Traditional Dress

• Jamaica's tropical climate dictates clothing choices and pieces are typically made with lightweight cottons and linens and with short sleeves or no sleeves at all. The traditional dress is a fusion of cultures and nations. Women's traditional dress includes a handmade top, tiered skirt and head scarf. These are generally made of calico, which is a type of printed cotton cloth with a stripe or plaid-like pattern. Men's traditional dress is not as well defined but typically includes light-colored trousers, a cotton or linen shirt and occasionally a bandanna.
  
  

Western Influence

• Great Britain, which previously colonized Jamaica, and the United States have had an immense impact on Jamaican dress through globalization. Jamaican malls are now filled with jerseys, sweatshirts, flip-flops and baseball caps, so tourists can wear the same type of clothing they wear at home and still fit in. In fact, a trip to the beach will likely find people in swimwear, shorts and sandals in the same styles that would be worn on coastlines of the United States or Great Britain.
  
  

Rastafarianism and Reggae

• Rastafarian-inspired clothing is generally red, green and gold, which are the colors of the Ethiopian flag. It is made from natural fibers such as wool, hemp and cotton. One of the most popular items is the "tam," which is a knit hat that is worn over dreadlocks, but you can also find references to Rastafarianism in T-shirts, swimwear, vests and bags. The Rastafarian-type clothing also coincides with the reggae music culture, so the styles and colors of the clothing are popular with both singers and listeners.
  
  

Relationship to Art

• Craft works, paintings and music are mainstays of Jamaican culture and fashion deeply reflects these media. Crocheting, bead work and reprints of the nation's most famous paintings appear on clothing and accessories in vibrant colors. The most prominent examples are the prints of paintings of Bob Marley, a famous Jamaican Rastafarian and reggae singer, which are popular on T-shirts. Beading is prevalent in jewelry, while you can find examples of crocheting on everything from bags to hats.
  
  

Attitude

• Jamaica's carefree island attitude can be found in its comfortable and easy-to-wear clothing. The bold and vivid colors used in fabrics and accessories is an extension of the people's vibrant dispositions. Women's dresses are particularly bright and colorful. Beachwear is a significant part of Jamaican clothing, an extension of the fact that basking in the sun and swimming in the ocean waters are popular pastimes.