Any nation’s traditional attire can provide a wealth of information about that nation’s culture and history. Both Asian and European cultures have influenced Sri Lankan traditional clothing, which includes sarees for ladies and sarongs for men, making them more exquisite and seductive. The characteristics of a typical Sri Lankan garment vary depending on the region and historical era, and they serve as a superb illustration of exquisite artistic production. Continue reading if you would like some background on Sri Lanka’s traditional attire.
History of Sri Lankan Traditional Dress
The history of Sri Lanka’s clothing is mostly attributed to its handcrafted looms and batik design, which is a whole textile dying process using wax resist. Any study on Sri Lankan traditional clothing must start with the country’s original inhabitants, the Veddas, who were hunter-gatherers and wore a very basic outfit consisting of roughly three yards of calico, a plain-woven fabric made from unbleached and frequently incompletely processed cotton that was enough to make a loincloth (referred to as span cloth locally). They carry food and betel nuts in the section of the cloth that circles their waist.
When they move through the jungle, they also use this as a belt to push the handles of their short axes through. That was the island’s original attire: simple, practical, and perfectly adapted to the local climate and surroundings. Typically, the women’s clothing was uncovered. a calico strip that is tied to the waist and extends to the ankles, resembling a Malay sarong. Occasionally, a second strip was added to cover the breasts.
Traditional Costume of Sri Lankan People
Saree – Traditional Dress of Sri Lankan Female
The saree is exclusively worn by women. Women wear the traditional Kandyan saree (osaria) for a variety of occasions and it is a popular form of clothing in Sri Lanka. Some people wear sarees every day, or they are required to wear them for work. When it is customary, office workers and school instructors dress in sarees and tea pluckers. The customary attire for formal gatherings and ceremonies is an elaborate, colorful, and bright saree.
Sri Lankan women wear this outfit in a variety of ways. The Indian and Kandyan styles are the two ways to drape a saree. In the Kandyan hill region, where the style originated, the Kandyan one is more prevalent. It is made up of a long, six to eight meter blouse that completely covers the stomach and is just slightly tucked up at the front. The women wear the top as a scarf or other piece of cloth that is tucked into their skirt.
A saree can be printed with designs akin to batik, stitched, or dyed smoothly. The majority of people expose their midriffs because of the modern saree. The last tail is not flowing freely, but is pleated nicely. Women put updos in their hair, wear voluminous jewelry, and wrap their bodies in light, feminine saris.
Sarongs – Traditional Costume of Sri Lankan Male
Sarongs are the standard male clothing in Sri Lanka, as they are in other South Asian nations. Men in Sri Lanka dress in the widely worn sarong, which is a long piece of fabric wrapped around the waist. Depending on the wearer’s activity, the original sarong was made of a tube of fabric that was folded and knotted at the waist at varying lengths. guys from many walks of life can be seen wearing sarongs when on tours of Sri Lanka. These guys include tuk-tuk drivers, fishermen, cooks, and, more lately, businessmen who dress in the more contemporary style of sarong with pockets.
In various parts of the world, men wear long sleeve shirts under sarongs. Men can style a sarong in a variety of ways. Some tie the end between the legs and tuck it under the sarong, while others wrap it around like a skirt or tie a knot in front. Occasionally, while they are at home, they leave their upper body exposed or cover it with an additional piece of clothing, like a large scarf.
Sri Lankan Traditional Dress’s Attributes
Many other aspects of traditional Sri Lankan clothing, such as appearance, embellishment, and color, have evolved over time. Many women in the Maritime Provinces and Low Country did not cover their breasts in the late 19th century, either at home or when they went outside. The royal women’s gowns were pleated from the waist up, leaving room for jewelry such as necklaces, wristlets, armlets, and ear and hair decorations. Typically, royal people wore highly ornate robes and garments made of expensive materials. They wore flowing garments and adorned their upper bodies with numerous gems.
Ethnicity and marital status seem to influence what women choose to wear. Style choices are also made by Sri Lankan women based on their age, preferences, and special events. When it comes to daily activities like shopping, married ladies always wear sarees, whereas little girls typically wear skirts and blouses. Girls who have reached puberty wear half sarees. Senior ladies wear sarees as well; in fact, you rarely see an elderly woman dressed in anything other than a sari.
Interesting Facts of Sri Lankan Traditional Dress
- Sri Lankan garments are known for their vibrant colors. The Sri Lankans who utilize color the most playfully are undoubtedly a popular demographic.
- There is more to a saree than just the unstitched hand-woven fabric. Nowadays, a saree can be made out of modern materials like linen, cotton, silk, synthetic fiber, and others.
- Since most saree drapery patterns are regionally specific, there are over a hundred methods to drape a saree. Hundreds of videos explaining the correct way to wrap a saree can be found by searching for “how to wear a sari” on Google.
- No safety pins are needed when wearing a saree. People use a lot of safety pins to secure sarees because they believe they are prone to “falling off.” It is true that those elements frequently make the clothing more rigid, and this is not the appropriate way to wear it.
- Every woman in Sri Lanka buys herself a new saree for holidays like Christmas.
- Nowadays, most Sri Lankan weddings feature the bride wearing the traditional Kandyan sarees during religious ceremonies. Although their styles differ, the figure-flattering ensemble’s grace and elegance are indisputable.
- In hot weather, men frequently wear sarongs when nude.
