Figure 1.--Here we see a scene in an Ecuadoirian market place during 1966. Notice the hats and the gender conventions. The boy's cap is an army cap. They were photographed by one of the world's great pohographers, Alfred Eisenstaedt.

There was a wide throgh the mid-20th century a wide range of clothing in Ecuador largely determined by social class. This was the case through much of the Andes. The Amer-Indian community have destinctive clothing. This varied. There were the primitive tribes of the Oriente (Amazonian Basin) and the descendents of the civilized tribes of the Sierra. The two groups dressed very differently. There were Amer-Indian who wore traditional garments or in the Andes outfits dating from colonial time. Mestizio connunities might wear a kind of mix of colonial and modern clothing. Headwear was especilly important. Straw hats are an important industry and the source of the hats often described as Panama hats. WE SEen yhese hats connony in Ecuadie, Further vsiuthuin Peru and Bolivia, English bowler hats were very popular. One of the most destinctibe clothing item is the woven poncho--an item evolving from Amer-Inian clothing before the arrval of thhev Spanish and popular throughout the Andes. The reltively small middle class dressed in modern Amrican-European fashions. Children's clothing are largely American-European styles. Many children through the 1960s wore heavily patched clothing. Native American children may wear traditional clothing, but this was becoming less common by the end of the century. Economic conditions have improved which of course affects clothing trends. Ecuador remains, however, a poor xountry depite the discovery of oil in the Oriente.

Created: 3:09 AM 4/4/2022
Last updated: 3:09 AM 4/4/2022