The Culture of Clothes: A Celebration of World Dress

Traditional clothing is worn by people all over the world as a celebration of their cultural identity. In some countries, traditional dress is still worn on a daily basis. In others, people only wear their traditional dress for special occasions such as festivals, weddings or birthdays. The style, colour and material of this clothing speaks volumes about the wearer’s culture – from where they live to what their role in society is and what their beliefs are.

Organised into sections detailing the national dress of countries and cultures from Asia, North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Oceania, this wonderful, colourful book details traditional dress as diverse as: the Bavarian Lederhosen (first used in the 16th century to distinguish the peasant class from merchants and lords); the South Korean Hanbok, a loose garment which dates back to between 37 BCE and 668 CE; and the dress of the Cameroon Bamileke masquerade dancer, which includes an elaborate mask that allows the wearer to borrow the appearance of an elephant.

Perfect for young fashion enthusiasts as well as children interested in world cultures, this is a fascinating read with lots of inspiration for art and crafts, as well as school projects.