Barong Tagalog

by: Angela Nacpil

Barong Tagalog is considered as the Philippine's national dress. It is made of lightweight material and usually worn untucked with an undershirt beneath. Barong tagalog comes from the word "Baro" which means "outfit."

Barong Tagalog is made up of piña fabric, jusi fabric, or banana fabric and it has intricate designs and details delicately embroidered on it.

There is a multitude of events and occasions where you can see people wear a barong. There are those people who are using barong as their everyday work wear because it is comfortable and it can make anyone look dignified!

Here are some of the events where you can see men and women wear Barong Tagalog:

Weddings

Weddings in the Philippines show a rich Filipino culture and this includes being able to sport Barong Tagalog pieces in different sizes and colors!

Most Filipino grooms wear Barong Tagalog on their wedding which makes a lot of sense because the lightweight fabric can be breezy and comfortable considering the tropical Philippine weather and the strenuous physical activities during the event especially at the reception.

Special Occasions, Philippine National Events

You can probably see the widest array Barong Tagalog pieces during a Philippine National Event because all politicians wear them. Aside from national events, you can also see people sporting a barong tagalog in major events like award-giving ceremonies, graduations, funerals, religious occasions like Flores de Mayo and so on.

Workplace

Filipino politicians wear Barong Tagalog as well as Filipino lawyers or businessmen. It can be an alternative to wearing long sleeve polo shirts. Instead of wearing ordinary polo shirts, you can take it up a notch by wearing a shirt-jack barong which is a short-sleeved collar shirt with embroidery that is usually found in the Traditional Barong Tagalog.

Barong Tagalog is uniquely Filipino and people in all walks of life love wearing this especially during special occasions.