Woven by Culture: A Comparative Study of Traditional Dress Across Regions and the Societal Forces Behind Fashion

This study attempts to examine how societal influences that different countries have obtained from years past affect their traditional fashion. By sketching 200 traditional female dresses from every sovereign country in the world, I have taken the time to analyze and create depictions of their sociological and stylistic choices. I have chosen to examine the countries of Cambodia, Republic of Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Finland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Panama, and Tonga as they all represent different regions of the globe. Breaking down each of their dresses into their specific garments and accessories is essential to better understand the culture and the dress itself. I have also found cultural and economic influences for each dress that are crucial to understanding how these dresses are important to their society and what pivotal role they play throughout the future. Connections run deep between these 10 countries and their fashion and they represent why certain regions of the world wore them and what they wear now.