Guatemalans are quite western in their dress, especially in Guatemala City. But whenever we are near the market areas, in or out of the city, and in certain pockets of the country where they hold onto their Mayan culture, we enjoy seeing the traditional dress of the area. In some areas many of the women will wear identical clothing that is specific to that town, not just the same style, but the exact same fabric! Typical clothing for women usually includes a decorative blouse, called a
guipil, that is often heavily embroidered. Their skirt is a 7-8 yard cut of fabric, usually plaid or stripe, that is called a
corte. Depending on the area they come from, the
corte is either wrapped tightly around the waist and tied with a woven sash or strung on a drawstring to make a gathered skirt. Can you imagine 7 yards of fabric gathered around your waist? The
cortes are usually mid-calf to ankle length, though we sometimes see younger women wear them closer to knee-length. One of our missionary neighbors, Barbara Jensen (shown here) who loves the colorful fabrics, loved the
corte that a vendor wore so much that she bought it right off her! The sweet girl, not wanting to lose a sale, quickly wrapped herself in another and sold the one she was wearing!
Other traditional attire for the girls and women includes fancy headdresses and aprons, in varying styles from one area to another. We love the beautiful colors and the pride they have in their culture!
Guatemalans are quite western in their dress, especially in Guatemala City. But whenever we are near the market areas, in or out of the city, and in certain pockets of the country where they hold onto their Mayan culture, we enjoy seeing the traditional dress of the area. In some areas many of the women will wear identical clothing that is specific to that town, not just the same style, but the exact same fabric! Typical clothing for women usually includes a decorative blouse, called a guipil, that is often heavily embroidered. Their skirt is a 7-8 yard cut of fabric, usually plaid or stripe, that is called a corte. Depending on the area they come from, the corte is either wrapped tightly around the waist and tied with a woven sash or strung on a drawstring to make a gathered skirt. Can you imagine 7 yards of fabric gathered around your waist? The cortes are usually mid-calf to ankle length, though we sometimes see younger women wear them closer to knee-length. One of our missionary neighbors, Barbara Jensen (shown here) who loves the colorful fabrics, loved the corte that a vendor wore so much that she bought it right off her! The sweet girl, not wanting to lose a sale, quickly wrapped herself in another and sold the one she was wearing!
