page_title: Fashion and clothing in the Philippines
section_title: Archaic epoch (10th – 16th century)
hierarchical_section_title: Fashion and clothing in the Philippines / Evolution of Philippine fashion / Archaic epoch (10th – 16th century)
caption_attribution_description: English: Native of visayan origin from „Boxer codex“, page 22 (manuscript)
context_page_description: Fashion and clothing in the Philippines refers to the way the people of Filipino society dress up in instances such as while they are at home, at work, travelling and when attending special occasions.
  The clothing style and fashion sense of the Filipinos in the modern-day era have been influenced by their native ancestors, the Spanish colonizers and the Americans, as evidenced by the chronology of events that occurred in Philippine history. At present, Filipinos conform their way of dressing, in addition to the above factors, as a result of the influence of what is shown by the media on television, fashion shows, among others.
  Apart from colonial influences and media influence, the Filipino style of clothing had been dictated by the climate in the Philippines. With a tropical climate, early Filipinos – as well as the still extant tribal groups in the Philippines – wore colorful woven clothes, often with intricate beadwork and other ornaments. Other items of native clothing during pre-Spanish Philippines were the canga and the bahag.
context_section_description: During the archaic epoch, before the colonizers from Europe reached the islands, the different tribes and kingdoms wore their respective clothing. The Filipino style of clothing had been dictated by the tropical climate in the Philippines, with a dry and rainy season. Early Filipinos – as well as the still extant tribal groups in the Philippines – wore colorful woven clothes, often with "intricate beadwork" and other ornaments. 
  The men wore pants or a loincloth and usually went topless, as well as wearing tattoos symbolizing power and strength as a warrior; while women went either topless or wore a robe-like dress.
  Prior to the Spanish Era, the Tagalogs of Luzon already wore a garment that was a forerunner of the Barong Tagalog – the Baro. Earliest reference to the Baro was in the historical account of Ma-i (Pre-Colonial name for the Philippines) that the Filipinos wore a sleeve-doublet of rough cotton cloth called kanga, reaching slightly below the waist. It was collarless and had an opening in front. The doublets indicated the social status and badge of courage of a man; red was for the Chiefs and the bravest, while black and white were for the ordinary citizens. Their loins were covered with colored Bahague between legs to mid-thigh.
  
  The early pre-colonial clothing of groups such as the Tagalogs and Visayans included both the baro and saya made from silk in matching colours. This style was exclusively worn by the women from the upper caste, while those of lower castes wore baro made from pounded white bark fiber, and a floor-length wrap-around skirt. Women usually wore jewelry, such as gold necklaces and earrings, which symbolized wealth and beauty. In some tribes, women also wore tattoos signifying beauty, power and wealth.
  In contrast, the Visayans wore clothes similar to that of Indonesians and Malaysians. They wore a robe called Marlota or jacket called Baquero without a collar that reached the feet. The robes or jackets were brightly coloured. The Tagalogs and the Visayans bound their foreheads and temples with long, narrow strips of cloth called Putong. Necks were covered with gold necklaces, and wrists with golden armlets called Calombigas – these had intricate patterns. Others would wear precious stones.
  The usual male headdress was the pudong, a turban; though in Panay, both men and women also wore a head cloth or bandana called saplung. Commoners wore pudong of rough abaca cloth wrapped around only a few turns so that it was more of a headband than a turban and was therefore called pudong-pudong – as the crowns and diadems on Christian images were later called. A red pudong was called magalong, and was the insignia of braves who had killed an enemy.
  When Humabon's queen went to hear mass during Magellan's visit, she was preceded by three girls carrying one of her hats. A headdress from Cebu with a deep crown, used by both sexes for travel on foot or by boat, was called sarok, which actually meant to go for water.
  The Islamic kingdoms in Mindanao especially the Maranao people have a fashion article for the female called malong, which is a tubeskirt or a light blanket wrapped around the body. More prestigious clothes, lihin-lihin, were added for public appearances and especially on formal occasions – blouses and tunics, loose smocks with sleeves, capes, or ankle-length robes.
caption: Attire of a young woman
exif: {}