Attire in Ethiopia
The dress in Ethiopia correlates to the weather conditions and the varying temperatures, as well as the tribes in Ethiopia. In the country's highlands it is colder and requires warm layers, such as wraparound blankets and other heavy articles of clothing. As opposed to the lowlands, lighter, cotton, clothing is worn because of the heat. For example, Amhara women prefer clothing that covers them more because of the cold temperatures, and the Oromo women prefer light-weight clothing because they are in a warmer climate. The majority of clothing that women wear consist entirely of woven cotton. Women also wear colorful ankle-length dresses.
An item of clothing that is widely known in Ethiopia is the shamma. A shamma is a long cotton robe that can also be worn as a whole body cover or head cover. Another typical dress for woman is known as the Habesha Kemis, also known as the Snow White Dress. This type of dress is normally worn at formal events. A shawl is also paired with it, called a netela. This piece of clothing is delicate and very thin, and is embroidered at the ends to match the pattern on the dress. The netela can also be used a way for the person wearing it to communicate with passerby's on how they are feeling. For example, when someone is mourning, the netela is wrapped around one's face. For religious services, the netela is wrapped around the shoulders and back, with the embroidered part over the right shoulder. When the woman relaxed, the embroidered part of the netela is worn over the left shoulder.
With the different tribes in Ethiopia, there are many colors that represent their culture. The Harar women wear purple, red, and black dresses, while the Oromo women wear brightly colored clothes made of cotton. Clothing is a way to differentiate between different ethnic groups, as well as hairstyles and embroidery. Amhara and Tigray women wear their hair in lots of braids, while Harari women wear their hair in buns. The traditional clothing for men consists of white knee length shirts, white, cotton pants that are worn underneath a shamma, a sweater, and knee high socks. In some outfits, some embroidery is shown on the front of some shirts and on the collars.