Dressing the part

José Abeto Zaide By José Abeto Zaide   When summer temperature shoots up to 30 degree Celsius, be glad you are a Pinoy. The Barong Tagalog or just the “Barong” is the Filipino male peacock’s dress . In the beginning… The shirt originated from Philippine colonial history. The natives or Indios were obliged to wear shirts without pockets (so that they could not steal). The shirt was also to be made of diaphanous material, (so that they could not conceal weapons).  The natives were also to wear their shirt-tails out (to distinguish them from their betters – “insulares” and “peninsulares” – the only ones allowed to tuck in their shirts). The dress code was clearly a position of servitude. But the Indio gave the shirt to his wife, who embellished it with fine needle work. This was the Pinoy’s way of performing a cultural jujitsu. Today, instead of being a mark of shame and servitude, the shirt is worn with national pride. When I told this anecdote to Fr. Paul, a Catholic priest from Kerala, he recalled that there is a similar fashion in Christianity. The cross was an ending for hardened criminals. But it became for Christians the sign of salvation. Material: The barong shirt material could be in any of the organic fabrics: piña (from pineapple fiber), jusi (from banana fiber), ramie (from ramie plant mixed with abaca fiber), or normal cotton. The first two fabrics are diaphanous and used for formal wear. Manner of wear: Piña and jusi are worn with a camisa tsino, an undershirt with sleeves and buttons on the front, to give flexibility whether the shirt is to be worn with open or closed collar. For formal occasions, the barong is worn with the neck collar buttoned up, French cuffs, and studs. Worn with dark trousers, (black for strictly formal). For informal occasions, the collar is left open; light-colored trousers may be worn. (A casual version is the short-sleeved polo barong). CAVEAT: Never, never wear a sando or tank shirt under your Barong Tagalog. Decorations: The Philippine honors code prescribes that a rosette, if worn, should be placed at the third buttonhole (from the neckline) of the barong. According to the authoritative GQ (Gentleman’s Quarterly) the Barong inspired the Guayabera. “The shirt originated in the Philippines, where it was called a barong tagalog and was the uniform of the natives who served the Spanish ruling class. The Spaniards required their workers to wear the shirt as a symbol of servitude. …. In the nineteenth century, the shirt traveled across the Spanish empire to Cuba, where it picked up pockets and was called a guayabera (after guayaba, the guava fruit whose tree is known for its shade-giving properties), though Cubans generally do not credit Filipinos with inventing it.” *** Credentials. In a previous incarnation, I ran a men’s shop named Spit & Polish with pretensions to bespoke tailoring. (The name derives from the fact that laway lang ang kapital.) Our fairy godmother Ginny Jacinto brought in the Saturday Group artists like H. R. Ocampo, Cesar Legaspi, José Joya, Rod Paras Perez, Ding Roces, Solomon Saprid, Lampitoc, Onib Olmedo, atb. In the early 70’s someone introduced a variation of the barong with a cutaway. Giovanni Sanna, the master designer of Pierre Cardin Manile, even tried the barong without the kamisa tsino underneath. (But that looked good only if the man had hair on his chest.) Variations. In my posting in India, I discovered the rough hewn chickan stitch. There have been variations with the batik (but that is a bit on the colorful side). What is important is that you should never wear your barong like you had slept in it. A little starch helps. Silk Cocoon is one among those who continue to hold up the tradition. Jean Gouldbourne and her sister Frances Lim introduced a Gus Albor head-turner, if you have the panache. Less colorful but nonetheless a tour de force is Manuel Baldemor Eiffel Tower and Parisian scene. Or would you believe that Jean and Frances even interpreted a Kenneth Cobonpue pattern? Clothes make the man. But Gary Lising says otherwise: “Man makes the clothes, and they call him the tailor.”   FEEDBACK: joseabetozaide@gmail.com