What is the National Formal attire in your country?

Barong Tagalog - This is my son's Barong Tagalog.
@paulsy (1263)
Philippines
April 1, 2008 1:57am CST
What is the National formal attire in your country? Last weekend was my son's graduation from the grade school. While preparing for this event, I learned about something in our history that caught my attention. I know we studied about this during my school days, but during that time, it never really mattered much to me. This is about the Philippine National attire for men. It's called the Barong Tagalog. Let me share to all this fascinating story of how this attire became our National Attire for men... The Barong Tagalog is an upper garment and known as the formal men's wear of the Philippines. Filipinos wear the Barong Tagalog in various formal events. It started out as an attire to mark inferior status. When the early people of early Philippines settled in colonial society, they were subjected to numerous affronts to their dignity and sensibilities by their colonial masters. When the Spaniards colonized the Filipinos, they had to make it abundantly clear who was in control) through the imposition of a dress code. 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 conceal any weapon that could be used against the masters . Third, was a precaution on thievery, pockets are not allowed on the shirt. By the turn of the century a new middle class began to merge among the Filipinos. These were known as the principalia. They mastered Spanish laws and were able to obtain title to lands. They became successful in business and agriculture and ...they were allowed to vote. They had all the trappings of power and status, but for one undeniable fact: they still had to wear their shirtails out, if only to remind them that they were still Indios (natives) What the Spanish authorities did not smother was the Filipino's determination to psychologically conquer their colonial masters through improvisation and reinterpretation. For example, Filipinos were forbidden to use imported silk and fabrics for their Barong. So with the delicate material of luminous silky rich mixture, much finer than silk, they hand-embroidered the front with exquisite abandon. The Barong Tagalog gained its power, prestige, and status when President Quezon, the first Filipino President declared it the National dress. The status of the lowly inferior Barong, thus became another symbol of the Filipinos' "resistance to colonization”. In contemporary times the Barong Tagalog is the power dress. Every visitor and foreign dignitary invited to a Malacanang Palace state function must, by necessity, invitations, specifically come in "Barong". The Barong thus evolved from the mark of native inferiority, then to a peaceful symbol of rebellion, and lastly, as a token of our independence from our colonial sovereign. http://www.reflectionsofasia.com/barong.htm Can you share to us about your own country's National attire?
1 person likes this
2 responses
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
1 Apr 08
barong tagalog - national costume of the Philippines
same here since we are from the same country...its true that the "barong tagalog" is the apparrel of the peasants in that time and since then these peasants made it the national clothing because of its simpleness and being humble which much like us filipinos but durable and strong which are also our traits that i am proud of...
@paulsy (1263)
• Philippines
1 Apr 08
The Barong Tagalog - My beloved better half and my son wearing their Barongs with pride!
Yes, I am just as proud as you are! Here is a pic of my American better half, and my son proudly wearing their Barongs!
@johndur (3052)
• Pasig, Philippines
1 Apr 08
barong tagalog - national costume of the Philippines
wow that is a good sight to see...a fellow Filipino wearing it and foreigner also wearing it...im sure he loves wearing it because its cool....
@yesah65 (157)
• United States
1 Apr 08
I, too, have a Barong. I got it when I was in Manila two years ago. I think it is really cool, in more ways than one. It is no doubt a Spanish thing, because I have seen people in south Florida(maybe Cuban) wearing the same Barong.
@paulsy (1263)
• Philippines
16 Jul 08
Yes, I am proud of our National attire. I'm glad you like it too. Thank you for sharing!