Exotic Fashions of a Sri Lanka Tour

The Sinhalese, Sri Lanka’s largest ethnic grouping, are traditionally dived into the ‘up-country’ and the ‘low-country’. The ‘up-country’ people, who consider themselves a cut above, come from around the hills and the Kandy area, were not colonised until after 1815 when the British arrived and they are therefore considered to be the carries of the more traditional Sinhalese flame.

This is represented in their fashions, where the traditional ‘Kandyan’ method of wearing a sari still predominates. This consists of a full blouse completely covering the wearers midriff and tucked in partly at the front. In the low country, the Sinhalese woman tend to wear the Sari with the midriff partly exposed in the ‘Indian style’ – partly a result of the Indian influence and in particular that of Bollywood and Indian popular culture.

In the cities, Sri Lankan woman now wear western clothes on a day to day basis.

Jeans and blouses are a popular combination for working woman – fashion is still, even in the cities, much more conservative than in Europe and elsewhere.

Nonetheless, evening wear can be heavily influenced by European trends among the urban elite, though at significant events such as weddings, you are still more likely to see traditional dress warn.

Remember that Colombo is a great place to buy Sri Lankan fashions and European fashions as well. It has become an essential stop in any cricket tour of Sri Lanka.

Many of the big brands make their clothes in Sri Lanka and often have permission form the brand to sell them off at a discount in Sri Lanka. The choice is wide and of excellent quality.

The seamstresses and factories are known for their high quality output.

Men’s fashions are traditionally dominated by the sarong the dress like garment that men wear. The traditional formal wear consists of a white sarong and shirt which is always immaculately pressed and ironed. Men often wear sarongs in the evening to relax in also in the field. Men wear shirts and trousers to work in the office and even jackets – though it is a little hot. At less formal settings, jeans are popular and also contemporaries Indian fashions which work well the climate. On the coasts, surfing fashions are popular, with long hair worn with surfing t-shirts and shorts.

A fantastic treat on a Sri Lanka Cricket Tour 2012 is to get a custom suit made by one of the many tailors who will knock up a suit from a Moss Bros catalogue in a few hours. The standard is great, the styles all “inspired” by catalogues which tourists have taken to Sri Lanka.