Cuba
Deysi Marquez
Daily apparel for Men/Females:
- They wear Caribbean style clothing.
- Cuban women often wear guayabera styles. These button-down shirts are normally made of linen or cotton and can often be recognized by their unique embroidered designs. Cuban women can get away with wearing a guayabera in bright colors. Women also wear short skirts or tight jeans and a blouse or a T-shirt named a "pull-over" in Cuban Slang.
- Where as the men tend to stick to a traditional white guayabera with jeans or cotton pants.
Traditional colors & patterns for Fashion:
- Cuban women tend to favor the bright colors preferred by their Spanish and African ancestors, as well as lightweight fabrics that will keep them cool during the hot tropical days.
- Bright, bold head scarves are another way in which Cuban women can flaunt their ancestral pride.
Fashions worn to celebrate holidays, weddings, funerals, etc.
- For special events and festivals, Cuban women lead the world with their unique style. The Bata Cubana, which is a Cuban rumba dress, is a stylish frock which also symbolizes the diversity of the culture. This brightly colored, frilly dress is often worn by traditional female entertainers.
- The Bata Cubana is made to light up a dance floor with its frilly train. Combining the European influences of French and Spanish styles with a distinct African flair, the Bata Cubana serves as one of the most iconic pieces a Cuban woman can possibly wear.
How individuals obtain their fashion:
Cuba has recently began importing/exporting clothing, helping them obtain fashion. ("After Obama began amending certain economic sanctions last year, some goods produced by independent Cuban cuentapropistas (entrepreneurs) are now authorised for export.")
Technology used to produce/manufacture individuals' apparel:
Cuba has a very poorly developed retail sector. There are no large shopping centers and the commercial districts that existed before the revolution are largely shut down. Those that remain carry few and poorly made products that are priced in dollars and are too expensive for the average Cuban to purchase. The majority of the stores are small dollar stores, bodegas, agro-mercados (farmers' markets), and street stands.