Hybrid

I have featured several formal Filipiniana gowns in this blog already. Now here is an example of formal Filipiniana menswear. The Barong Tagalog (literally, Tagalog clothes) is usually made of piña (pineapple) or jusi (abaca) silk fabrics which are both very thin and translucent. The even tone and smooth texture of the fabric of this shirt marks it as being made of jusi, piña being more textured. This particular Barong Tagalog is also a fusion piece, incorporating ikat details at the collar, cuffs and shirt front. The ikat weave is common among many South American and Asian countries. In the Philippines, ikat weaving is practiced mostly by ethnic tribes in Mindanao.