What is a Barong?
The barong, short for Barong Tagalog, is the national attire for men in the Philippines. It comes from the phrase Baro ng Tagalog, which literally means “dress of the Tagalog”. In precolonial times, the Tagalogs of Luzon wore baro - a sleeveless doublet of rough cotton cloth that extended slightly below the waist, collarless and with a front opening. It is worn with a piece of cotton cloth covering the men’s loins and extending to mid thigh. When the Spanish came, pants, embroidery, and even lace were introduced.
During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines the barong tagalog was required by the Spanish Government for Filipinos to be worn at most times to show the differences between the rich and the poor. They said that the poor who serve the rich must always be in uniform. When the Spaniards colonized the Filipinos, they had to make it abundantly clear who the boss was through in the imposition of a dress.
FIlipino men were not allowed to tuck their shirttails in. That was the mark of his inferior status. Second the cloth material should be transparent so that he could not hide any weapons that could be used against the master. Third, as a precaution on thievery, pockets are not allowed on the shirt.
The Spaniards introduced the dressy standing collar to the baro and allowed only the Ilustrados (rich families who owned landed estates) to wear them with shoes and hats. However, they were not allowed to tuck their baro or have any pockets.. It served as a constant reminder that inspite of thier wealth or power, they remained natives. It also meant to identify them from their Spanish rulers.
Naturally, the barong has gone through many phases.
While the peasant’s barong remained largely unchanged throughout the centuries — being somewhat plain, occasionally striped, and usually made from coarse cloth — the designs of the barongs of the upper classes were constantly tweaked, re-imagined, and regularly transformed.
In the 1700s, for example, the barong of a rich Filipino wanting to prove himself in step with the fashions of the time would have been outfitted with lace, silk ties, and could have been worn with loose trousers. In the 1800’s, due to the sudden influx of Europeans, the barong acquired a more romantic look, with ruffled collars, all-over embroidery (rather than just the chest area), buttons, and even a cravat. In the early 1900’s the barong’s design was streamlined and lost most of its early flourishes, although it was infused with assorted colors.
Nowadays, a barong is usually taken to mean a special kind of dress shirt made from jusi or pina silk fabric, which is a very delicate and translucent material, and is intricately embroidered in the front area only. It is used during special occasions, such as Philippine weddings and other formal events, and replaces the Western coat and tie. The barong is complemented by a plain white undershirt and is usually paired with dark suit pants, dark socks, and matching leather shoes. The Barong Tagalog is worn untucked to show off and admire the hand woven embroidery and sheer fabric.
The modern incarnation of this ethnic shirt is commended for its elegant simplicity. A more casual version, used by working men all over the country in daily life, is called the polo barong. The polo barong is short-sleeved and made from cotton, ramie, or chiffonelle, and is much less intricately embroidered. It is a cooler alternative to western dress shirts, making it a popular choice given the country’s tropical temperatures.
