Adela Lopez, a long time friend of MOLA TOUR and the daughter of cacique Carlos Lopez, told me once that she knew a Kuna woman who had a wardrobe of over 250 mola blouses, each with an accompanying saburette (skirt) and muswe (headscarf).  I don't aspire to that enormous of a wardrobe, but I have noticed that in the past few years I've been selecting molas with an eye toward wearing them as blouses.  Here are some of my "wearable molas."

Marachas, Ailigandi, 2000.  I was attracted to this blouse because of the traditional Kuna colors in the mola panels and the forest green mursan (yoke and sleeves), and just bought the blouse on a whim.  When I looked it over later, I realized that it would probably fit me, and when I tried it on I learned that mola blouses can actually be fun to wear!  This is a "new style" blouse with an open neckline and rick rack trim instead of thin mola strips at the top of the mola panel and sleeve gatherings.






Vines, Tupile, 2002.  The mauve roses on the black mursan fabric match the unique burgandy and fushia on black color scheme of the two mola panels, with the strong yellow lines of the vines highlighting the wearer's curves very flatteringly.  This blouse was made by a woman named Mary Fernandez, who was one of the shortest Kunas I have ever met.  She really got a kick out of seeing me -- a stalky mergi -- wearing her clothes!  The neckline on this blouse is more elaborate that the preceeding blouse, and the simple rick rack trim at the top of the mola has been replaced by a two inch strip of commercial trim tape.  The incongruous yellow fabric along the bottom edge is not seen when the blouse is worn: it serves merely to hold the blouse in place under the skirt. 

Burba Carburba, Mamitupu, 2009.  This mola blouse was made by Jeira Mendez for her daughter's inna.  It is an extemely old pattern (the only mola I've ever seen like it is one collected in 1907) representing the "spirit of the skeleton."  I wore this blouse to the Kuna Independence Celebration on the island of Carti, and women kept wanting to copy it or even buy it (there's a switch: a Kuna buying a mola from a tourist!).  Old patterns like this one are highly valued among the Kunas, although the design is probably not to most American's taste!

Four Fish, Panama City (maker originally from Mamitupu), 2011.  This is the blouse that I wear when I really want someone to know that I know my molas!  The overall design is graceful and balanced, the colors are appealing, and the execution is superb!  Notice the straightness and fineness of the appliqued lines in the fishes' fins and tails, and the tininess of the triangle filler material.  The companion mola panel, which is a totally different design featuring a single sea turtle, is also spectacular.  This blouse consistently provoked the comment of "Yer dailege!" (it's beautiful) from women who saw it. 

Mexican Musicians, Achutupu, 2011.  This is a totally unique design for a mola blouse, with one full panel extending all the way to the shoulders in the front, and a single piece of darted and fitted fabric in the back.  It was designed and created by a 12 year old girl who wanted to wear molas but didn't want to look like her mother!  I haven't worn this blouse with the traditional wrap skirt, but it looks great with blue jeans!  The cropped length, open neckline and sleeves, and "edgy" color scheme of yellow and black extend the definition of mola blouse, while the workmanship on the mola panel itself is quite fine.  What the next generation will be wearing!