On Matters Cultural: Kilté-la Kwéyòl Zantiyé-Améwitjén - The French Créole culture of the Caribbean and the Americas pt.2

Wòb-la Kwéyòl Twadisyonel
(Traditional Créole Dress)

One of the most visual and vibrant aspects of the Créole culture is our national costume, which demonstrates our colonial heritage as much as anything else. In the French-West Indies, the national costume developed towards the turn of the 18th - 19th Century. Historians have suggested that the ladies' costume design originates from the styles worn in Southern France.

Typically worn only on special occasions, what has become known as the 'Wob Dwiyét', consists of a long petticoat called the "jip" (from French 'jupe' meaning skirt), a foulard, a white 'borderie l'anglaise' blouse and a madras headress. The Wob Dwiyét is accompanied by the wearing of various items of jewellery, such as long necklaces and large golden earrings).

As can be seen in the pictures above and below, a short full madras skirt is worn over a long petticoat, and is raised to show the beauty of the petticoat.

 

There are a number of special occasions when the jip is worn, including:

• Carrying the bride's bouquet at a wedding
• Carrying a child to baptised
• High Mass, Pontifical Masses and enrollment into particular church groups
• Carnival
• Weddings 

The headdress, called "Tête en l'air" whilst not only being a decorative feature, has a story to tell in itself. Traditionally the number of peaks/points demonstrated the wearer's civil status: 

• 1 peak/point - the woman is single
• 2 peaks/points - the woman is engaged, but you can still try your luck
• 3 peaks/points - the woman is married
• 4 peaks/points - the woman is open. but discriminative/selective of her suitors