The Maasai Traditional Dress

The Maasai tribes in Kenya and East Africa have been wearing their traditional attire for years. Most of them have now changed to wear modern clothes and only don their traditional dress during occasions.

The Maasai traditional attire was for a long time associated with Kenya, some Kenyan beauties participating in World beauty pageants wear the attire. Many people also use it during occasions like graduation, weddings etc.

People came to realize that this was not a Kenyan national dress when a campaign was launched in search of a National dress.

Ugandan Dress

This lady looks beautiful in traditional Ugandan dress.

Kenyan national dress

This is another picture of the Kenyan national dress.

Men dressed in Kenyan national dress

This is a picture of the first ever Kenyan national dress when Kenya's Vice President Moody Awori together with other ministers, took the catwalk to promote Kenya's new image at the Kenya National Theater in 2004.

In 2004

The search for a national dress began early this year, a few months after three Kenyan MPs were barred from entering parliament for wearing brightly-coloured Nigerian robes called Agbadas.

Rules dating back to the colonial era stated that male MPs must wear suits and ties in the chamber.

"This argument that the only dress that can be decent is European dress is to me awfully colonial. And I am not sure that even Europeans would today dare advance such an argument," MP Koigi wa Wamwere said at the time.

Following this dispute, the government joined with the consumer goods company, Unilever Kenya, to set up a "National Dress Design Team".

The team then launched a competition among Kenyan designers to come up with a design for a national dress and asked the public to choose their favourite.

The winning designs were displayed on Kenyan TV. Read more

African fashion

For a long time Kenyan’s did not have a national dress (except the Maasai people who wore their red shuka’s and blankets for a long time), a competition was held and fashion designers came up with different designs.

Judges finally agreed on Kenyan’s national dress after many years of wearing different types of fashion from countries in the world.

The National dress is still to be adopted by many because very few wear the dress. Those who do only wear during occasions.

African fashion is unique, they come in all forms of material. Some are plain, flowered and bright.

The one I like most is the Kitenge (flowered cotton). They come in different designs and colors. There are also plain ones light or bright in colour.

My best choice is Nigerian fashion the colors and designs are beautiful. I admire the way Nigerians have worn their national dress for years and improved on the designs.

Other African countries like Uganda have also preserved their national attire for years.

I hope Kenyans will one day adopt their recently acquired national dress.

Above is a picture of Nigerian men Agbada and ladies Wrapset by Nigerian fashion and fabrics online fashion See more