Ponchos are vestments that are made for keeping the body warm. Some of them are made from impermeable material. This is for keeping dry if it rains. Ponchos are made from large sheets of material with an aperture for the head. Some of them also have apertures for the arms and some of them have hoods.
There are ponchos that are designed to look fashionable. They are made from materials that are different from the ones made for keeping the body warm. These garments mentioned above are ether crocheted or knitted and most of them are made out of wool or yarn. Yarn is a material that is used in the production of crocheting, textiles, sewing, etc. Some people may want to wear ponchos at some special events. For them designers have given festive colors or festive designs to this kind of vestments that makes them worth wearing at any pleasant special event that occurs in one's life.
Ponchos are associated with South America. They are given different other names in different countries or because of different traditions. For example, they are given the name "poncho" in most of Latin America and Spain; "chamanto" - a traditional decorative vestment made in Central Chile; "jorongo" or "sarape" in Mexico (sarape was a colorful vestment that the people of Mexico, Central America and South America used to wear); "kotze" in Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria; "paenula" in Ancient Rome - this was originally worn by soldiers and slaves; "kasel" - this is a roman-catholic church clothing; "pelerine" - a weather jacket without arms; "redingote" - this kind of vestment has had different forms over time and its name derives from the English "riding coat"; "poncho chilote" - a heavy poncho that is made out of wool; "gurgel" - in the Middle Ages (this was a short garment and sometimes it had a hood attached); "ruana" - in Columbia.
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