The Distinctive Style Of The Guayabera Shirt
Its official. July 1st. has been named “El Dia de la Guayabera” or “Guayabera Day,” at least in Miami, that is. The City of Miami and Cubavera, the designers of this popular dress shirt, have gotten together to officially give this shirt its own special day. The Guayabera shirt has been in fashion since its inception in the 1700’s. Once worn mostly by businessmen, today Guayaberas are worn by men and women of all ages.
The shirt’s distinctive character of an embroidered front panel with four pockets was first made for a land owner near the Yayabero River in the Las Villas Province. This area of Cuba is known for its cultivation of Guava, a very popular tropical fruit. The local area farmers copied and adopted the shirt for carrying the fruit during harvest. They called the shirt the Guayabera.
The shirt’s popularity spread throughout Latin America, where the humid climate of the tropics made the shirt comfortable wear, especially for businessmen. As time went by the origin of the Guayabera became somewhat clouded. Many countries claimed the shirt as their own. In Mexico, where the shirt was copied from visiting tourists from Cuba, the shirt became known as the Mexican Wedding Shirt. Later on as Cubans made a mass exodus from the communist tyranny on their island, they brought the Guayabera with them.
Guayaberas were originally long sleeved shirts with pleated fronts. They had 2 upper breast pockets as well as 2 waist pockets. They were usually starched and were always worn out over the pants. The businessmen who wore the shirt were given a sense of power and distinction. The Guayaberas of today come in many different colors and fabrics. They come in long sleeves as well as short sleeves. There are even Guayabera dresses for women.
The comfort, freshness and simplicity of style have made this shirt resist the impact of time. From its humble beginnings as a simple garment to the modern colorful styles of today, The Guayabera Shirt is a testament to Latin culture.
Tags: Fashion