Kusug Tausug Party-list Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut (Rep. Tan-Tambut's office)

While other solons chased the "best-dressed" title during President Marcos' State of the Nation Address (SONA), Kusug Tausug Party-list Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut was busy perfecting the blend of power dressing and cultural elegance. 

On Monday, July 22, Tan-Tambut showed up on the SONA red carpet at Batasang Pambansa Complex clad in a Francis Libiran creation that exuded both Sulu princess and business elite vibes. 

The mostly gold-hued traditional garb is impressively elabrote and yet nothing looks out of place--a testament to couturier Libiran's expertise. But there's so much more to the outfit, according to the congresswoman from Mindanao. 

The Cambridge dictionary defines power dressing as “a way of dressing by business people to make them seem confident and powerful.” 

Tan -Tambut said she didn't want to flaunt the legislative power she has as the representative of the Kusug Tausug Party-list; instead it's the power her people had centuries ago when Sulu lorded it over the southern islands of the Philippines as a sultanate. 

For Tan-Tambut, the ultimate objective in recalling the past through her dress was to impress upon the many onlookers during the SONA that Sulu had a glorious history. More importantly, it is on the path to growth thanks to the return of peace in the province. 

Details of Rep. Tan-Tambut's SONA attire

She credits the current local officials of Sulu for their efforts in maintaining such peace, and cites the province’s record of zero violence in the 2022 elections as proof of this achievement. 

“My province has been peaceful for the several years now. That should convince investors and tourists that Sulu is open for business," Tan-Tambut--the youngest child of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan--proudly said. 

"We are ready for investors ho can help us develop our products. We are ready for the tourists who want to explore our beaches and our over 100 island and experience our unique culture,” she underscored. 

Tan-Tambut’s stunning outfit is composed of three basic pieces: a long blouse called a batawi, traditional loose trousers called the sawwal, and a cloth overlay or loose wrap around the waist called the kindang. 

LIbiran made the sawwal out of Thai silk and embellished it with beads and Swarovski crystals. Meanwhile, pis syabit--a colorful cloth woven only in Sulu--was used for the kindang. 

Details of Rep. Tan-Tambut's SONA attire

There's elaborate beading on the batawi’s front bodice and sleeves. The beads are like small buttons made of copper, brass and/or gold. Libiran added Swarovski crystals on the batawi for more drama. 

It was said that modern Sulu ladies preferred the batawi design for their special events outfit, but do away with the beadings. The sawwal is still worn by the women of Sulu today, but only ordinary cotton cloth is used. 

Tradition dictated that the more intricate the beading, the higher the stature of the wearer. 

And for this year's SONA--with many eyes on her--Tan-Tambut knew that leaning on tradition would serve her province well.