The rise of modern Filipiniana

MANILA, Philippines - The predicament of finding something suitable to wear for a wedding is not a new one — one must have come into contact with a myriad of thematic demands: masquerade, vintage luxe, faerie chic, or even medieval maven. While we revel in the thought of playing formal cosplay (Costumes! Wings!), the suggestion of Filipiniana brings to mind that annual extravaganza we called Linggo ng Wika where we were taught to treat the national garb as burdensome costume that was stiff, and sometimes itchy to wear. This conditioning did have repercussions later on in our life — we tend to lump the Filipiniana in with the boring, requisite costume category, never mind how practical it was to wear the barong Tagalog versus the unwieldy tuxedo patpat.

“Every Filipina should have at least one terno in her lifetime,” proclaimed designer JC Buendia, who lent his design prowess to dressing the heads of state, politicians, social figures, and other clotheshorses. He is part of the new breed of designers who seek to return Filipiniana into consciousness by modernizing it. “Now there is a sense of renewed patriotism,” says Buendia who is said to be doing an all-terno wedding next year, from the bride to the bride’s maids. The terno refers to the mestizo dress made of expensive lace and fabrics with unique embellishment and embroidery, with butterfly sleeves, popularized by First Lady Imelda Marcos.

Terno 101

When one talks of Filipiniana, we refer not only to the terno, but also the national costume of baro’t saya (blouse and skirt) also known as the Maria Clara gown, the barong Tagalog, and the kimona’t patadyong. There are also variations like the Igorot and Muslim dress, and other costumes from tribes. The popular barong Tagalog has had different iterations from the formal barong made of pina, jusi, or banana fabric worn over a collarless shirt called camisa de Chino, and can also be made of cotton and worn with shorter sleeves for daily wear.

The most romantic of them all would be the Maria Clara dress, taking its name from the lead character in Jose Rizal’s Noli me Tangere, whose shapes is also based on the baro’t saya. It was said to have four components: the camisa, a collarless chemise with a hem at the waist with bell sleeves; the saya or the floor-length voluminous paneled skirt in silk or satin; the panuelo or an embellished scarf that covers the neck; and the tapis or a knee-length skirt that hugs the waist.

Modern Filipiniana

These days, Filipiniana gowns are celebrated not only by politicians during the State of the Nation Address, but also by the local fashion cognoscenti who has taken up the cudgels in promoting the traditional costumes as inspiration for local fashion. A good example would be Metrowear Filipiniana last year which featured designers who each interpreted the terno, baro’t saya, and barong Tagalog. Another event that had a lot of butterfly sleeves in attendance was the Mega Magazine Pinoy Pride Ball just this month, and similarly the Terno Ball the year before which was also held in commemoration of Independence Day. Miss World 2012 also had their contestants wear the terno for the coronation night last weekend.

Perhaps also due to the creativity of the local fashion industry, brides do not necessarily shy away from the Filipiniana theme, fearing they will look outdated and out-of-place among the princess cut wedding gowns. Buendia recounts the first Filipiniana gown he worked on, a Maria Clara for his college friend who had a Pinoy-themed wedding in Intramuros, who also had a Sampaguita bouquet and sang Sharon Cuneta songs after the mass.

The bride in Filipiniana need not also rely on the pusod, or the tight bun, which was usually the hairstyle of choice for the terno. “If the wedding gown is very traditional, I suggest a loose updo for a younger look that will show off the neck and shoulders of the bride,” says makeup artist Johanna Tracy Conlin of Lancome. In the case of a more modern take on the gown, she dreams up their hair down but pulled away from the face. The look, she says, would be gorgeous with bronzy skin and emphasis on the eyes and lashes.

The invitation says Filipiniana, help!

And so when the invitation says Filipiniana, do you whip out your Linggo ng Wika kimona’t patadyong (the Visayan wrap skirt and rectangular pina top) or the ninang barong? I won’t even go into the barong Tagalog anymore, because it’s a no-brainer for guys (Lucky!). In any case, having the words Filipiniana, terno, or barong in the invitation pretty much signals the formality of the event. You probably wouldn’t want to be caught in common clothes then, so the kimona’t patadyong is out, seeing that it’s a work outfit.

The female barong is also an option, but I pray you’ll mix it up with something more modern like a leather skirt or pants, instead of the pencil-cut banana skirt that the barong usually comes with. Women love the barong Tagalog because it hides the flaws, but it also tends to hide the figure. Choose instead a fitted barong that skims the body, so that come picture-taking time, you wouldn’t look ballooned-up and covered in pina.

However, if you’re part of the entourage, it’s best to follow the route of a more traditional Maria Clara or terno. Of course, you have to take the cue from the bride if you’re going with butterfly sleeves or the panuelo. Even the height and size of the sleeves are important but make sure the sleeves really point toward the face and hair and don’t show cleavage. For examples of the more traditional ternos, you can find inspiration in the old guard of fashion, the late National Artist Ramon Valera, designer Joe Salazar, and Christian Espiritu, among others. You can play with a variety of colors and make use of different embellishments.

For a more modern take on Filipiniana, designers like JC Buendia prefer to make the ternos in stiff silk gazar using architectural silhouettes. Also, the butterfly sleeves are done in smaller proportions. You can also get inspiration from the designers of the Metrowear Filipiniana show from traditional works of Gregg Centeno, or the and experimental takes of Eric delos Santos’ fringe terno, Martin Bautista’s butterfly-sleeved number, James Reyes’ trademark bubble hem creation, or Louis Claparol’s heart-stopping gray terno top paired with pants.

If you still want something contemporary but still within the confines of the romantic tradition of Filipiniana, look no further than the work of Rajo Laurel who kept the beadwork and butterfly sleeves and made it his own, and Philip Tampus’ lace and pearl-trimmed number with butterfly sleeves.

In the end, the idea of wearing Filipiniana need not be a burden, but a challenge to help you overcome preconceived notions about the national costume. Just remember: to wear the terno or barong implies dignity, class, and elegance — words we can easily associate with any wedding celebration.