Boudoir – The Traditional Dress of Morocco, the takchita

Welcome to Boudoir! This is the fifth issue – yesterday I sat down with Cecile and had a discussion about the blog, and I was quite surprised when I noticed that we are doing it for almost a month. So I decided that it is time to move forward from the court dresses to another topic. I do plan to write again about court gowns, but a little later – now it is time for Morocco and the takchita.

Takchita is the traditional Berber Moroccan garment for women. It has a long history – according to some sources, it dates back to the Maridin-dynasty, which ruled a sultanate established in 1215. The dress itself consits of two parts: the caftan is a one-piece dress, and if it is worn with an upper layer and a belt, then it is called takchita. The caftan is for minor celebrations, while takchita is the gown of really important occasions, such as weddings. It should be mentioned that neither caftan, nor takchita is a usual dress – the cloth for everdays is djellaba.

The takchita is made from various fabrics, for example brocade, velvet, kashmir and wool. The most popular one is probably silk. Sfeefa is embroidered stitches and ornaments; I think these ones give the essence of a Moroccan dress. It can be made of either silver or gold threads, and because it should be handmade and unique, this part of the dress is really expensive. The belts of the takchita traditionally are also made of gold and silver, with rich ornaments. The upper layer is also with needlework, and often decorated with beading or sequins. The embroidery is different from regions to regions; while the colours of the fabrics are mostly vivid, but, of course, it depends on what kind of occasion the dress is worn.

The takchita is still popular not only in Morocco, but in Europe and in the Arab world. It is worn by actresses, singers, celebrities to promote the culture and traditions of Morocco. Designers dream and create modern style takchitas, and every year fashion shows are held where the Moroccan women can follow the new trends of takchita. However, the traditional style is still popular, and in my opinion the most beautiful is the ’Malakiya’ or ’Makhzaniya’ style, the classic dresses worn by the members of the royal family and court ladies, even nowadays. The Princess Consort of Morocco, Lalla Salma usually wears takchita for her public appearances, and she simply outshines the other ladies dressed in Western style gowns.

by Alla
  

Sources and links: Moroccan Dress: Jellaba, Caftan or Takchita?, Morocco's takchita blends tradition and modernity