Japan: Land of the Rising Sun

The kimono is a traditional Japanese dress. In modern day Japan, it is worn only sparingly or during special occasions such as weddings, tea ceremonies, formal traditional events and funerals. An appropriate style and colour of kimono is to be worn depending on the occasion and the person's age and martial status.

Men's kimono usually have more subdued colours and are made typically from matt fabrics. Partly for this reason, it is the women's kimono that generate more interest because their beautiful designs make them art pieces as much as they are garments. The women's kimono is traditionally made of silk, but these days they are also made of polyester. Decoration techniques include embroidery, yuzen, painting and dyeing. 

The price of a kimono can range from around 10,000 yen for a simple set made of cheap fabric to millions of yen for a luxurious silk outfit with intricate embroidery of yuzen designs. The outfit is usually accompanied by get footwear (traditional wooden clogs) and a small handbag for women.

A kimono is usually used for occasions and not only for women but also for men. It is not just used for fashion but it is already a part of Japan's culture. Even if it is made up of of some cheap fabrics when finished it is one of the most expensive items you can have in Japan. It is also expensive for the embroidery which is very hard to do and finish.

Robyn Danielle M. Rubin

Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2101.html

Brazil: Land of the Future

To give you an information about my article, I would like to give you a background information of why I chose this country. Traditional clothing and costumes are garments worn to indicate national, cultural or religious identity. They can represent an entire nation or a small regional area. They may also reflect a period of time and one's place in society. Traditional costumes are as different as the people who wear them. Discovering and learning different customs and clothing is essential to any trip. 

Brazil has many traditional clothing styles, the majority of which relate to dance. Here we see performers in country costumes performing the folk dance Quadrilha. It's party of the annual Festa Junina (June Festival) that is celebrated across Brazil with music, dance and food. The festival honours the three Catholic saints days that occur in June - for St. Anthony, St. John the Baptist and St. Peter.

Compared to our country's national clothing; "barong" and "Filipiniana", Brazil's national clothing is far more lively and colourful, in my opinion. Despite the fact that Brazil has many traditional clothing styles, it looks really beautiful from afar. I admire the patterns on the dresses, since it brings out more life to the dress and to the person. I believe that it expresses the emotion of the person wearing it, showing utter happiness and joy. As seen on the photo I placed above this article, you can see the smiles on the people's faces as they celebrate their traditions. 

The reason why I chose this specific country and this specific photo is because I have always admired the country Brazil especially their tourists spots. As I was scanning through the Internet, the photo above captured my attention. I was always fond of looking at dresses with colourful patterns. Aside from the dress, I also love to see the joy and happiness the person wearing it is showing because it shows, in my opinion, that one can truly identify a person's attitude based on what they're wearing. 

Sophia Renee J. Sombong

Source: http://www.shawconnect.ca/Travel/Galleries/Traditional_costumes_around_the_world.aspx#!1370783522101_41c39473b2352966a7c56a82298bf3c1_brazil

Russia: Land Where the Sun Never Rises

Russian beauties of the 19th century in traditional costumes. These photos were taken in the end of 19th century and now are kept in the collection of the Russian Museum of Ethnography. The women on the photos are wearing traditional costumes of different regions of Russia. And though you can see many regional differences in the outfits there are two similar basic elements - sarafan and kokoshnik.

The kokoshnik is a commonly used name for a variety of traditional Russian headdresses worn by women and girls to accompany the sarafan, primarily worn in the northern regions of Russia in the 16th to 19th centuries.

For me, Russia's clothing is very unique and beautiful. it was originated in their traditional folk dresses. Some of its elements are widely used today and inspire many international designers to create collections and add a modern feel to traditional Russian clothing.

Ma. Patricia P. Flores

Sources: http://www.pinterest.com/alicelong1/traditional-russian-clothing/

GERMANY: THE LAND OF IDEAS

These are the traditional German clothing for both men and women. The traditional German clothing for men is called Tracht. Tracht is an "old German" dress or costume, became popular in Germany between 1813 and 1815, during the time of what is in German historiography known as the Befreiungskriege, the "liberation wars", the last years of the Napoleonic Wars. It was an expression of anti-French German national sentiment and met with great approval among women and men of various social strata. The new fashion was intended as a demonstration of resistance against the "French fashion foolishness", as it was described. While the traditional German clothing for women is called dirndl. Dirndl is a folk dress that comprised a full skirt, blouse, bodice and apron. If the woman was married, she would knot the apron. In more modern times, women rarely wear the dirndl in its original form, although variants of traditional dress have become fashionable again with young people.

 I chose this country and its traditional clothing because for me they have a unique clothing like other countries and they are one of the countries I love the most. German traditional clothing for is more elegant and presentable. With a country's traditional clothing you could immediately tell if what country are they from and for me that is the reason why traditional clothing for each and every country is important.

These are the German traditional clothing for both men and women. The more elegant the traditional attire appeared, the higher up in the social status the person was. They can identify if what is the social status of a person in the way he/ she dress up.
Nowadays, when a German is dressed up in a traditional garb it means that they will go dancing.

 

Myrtle Danielle T. Mansilla

Source: https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=jsn&client=firefox-a&hs=AQT&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=-3EUU7qhF8T3rQfJ_4HwCQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ#channel=sb&q=dirndl&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&tbm=isch

Dressing up means showing one’s culture and one’s personality.         

            Fashion isn’t just style, but with an Essence Dressing up is showing one’s personality. Clothing is showing one’s culture. The ways of wearing clothes does not only imply personal representation of oneself, but one’s cultures have been influenced by other cultures.  Each design serves to represent how they are viewed by society.

            This is what a National Costume is all about.  A piece or a pair of its honor and prestige. Such costume signifies power as well. Ways of clothing such costume could also be mean a social status.

            One best example is our Philippine National Costume. This piece is made of materials that can be seen in the country. It is only worn on special occasions with pride and dignity. Through such piece symbolizes nationalism. The design might have evolved through time, the evolving signifies our strength that from generation to generation we have surpassed path. From that hurt, we the present generation, are now enjoying our democracy.

Yssabela Marie M. Cerbas