elegant wardrobe” that spreads identity, Notimex, 2017. Taken from rotativo.com
2. Traditions of Mexico - Ballet Folklorico, B. McFeaters, (nd). Taken from houstonculture.org
3. Intro to Nuevo Leon, Los Tucsonenses, 2015. Taken from lostucsonenses.com
4. Typical Costumes of Nuevo León, DE Ortiz, 2010. Taken from monografias.com
5. Indumentarias de Nuevo León, JD Andrade, 2012. Taken from trajestipicosregionales.com