Subscribe for all my updates and don't miss a thing! Sign me up!
Jamaican Dress
Its Forms, Formats & Functions
Sharing Is Caring! Share this awesome content with your friends now.
The typical Jamaican dress code reflects the warmth of the island, coupled with the increasing western influence. As such, you will find similar clothing styles and colours to those worn in the warmer climates of North America.
New! Take a piece of Jamaica with you💃!
Savour the memories! Now you can get your authentic Jamaican souvenir items, as well as traditional Jamaican herbs, spices and housewares on our popular e-store. Click Here to learn more.
And, if you ever need a trustworthy and knowledgeable local guide, consider booking a private tour with us!
In other words, a typical Jamaican woman would own any combination or all of the following articles: jeans pants/skirts for casual wear; breezy, summer-type dresses (with or without sleeves); T-shirts; casual blouses; oxford-type work blouses, etc, similar to a woman living in Florida for example.
In the same way, a Jamaican man’s closet would hold similar clothing to a man living in Florida.
The only items of clothing that you would not locate in a typical Jamaican closet are: the heavy winter coats, ear muffs, woolen or leather gloves, etc that are found in the winter climates of the Americas.
This is due to the fact that, although the winter season in Jamaica may get a bit chilly at times (due to cold winds and/or rainy weather), the location of the island; close to the equator; does not allow for the temperatures to go low enough to require such clothing. In addition to casual and work wear, a typical Jamaican owns several “church wear”.
This is due to the island’s strong Christian background (as it is noted to have the most churches per capita). Depending on the denomination that the individual belongs to, the type of clothing may vary from a uniformed look to a variety of dresses for women or dress suits (complete with jacket and tie) for men. There are also diverse forms of headdress associated with different churches.
As such, you may find one set of individuals may own various head
wraps (of differing shades, textures and lengths, where another set may
own several wide-brimmed hats and/or a few rounded ones. You can observe
these variations on a typical Sunday or Saturday morning, respectively,
when these individuals are on their way to church.
Traditionally,
funeral garb consisted of black, white or purple dresses for women and a
black or black and white shirt and tie or dress suit for men. This
tradition has changed over the years, with other colours being added to
the mix, in various styles and lengths and the option of sleeves or
sleeveless.
In a similar fashion, the typical ball gown-type was
reserved for special occasions, especially graduations and dinners.
There are variations from this tradition as well, but it still holds
true, for the most part.
On occasions of national interest and import, such as Jamaica Day, Independence Day, festival, as well as other ceremonial days, the national costume is oftentimes worn.
This consists of a head wrap, dress, skirt and blouse or shirt and pants combination, made from the madras or bandana material.
This is a burgundy with white and blue streaking plaid material that is sewn to create the various combinations.
Sometimes the costume is a white top with a bandana-frilled edging along with a bandana skirt for women, and a bandana top and white pants for men, while at other times, the bandana is the more dominant material used along with white frills.
And, do expect to see dresses in the flamboyant rasta colours and captivating colours of the Jamaican flag. This is particularly so on national holidays and at various national sporting events.
Being an island of varying cultures, you may also see a few variations in dress, reflective of other cultural and religious backgrounds.
It is, therefore, not uncommon to see a Muslim in a hijab, an Indian in a Sari or a Rastafarian in turban and African-style dressing (with or without footwear), among others. These dress codes, however, are fewer in number, with the Rastafarian headdress being more common.
As was noted, the Jamaican dress consists of various styles, dependent on the occasion. It is a melting pot of cultures and religions, so there are variations to the type and style of dress worn, when they are worn and who wears what.
For the majority, however, the style of the Jamaican dress follows that of most western countries, especially the Americas, with the emphasis being on clothing that is cool and reflects the climate of the region.
by Arriel Bullock
Return to Jamaican Culture from Jamaican Dress
Return to My-Island-Jamaica.com HomePage from Jamaican Dress
New! Get My Latest Book👇🏿
 |
You asked, I've answered! You no longer need to save for months or years, to enjoy paradise! I spilled the beans! sharing my top tips on finding cozy accommodations and secret gems, only the way a native could! Click Here to pick it up on my e-store and start saving now! |
See The Best Of Jamaica - In Videos!
 |
My channel reaches over 140,000 subscribers worldwide and has leveraged over 11 million views, sharing, what I call 'The Real Jamaica'. Subscribe today and join our family of viewers. |
Read More ...
New! Experience The REAL Jamaica!
Book Your Private Tour here and experience Jamaica the way we (locals) do!
P.S. Didn't find what you were looking for?
Still need help?
Click Here to try our dependable and effective Site Search tool. It works!
Or, simply click here and here, to browse my library of over 500 questions and answers! Chances are someone already asked (and got an answer to) your question.
Featured Video!
Travelling To Jamaica?
Read this BEFORE you go
👇🏿
New Here?
I recommend you START HERE to enjoy the best of this website!
New! For Authentic Jamaican products, from my very own hands, visit my Etsy store here.
Recent Articles
-
101 Medicinal Herbs Of Jamaica- Top Natural Healing Herbs Of Jamaica
Nov 20, 24 09:27 PM
Here they are! The top 101 medicinal herbs of Jamaica. These ancient wonders that have provided effective natural healing from our parents and fore-parents. Ready? -
Does Jamaica Recognize Common Law Marriage?
Nov 20, 24 11:50 AM
To marry or not to marry? Once frowned upon, there’s much more leniency for common-law relationships these days. Does Jamaica Recognize Common Law Marriage? -
Can Jamaican Black Castor Oil Be Used On Your Face?
Nov 19, 24 05:29 PM
We have long discovered the great benefits of castor oil for our hair. But can Jamaican Black Castor oil be used on your face? -
Jamaica4-H Clubs Embrace Technology to Engage Youth
Nov 16, 24 11:14 PM
The Jamaica 4-H Clubs are taking significant steps to integrate technology into their agricultural initiatives, aiming to captivate and involve more young -
Jamaica Aims to Lead Global Health and Wellness Tourism
Nov 16, 24 11:10 PM
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has announced plans to position Jamaica as a premier global destination for health and wellness tourism. The island’s
About The Author
A patriotic Jamaican who adores its culture, Wellesley has been using this medium to share what he calls 'the uniqueness of Jamaica with the world' since April 2007.
To date, he serves over 9,300 unique readers / viewers per day (and over 1.1millon page views monthly)
His efforts have earned this site featured positions in local publications, including the Jamaica Gleaner's Hospitality Jamaica, Carlong Publishers, as well as recognition from numerous prestigious international agencies and universities. Read more about him here.
He invites you to explore his books and subscribe to this site to stay updated on all the latest here on site.
You are also welcome to check out his unique Jamaican products on his e-store.
If you are on social media, here are the links to follow his latest posts:
You are also invited to join his exclusive JAMHearts community where like-minded Jamaican enthusiasts discuss all things Jamaican.
Didn't Find What You Are Seeking?
Do a quick site search here:
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.