What is the Barong? How did it evolve?

The word Barong is a contraction of the first two words used to refer to the Philippines' formal wear for men, the "Baro ng Tagalog".

The Barong had undergone several changes from its original form which was a collarless shirt of rough cotton called the canga of the pre-Hispanic Ma-I people of the island of Luzon.

When the Spaniards arrived, the Barong further evolved from having embroidery only on the chest area, to a much more elaborate one. Even the collar had toned down from the Elizabethan ruffle to the standard standing collar common today.

The post colonial Barong were ones popularized by the Philippine presidents since the Commonwealth period: in particular, President Manuel L. Quezon's, which bore the Philippine Commonwealth and American flags; the barong resurrected by President Ramon Magsaysay, which saw a change in embroidery from dainty flowers to geometric patterns; and the designer Barongs worn by President Ferdinand Marcos, which helped catapult the Barong to its present status and gave it international acclaim. Then, the Barong's more informal form which had short sleeves had been introduced. In its continuing change, the Barong goes on evolving with the apparently inexhaustible use and treatment of fabric and embellishment, introduced though the creative use of dyes, paints, needlework and beadwork.

What is so special about the Barong?

What is so special about the Barong is that it is uniquely Filipino both in its origin and its evolution. Like the Filipino spirit it represents, the Barong has had to contend with many external influences, yet has successfully transformed itself as a respectable formal attire not just for Filipino's but for other nationalities as well. This international acceptance has enabled it to stand side by side with the most expensive suits in any grand affair, and evoke its own stately appeal. Today, the Philippines' Barong is rich in history, yet it has become contemporary; artistic, yet very much wearable. It has developed a character all its own – maintaining its intrinsic Filipino quality – in the face of the fast and ever-changing world of fashion.

What are the different types of Barongs?

Barongs can be classified as either formal or informal. Formal barongs, as the adjective suggests, are used for special formal occasions. They are usually made with Piña (from the fiber of pineapple leaves, woven using the traditional handlooms) or Jusi (made from raw silk, derived from silkworm). Informal Barongs comprise of either long-sleeved or short-sleeved ramie, linen or polyester Barongs commonly worn in offices. In-between these two classifications is the Semi-formal Barong where long-sleeved ramie, linen or polyester Barongs could also be classified under.

What types of Barongs are appropriate to what type of occasions?

For weddings and special celebrations, it is ideal to use top-of-the-line Barongs made of Piña or Piña Silk, which are most preferred for the groom and principal sponsors. But there are cases wherein the choice of fabric may be affected by the theme or the size and location of the venue. In such a case, the groom or host may opt to wear a Jusi Barong, and still, this would neither make the occasion less formal nor less elegant.

For state events, conferences or large scale business meetings, the Piña and Jusi Barongs are still recommended.

For informal occasions, more specifically for everyday office wear, linen, ramie or polyester Barongs may be worn. The hierarchical structure in the office would help determine the proper Barong to wear. The long-sleeved subclass is more appropriate for top brass employees such as managers and supervisors. The more casual short sleeved variation could be assigned to staff level employees.

Why are some Barongs more costly than others?

Different factors come into play in determining the cost of Barongs. Fabric used, intricacy of embroidery, hand painting and the actual tailoring process employed are key factors to consider.

As a fabric choice, Piña is the most expensive as it undergoes a very tedious manual process, starting from the meticulous harvesting of the leaves of a special Philippine variety of the pineapple plant. From these leaves, the fibers are individually scraped, dried, knotted to form continuous yarn, and then hand-woven. Then the price goes down from Piña Silk (spun from a combination of the pineapple fiber thread and natural silk), to Jusi, to ramie or linen, to polyester.

Embroidery and hand painting processes employed also figure in the price difference among Barongs. The labor-intensive hand embroidered Barongs are naturally more expensive than machine embroidered ones. The price may go higher or lower depending still on the intricacy of the design. Hand painting, another mode of embellishing the Barong also adds to the cost as more man-hours are devoted to this specialized process performed by well-experienced hands.

In the tailoring process, Barongs hand-tailored by highly skilled workers take more time and attention to make than those produced by run-of-the-mill sweat shops.

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