Baro't saya is the unofficial national dress of the Philippines and is worn by women. The name is a contraction of the Tagalog words baro at saya, meaning "dress (blouse) and skirt".
Pre-Hispanic clothing of Tagalog nobility in the 16th century Boxer Codex, featuring a woman dressed in a prototype to the Baro't saya.
This indigenous mode of dressing of the natives of the Philippines was influenced during the Spanish Colonization of the archipelago. The half-naked style consisting of only the saya (long wrap-around) or tapis (knee-length wrap-around) covering the lower half of the body with bare upper torso, was gradually covered with a short-sleeved, collarless blouse called "baro", the Philippine cognate of the Malay "baju". Early Pre-colonial clothing of groups such as the Tagalog included both baro and saya in matching colors, which was exclusively worn by the women of upper-caste families.[1]Under the Spanish colonization, the basic outfit had evolved into a many-layered ensemble of the: kimona or inner shirt; the baro outershirt with its usually gauzy materials, fine embroidery and wide sleeves; the
pañuelo or piano shawl, starched to achieve a raised look; the naguas or petticoat (in the song "Paruparong Bukid," for example, naguas de ojetes refers to petticoats decorated with eyelet patterns which are visible underneath the saya); the saya proper, laid over the starched petticoat and bunched at the back to mirror the polonaise which was in fashion during that period, sometimes fashionably as de cola or with a finely embroidered train; and the tapis, a wrap covering the upper half of the saya.
Variations
Some variations of the baro't saya are the Maria Clara, the ensemble having the addition of the alampay or pañuelo, a large kerchief or shawl wrapped around the shoulders, and the more daring ternó (which sometimes disposed of the pañuelo altogether), having the butterfly sleeves and streamlined look which mirrored the then current tastes and influences of the American colonists. This design was especially popularized by the former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
Some variations of the baro't saya are the Maria Clara, the ensemble having the addition of the alampay or pañuelo, a large kerchief or shawl wrapped around the shoulders, and the more daring ternó (which sometimes disposed of the pañuelo altogether), having the butterfly sleeves and streamlined look which mirrored the then current tastes and influences of the American colonists. This design was especially popularized by the former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
The barong Tagalog (or simply barong, from the word baro) is an embroidered formal garment of the Philippines. It is very lightweight and worn untucked (similar to a coat/dress shirt), over an undershirt. It is a common wedding and formal attire for Filipino men as well as women.
The term "barong Tagalog" literally means "a dress that is Tagalog", or "a Tagalog dress" (i.e., "baro na Tagalog", with "barong" being a contraction of "baro na") in the Filipino language.
The barong was popularised as formal wear by Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay, who wore it to most official and personal affairs, including his inauguration as president.
A long time before the Spanish arrived in the Philippines, the Tagalog people on Luzon island already wore a dress that can be seen as the origin of the Barong Tagalog. The dress reached slightly below the waist, was colourless and had an opening in the front.[1]
Origin
A legend persists that the Spaniards made Filipinos wear their barongs untucked to distinguish them from the ruling class; its translucent fabric allegedly helped the Spaniards to see that the wearer was not bearing any weapon under the garment.[2] During the Spanish era, rulers required that the baro of the indio be made of flimsy material so that he could not conceal weapons on his person. Supposedly, the indio was also prohibited from tucking in his shirt, to designate his low rank and to tell him apart from the mestizaje and insulares.
Sociologists have argued against this theory, however, pointing out that untucked wear was very common in pre-colonial south-east- and south-Asian countries, and that the use of thin, translucent fabric developed naturally given the heat and humidity of the Philippines. Historians, likewise, have noted the absence of a citation to the specific law where the Spaniards supposedly prohibited the natives from tucking in their shirts. They also note that natives during the Spanish era wore their shirts tucked at times. A common example cited in support of this argument is José Rizal and his contemporaries, who were photographed in western clothing with their shirts tucked—although the era of the barong predated Rizal's time.
Another disputed theory is whether the barong was a local adaptation or a precursor to the guayabera, a shirt popular in the Latin-American communities. [3] According to those who claim that the barong is the precursor of the guayabera (pronounced "gwa-ya-ber-ra" with an almost silent "G"), the guayabera shirt was originally called "Filipina" during the era of Manila galleon trade-ships when it was brought to Mexico from the Philippines. [4]
Type of cloth used
Filipinos don their finest formal barongs in a variety of fabrics.
Piña fabric - is hand-loomed from pineapple leaf fibers. And because Piña weavers in the Philippines are dwindling, its scarcity makes the delicate Piña cloth expensive and is thus used for very formal events.
Jusi fabric - is mechanically woven and was once made from abacca or banana silk.
Banana fabric - is another sheer fabric used in formal occasions. Made and hand woven from banana fiber, it usually comes with geometric design details. This fabric hails from the Visayas island of Negros.
]Variations
The term "Barong Tagalog" is used almost exclusively to refer to the formal version of the barong; however, less formal variations of this national costume also exist.
- Polo barong refers to a short-sleeved version of the barong, often made with linen, ramie or cotton. This is the least formal version of thebarong, often used as office wear (akin to the suit and tie).
- "Gusot-Mayaman" ("gusot" means "wrinkled" and "mayaman" means "wealthy") and Linen barongs are barongs that are not constructed with pina, jusi, or similarly delicate fabrics are generally considered less formal than the barong Tagalog. Both "gusot-mayaman" and linenbarongs are used for everyday office wear.
- Shirt-jack barong are cut in shirt-jack style usually in poly-cotton, linen-cotton and gusot-mayaman fabrics. Popularized by politicians and government officials and worn during campaigns or out-in-the-field assignments. This barong style gives the wearer a more casual look yet lends a more dressed-up appearance from the usual street worn casual wear.
Barong decorative details
- Hand embroidery
- Machine embroidery
- Computerized embroidery
- Hand painting
- Pintucks (alforza)
- Lace-inserts/appliqués
- Calado
Controversy
At the 2007 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Sydney, Australia, a press release from the organizing committee described the barong Tagalog, the Filipino's national costume for men, as a "peasant shirt". [5] The Philippine Government called for clarifications regarding the description.
