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The dashiki (, ) is a colorful garment that covers the top half of the body, worn mostly in West Africa. It has Formal wear 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. It is frequently worn with a brimless kufi cap (which is worn in Islam communities in Africa and the African diaspora) and pants. It has been popularized and claimed by communities in the African Diaspora, especially African Americans.
The now trademark dashiki design was born from a wax print pattern by Dutch designer Toon van de Mannaker for Netherlands-based Vlisco. Van de Mannaker's print pattern was inspired by the Habesha kemis worn by Christian Ethiopian noblewomen in the 19th century. The pattern became known as the Angelina pattern in the West African market after the release of Ghanaian highlife hit song "Angelina" by The Sweet Talks. In Congo it is known as Miriam Makeba or Ya Mado: Miriam Makeba was South African musician who often wore wax prints; "ya mado!" is a memorable lyric from Fabregas's song "Mascara", which features dancers wearing dashikis in its music video.
The word "dashiki" comes from dàńṣíkí, a Yoruba language loanword from the Hausa language dan ciki, literally meaning or (as compared to the outer garment, babariga).
There are several different styles of dashiki suits available from clothing stores. The type of shirt included in the set determines the name. The traditional dashiki suit includes a thigh-length shirt. The short sleeve, traditional style is preferred by purists. A long dashiki suit includes a shirt that is knee-length or longer. However, if the shirt reaches the ankles, it is a Senegalese kaftan. Finally, the lace dashiki suit includes a shirt made of lace. A hybrid of the dashiki and kaftan worn by females is a traditional male dashiki with a western skirt.
The dashiki was featured in the movies Uptight (1968), Putney Swope (1969), and the weekly television series Soul Train (1971). The Sanford and Son episode "Lamont Goes African" features Sanford's son Lamont wearing a dashiki as part of his attempt to return to his African roots. 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. Hippies also adopted dashikis into their wardrobe as a means to express counterculture values. 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.
Fred Hampton of the Black Panther Party made note of black business owners wearing dashikis in his 1969 speech "Power Anywhere Where There's People": "Anybody who comes into the community to make profit off the people by exploiting them can be defined as a capitalist. And we don't care how many programs they have, how long a dashiki they have. Because political power does not flow from the sleeve of a dashiki; political power flows from the barrel of a gun."
In February 2023, freshman lawmaker Justin J. Pearson was inaugurated to the Tennessee House of Representatives while wearing a dashiki, prompting an immediate backlash from conservative lawmakers. The Tennessee House GOP tweeted that Pearson "should explore a different career opportunity" and referenced undefined attire rules for the house.
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