Traditional Filipino Attire: A Glossary of 20 Terms

Bookmark this glossary of traditional Filipino attire. It covers the words you'll see most often.

• Bahag: woven loincloth worn by men in the Cordillera

• Balintawak: a casual Filipiniana dress with butterfly sleeves, often in plaid

• Barong Tagalog: embroidered, sheer formal shirt for men, worn untucked

• Baro't saya: blouse and skirt ensemble for women

• Camisa de chino: simple collarless long-sleeve shirt

• Calado: the delicate cutwork embroidery on fine barongs

• Inabel: Ilocano handwoven cotton cloth

• Jusi: a sheer fabric used for barongs and Filipiniana

• Kimona: a light, loose blouse often worn with a patadyong

• Malong: tubular cloth from Mindanao used as skirt, dress, blanket and more

• Maria Clara: formal 19th-century gown named after Rizal's heroine

• Panuelo: scarf worn over the shoulders with a baro't saya

• Patadyong: Visayan wrap skirt, often plaid

• Piña: sheer fabric woven from pineapple leaf fibers

• Salakot: wide woven hat

• Sarimanok: legendary Maranao bird, a common design motif

• Tapis: wrap skirt, worn alone or over a saya

• Terno: one-piece gown with stiff butterfly sleeves

• T'nalak: T'boli abaca cloth, tie-dyed before weaving

• Okir: flowing Maranao and Mindanao design and carving tradition

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