Fabulous fashions of West Africa
Earlier today I saw an amazing video clip of a fashion show in Africa (link at the bottom of the post). Maybe it was filmed somewhere outside Africa, but the dance, beat, clothing, enthusiasm and energy are all African.
A while back someone asked me about the fashions I saw in Africa, so I thought it was about time to share some pics. All these photos were snapped in West Africa in the first quarter of this year. The pics were taken from Ghana to Senegal. I have heaps more pics of fashion, but I hope these will suffice for now.
The fashions cover both women’s and men’s clothing (only one of those). I was rarely able to ask people to pose for a pic so these were usually taken ‘on the fly’.
I so wish I could pull off one of these outfits. Do you have a favourite style or colour?
Where to next? 
When I lived in South-East London, there was a very large African community there.
All your outfits could just as easily have been photographed on Peckham High Street, Peggy. 🙂
I was always fascinated by the elaborately folded headdresses worn by the ladies, and wondered how they stayed on.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Australia is receiving more and more African migrants and we are beginning to see some similar outfits. I love them so much and I wish someone would teach me how to assemble one of the headdresses.
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I think that skill must be handed-down, Peggy. 🙂
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Love the dancing in the fashion show, but as to a favourite, well that’d be hard as I am the lady who always wears black, black & more black (& white).
The first outfit seems to be the most elegant to me, but I do love the older man with the gold checked ‘cape’. I also like the lady with the yellow and brown outfit (with the yellow throw over her shoulder).
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I love all of them, but I think the red and turquoise one (on the left in the second pic) is my absolute favourite. Confession: I mostly wear camping clothes—khaki shorts and black merino tops.
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Color my world. 🌎
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Africa really does know how to do colour.
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Possibly the best fashion show ever!
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I agree. I especially love the fact they are barefoot.
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Colourfest! Love it.
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Me too.
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I wasn’t able to access the video but yes, these outfits are quite something. I would never be able to carry off something like that. 🙂
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I couldn’t bring it off either. The video is lots of fun. Try a search on Youtube. Search for African fashion show and ‘World of Africa’. Hope that helps.
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Thanks. 🙂
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LOved the photos and fashion. It’s interesting that my first reaction, too, was “couldn’t bring it off”, Started thinking about it and wondering if it’s because I don’t want to bring attention to myself since all around me are women wearing jeans, plain t-shirts and running shoes (mostly). I am beginning to think that here in Southern California we are all looking like the cars on the road – black/white/grey and can’t tell one model from another unless you see the logo on the trunk . . . maybe I should start wearing a logo on my “trunk” . .. .?
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I confess that I just bought two colourful bathing suits, so I’ll see if I can bring it off! But I’ll skip a logo.
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Beautiful! My favorites are the first one and the man’s shawl.
🦃Happy Thanksgiving!🍁
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Happy Thanksgiving to you too. That shawl is amazing.
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I enjoy the colours and dancing in the video. Really did, btw my favourite colour is orange. I like it! I think it is a reaction to the years wearing dark colours at work, I started to rebel 🙂
I also think it is a cheerful colour and I wanted to feel cheerful despite the health issues I had to deal with. Nuf said about that.
thanks for the post!
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I like orange too. There was a time that I wore enough orange to be nicknamed Pumpkin Peg.
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Love them. It’s a pity they are so drab. 🙂
After a dreary U.S. winter, I always loved to see women wearing bright dresses in the spring.
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Drab—hahahaha! Yes, spring brings out the colour in the landscape and fashion.
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The colours are so vibrant. I particularly loved the way the bright pink outfit emphasised the ladies ‘bootie’. If they say, “does my bum look big in this”, I get the feeling that it would be said with real hope that their ‘bum does indeed look big”. We could learn a thing or two from them I’m sure.
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A big bum is a thing of beauty in Africa. Yes, we could learn a lot.
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The photos, full of colorful, show a fresh and very casual fashion. As the shots are well achieved, you can enjoy a style very different from what one is accustomed to seeing. You can now offer your photos to the fashion house because they are fantastic. Regards.
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Thanks so much. I love the fabrics and colours of Africa. It’s almost impossible to take a bad photo.
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We loved our time in Ghana – so beautiful, so colourful!
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Ghana is great and has so much diversity.
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Peggy, you have captured some fabulous fashion here. I love how colorful and fun they are, combined with the head styles these are gorgeous. The textiles look very light? I would love to travel in Africa one day.
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Hope you get there one day. Africa is definitely a sensory overload.
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Many traditional patterns in fabric!
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Yes, but sadly too many of the fabrics are being copied in China, so the African industry is missing out.
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Yeah…cheaper puts local industry deeper in the hole! 😦
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
FIGURES–THE WOMEN DRESS UP—-MORE OFTEN THAN MOST OF THE MEN! 😀
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Thanks so much for the reblog. Always appreciated.
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You are, too!
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No fave. They are all spectacular. Do people not like posing for photos there, or did you just not have a chance to ask?
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I took most of these pics from the truck, so no chance to meet face-to-face. When I can ask, I always do.
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Wonderful! There’s nothing better than bright colours in the sunshine!
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Rather like the bright colours of your wonderful paintings.
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Absolutely – that’s why I like them!
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I thought as much.
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Wax pattern is really beautiful. I bought yesterday and i immediatly hypnotized by it.
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The wax patterns give such a beautiful result. I’m glad you like them.
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I think I like the first outfit the best but they are all cool! Love watching the African passengers disembark with their amazing clothes. Makes us all look a bit sloppy. 😁
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They certainly made me (in my camping clothes) look sloppy! 🙂
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You could never look sloppy, Peggy – what about your gorgeous legs??
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Trust me, I look like a slob way too often, but I’m comfortable and a dab hand at putting up a tent.
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The colours.! Dramatic Great photography as always.!
R
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Thanks so much.
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Splendid display and photographs. I can never pick a favourite
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I don’t blame you. They’re all stunning.
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Aren’t they just beautiful. Those tight fitting ones are really flattering to the figure. Gorgeous 🙂
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Great point and they seem to flatter every shape.
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True 👍🏼😊
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Fabulous post!
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Thanks so much.
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The colors always take my breath away! They remind me of stained glass windows. 🙂
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Stained glass windows—brilliant comparison!
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We agree, the fashion of Africa is great, we did see this in Tanzania and Zanzibar.
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Oh yes, wonderful fashion appears all over Africa.
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Beautiful photos! Happy to have come across your blog today!
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Thank you and thank you for finding my blog.
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Very interesting fashion post. Colorful and beautiful. Thank you.
Have a good day!
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I love the colourful fashions throughout Africa.
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Beautiful, beautiful outfits especially the maroon and gold in the last photo. The only clothes I wear in summer are African attires except if I am going hiking. I have all sorts of colors and designs.
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You should do a post on your fashions. Pretty please.
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I am the shyest person around, and doubt that I can post a photo if I would be recognized by the outfit. 🙂
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I understand. But I still like the idea.
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Colors always get my attention, beautiful outfits the woman are wearing… and my guess not terribly expensive. It beats any torn blue jeans (but did see on one of your blogs men wearing them) some people wear. The Fashion Video is a delight to watch, different fashion styles, music and the DANCING!
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I reckon it’s the best fashion video I’ve ever seen. Such energy, such joy, such talent, such everything. I can watch it again and again.
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Beautiful! I love colorful clothes!
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Me too!
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i’m waiting for some fashionista to start knocking these off. they are so vibrant. we see many women wearing these lappas and pagnes here in NYC. continue…
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Here in NYC you can see many African people wearing similar clothing styles (seen in this blog) and for everyday chores (like shopping, appointments, visiting, walking and pushing baby strollers). And during Ramadan when gathering to pray and “breaking fast” (outdoors in parks), the woman also wear their best outfits (special occasions) including expensive bracelets, necklaces, earrings, etc. Especially in the borrow of The Bronx, which has a sizable Ghanaian (Ghana) population. However, along with their beautiful outfits they do not go barefoot but wear shoes… and no wonderfully staged fashion shows or dancing as seen on the video.
Aside- Like LeggyPeggy I have watched the video several times already and enjoy it all!
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I can watch that video again and again and again. So full of life and beat. Glad you get to see these fashions fairly regularly.
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Oh gosh, I hope the fashions get knocked off. A true compliment to the style.
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😍😍
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So glad you liked the post.
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Welcome
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OHMI and what a glamorous spread, colour rich and culture, I’m going to remember this post! Hey thanks for a gorgeous post. The world is more lovely than we even know.
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Thanks so much for your wonderful comment. You’re right, the world is more lovely than we realise.
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Beautiful and exuberant, expressive of culture, respectful of women. I love the runway models, dancing down the aisle, alive and vigorous. I can’t wait to see these fashions, these women, on American streets.
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Luckily we see some of these fashions in Australia, but I love experiencing the sensory overload in Africa.
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Beautiful!! I love how confidently these women and the lone gentleman carry themselves.
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What a great observation. I’ll do another fashion post sometime in the new year.
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Yes, please do.
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I love these colors and styles!
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So do I.
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Soooo glad that you are writing stuff like this! Its amazing and true! I also talk about Fashion within Africa and designers! Feel free to stop over on my page!
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African fashion is amazing. I’d love to visit your page. I’m travelling right now, but will check it out when I’m home.
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Thank you! Have safe travels!
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Ah so beautiful! I cannot wait to visit to get my hands on clothing so genuine to the eye! Nice blog post!
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So glad you liked the post. African clothing is amazing, but try to be sure that whatever you buy is not some Chinese fake.
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Exactly! The clothes must be genuine. Like you had to touch Africa to even pull real clothing as such. Lol look at me and I all myself a fashion guru lol, what a strong word and a great swings of humor.
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They rock the colors 🙂
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They sure do!
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Africa is truely a fun and adventurous place!
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It sure is. We’ve had wonderful adventures and experiences in many places in Africa.
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All your displayed pics really portray African models. Nice😃😃
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Many thanks. Everyone there looks so gorgeous in their outfits.
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Your post is amazing😍👌please go and check mine❤️❤️❤️❤️
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So glad you liked the post. I’ll visit yours when I’m not travelling.
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African fashion is very colorful.
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It sure is. I love it.
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pretty fab!!
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They sure are.
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I absolutely love the colors and patterns! A lot of our western clothing can look so bland in contrast! Please take a look at my latest published article! I would really appreciate your valuable feedback! Thanks for your article and have a wonderful day!
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African fabric is sensational. It’s a pity that so many Western charities send old clothes to Africa, which compete with the textile industries there. I haven’t been able to find your article.
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Wow that’s a dynamic I didn’t think about (must admit)! Great point! Ok 🤔 you can find it from my main page “blog posts”! 😄
http://www.wallerswearing.wordpress.com.
I would love to get some feedback… maybe even about my writing style
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Thanks for pointing me to your blog. My stepdad, Sy, would be a keen follower. He owned a mens clothing store. But Sy is long gone. My husband, Poor John, has no fashion sense or interest. Wishing you very good luck with your blog.
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Oh leggypeggy! you are so awesome, baby! Listen I appreciate you so much for following me. this is so awesome to me. I absolutely will follow you back. I am about to post some good stuff today. As far as your husband, I actually just downloaded a lot of new products for men. Really nice, different stuff. Please, at your earliest convenience, I would love for you two to sit down together and check out my site and tell me what you think.
http://www.we-on-1s-the-jazzi-spot.com
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A lot of those clothes end up up land fields purely because the western styles cannot compete on the same level of fashion they are used too.
check http://www.sosomeshop.com out for stunning styles
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awesome blog, fantastic realization. thank you. TO get beauty tips regularly follow this link https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Tew8Qh5_5/
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Thanks so much.
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Dramatic and exotic at the same time
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Thanks, I agree. Maybe I should post another collection.
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as a nigerian myself, ankara will always be one of my favourite prints when it comes to fashion – it’s honestly amazing❤️
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Ankara prints are fabulous—such wonderful colours and designs.
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African print fashion is amazing. check out http://www.sosomeshop.com
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Great that the prints are more widely available.
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The fabric is fabulous. So vibrant. Did you buy some?
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I bought too much. I’ve even used some of the fabric to make masks.
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Candid Catwalks – Love it 🙂 Come to Pakistan – You’d love to do portraits, mountains, nature 🙂
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I’d love to come to Pakistan. Maybe someday.
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Hi there,
Great share, African wears are very colorfull
Thank you for sharing this post with Amazing shots
Kisses
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I love African fashion. I wish I could do some of these designs justice.
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