These traditional clothes include the flamenco dresses of Spain and South America, the Indian sari, the Japanese kimono, the Philippine mestiza dress with the high shoulders, and the kaftan with its origins in the ancient Middle East.

Men also have traditional clothes including the Scottish kilt, the Mexican sombrero hat, the Indian kurta shirt which falls below the knee,s and in Kenya the stunning Maasai styles, with stunning intricate beadwork and ochre-dyed hair. Originally, Japanese kimonos were worn by both men and women.

My Australian friends tell me that when going to the city and church in the 1950s, it was traditional for women to wear their best dress with hat or scarves, and gloves, while men would never be seen in town without their hats and coats.

Traditional clothing often has significant cultural and religious meaning. Saffron Buddhist robes, liturgical vestments, Indian Sikh turbans, Jewish kippah caps and the hijab headscarf worn by some Muslim women all have significant historical, cultural and religious meaning. 

In Java, Indonesia where I was born, the kebaya is women’s national costume, usually worn with a sarong or batik kain panjang. I love wearing my Indonesian clothes and feel very happy and proud when people say they like my clothes. It makes me feel very accepted. 

I think it is very important not to judge someone by their clothes. I see myself as a modern woman who chooses to wear traditional clothes when I want to.