Philippine Traditional Clothing

When it comes to looking stylish, the Philippines is among the regions that are conscious of looking their best with their attire. They want to make sure that what they wear fits their body and looks appropriate for different occasions. One of the things that makes the Philippines stand out from other cultures is the fusion of foreign influences. 

Philippine traditional clothing has been influenced mainly by two colonizing territories—the Spanish and the US. Both had a great impact on Philippine clothing. Aside from the conqueror’s influence, the Philippines’ traditional clothing was also influenced by other factors, such as their cultural tradition, climatic factors, and way of life. 

Understanding the history of the Philippines will, in turn, help us understand their culture, values, and clothing. The traditional clothing of the Philippines can be discussed right from the pre-colonial period. The Philippines had their own way of dressing before they were colonized, and they have their own unique way of dressing.

Philippine Traditional Clothing from the Pre-Colonial Period

Before the Philippines were colonized, they had the way they dressed and the kind of clothes they wore. These include;

• Jewelry

The Philippines are well known for adorning their bodies with different jewelry, such as rings, earrings, arm bands, and leg bands. Before the colonial era, the earring was not only limited to the female gender; it was common practice to see both men and women wearing earrings. Their jewelry was crafted from precious stones. 

During this period, the men also pierced their penises and wore gold underneath. A practice known as ‘Palang’ was popularly practiced among the Visayas.

• Tattooing

Another widely practiced form of fashion in the Philippines is tattooing, which is a very popular practice among the Visayans. Tattoos were one of the ways the Visayan men displayed their prowess and their military strength or accomplishments. The Visayan men have their tattoos near their ankles on their legs, while the women have theirs displayed on their hands. 

• Bahag

The ‘bahag’ was one of the earliest pieces of clothing to be worn in the Philippines. A similar resemblance to what the ‘bahag’ looks like is what we now know as ‘G string.’ The men wear the bahag, which is a length of material that is roughly 4-5 meters.

• Red Potong

The red potong was popular among the Tagalogs. The red potong is like a turban, which the Tagalog men wore around their heads to display their military achievements.

• Tapis

The tapis is a Philippine traditional garment that was widely worn among women before the colonial period. It is usually made of a light, transparent fabric, which makes it easy to see through the woman’s body. It is now referred to as alampay and is still worn today. 

• Lufid

Lufid is a wrap skirt worn by women to reveal their tattoos. There are different types of lufids, the ones with two panels and the ones with three panels, which are worn on different occasions. The two panels’ lufid is worn to casual events, while the three panels’ lufid is worn to important outings.

• T’nalak

The T’nalak is another form of Philippine traditional clothing worn at special events or ceremonies and is popular in the Cotabato region of the Philippines. The cloth is usually handwoven by women who are believed to receive weave designs from their dreams.  The cloth can be used as a blanket, a skirt, or for men’s suits.  

NB: The following listed clothes were the ways the Philippines dressed in the pre-colonial era before they were colonized. Philippine traditional clothing has evolved over the years as the colonizers have had a major influence on their clothing and style. 

There is no way we will talk about the Philippines’ traditional clothing without considering the reformation that they have undergone as a result of the colonizer’s influence. This is why we will be considering the impact of the Spanish on the Philippines’ traditional clothing.

The Impact of the Spanish on Philippine Traditional Clothing

The name Philippine itself was born in the 16th century, coined from Phillip 2, the king of Spain’s name during the colonization period. The Spaniards had so much control over the Philippines, and they influenced their colonized territory with their fashion and lifestyle. The Spanish believed that most of the Philippines’ traditional clothing was too revealing and not appropriate. They felt that most of their attire was not decent enough to fit the moral standard of their beliefs as Catholics. 

Therefore, some of the Philippine traditional clothing was changed to make it more modest by adding extra features. Some of the clothes that were changed were the baru, tapis, and saya. For example, lengthy sleeves were added to the Baru, the chest area was covered by adding fichu, and the name was changed from Baru to Baro. The Saya, which was also a type of traditional women’s skirt, was placed underneath the tapis.

Philippine Traditional Clothing

Here, we’ll be discussing the 10 Philippine traditional clothing items: 

1. Barong Tagalog

This is a popular traditional attire that is worn by Philippine men. It is a long-sleeved shirt worn by Philippine men over ‘camisa de chino’—a Chinese collarless shirt. It is mostly made from different fabrics, such as banana fabric, jusi fabric, and pina fabric. Either a trouser or a wrap-around skirt can be worn by men on the barong tagalog.

2. Baro’t Saya 

This is the traditional and national attire worn by women in the Philippines. The attire infuses elements of both Spanish and Philippine traditions. It is made up of a blouse known as the ‘Baro’ and a skirt known as the ‘Saya’. The cloth consists of four parts, which are: the blouse, which usually has a butterfly sleeve; a kerchief worn over the shoulder; a long skirt; and a short cloth worn over the skirt. 

3. Malong 

Malong is a cloth that can be worn by both men and women. It can also be styled in different ways. The Philippine women sometimes wear it around their chests and draw the end on their shoulders. The cloth is mostly woven by Mindanao weavers. 

4. Camisa de Chino 

Camisa de Chino is a collarless long-sleeve shirt that has two or three opened buttons down the chest of the cloth. It is widely available and pocket-friendly. Furthermore, it is believed to be worn by lower-class people like farmers, laborers, traders, and sailors because of its cheapness. Camisas can be worn under the barong tagalog on formal occasions.

5. Salakot  

Salakot is a light Philippine hat that is made from different materials, such as bamboo, rattan, and Nito vines. It’s worn around the head for protection against the sun or rain. 

6. Maria Clara Gown

This is similar to the Baro’t Saya. The cloth consists of four different parts: the camisa, the saya, the panuelo, and the tapis. The Saya is a wider and flared version of the old version, which became popular in the Philippines. Panuelo means scarf, which is derived from Spanish tradition. The scarf was meant to cover the camisa because of its low neck. 

The camisa is an elegant female dress worn to formal events. The cloth is a representation of both Spanish and Philippine cultures. It became widely known in 1890, during the Spanish reign in the Philippines. 

7. Bakya

The bakya is a Philippine traditional footwear that is made out of wooden clogs and light wood. It was common in the Philippines in the 1990s, before rubber sandals were introduced.

8. Alampays

Alampays is a scarf, cape, or shawl that is worn by Philippine women. It is worn over the camisa.

9. Payneta 

Payneta is an old Philippine decorative comb made of wired silver dipped in gold. It is also made up of tambourine beads pinned into a bun to enhance the beauty and look of the woman. 

10. Balintawak 

The balintawak is a female native Philippine dress. It is made up of a blouse and a skirt. The blouse has puffy sleeves and butterfly wings, and the skirt has a short length.

Last Words on Philippine Traditional Clothing

In this article, I have successfully discussed Philippine traditional clothing, which tells the tale of Philippine culture and history. Philippine clothing has continued to evolve and has even become a great inspiration for the fashion industry. While some of this clothing may no longer be popular in the modern Philippines, the modern attire that is now produced gets its inspiration from this traditional clothing.