Dashiki

Dashiki

Dashiki is a brightly colored attire worn mostly by the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria. It is typically worn for its comfort as it is a loose-fitting outfit and it can be worn in versatile ways.

Traditionally, Dashikis were originally worn by men mainly in West Africa as an informal garment, but they are mostly worn by men, women, and kids today.

The origin of this vibrant outfit can be traced to its suitability to the Nigerian hot climate, which is often very humid with intense heat. As such, Dashiki, a loose-fitting garment made of light fabric, is highly ideal. Tribes in Nigeria call Dashiki in different ways: typically, the Yorubas pronounce it as ‘Danshiki’ while the Hausas as ‘Dan-ciki’. In West Africa, this outfit is also worn in countries like Togo, Benin, and Ghana. The look and way this colourful outfit is worn has evolved over the years.

The Dashiki is a 45″ wide,100% cotton fabric on an unwaxed base. The fabric features delicate beautiful designs from the West African culture and generally reflects the African culture. The unwaxed cotton base saturates the colors of the Outfit and brings the highly detailed designs to life.

A typical Dashiki is a loose-fitting pullover V-neck shirt which can be worn on a pair of jeans or trousers. Regular Dashiki is worn outside the pants instead of being tucked in. The everyday Dashiki shirts are often made of lightweight cotton, making them a perfect choice to wear in the summer to keep cool. To look more stylish in this outfit, apart from wearing it on a pair of jeans, it can be worn with a hat and a pair of flat shoes, heels, or sneakers.

Read Also: Yoruba Traditional Hairstyles

Formal Dashikis are sometimes made from silk with elaborate decorative embroidery around the neckline and around the cuffs. Oftentimes, the traditional Dashiki is embellished and are worn to special events such as weddings, naming ceremonies, award ceremonies and others.

Today, Dashiki is featured in popular culture all over the world. In America, Dashiki is worn during the Black History month. Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of blacks in U.S. International celebrities like Beyonce, Chris Brown, Drake, French Montana, Jhené Aiko, Rihanna, Wale have been spotted wearing this beautiful outfit stylishly and effortlessly.

Do you own a Dashiki? How do you love to wear it?