Antigua and Barbuda Clothing

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Worn by market vendors and cake makers in Antigua and Barbuda, circa 1834. (This version designed by native Antiguan Heather Doram.) "National Day" is when many Antiguans proudly wear their national clothing, serve or eat local food and drinks, and attend national prayer services.

Antiguan Culture On Display In Dance Performances
Independence activities are being held under the theme “Antigua and Barbuda One Family: Celebrating With Pride, Vision and Integrity.”

Held at the Multipurpose Cultural and Exhibition Center several dance groups entertained the audience moving to the rhythm of drums in madras themed costumes or traditional clothing depicting the Antiguan flag.
Antiguan Culture On Display In Dance Performances 

Antigua and Barbuda—close to the midpoint of the island chain known as the Lesser Antilles—is located at the outer curve of the Leeward Islands, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Antigua is 404 miles (650 kilometers) southeast of Cuba. With an area of 108 square miles (281 square kilometers), it is the second-largest of the Leeward Islands and about two-thirds the size of New York City. Barbuda lies about 31 miles (50 kilometers) northeast of Antigua and is about half its size.

Barbuda has sandy beaches and a large lagoon and mangrove swamp on its western side. The island was leased to a single British family for nearly 200 years and has only one village, Codrington.

Traditional dress of Antigua and Barbuda is a part of the numerous cultural festivals and carnival celebrations held in the country.

Albanian Traditional clothing

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Traditional Albanian clothing (Albanian: veshjet tradicionale shqiptare, veshjet kombëtare, veshjet popullore or kostumet kombëtare) includes more than 200 different kind of clothings in all Albania and Albanian inhabited lands. This is due to the division the Albanian principalities in the Middle Ages. Almost every region in Albania has its own traditional dress with women clothing being particularly colorful and rich in detail. Fabrics are traditionally made by weaving clothes using looms. To this day, some conservative old men and women mainly from the North wear traditional clothing in their daily lives. Instead, older women from the South usually wear all-black outfits.

The fustanella, or Albanian kilt, was common dress for men until the 1400s. Common villagers and rural people wore a fustanella made from coarse linen or wool; more affluent men wore silk.
When Albania was ruled by the Ottoman Empire (1468–1912), many aspects of Turkish culture were adopted by Albanians. In rural areas, men may still wear the fez, a traditional Turkish cap, and a colorful cloth belt. Women may wear embroidered blouses in the Turkish style, with loose pants.
Traditional costume for women of southern Albania features a blouse with wide cuffs in fabric to match an embroidered vest. A pleated petticoat is worn under a full skirt, and an elaborately embroidered apron and sash complete the outfit. Gold chains cascade from the neckline, are gathered into the sash, and are tucked into a pocket at the right side of the skirt. A kerchief covers the woman's hair.
In the north, the sleeves of the blouse are wide, with lace embroidery along the edges. Embroidery on the apron is elaborate, but distinct from the style of southern Albanian women. Gold coins are worn on a headband and on several strands of necklace that adorn the bodice (upper part) of the dress.
In cities, conservative Western-style dress is more common. Albanians are modest, however. Neither men nor women wear shorts or other revealing clothing. Traditional clothing is seen mostly at theatrical or folk dance performances in cities.

Albanian Traditional Costume
 from Lundjeria (Kostum tradicional
 Shqiptar nga zona e Lunxhërisë) 

Fourth quarter 19th century, Albanian, Medium: silk,
 metal. This sleeveless coat from Shkodër  on the
 remarkable  (Scutari)  Albanian-Montenegrin border
 demonstrates a degree of craftsmanship in its lavish
 use of gold cord,  variety of curvilinear shapes,
 and use of negative space.

Metalia dancing in traditional
 Albanian Custom clothing.

Albanian Traditional Men's 
Costume, 19th century.. 

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Aruba Traditional Clothing

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Aruba, one of the many islands that make up the Caribbean, was first discovered and claimed by the Spanish in 1499. Yet evidence and records show that the Spanish were definitely not the first people on the island. Painted petrographs left behind on walls and the ceilings of caves and excavated ancient artifacts of the Arawaks have been found in Aruba, indicating that the Caiquetios, peoples of the Arawak tribe that migrated north from the Orinoco Basin in South America, were in fact the very first inhabitants of the island.

While you are, of course, welcome to pack any style of clothing you feel most comfortable wearing, many vacationers prefer to take local sensibilities and culture into account so as not to shock or offend the people who reside on the island as mentioned above.  If you're one of these people, a quick review of the tips below will help you to pack quickly and efficiently.  

 Resort Wear

Resort Wear is a term you hear consistently as you research a trip to Aruba, but what is it?  Resort wear, or resort casual, refers to polo shirts, button up tops, dresses (think sundresses), and linen or khaki bottoms, be they pants, shorts, capris, and skirts.   Imagine clothing that is not exactly fancy enough for an elegant dinner party, but slightly more elevated then jeans and a tank-top.  Everything should be clean and pressed, but comfortable and fun.  

Tips for Women

Women will be comfortable in casual cottons, linens, and lightweight synthetics. Hats for protection against the sun are also a good idea, and flat-heeled, soft shoes for comfortable walking. Shorts and slacks can be worn on the streets of Oranjestad, but beachwear is considered by some to be inappropriate in the city streets. Bikinis should preferably be reserved for beaches and swimming pools. There is no real need for elegant evening wear in Aruba unless you have specific plans for an upscale event. Casual silk or linen dresses and slacks will do. A light sweater for the cooler evenings or air conditioned restaurants might come in handy.

Tips for Men

For men, casual shirts and shorts are appropriate during the day.  If you're staying in a place where resort casual is the go-to style, then collared shirts with khakis will be the basic daily outfit, paired with loafers or comfortable walking shoes.  Avoid baggy clothing and over-sized logos or text on t-shirts.  In fact, in this type of setting, t-shirts are less than ideal.   It is no longer customary for men to wear ties at business appointments. As with women, swim wear should be reserved for the beach and swimming pools. Men's swimming trunks may not differ much from regular shorts, but be sure to have a shirt on when strolling the city streets.
Keep these tips in mind when packing clothing for your Aruba vacation and you will find your stay to be one that is comfortable and fashionable while simultaneously avoiding any uncomfortable situations.