| Although different regions of Afghanistan have
distinguished styles of clothing with different fabrics, colors,
embroidery, and jewelry but one special style is selected as the
National Costume. Fabrics used for women's national costume vary
from silk, satin, cotton to rayon. Men's national costume is mostly
made of cotton and rayon. For Women : the colors consist
of black, red and greed, which represent the colors of the national
flag. A long sleeved, loose black dress with embroidered bodice,
wide sleeve and skirt hems designed with borders, red baggy wrinkled
trouser with fitted cuffs and red scarf for women (married) and
green baggy wrinkled trouser with tight cuffs and green scarf for
girls (unmarried). The coin silver jewelry include beautiful choker
or gorgeous necklace, headdress piece that could be a forelock pendant
or a more elaborate band of multiple pendants with dangling coins
and chains covering the front half of the head, bulky earrings with
long dangles, large rings and wide bangle bracelets. Silver discs
designed with colorful glasses and embroidered beaded adornments
and pendants are attached to the front of the bodice, over the shoulders
and the center of the sleeve hems. The scarf would also be bordered
with gilded laces and light silver coins. These coins would be sewn
to the front of the skirt too. The jewelry, coin decorated scarf
and adorned dress create pleasant tinkling jingles with each movement. Young girls not required to wear scarves would
tie them at their waists. They also wear fewer and less elaborate
jewelry. (Note: Sometimes, red and green colors are worn
as mix and match ignoring their implications.) For Man : White outfit, red velvet
vest decorated with gilded metallic laces, off white silk turban
with gray/black/off white end borders and skillfully designed sandals.
Young boy's white outfit has an embroidered
front bodice, gathered wide knee-lenght skirt adorned with either
green or red scarf tied around their waists, velvet golden lace
decorated vest and sandals.
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