 In contrast to other parts of the continent south of the Sahara Desert, the concepts of hemming and embroidering clothing have been traditionally common to West Africa for centuries, demonstrated by the production of various breeches, shirts, tunics and jackets.As a result, the peoples of the region's diverse nations wear a wide variety of clothing with underlying similarities.Typical pieces of west African formal attire include the knee-to-ankle-length, flowing Boubou robe, Dashiki, and Senegalese Kaftan (also known as "Agbada" and "Babariga"), which has its origins in the clothing of nobility of various West African empires in the 12th century.