At a Ghanaian traditional wedding, the room is full of colour. The bride glows in a kente kaba, her mother wears a matching fabric with an elaborate sleeve, and guests show off prints chosen specially for the day. The outfit that ties it all together is the kaba and slit, a fitted top and long skirt that has been part of Ghanaian women’s fashion for generations. It is worn to church, to funerals, to work on Fridays and, most proudly, to weddings.
What kaba and slit is
The kaba is a fitted blouse, and the slit is a long, fitted skirt, often with a slit at the back or side. Many outfits include a third piece of cloth worn as a wrapper or shawl. The style developed during the colonial period, as Ghanaian women adapted European blouse styles with African fabrics and tailoring.
Kaba and slit can be made from wax print, kente, lace, silk or other fabrics. For weddings, kente and lace are popular choices for the bride and close family.
Brides, mothers and guests
Brides often wear kente kaba with elaborate designs, beads and headpieces. Some change outfits during the ceremony, moving from one colour or fabric to another. Mothers of the couple often wear dignified styles in the families’ chosen fabrics, with headwraps and jewellery. Guests may wear outfits in a family’s chosen fabric, similar to aso-ebi in Nigeria, or their own favourite prints.
Ghana’s dressmakers are skilled at creating fitted kaba styles. Book early before peak wedding seasons such as December. Styles range from simple to dramatic, with puffed sleeves, peplums, off-shoulder necklines and embroidered details.
Comfort, accessories and care
Tight fits look elegant but can be uncomfortable during long ceremonies. Ask your dressmaker to allow room to sit and dance. Beads, headwraps, sandals and clutch bags complete the look. Men often wear matching fabric as a cloth wrapped over the shoulder or as shirts and trousers. Ghanaian women abroad often bring kaba and slit outfits from home or order them online.
Kente and lace need careful washing and storage to keep their colour. Ghanaian wedding fashion keeps changing, with new sleeves and new fabrics every season. Underneath the trends, the kaba and slit has stayed the outfit Ghanaian women return to when the occasion matters most.
