Instagram Accounts To Visit for a Slice of Philippine Fashion History
Thanks to social media, you can now discover the roots of Philippine fashion with just a scroll and a swipe.
Clothing has always had a cultural impact. In the Philippines, influenced largely by the tropical climate, pre-colonial settlers donned intricately woven garb and adorned themselves with precious stones. Men wore a loincloth called the bahag and the canga, a type of collarless shirt that would later evolve into the modern-day barong. Accordingly, the women's long wraparound garment became the earliest blueprint of the baro't saya, now considered the Philippines' national costume.
After the Spanish arrived in 1521, Hispanicized versions of the existing silhouettes were common—through the following three centuries of colonization, the baro’t saya, composed of a bodice dubbed the camisa and a floor-length skirt, was the typical everyday dress. The blouse was often made of piña, a sheer, lustrous traditional Philippine fiber spun from pineapple leaves. This version then became the pattern for turn-of-the-century adaptations like the Traje de Mestiza, popularized during the American occupation (1898-1946) and featuring the glamorous, wide bell sleeves and narrow, trailing skirts (or saya de cola) that mirrored the West's Edwardian fashion. As the decades passed, and World War II drew to a close, young women began donning floral midi dresses and capri pants as daywear, paving the way for today's relaxed, casual styles.
There remains so much to learn. To that end, here, L'Officiel lists down six Instagram accounts where you can get your daily dose of Philippine fashion history.
