The teachers also dress very nicely. It’s generally frowned upon to come to the school dressed in jeans or sneakers. When I go to school to work, I have to put on a dress or a nice pair of slacks, together with sandals or boots. People don't approve of anything more casual than that.
The traditional outfits in Panama are very cherished here, and during festivals or school events, people will often dress completely traditionally or incorporate traditional clothing pieces into their outfits. The traditional dress in Panama is called the pollera, which consists of two parts, the shirt and the pollerón (skirt). The pollera can be all white or have colors and patterns, and each province has its own style of the pollera, based on the culture of the region. When wearing a pollera, many women opt to adorn their hair with tembleques, beaded headpieces made by artisans here in Panama. The traditional Panamanian sandal is called the cutarra, amd these artisan leather sandals are very popular in the interior. Men wear cutarras for daily use, rain or shine. Although you can get them at artisanal booths, these sandals are so popular that almost every supermarket, hardware store and agricultural store has them for sale.
There have been a few times here where I've been able to dress in Panamanian traditional wear, and I've had a wonderful experience each time. Although some of the different trends and cultures around clothing can be hard to get used to, the longer I'm here, the more comfortable it becomes for me. Who knows? Maybe when I go back to the states, I'll continue dressing the Panamanian way.
