In the United States, it is commonplace to condense Mexico’s multifaceted culture into one generalized idea, but each region holds unique traditions and customs — especially when it comes to clothing.
Made up of 31 states and its capital, Mexico City, the country of Mexico’s colorful mosaic of festivals and traditions is depicted in diverse clothing styles. Traditional clothing and costumes from Mexico today reflect the art and culture of ancient civilizations, including the Olmecs, Aztecs and Mayans.
In Omaha, Mexican culture runs deep. About 13% of Douglas County’s population, or 70,367 residents, identify as Latino, the majority of which are of Mexican descent. Mexicans are also the largest group of immigrants born in Latin America now living in Omaha.
The Latino community in South Omaha has publicly honored their Mexican heritage for more than a century, hosting Mexican festivals that date back to 1920. The annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, which fills South 24th Street with a parade and weekend-long festival, is the most recognizable.
The clothing traditions of several Mexican regions can be found in Omaha, and what you’ll find at this weekend’s Cinco de Mayo celebrations along the historic 24th Street will reflect some of the typical costumes recognized worldwide for their beauty.
Here are two styles — charro and Tehuana — to look out for this year.
Charro Style
This year, weekend-long celebration begins Friday, May 12 and runs until Sunday, May 14. Visit www.cdmomaha.com for a schedule of events.
A charro outfit (traje de charro) is recognizable worldwide as a typical reflection of Mexican culture, often associated with mariachi performers.
This traditional clothing style has strong ties to the Mexican state of Jalisco. The Jarabe Tapatío dance style, the national dance of Mexico, originated in the 19th century in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and popularized the clothing style in performance contexts. Charro outfits can be worn by anyone and carry various levels of formality.
The traditional feminine charra outfit consists of a long, embroidered skirt, a dress shirt, and high-heeled leather boots. The typical short, embroidered coat known as a bolero jacket is worn by both men and women. Another style of charra clothing often worn on stage is a long, colorful dress with many frills and ribbons. Large earrings and bright eye makeup accompany the look.
The typical masculine charro outfit consists of tight pants with embroidered designs or buttons on the pant legs, a matching bolero jacket, a dress shirt, boots, and a wide-brimmed sombrero.
The origins of the charro clothing style has great historical significance, tracing back to the popularity of horse riding — specifically the traditional practice of livestock herding and equestrian traditions called charrería — with the arrival of the Spanish in what is now modern-day Mexico. By the end of the Mexican Revolution, the charro was an integral part of Mexican culture.
Former Mexican president Porfirio Díaz influenced mariachi performers to adopt charro costumes in the early 1900s — a tradition that remains today. Contemporary mariachi wear widely-recognized charro outfits and sombreros.
Since 1934, the Día Nacional del Charro — National Charro Day — has been celebrated in Mexico on Sept. 14 to honor the contributions of horsemen and women to Mexican culture.
Tehuana Style
The key garments of Tehuana style include: the huipil, a handmade blouse, a flowing skirt, and the sarape.
The Tehuana style has its roots in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, especially in the town of Tehuantepec — part of the Isthmus de Tehuantepec region that stretches across Oaxaca, Veracruz, Chiapas, and Tabasco. Famously, Tehuantepec is a matriarchal society, as women typically earn more than their husbands and the sale of their handcrafted pieces is central to the economic life of the region.
The huipil is a style of sleeveless tunic worn by women. This traditional garment has been traced back to over 2000 years ago and is still widely worn in Central America. Tehuana women also commonly wear colonial-style blouses — boxy-shaped with a square neckline. Traditional skirts of this style tend to be black velvet, silk or satin and are embroidered with colorful flowers.
The rebozo is a shawl-like garment worn by women to represent womanhood. Worn by all social classes after the Mexican Revolution, this accessory gained a stronger reputation as a symbol of unity and national pride. The rebozo is often used to carry children, or to offer protection from the wind and sun.
Men also wear embroidered fabrics, colorful accessories, and hand-woven details in their own garments of this region. The most notable part of men’s traditional clothing is the sarape, a blanket-like shawl similar to a poncho. The overgarment is still widely worn by men in rural areas. While the finest sarapes are known to come from Saltillo, in the northern state of Coahuila, workshops that produce sarapes also flourish in the states of Zacatecas and Querétaro.
The Tehuana style has become globally recognized and associated with artist Frida Kahlo, who often wore Tehuana clothing and even depicted herself wearing the style in self-portraits. Kahlo’s appreciation for this style is closely linked to her relation to Mexican culture and personal identity.
After the Mexican Revolution, the Tehuana style became a cultural symbol as Mexican leaders aimed to build a stronger sense of nationhood. As they were widely represented in the popular media, this style is still widely-associated with Frida Kahlo and Mexican culture.
South Omaha Celebrates Cinco de Mayo Friday, May 12 to Sunday, May 14
Mexico’s clothing traditions are a significant part of the country’s cultural identity, featuring the vibrant colors and textiles many of us are familiar with and can expect to see at this year’s celebrations. Traditional clothing and costumes carry with them the diversity and history of Mexico itself.
See the traditions for yourself this year at Cinco de Mayo, Omaha’s largest event that brings approximately 250,000 annual attendees from Nebraska and surrounding states. The weekend-long celebration begins Friday, May 12 and runs until Sunday, May 14. Visit www.cdmomaha.com for a schedule of events.
Contact the writer at natalie@el-perico.com