The influence of the French to the north (Saint Martin) and Dutch in the south (Sint Maarten) gives this island a more European feel. As in other Carribean islands, the traditional dress of women in Saint Martin is Madras, which takes its name from the Madras cloth, a lightweight cotton fabric with typically patterned texture and plaid design.
In nowadays, women wear Madras only during cultural dances etc (especially in the French side), because they have shifted to wearing modern dresses. However, Madras cloth remained fairly commonly, as also the head scarf, which can be tied in a ceremonial fashion or can be worn to show the availability of the woman in courtship. Increasingly more is preferred the wide brimmed hat, because it shades also the face.
About the stamps
The first stamp belongs to the series Birds, about which I wrote here. The second, depicting a women in traditional costume, was issued in 2014.
Sender 2119-2120: Denise
Sent from Philipsburg (Sint Maarten / Netherlands), on 25.08.2015
The bras look hand-drawn!
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