Street Style
STREET STYLE, TUNISIA
The beauty of fashion derives from allowing one to express themselves,
to tell someone who they actually are, without having to speak.
That's why it is important to emphasize street style, the
so-called "underground fashion". It's not the clothing one might see on runways, or in magazines, but it is the clothing worn everyday, by everybody. There is admiration in understanding and appreciating this form of fashion.
Tunisia is relatively more liberal
in its dress, as the country has been quite progressive within the last few
decades regarding its “dress code”. Yet, for women, legs and shoulders are still
covered on most occasions. The street style within Tunisia varies heavily on
the location in which one lives. For instance those living in bigger cities or
top tourist destinations are seen dressing more “western” with shoulder-free shirts,
and at times shorter skirts. However, in more rural localities in Tunisia the traditional
Islamic dress code is much more predominant.
Discouragement of the headscarf was extremely prominent in Tunisia in the 1980's calling for the implementation of its ban. The headscarf was banned from public places such as schools and government buildings until 2006 when the ban was lifted. Thus, the wearing or removal of the head scarf is not necessarily an obligation by the state anymore, rather is up to the choice of the woman.
Despite the difference in the use of the headscarf within the country, one thing is for certain. Many, if not all women in Tunisia, love patterns. Markets line the country with different patterned scarves, shirts, pants, and hats. The patterns that the women wear are often very vibrant in their color and are most of the time paired with even more vibrant patterns. The mixture of patterns within dress has become extremely prevalent in the streets of Tunisia, and we can't say that we don't love it.
In more populated cities, one might even see women wearing graphic t-shirts, with different sayings and images embellished upon them. Paired with a jacket, or jeans, some women in Tunisia choose to take on this form of fashion.
This article is really good! It is well written and gives a nice overview of street wear in Tunisia - a country which does not often get the spotlight in the fashion world. I like how you contrast the different styles of street wear from more traditional wear, such as the covering of legs or the wearing of a head-covering, to more western styles such as graphic tees. I also like how you intertwine a bit of politics and its relationship with clothing and women by mentioning the various ways in which covering has been perceived by Tunisian society and government.
ReplyDelete