Dashiki

The dashiki (/dəˈʃiːki, dɑː-/, də-SHEE-kee, dah-)[1][2] is a colorful garment that covers the top half of the body, worn mostly in West Africa.

[3] It has formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored suits.

A common form is a loose-fitting pullover garment, with an ornate V-shaped collar, and tailored and embroidered neck and sleeve lines.

[3][4] The exact inspiration for the Angelina print pattern was traditional silk embroidered tunics worn by Ethiopian women.

Reporting on the 1967 Newark riots in the Amsterdam News on July 22, 1967, George Barner refers to a new African garment called a "danshiki".

J. Benning, M. Clarke, H. Davis and W. Smith were founders of New Breed of Harlem in Manhattan, New York City, the first manufacturer of the garment in the United States.

The dashiki was featured in the movies Uptight (1968), Putney Swope (1969), and the weekly television series Soul Train (1971).

Jim Brown, Wilt Chamberlain, Sammy Davis Jr., and Bill Russell were among the well-known African-American athletes and entertainers who wore the dashiki on talk shows.

[12] Former District of Columbia mayor and council member Marion Barry was known for wearing a dashiki leading up to elections.

Dashikis have been seen on many musicians, rappers and singers, mostly African Americans, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Wiz Khalifa, ScHoolboy Q, Q-Tip, and many others.