Nigerian Fashion: 5 Top Creative Urhobo Fashion tips and attire

URHOBO FASHION TRADITIONAL ATTIRE:

The Urhobo, (Yeah I know, it’s kind of a mouthful right?) consists of up 15% of the Nigerian population and their fashion sense is one of the simplest and most straightforward kinda styles. These people, however, adapt to the 21st-century mode of fashion and only leave the traditional attires to big functions like weddings, Festivities, and maybe, political rallies. This is why I’m having so much fun typing this because their style of fashion is very easy to explain.

THE URHOBO WOMEN TRADITIONAL ATTIRE:

Wrapper style

The Urhobo women are simply beautiful women, and let me tell you, their traditional attire, does them no justice. Their attire consists of a full-length wrapper and beaded headpiece, or a blouse and one or two wrapper pieces and a beaded headpiece, or a beautifully designed no-sleeve gown and a beaded headpiece. Now, these styles are very simple but hold a lot of traditional meaning and semblance, which is why it is mostly worn for big events, so as to preserve culture and tradition.

Full-Length Wrapper Fashion Style:

URHOBO FASHION Wrapper style — one-shoulder wrapper

This fashion, traditional style consists of a simple one-piece or even two-piece wrapper of any material, like lace, Aso oke, silk, or even thick materials that can be firmly tied around the chest and sometimes waist area. Some women, like in the first picture, can style their one wrapper in different ways, like a half-shoulder sleeve, or a no-sleeve. However, the one thing that must stand out is their beads. They usually use beaded headpieces for their head and also use beads as jewelry for their wrists, neck, and legs. It is highly fashionable for these women to dress up this way and most times, it is only worn as wedding attire.

The Bloused Wrapper Fashion Style:

I call this the Bloused Wrapper style because it’s cool, (don’t judge me, lol). It simply consists of a blouse of any material (Lace, Ankara, Silk e.t.c) and a two-piece wrapper of the same material, or sometimes different. These women, were style their outfits any way they see fit, and honestly, it’s simply beautiful. The blouse, which can be of any style, be it, off-shoulder, one-shoulder, long-sleeved, short-sleeved, or even no sleeve, is worn or tucked into a two-piece wrapper, in which; one wrapper, is tied while the legs are spread apart to ascertain free movement and then, the second is tied firmly around the waist with a signature drop by the side or at the back. They also use either the head tie of the same material for their headpiece or a beaded headpiece, flowery hand fans as an adornment, and beads as their jewelry for their neck, and wrists. This style can also be said to be a part of their wedding attire. Pretty cool, huh?

Gown Fashion Style:

One thing that never gets old, is these women’s ability to make their beads a natural necessity even in their gowns. If it isn’t already embroidered into the gown, then it definitely will be adorned on the dress. Their gown styles are much like any others however, their unique sense of style is glaring as they put more work into off-shoulders, or no-sleeves so as to let the beads accentuate the style. It is not rocket science to know that gowns are so common but another thing to note about this unique tribe is that their gowns, always have a pleated flow at the end. So, their gown styles almost look like the bloused, two piece-wrapper styles, and the wrapper styles are fully incorporated into it. Chic, right?

THE URHOBO MEN TRADITIONAL ATTIRE:

Well, enough about the women… The men, however of this simply beautiful tribe have it a lot easier and simpler but what to note, is they spare no expense on the quality of fabric to be used. The traditional fashion attire of the men of this tribe simply consists of a long or short-sleeved, knee-length shirt, and trousers to which a wrapper is tied on top. They never do without their cowboy hat, or bowler hat as it’s called, beads and walking sticks, which is why it has been incorporated into their fashion as traditional attire. Personally, I think that the hat and walking stick just makes their outfit feel more modernized and thereby, more fashionable.

Lace on George Fabric Styles:

The Urhobo men surely kicked it up a notch with a long, see-through lacey fabric shirt worn over a white singlet and its matching George (fabric) wrapper. Like always, their attire is accentuated with their signature bowler hat (I prefer to call it to cowboy, but who’s asking, right? lol), walking stick, and beaded jewelry for their neck and wrists. This style is mostly used as their wedding attire.

Plain or Ankara and George Styles:

Honestly, these men’s styles are just so simple and straight to the point. So, the point is you can use whatever material or fabric, you see fit, to make the shirt and even use the George fabric for the wrapper. And not to forget their beads and cowboy hats.

Well, I guess, there isn’t really much else to say except, that I hope, this has been enlightening for you as it was for me and I hope, you enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it.

Oluwatoyosi Oludare

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