Traditional Clothing

Databases:

CountryReports
Countries around the world and USA and individual state. Available in French and Spanish.
Access from home - Username: norwood Password: mustangs

Websites:

Francophile Countries

French is the official language of France and its overseas territories* as well as 14 other countries:
Bénin
Burkina Faso
Central African Republic
Congo (Democratic Republic of)
Congo (Republic of)
Côte d'Ivoire
Gabon
Guinea
Luxembourg
Mali
Monaco
Niger
Sénégal
Togo

Fashions & Costumes
Costumes Around the World—Traditional & Ethnic Dress

World Book - Clothing
Excellent background information about the why and where of dress.
In another search key in clothing around the world and select images

The Many Faces of Marie Antoinette

Visit the web site of the Newberry Library in Chicago to view selections from a special exhibit on Marie Antoinette. You will learn more than just facts and dates about the famous queen of France. You will also learn about her influence on fashion, music, and dance. Each piece from the exhibit is accompanied by printed information about its importance to Marie Antoinette. You will see examples of the extravagant hairstyles of the time and learn of Marie's inspiration for musical compositions and dances. You will follow the queen as she is taken prisoner during the Revolution.
Topic: Marie Antoinette, Queen, consort of Louis XVI, King of France, 1755-1793, French Revolution, 1789-1799 Language: English Lexile: 1550 Biography http://publications.newberry.org

Coco Chanel Biography

The name Coco Chanel is synonymous with elegance, class, and sophistication. People might be surprised to find that the woman behind the name grew up in an environment that was astonishingly opposite. This site contains a biography of Coco Chanel which discusses contrasting accounts of her childhood, details of her early work in fashion, and her later rise to the top of the industry, pushing the boundaries and giving women a sense
of confidence and style.
Topic: Chanel, Coco,--1883-1971 Language: English Lexile: 1230 http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk

Nineteenth-Century French Realism

Aiming for truthful objectivity, French realism focused on contemporary life in the aftermath of the revolution. Gone were the idealized, historical, and unusual images of classicism and romanticism. Realism depicted the gritty details of the everyday lives of the working class in a time when the people were fighting for democratic reform. Some saw these images as anti-authoritarian or politically subversive. The monumental scale used for images of humble people had previously only been used for historical paintings. Breaking those conventions challenged class distinctions.
Topic: Realism Language: English Lexile: 1590 Image collection http://www.metmuseum.org

Joan of Arc

The historic role of Joan of Arc, a fifteenth century visionary and military leader in the hundred years of conflict between France and England, is discussed in this biographical essay from the “Collective Biographies of Women” Events in the life of the young woman, who was born on a farm in northern France in 1412 and would die a national heroine, include strategic victories over the English armies that Joan claimed were the result of divine guidance. A bibliography and black and white drawings of Joan of Arc are also featured.
Topic: Mysticism--History, Joan of Arc, Saint,--1412-1431, France--History, Religion and politics, Hundred Years' War, 1339-1453 Language: English Lexile: 1350 Image collection http://womensbios.lib.virginia.edu

African Studies Center - Congo Page

The Congo Page is a collection of resources that is being shared with you by The African Studies Center from the University of Pennsylvania. The resources are web sites that contain information about the Congo. There are links to maps, travel information, articles, African indexes, governmental issues, energy information, descriptions of languages, national parks, news, and official sites as well. This is a great place to search for reliable information on Congo from a credible source.
Topic: Congo (Brazzaville) Language: English Lexile: BR http://www.sas.upenn.edu

African Studies Center - Senegal

From the African Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania, this page provides many links to Senegal related topics. Upon arriving at this page, the viewer is met with a small illustration of the Senegal flag, links to a country and capital map, travel advisories, the Sengal Embassy in the U.S., and the World Factbook site on Sengal. Many links to other on-line resources pertaining to Senegal follow. One may explore the languages of Sengal, the governments, the businesses, the cultures and much more, including the birds of the country.
Topic: Africa--Description and travel, Senegal Language: English http://www.sas.upenn.edu

Senegal: People & Culture

Learn about the people and the culture of Senegal by visiting the Africa Guide web site. You will find out about the major ethnic groups of this western African country. There is a section on languages in which you can learn some common phrases in French, the official language, as well as in Wolof, one of the native dialects. This site includes authentic Senegalese recipes, information on the music of Senegal and its musical instruments, and links to tourist information.
Topic: Senegal, French-speaking West Africa Language: English Lexile: 1270 http://www.africaguide.com

African Studies Center - Niger

From the African Studies Department at the University of Pennsylvania, this page provides many links to Niger related topics. Upon arriving at this page, the viewer is met with a small illustration of the Niger flag, links to a country map, travel advisories, the Niger Embassy in the U.S., the World Factbook site on Niger, and officialdocuments on Niger. Many links to other on-line resources pertaining to Niger follow. One may explore the languages of Niger, the current news, World Bank projects, biological diversity and more, including bird stamps.
Topic: Africa--Description and travel, Niger Language: English http://www.sas.upenn.edu

African Studies Center - Gabon Page

The Gabon Page is filled with helpful resources that offer a wide variety of information on the country of Gabon. This is a convenient way to research since all of the links to sites are located on one page. The types of sites you will encounter offer information on Gabon's geography, government, current events, energy sources, languages, and its law. There are also sites that provide multiple categories of facts and information related to Gabon.
Topic: Gabon Language: English Lexile: BR http://www.sas.upenn.edu

Gabon

Gabon map with capital Libreville

This Africa Guide site will give you a lot of basic information about traveling to Gabon. You can see a map and an illustration of the country's flag. The temperature stays at about 80 degrees all year round, and the country gets between 100 and 150 inches of rain every year. If you plan a trip to Gabon, you should look at the Latest Travel Advice and Visas and Immigration sections. There are several public and religious holidays listed plus a link to the current exchange rate.
Topic: Gabon Language: English Lexile: 1360 http://www.africaguide.com