How one Afghan woman is embracing her traditional dress.
Afzal, who is currently getting her master’s in business communication at KU Leuven in Antwerp, became more and more interested in Afghan clothing and her family’s heritage after attending her relatives’ weddings as a child. Wedding guests traditionally perform thea celebratory dance that follows the rhythmic beats of the tabla drum and allows the traditional dress to open up as the dancer twirls. “It was fascinating to me. The clothing is very bright, vibrant, and colorful.
Afzal’s style of Afghan clothing hails from her father’s side, who is part of Afghanistan’s Pashtun people, specifically the nomadic Kuchis. Like many ethnicities of Afghanistan, Kuchi women have long worn garments made of silk and velvet, adorned with embroidery and metals, typically in the form of bells. “The women make their own dresses,” she says. “They work on it for years, and that is their wedding dress.
While Afzal is currently in Belgium, she nevertheless hopes that the posts of her in vibrant, traditional Afghan clothing will educate the world about her country’s rich history. “I am happy that we are getting the world’s attention that Afghanistan has such beautiful clothing,” she says. “This is our own culture.”The insider’s guide to what to shop and how to wear it.