Dominican Fashions

While I've never quite considered myself to be an overly fashionable person, I'd like to think that my lack of major fashion sense doesn't really cause me stand out. Jeans, tshirt, occasional dress or skirt if all my jeans are dirty... whatever.

However.

In this country, my normal attire makes me stick out like a sore thumb.

It's not that no one else is wearing jeans and tshirts, it's just that the Dominicans just seem to pull it off so much better than us Americans.

Typical school dress for a teenage/20-something Dominicana

American Eagle or Aéropostale tshirt, with the brand name printed in HUGE letters across the front- I've noticed that many Dominicans love their American brands. Especially when they can wear them and show them off.

Nice jeans- Correction, tight nice jeans.

Nice sandals- No $3 Old Navy flip flops down here.

Perfectly straightened hair- As mentioned in my friend Erin's very insightful blog entry, many Dominican women are very concerned with the straightness of their hair. Having straight hair here is kind of the equivalent of being skinny in the States. The majority of people weren't born that way, and work hard to achieve it.

Polo shirts- American Eagle or Aero, por supuesto. And usually skin tight.



Typical school dress for a teenage/20-something Dominicano

Rhinestones- Tshirts with rhinestones are apparently very in for guys here.

More Aero and American Eagle- See above.

Nice jeans- Not skin tight, but definitely a lot tighter than American guys wear them. And no saggy pants either.

We were advised during orientation not to wear shorts to class. However... it's just so hot here. And most of the classes we all take are with other Americans. This doesn't go for everyone in my group, but at least I have definitely caved and have started to wear shorts to class. Not often, and not when I'm going to a class with Dominicans (which still leaves 3 classes, and swim)... but still probably about once a week.

Example: I left the house last week wearing jean American Eagle shorts, a J'♥ Québec shirt, Old Navy flipflops, an LLBean backpack, and aviator sunglasses... and even my hostmom commented that I looked especially "gringa" (white, as in not-Dominican) that day.