Traditional weddings have been an important aspect of the South African socio-cultural value system right from ancient times, and the people hold it in high esteem. They strongly believe in its role as a social factor that upholds their society. Traditional wedding, particularly among the Tswana people, has always been glamorous, colorful, and eventful with numerous Tswana traditional wedding dresses and attire to choose from for the special day. We have gathered a couple of these Attires here for you.
Tswana Traditional Attires For Wedding
There are several Tswana traditional wedding dresses and attires for couples to choose from and we have selected a few of the best attire that you can rock for any wedding ceremony.
1. Shweshwe Long Sleeve Gown With Blown-out Base
On our list of Tswana traditional wedding dresses is this Shweshwe long-sleeve gown with a blown-out base. Aptly named, this wedding dress will blow your mind with its simple and classic look, as it’s a true definition of elegance in simplicity. With a mixed color of Shweshwe and plain white fabric, that’s all it takes to get the job done and you are ready to rock the ever-awaiting day.
This simple and amazing attire is body-fitting at the upper part of the body to the waist region, it is then free and blown out from the waist down to the toe. The two arms are long sleeves and made from a plain fabric, and the upper body is made of the blue shweshwe fabric from the top to a little below the waist region, and joined to a plain white fabric, which could be a white linen fabric that runs to the toe tip, which is fully pleated, while the scarf is made from the blue shweshwe fabric.
The maid of honor’s dress is also made of plain white and a blue shweshwe fabric. The top is an off-shoulder, body-fitting plain white fabric which terminates towards the waist region over a long blue shweshwe skirt that runs to the toe. The skirt is fitted at the top to the knee and loose from the knee down to the toe, the skirt is also pleated from the knee to the toe.
The style can be rocked along with jewelry, such as earrings, neck chains or necklaces, bracelets, bangles, and more. You can also wear high heel shoes or flat sole shoes to match the attire.
2. Sleeveless Shweshwe and Linen with Huge Pleated Flaps
This style is made from the combination of three different fabrics while maintaining a classic, elegant and simple look with a touch of excellence.
The attire is sleeveless, with a v-neckline and body-fitting from the top to the waist region, and then joined to loose folded-flaps of plain deep-blue fabric which is pleated. The loose flaps are joined with pleated linen fabric at the backside, and the tip ends of the flaps are laced with multi-color blue shweshwe fabric. The gown runs to the toe, and the scarf is gorgeously made from plain light-blue fabric and shweshwe fabric, which is pleated also.
You can rock the style with earrings, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, and other accessories as you deem fit. It can go with high heels or flat shoes.
3. On and Off-Shoulder Shweshwe Attire
This attire presents you the opportunity to express your value for culture and tradition in a more unique and diverse way, and your appearance in this will send the message across to the people who have come to grace your occasion, this style remains an expression of class, elegance, and simplicity in totality.
The dress is made of multi-color shweshwe designer fabric and plain deep-blue linen fabric. The dress is body-fitted to the knee region, with one shoulder off, while the other shoulder is sleeveless, which is made of plain white fabric, and the same material is used as an attached pleated flap to one of the sides. From the knee, you have a loose and pleated linen net fabric that runs downwards to the toe.
The groom’s attire is made from the same plain white and multi-color shweshwe fabric material as that of the bride, to make an excellent blend of outfit that matches together. The attire can be rocked with complete jewelry for a perfect combination.
4. Sleeveless, Net Shoulder Shweshwe Attire
This style is a clear definition of class and beauty, a blend of western and native styles to make a remarkable fashion effect that makes a full expression of what the Tswana traditional wedding is all about. With this style, you and your spouse are sure to come out gorgeous with strong admiration from guests.
Here, the bride’s dress is made of white net and shweshwe fabric. From the top to the knee region is fitted, while the net fabric is attached from this region and runs down to the toe. The net fabric is loose and pleated, forming a kind of balloon. The gown is sleeveless, with a net covering from the shoulder to the cleavage level, and attached to the sky-blue shweshwe fabric with a plain-white waistband around the waist. The scarf is also made from white fabric.
The man’s style is a simple one, the attire is made of the same shweshwe fabric as that of the bride. The top is a corporate shirt made from the sky-blue shweshwe fabric, while the trouser is made from plain white fabric to create a perfect blend with the bride’s dress. The groom can rock this outfit with white shoes, same for the bride.
5. Off-shoulder Long Gown with Back Overflow
You are sure to turn the party on with this amazing style that blends western and native style together to give an electrifying combination. This is another Tswana traditional wedding attire to try out. Here, the bride and the groom’s dress is made from the same fabrics, a piece of designed blue-shweshwe fabric and a plain white fabric.
The bride’s dress is an off-shoulder, body-fitted long gown. The plain and shweshwe fabrics are blended in such a way that the shweshwe fabric forms an overlay design on top of the plain fabric. The gown runs from the top to the ground and overflows to the back, resembling a western wedding gown. Also, the scarf is made from the shweshwe fabric. You can rock the style with your full jewelry and a high heel or flat shoe.
The groom’s dress is a body-fitted shirt and trousers, the shirt was made with the shweshwe and plain fabric, and the trouser is made solely of the shweshwe fabric. It can be rocked with white sneakers or shoes.
6. Long Pleated Tswana Gown
You can feel the simplicity and elegance the dress portrays. The bride had her dress made from a shweshwe and white fabric, and the groom followed suit.
The bride’s dress is a fitted, off-shoulder gown that runs from the top to the toe. Around the waist region, a big flap of shweshwe fabric is made to form a waistband, and the white fabric is loose towards the knee region with pleats. This dress can go with jewelry. On the other hand, the groom’s outfit is a long-sleeve shirt and a trouser, with the shirt made of white fabric, well fitted, and a long band made from the shweshwe material. The trouser is black and fitted, it can go with any nice-looking black shoe.
7. Bride and Groom Combo
This nice combination of the bride and the groom’s outfits makes a lot of sense if you are considering a simple Tswana traditional wedding dress to choose for your wedding day. The outfits symbolize simplicity while expressing the uniqueness of the tradition and culture of the Tswana people.
The bride’s dress is a sleeveless long gown, which is tightly fitted to the body from the top to the thigh, just a little above the knee level, it then becomes loose and free from the knee level down to the toe with pleats. The style has an open chest and a band across the chest. This style can be rocked perfectly with jewelry.
The groom’s dress is made with the same material, which is a designed top with plain white and designed shweshwe fabrics, and the trouser is of plain white fabric.
8. Tswana Traditional Beaded Gown
Just as the name implies, this dress is another unique Tswana traditional wedding dress, but this time with beads. This makes this style unique and perfectly suitable for your day as a bride. Here, the couple’s outfits are made with the same material (a shweshwe fabric and plain white fabric).
The bride’s dress is a sleeveless, long gown that runs from the top all the way down to the toe with beads covering the neck and the chest region. The long gown is tightly fitted from the top down to the knee level, where it is then loose and spread out with pleats. The shweshwe fabric is blended with the white fabric at the front and the scarf is also made from the shweshwe material. This style goes well with your jewelry.
The groom’s attire is a shirt and trousers. The trouser is made from the shweshwe material and the top is a white fabric perfectly blended with the shweshwe material around the chest.
9. Off-shoulder Batman Gown
By now, it must have registered in your mind that Tswana traditional wedding dresses for ladies mostly come in the form of gowns, but you can even add a twist to it with this incredible style. A western and native style blended together to bring an electrifying effect and create a strong awareness of your appearance. This is another amazing style to try out if what you want is a long-lasting impression of your wedding day in the mind of the guests.
The bride’s gown is long, tightly fitted, and off-shoulder, it runs from the top to the toe and becomes loose and free around the thigh region close to the knee level. In this area, the gown has pleated overlapping flaps as a design at the front. There is a long shweshwe and net linen fabric overall, which is totally open in the front and covers at the back just like a batman’s overall, and the scarf is made from the shweshwe material. The style can be rocked with earrings, necklace or chain, hand chain, and other jewelry of your choice.
For the groom, the shweshwe material is made into a suit, with plain black fabric as the collar, and the well-fitted trouser is of black fabric. It goes with a nice black shoe to match.
10. Tswana All-Out Red Wedding Gown
Who wouldn’t like it bright and charming? Here, the choice of color (red) is absolutely sending out the real and actual message, which is love. The color code and the style are just too perfect for the day, and indeed, it is a celebration of love.
The groom’s suit is made of plain red fabric, with a red and white shweshwe fabric as the pocket band and the inner shirt is made of plain black fabric, which also has a touch of the shweshwe fabric, while the trouser is plain black. The bride’s dress is off-shoulder but has two bands across the shoulder on one of the sides. The gown is a long one, it runs from the top to the toe. It is also tightly fitted from the top down to the knee level, where it spreads out and becomes loose and free. It is also pleated in this area.
11. Tswana Open Chest Overflow Gown
This is another gorgeous dress to consider for your Tswana traditional wedding, as it gives a full expression of the Tswana cultural inheritance. The couple’s corporate appearance in the Tswana traditional marriage attire speaks of uniqueness.
The bride’s gown is long with an open chest, slim-fitted, and has short sleeves. The gown is of white fabric with a shweshwe blue design at the base of the gown. The gown is fitted from the top and becomes free and loose at the knee level all the way down to the toe, the shweshwe fabric is also joined to the gown at the knee level and pleated. The v-shape of the neckline is pronounced, revealing the cleavage, and the shweshwe material is used to tape the rim of the off-shoulder.
12. Butterfly Tswana Wedding Gown
Just as the name implies, the gown has wings like a butterfly. The style is absolutely amazing and unique in its own way. With the shweshwe and linen net fabric, the style is already complete, it is as simple as that.
The bride’s dress is off-shoulder, long and slim-fitted. The upper part is made from the blend of shweshwe and white fabric, while the full blue shweshwe fabric is joined to the dress from the waist downward. The gown runs from the top down to the toe and overflows at the back. The dress is fitted at the top to the knee level and then becomes loose from there downwards, it is also pleated at this level. There is a white band at the waist region, and it is at this region that the linen net flaps are joined to the sides, forming butterfly wings. The tip of the flaps is taped with a shweshwe band, and the head veil is also made with net fabric.
13. Tswana Off-shoulder Wedding Gown
This style tends towards western style but has a good taste of Tswana fashion blend. It is a regeneration of the Tswana-western fashion blend to make your day colorful and memorable. The bride’s dress is majorly made from a net linen fabric, with a little blend of perforated blue lace fabric to tape the tip of the dress around the chest region.
The gown is body fitted at the upper part of the body and becomes loose, free, and puffy at the abdominal region. In this region, the linen net fabric is also pleated round heavily to form a balloon shape. The entire gown runs from the top to the toe, and the blue lace fabric forms a band around the two hands, just above the wrist. This style can go with your jewelry.
14. Tswana Streamlined Off-shoulder Gown
Just like other Tswana traditional wedding dresses, this style has its own place in the true expression of what Tswana traditional wedding really stands for, and the richness of the culture. Here, the bride’s gown, which is off-shoulder, is tightly fitted from the top to the knee level, from there, it becomes free and loose – down to the toe. At the knee level, the shweshwe dress is attached to a plain white, well-pleated net fabric. This attire is not complete without the short scepter which is to be held by the bride.
The groom’s top is made of plain material, with a band that runs from the shoulder down through the length of the top, and the band is made from the shweshwe fabric. The trouser is mainly of the shweshwe fabric.
15. V-neck Sleeveless Wedding Gown
Another fabulous dress to try is the V-neck sleeveless wedding gown, it is another excellent and unique way to rock your beautiful day and have a long-lasting unforgettable experience. The long, tightly-fitted, and sleeveless gown is designed in a way that the tip of the shoulders are attached with tiny strips of fabric and has an open chest with a V-neckline.
The design is a combination of milk and chocolate color, where the upper part of the body from the shoulder to a little below the bosom is made of chocolate and milk-colored fabric, the next layer is made of plain milk color silk fabric, which runs from below the bosom to the middle of the thigh and the joining with the plain milk net fabric, which runs down to the ground. The net fabric is loose, free, and puffy with heavy pleats. The style can be rocked with full jewelry to make a perfect dress.
16. V-Sleek Tswana Wedding Gown With Net Veil
This dress is semi-western in nature and it has virtually all the features of a western wedding gown, but to a large extent, there is a touch of Tswana fashion that is blended in with the locally available materials. The gown is long, running from up to the ground with overflow at the back, it is also an off-shoulder gown that is tightly fitted to the body, it becomes loose and free at the knee level with the net fabric, which is heavily pleated.
The veil is the same net material used for the base of the gown, and it covers the head down to the abdominal level, with tiny beads around the tip end of the veil. This gown goes down well with nice jewelry and a good pair of shoes.
Tswana Traditional Dresses For Lobola
Lobola is an integral part of the Tswana traditional wedding, it is a ceremony that brings the two families together in familiarity and also gives the groom’s family an avenue to appreciate the bride’s family with gifts. However, this ceremony requires the couple, particularly the wife, to showcase the Tswana’s rich cultural heritage through the dress code. The following are some Tswana traditional dresses for Lobola.
17. Tswana Pleated Gown With White Wrapper
This is a simply styled gown for your Lobola event. The simplicity can be felt from afar, coupled with the expression of the cultural endowment of the Tswana people. With this style, you can showcase your love for tradition. The key point here is “keep it simple”, which this style has thoroughly expressed.
The bride’s gown is made from shweshwe material, the long gown that runs from the shoulder towards the ankle. The gown is a bit fitted, from the top down to a little below the hip level, and then becomes free and loose from there downwards with pleats. The headscarf is made from the shweshwe fabric, while the big blanket that wraps around her from the shoulder is of plain white wool fabric.
18. Tswana Lobola Shweshwe Gown
This is another Lobola dress highly used by Tswana people. This dress is another way of telling the world about the richness in the culture and tradition of the Tswana people.
The gown of the bride runs from the top to a little below the knee level. It is a free dress, which becomes freer as it runs down, meaning that the gown becomes looser towards the knee level and has pleats all around. The shoulder down to the abdominal region is then wrapped with a piece of plain white wool fabric. The groom too has his outfit made with both shweshwe and plain white fabric. The top makes for a combination of the two with good design while the trouser is mainly made from the shweshwe fabric.
19. Tswana Lobola Shweshwe Skirt and Blouse
You can rock this simple and classy dress for your Lobola ceremony. The style is just another simple way to convey the message that you’re indeed a product of the tribe and practically part of the tradition and culture. The skirt is free and not body fitted, and the shweshwe fabric used for the skirt is also used for the headscarf, while the blouse has a big collar made from a plain black fabric. The upper body is covered with a blanket, from the shoulder to the waist level. This simple dress can be rocked with your earrings and other light makeup, also the style is best on a white canvas.
20. Tswana Lobola Skirt And Blouse With Pleats
This skirt and blouse is another beautiful, creative and exciting attire that can be tried out for your Lobola. The style is simple, classy, and elegant in its own unique way, with an imprint of the Tswana culture and tradition awareness. With this gorgeous dress, you are sure to absolutely create that awareness of the bride that you are.
The bride’s top is made with shweshwe and net fabric and the skirt is made with white silk and net fabric. The blouse is moderately fit from the shoulder to the abdominal level and free to a little below the pelvic level. This is formed into a layer of flaps, which are pleated. One of the short-sleeved hands is of shweshwe fabric that tightly fits the hand, while the other hand is of net and shweshwe blend which is loose and pleated. The upper part of the skirt is made of silk material, which is tightly fitted to the body and is attached to the net fabric at the mid-thigh with heavy pleats, at this point, the net becomes loose and free. The skirt is long and runs from the waist down to the toe. The shoulder is also covered with white wool fabric.
21. Black And White Yarn-Knitted Gown
Tswana traditional wedding outfits for men are usually simple but here some extra work was done with just two colors.
The entire attire is based on two primary colors, which are black and white. The bride’s dress is a long fitted gown that is designed and knitted together in layers. The first layer starts from the upper part of the body, which is from the shoulder down to the bosom level, and it is made of black fabric. This layer is covered with another layer of black and white knitted yarn to make a nice design.
The next layer is of plain white silk that runs down towards the knee level, and it is tightly fitted to the body. Another layer of white silk is attached which is loose and free with pleats and a black flower design band, this layer terminates in the middle between the knee and the ankle. Underneath the white silk fabric emerges the last layer, which is a black net fabric that is loose and free, with heavy pleats, this layer runs to the ground. The headscarf is made of black and white fabric with designed beads.
22. Tswana Lobola Short Gown
This is another exciting way to keep it simple during your Lobola. This dress expresses your beauty and cultural value in a natural way and explains every bit of it all. The gown is short, with short sleeves and tightly fitted from the top to the waist region, firmly held to the body with a large waistband. The gown thereafter becomes loose and free with pleats, and it terminates at the knee level. The short gown is made of blue shweshwe fabric with white patches. Around the neck region, tiny strands of white bands run in parallel, forming a nice design for the eyes to behold, also, the white bands run at the gown’s tip where it terminates. The headscarf is also made from this shweshwe material.
23. Tswana Shweshgwe and Net Short Gown
Another of our unique Tswana traditional wedding dresses is this descriptively named Tswana shweshwe and net short gown, and it is yet another amazing short gown perfectly suitable for your Lobola. It is also simple and classy, with a good expression of what it is meant to do. You are good to go with this dress for your Lobola, and the exquisite appearance of it on that day will clearly establish the purpose of gathering in the mind of the attendees.
The dress is designed with blue shweshwe with white dots and black net fabric. The dress is tightly fitted to the body, while the net is joined to the shweshwe material at a level above the knee, and it is free, loose, and pleated. The net fabric is arranged in about two to three layers with a shweshwe band at the tip of each layer. The upper part of the body is made of black net fabric and the headscarf is made of shweshwe material. The entire upper part of the body is then covered with white wool blanket.
24. Off-shoulder Tripple-Coloured long Gown
This style is just so unique and charming in its own way that you can’t help but gaze at it many times. The gown is made up of selected multiple colors of yellow, pink, and blue silk fabrics. The upper layer is made of yellow fabric with stones attached, the next layer is a tiny waistband of blue fabric which is also laced with stones, followed by two overlapping flaps of pink and yellow fabrics, which are well-pleated. Underneath the overlapping flaps emerges a tightly fitted yellow silk which runs down to the knee level, where lapping flaps of pink, blue and yellow materials are joined concomitantly all the way to the ground. These lapping flaps are heavily pleated round the gown, with yellow tape on the tip of each flap. The hat is also made from the color combination.
Tswana Makoti Attire
In the Tswana tribe, married women are easily spotted or identified in social gatherings or during social events by their dress code. Therefore there are dresses designated for them. Below are some of the Tswana makoti outfits.
25. Flappy Sleeves Makoti Short Gown
This is a simple but stylish attire that is good for a makoti to rock at a social event. The style is simple with an open chest and body fitted to the waist level, it thereafter becomes free and loose with pleats. Also, the short-sleeves have pleated puffs which form a cone. The gown also has a waistband and there is a tiny band of shweshwe material used to tape the edge of the gown round, the shweshwe material is also used for the waistband and the pleated cones. The gown is a short one, running from the top to the knee level.
26. Tightly Fitted Makoti Short Gown
This is another short gown you can rock to a social event as a makoti who values the Tswana cultural heritage and beauty. The style is a shape revealer as it showcases your real shape and curves.
The dress is tightly fitted to the body from the top down to the knee, where it terminates, but it properly covers the whole body. The gown is made with blue shweshwe with white patches and a plain blue-black fabric. The short-sleeved gown has its shoulders and arms made with the plain blue-black fabric, while the remaining part is made of the blue shweshwe with white patches.
27. V-neck Makoti Short Gown With Waist Band
This style is another way to rock your day for an important social event as a makoti. It is a style that defines who you really are in a self-expressive way through your fashion taste. You are sure to take the lead with this amazing attire, as it gets you to the notable class of the highly respected makotis.
The gown is a short one that runs from the top to the knee level and has a V-shaped neck, which opens to the cleavage a little. It has short sleeves and a fitted body to the abdominal level with a waistband. The gown becomes loose and free from the waist to the knee, and it is well pleated. You can rock this stunning gown with earrings, necklace, bangles, and others. Your choice of shoe must match the gown for an overall charming look.
28. Short Makoti Gown With Lapping Flap Sleeves
Here is another short gown for every makoti to try out for their social outings. You will never get it wrong with this stylish design that makes a statement of perfection and good taste. You can be assured of making an excellent choice in this attire, as it is going to give you that feeling of self-confidence as a makoti.
The gown is made from a single material and is body fitted from the top to the abdominal level, and becomes loose from there downward with pleats. The sleeves are short and made with big, loose, and pleated flaps that overlap.
29. Makoti Skirt And Blouse
Are you wondering how this is going to look on you? This is an excellent choice for any makoti when it comes to social events and outings and you can be sure to have your personality adequately represented. The top is a long sleeve shirt of plain white fabric that is well fitted, while the skirt is short, and terminates at a point below the knee level with pleats. This style is rocked with a nice shoe to match the dress and jewelry.
30. Makoti Skirt And Blouse With Wide Waistband
Last on our list of Tswana traditional wedding dresses is this Makoti skirt and blouse with a wide waistband. It is a dress suitable for a makoti’s special outings and social events. The top is a plain white short sleeve fitted shirt, while the skirt is a shweshwe material with a wide waistband joined to a well-pleated and loose end. The entire skirt runs from the waist to the knee level, with side pockets.
From this list of the most beautiful Tswana traditional wedding dresses and attire, you will definitely have more than enough to choose from, for your Tswana traditional wedding, Lobola, and Makoti attire.
Summary of the Best Tswana Traditional Wedding Dresses and Attires
Tswana Traditional Attires for Wedding
1) Shweshwe Long Sleeve Gown With Blown-out Base
2) Sleeveless Shweshwe and linen with huge pleated flaps
3) On and Off-Shoulder Shweshwe Attire
4) Sleeveless, Net Shoulder Shweshwe Attire
5) Off-shoulder Long Gown with Back Overflow
6) Long Pleated Gown
7) Bride and Groom Combo
8) Tswana Traditional Beaded Gown
9) Off-shoulder Batman Gown
10) Tswana All-Out Red Wedding Gown
11) Tswana Open Chest Overflow Gown
12) Butterfly Tswana Wedding Gown
13) Tswana Off-shoulder Wedding Gown
14) Tswana Streamlined Off-shoulder Gown
15) V-neck Sleeveless Wedding Gown
16) V-Sleek Tswana Wedding Gown With Net Veil
Tswana Traditional Wedding Dresses For Lobola
17) Tswana Pleated Gown With White Wrapper
18) Tswana Lobola Shweshwe Gown
19) Tswana Lobola Shweshwe Skirt and Blouse
20) Tswana Lobola Skirt And Blouse With Pleats
21) Black And White Yarn-Knitted Gown
22) Tswana Lobola Short Gown
23) Tswana Shweshgwe and Net Short Gown
24) Off-shoulder Tripple-Coloured long Gown
Tswana Makoti Attire
25) Open Chest Makoti Short Gown
26) Tightly Fitted Makoti Short Gown
27) V-neck Makoti Short Gown With Waist Band
28) Short Makoti Gown With Lapping flap Sleeves
29) Makoti Skirt And Blouse
30) Makoti Skirt And Blouse With Wide Waist Band
