Sunday, March 6, 2011

Bagong Barong

A quip between me and another Filipino the other day spurred me to redesign the traditional Filipino barong tagalog, a sheer, oversized man's shirt usually made of pineapple or banana fibers, for women. There have been many versions of the barong throughout the years but I could never recall people wearing it as a casual dress statement. Back in the 90s, I used to wear the linen and ramie versions favored by teachers and office workers as casual wear with chinos and sandals here in New York, a subversion that might be seen as sartorial heresy back in Manila (somewhat akin to wearing a tux jacket with jeans). But Filipino women rarely used it instead preferring the rather overt statement of the terno, with its almost costumey butterfly sleeves. So I thought it might be fun to redesign the barong as a flirty woman's top. These are a few initial ideas.

6 comments:

Izzy said...

Hmmm very interesting. I'm quite tempted to have a polo barong brought to me from Manila, to wear around the city in the summer..

George G said...

With a wife beater and skinny jeans or slacks!

Izzy said...

I was thinking loose trousers and (the illusion of) nothing under!

George G said...

Problem is you risk looking shapeless...

Izzy said...

Oh I've seen double-loose done well before, and there are ways to pull it off. With a nip in the waist or fitted shoulders, it can still look sharp!

George G said...

True... even in Geller's SS 2011 show there were aspects of loose on loose fits, as long as the waist was cinched properly...