Fashion in the Colonial Era

Published: July 28, 2026 · Updated: July 28, 2026

In the colonial era, under Spanish caste society, the elite wore European dress while Indigenous and mixed people wore a blend of native and Western clothing; the full skirt (pollera) of mestizo women arose in this period.

Fashion in the Colonial Era — Author: Cusco School — Marquis of Moscoso (1785) Public domain Source

Overview

In the caste (casta) society of Spanish America, dress marked race and rank in fine detail.

Key garments and style

The Spanish elite wore splendid dress following European fashion. Indigenous people kept traditional textiles, but after the Túpac Amaru revolt of 1781 Spain banned Inca-style dress. Mestizo women came to wear the layered, full skirt (pollera) with a shawl.

Transition

In the age of independence, the dress of the new republics and of the gaucho herders appeared.

History of this period

Colonial era c. 1542–1810