The characteristic dress worn by many indigenous Bolivian women and which has almost become Bolivia's defining image is not really Bolivian at all. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century typical women's clothing was very simple. They dressed in a rectangular tunic that was long and hung down to their ankles which they tied at the waist with a belt which had pointed ends that hung to one side.
When the Spaniard's arrived the Catholic church insisted upon deciding what was right or wrong to wear and typical clothing was not allowed. Thus, as of the 16th Century, the indigenous population was forced to wear the typical European clothing of the era and over time it came to be thought of as the indigenous dress of Bolivia.
The typical dress varies from region to region but here in La Paz most of the women wearing traditional dress belong to the Aymara cultural group. The women's hair is normally braided into two long plaits which are joined at the bottom by a tuft of black wool known as a pocacha. Perched atop their heads is a tiny green, black or brown bowler hat which just balances there, it is not held on by hat pins. In other areas of Bolivia, for example Uyuni, the hats are flatter. The women wear a voluminous brightly coloured skirt called a pollera, a lacey blouse, a woolen chompa (sweater), a short vest like jacket, an apron, alpaca leg warmers and a shawl known as a manta. 
The pollera is worn over multiple layers of petticoats and some women look as wide as they are tall. Some women sling an rectangle of horizontally banded fabric across their backs. This is called an aguayo and is used as a carry all - everything from groceries to babies.
Unlike other countries we have visited this style of clothing is not just worn for the benefit of tourists, it is ordinary everyday wear and no one (except me and my camera) pays any attention to how they are dressed. I keep trying to get the perfect photo (and have not succeeded yet) but these will have to do.
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