September 2007 Archives

A question that we have seen frequently in emails sent to us is, "How Do The People of Belize Dress?"  Belize's past as a colony of Britain, and its geographical proximity to the U.S., make for casual Western attire as a general rule.

Belize is in the tropics, thus most folks use loose fitting clothes. Blue jeans and slacks are common, as are shorts. The Mexican Guayabera is popular and this dress shirt, in the long sleeve version, is even used in place of a suit for men.

Dress for men in the office workplace, especially air conditioned buildings, consists of slacks, long sleeved shirts and a tie - no jacket. Women usually wear skirts, blouse and jacket in offices.

Some ethnic groups, for example the Maya, have their traditional dress. For women this is a long and colorful skirt. Garifuna women wear long skirts with African-themed colors and head dress, especially in formal events and during cultural activities. There are several orthodox Mennonite communities in Belize and these groups favour very conservative dress. For men this is usually blue jeans or coveralls, suspenders and a white long sleeved-shirt. Women wear ankle length dress, long sleeves and bonnets.

Out in the islands, for example Ambergris Caye, men and women tend to wear light colored shorts and T shirts. And because of the sand, many residents walk barefoot or use flip flops.