Titan Barong

History of the Barong Tagalog

The Baro ng Tagalog, or Barong Tagalog, has evolved from pre-Hispanic native wear to the "Philippines national wear" over the course more than four centuries. Throughout its evolution, various factors have influenced the look and meaning of the Barong Tagalog. We'll take a journey through the history of the Barong Tagalog, along the way seeing glimpses of what they looked like The timeline, below, is based on excerpts from "The Barong Tagalog - The Philippines' National Wear" by Visitacion R. de la Torre.

Timeline: The Barong Tagalog History: 16th century / Pre-Spanish. The natives of Ma-I (the Philippines as it was called before the Spaniards renamed the archipelago), in particular, the Tagalog people of Luzon, wore baro. The Tagalog males wore a sleeve-doublet of rough cotton cloth called canga.

 

In the 1700s, the Spanish brought in their dressy shirt with standing collar. The ilustrado wore the baro with a "high Elizabethan collar trimmed with lace and adorned with a gem or a big button". It extended just above the knees and was worn with a thin sash high across the waist.

 

Early nineteenth century: the baro was shortened and the Elizabethan collar was replaced by a short one, sans lace.  Modification to the baro quickened in the 19th century as the natives brushed elbows with the Europeans more frequently... and around 1859, the baro acquired the romantic look. It was embroidered all over whereas embroidery had previously been confined to the chest alone.

 

The tradition of embroidery The ordinary folk, on the other hand, wore their everyday dress as they had done for a hundred years: loose shirts of coarse quimara cloth, often blue or blue-and-white-striped, and worn over trousers. An added flair was a kerchief flung over the shoulder and worn as a putong on the head.

 

1898: By the time the Filipino nationalists had won their fight for independence, the baro ng Tagalog, or Barong Tagalog as it was popularly called from then on, with ruffled collar and cuffs and more elaborate designs, reappeared.

 

1920's: a style emerged that was considered "the most authentic" Barong Tagalog. Made of rengue abaca fiber, it was worn over camisa de chino (a Chinese collarless, T-shirt) and sported a design on the half-open. With plain collar, and pleated backs, it was the vogue till 1930

 

1935: under the tutelage of President Manuel L. Quezon, a variation of the Barong Tagalog, known as the "Commonwealth Barong Tagalog" or the Barong Tagalog with the Tydings Mc Duffle motif became popular.

 

The baro gained hope when the "man of the masses," President Ramon Magsaysay (1955-1957), chose to wear the Barong Tagalog in all official and personal affairs. He was attributed the signal honor of using the Barong Tagalog during his inauguration and during his brief term, made it fashionable as business and formal wear. The term of ex-President Diosdado Macapagal (1961-1964) saw the return of all over embroidery on the Barong Tagalog although it certainly was confined to formal functions.

 

1975: President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued a decree proclaiming Barong Tagalog Week (June 5 - 11) and designated the Barong Tagalog as "the national attire." The presidential act was meant to focus nation-wide attention on the Filipino national dress to wider use and enhance its export potential.