Dashiki - An African Fashion of the 1960's
The dashiki is a loose, pullover tunic associated with African culture and the US counter culture of the 1960's. Usually made of cotton or a cotton blend, the dashiki features a deep V neck, often decorated with a printed design or embroidery.
The traditional West African dashiki has short sleeves. Three quarter length sleeve versions often repeat the neckline decorations at the sleeve ends. Many dashikis feature two square patch pockets at the lower front of the garment.
The dashiki can be worn for both formal and informal occasions. Special events call for better fabric and classier decoration, and can include wearing a robe over the shirt and pants for an elegant look.
Though often worn by men, dashiki styles have been embraced by women and appear in ankle or mid-calf length dresses, making for lovely hostess wear as well as beach wear. Graceful and modest, a dashiki style dress offers both comfort and allure. Loose and cool in hot weather, a dashiki or dashiki dress can be paired with pants or worn over a turtle- necked shirt in cooler weather.
Dashiki Background
The word "dashiki" comes from the Yoruba word "danshiki" meaning a work shirt, usually short sleeved, worn by men in West Africa.
In the Hausa language, a "dan ciki" refers to an under tunic. Tunics that are similar in design to the modern version were found in burial mounds in Mali and dated back to the 12th - 13th century.
Young Man in a Vintage Dashiki
Dashiki in America in the 1960's
After the passage of the Civil Rights Act in the United States in 1964, new fashions based on traditional African clothing gained popularity, as people embraced their heritage. New Yorkers picked up on clothing worn by visiting African diplomats and a new interest in African culture inspired young people of all races.The dashiki became an icon of the Black Pride movement and was seen worn by political activists, entertainers, artists, and students.
White college students and members of the hippie counter culture, fond of incorporating ethnic clothing styles in their dress, soon took to the dashiki. People liked the bright colors and comfort, a relief from the formal, tailored styles of the early 1960's.
Cheap dashikis imported from India, Bangladesh, and Thailand soon appeared in boutiques that offered the new ethnic, hippie style of fashion.
Kanga prints became a popular design motif. The Kanga is a colorful garment worn by women, but also refers to a type of printed cloth that is bordered on all sides with a pattern and a repeat of the pattern in the center of the fabric.
Dashiki style on an older woman
The Dashiki Today
Today's American dashiki is similar to a kaftan, djellaba, boubou, or an abaya. Worn by those who emjoy true comfort, the dashiki's cool, thin fabric makes for great summer wear. The loose cut allows for ease of movement and air flow in hot weather.
Dashikis can also be found made of heavier fabrics, or worn on top of antoher shirt for warmth during cooler months.
The casual comfort of a dashiki makes it an excellent choice for beach wear, casual settings, and around the home. A dashiki looks great at any age, for men or women, and for all body types.
Stevie Wonder (see the video below) still makes appearances wearing a dashiki.
Young Woman in a Dashiki style Dress
West African Folk Music - Men Wearing Dashikis
Stevie Wonder Still Wears a Dashiki
Bohemian Style Clothing History
- Boho - The Fashion History of Bohemian Style
Bohemian style is an alternative way of dress and has been for over 200 years. From the Aesthetic Movement to the hippies, counter cultures have rejected mass production and embraced handmade, historic, and ethnic styles of dress.
Kaftan - A Popular Middle Eastern Style
- Kaftan or Caftan - A Fashion History of Modesty and Glamor
The modest yest glamorous kaftan is comfortable and looks great on the young and old, on thin and plus sized ladies. It became popular during the 1960's when attention turned to ethnic styles.
Comments
Like most folk dress, the Dashiki is an enduring style because it looks good and enables people to comfortably do whatever they need to do. It also shows that simple garment styles can look great.
Also, love Stevie Wonder--a musical genius!
ktrapp - thank you for stopping by! I love a dashiki, especially in summer. The one worn by the young man once belonged to my mother who loved ethnic styles back in the day.
kschimmel - thank you! Yes, I love mine and love folk dress totally. I had a bit of a problem looking for Stevie Wonder wearing a dashiki on youtube - I love his music and spent way too much time looking at the videos and listening to his wonderful songs.
Thanks for such an interesting and informative hub, Dolores! There's a lot about the dashiki I didn't know, and I didn't know anything about Kanga prints. I do, however, know Stevie Wonder's music very well and I'm totally with you on easily getting distracted by his stuff. :) Voted up, interesting, and awesome!
Great hub! The Dashiki reminds me of my childhood. I even had little dashiki outfits made for my kids when they were littlier. Thanks for sharing and bringing back wonderful memories for me.
Who knew? I wonder if the galabeya (or Jellabiya) is related somehow.
How weird that I just watched a rerun of Sanford and Son last night, where Lamont was wearing a dashiki and explaining it's background to Fred.
If it wouldn't look freaky, I would wear my dashiki,
As I wandered about every day of the weeki.
Thanks for the dashiki info and history, Dolores.
Fashionista- thank you! I love dashikis more after writing this and would like to find one or two for warm weather.
Triplet mom - thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Jane - I feel like the old tunic styles are all related in their simplicity. It's a lot about how the arm holes or sleeves are cut. Thanks!
chabias - oh I love that show. Recently watched it while visiting in a hospital and I was laughing out loud. Today's comedies just don't make me laugh like the old ones and I think Sanford and Son was able to take simple stories, mixed with socially relevant themes and just make us laugh at ourselves.
Hi, drjb - you are a caution! You sure would not look freaky in a dashiki, but daring and slightly Bohemian! Of course I have no idea what you actually look like but I feel it. Thanks for dropping in!
ktrapp 4 months ago
I have always noticed these types of garments but I never knew they had a specific name, dashiki. The background on how dashikis gained popularity in the U.S. was very interesting.