The María Clara gown, historically known as the ''traje de mestiza'' during the Spanish colonial era, is a type of traditional dress worn by

women in the Philippines Women in the Philippines () may also be known as Filipinas or Filipino women. Their role includes the context of Filipino culture, standards, and mindsets. The Philippines is known to be a nation of strong women, who directly and indirectly ru ...

. It is an

aristocratic Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense economic, political, and social influence. In Western Christian co ...

version of the ''

baro't saya The ''baro't saya'' or ''baro at saya'' (literally "blouse and skirt") is a traditional dress ensemble worn by women in the Philippines. It is a national dress of the Philippines and combines elements from both the precolonial native Filipino ...

''. It takes its name from

María Clara María Clara de Tolitol is a fictional character in Jose Rizal's novel '' Noli Me Tángere'' (1887). The beautiful María Clara is the childhood sweetheart and fiancée of the protagonist, Crisóstomo Ibarra, who returns to his Filipino home ...

, the

mestiza ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...

protagonist of the novel '' Noli Me Tángere'', penned in 1887 by Filipino nationalist

José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is popularly considered a na ...

. It is traditionally made out of

piña Piña ( ) is a traditional Philippine fiber made from the leaves of the pineapple plant. Pineapples are indigenous to South America but have been widely cultivated in the Philippines since the 17th century, and used for weaving lustrous lace- ...

, the same material used for the

barong tagalog The barong tagalog, more commonly known simply as barong (and occasionally baro), is an Embroidery, embroidered long-sleeved formal shirt for men and a national dress of the Fashion and clothing in the Philippines, Philippines. Barong tagalog ...

.Moreno, Jose "Pitoy"
– Maria Clara
Philippine Costume, koleksyon.com, archived from the original on July 13, 2011. A unified

gown A gown, from the Latin word, ''gunna'', is a usually loose outer garment from knee-to-full-length worn by people of both sexes in Europe from the Early Middle Ages to the 17th century, and continuing today in certain professions; later, the t ...

version of the dress with butterfly sleeves popularized in the first half of the 20th century by Philippine National Artist Ramon Valera is known as the ''terno'', which also has a shorter casual and

cocktail dress A cocktail dress is a dress suitable at semi-formal occasions, sometimes called cocktail parties, usually in the late afternoon, and usually with accessories. After World War I, the idea of the "working woman" became popular. After 1929, it w ...

version known as the ''balintawak''. The masculine equivalent of ''baro't saya'' is the

. These traditional women's dresses in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

are collectively known as

Filipiniana Filipiniana, or originally Filipiñana, based on the definition by Isagani Medina from "Collection Building: Filipiniana", in his ''In Developing Special Library Collections, Filipiniana: Proceedings'' (November 1992), are Philippine-related boo ...

dress. Along with the barong tagalog, they are also collectively known as " Filipiniana attire".

Traditional components

Like the ''

'', the Maria Clara gown traditionally consists of four parts: a blouse (''baro'' or ''camisa''), a long skirt (''saya''), a

kerchief A kerchief (from the Old French ''couvre-chef'', "cover head"), also known as a bandana or bandanna, is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the Human head, head, face, or neck for protective or decorative purposes. The popularity of ...

worn over the shoulders (''

pañuelo The ''pañuelo'' or ''alampay'' is a Philippines, Filipino lace-like embroidered neck scarf or shawl worn around the shoulders over the ''camisa'' (blouse). They were square-shaped and were folded in half into a triangle when worn. ''Pañuelos' ...

'', ''fichu'', or ''alampay''), and a short rectangular cloth worn over the skirt (the '' tapis'' or ''patadyong''). The ''camisa'' is a collarless

blouse A blouse () is a loose-fitting upper garment that may be worn by workmen, peasants, artists, women, and children.The Concise Oxford English Dictionary It is typically gathered at the waist or hips (by tight hem, pleats, parter, or belt) so th ...

whose hem is at the waist and is made from flimsy, translucent fabrics such as pineapple fiber and ''jusi''. The sleeves of the ''camisa'' are similar to the so-called "angel wings", or shaped like

bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...

s. The correct term for the sleeves of the camisa during the mid to late 1800s is a "pagoda" – derived from early Western silhouettes of the Victorian period.Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of the Philippine National Dress in Photographs 1860–1890 The ''pañuelo'' is a piece of starched square cloth (either opaque or made from the same material as of the ''camisa'') folded several times and placed over the shoulders. The purpose of the ''pañuelo'' has been related to modesty, used to cover the nape and the upper body due to the ''camisas low neckline as well as its sheer translucency; and also doubles as an accent piece because of embellishments added to it, usually embroideries and the pin securing it in place. The ''saya'' is a skirt shaped like a "cupola", the length begins from the waist reaching the floor. These are usually comprised either of single or double sheets, called "panels" or ''dos paños'' (

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many countries in the Americas **Spanish cuisine **Spanish history **Spanish culture ...

for "two cloths"); some examples are made out of seven

gore Gore may refer to: Places Australia * Gore, Queensland * Gore Creek (New South Wales) * Gore Island (Queensland) Canada * Gore, Nova Scotia, a rural community * Gore, Quebec, a township municipality * Gore Bay, Ontario, a township on Manito ...

s or ''siete cuchillos'' (Spanish for "seven knives"). The ''tapis'' is a knee-length over-skirt that hugs the hips. ''Tapis'' designs may be plain, and is usually made of

opaque Opacity is the measure of impenetrability to electromagnetic or other kinds of radiation, especially visible light. In radiative transfer, it describes the absorption and scattering of radiation in a medium, such as a plasma, dielectric, shie ...

fabrics such as ''muslin'' and the ''madras'' cloth, and also is used for the purposes of modesty as it keeps the lower body from showing due to the thinness of the ''saya''. It is derived from the identically-named '' tapis'', the original indigenous wraparound skirt of women in the Philippines, which is a rectangle of brightly-colored cloth woven from abaca fibers. Some ladies belonging to the higher classes (often of the ''mestiza'' caste) consider the ''tapis'' a lowly piece of clothing. It resembled the ''dalantal'' (apron) worn by the lower classes. The upper-class women of the 1880s to the 1890s wore an elaborate version of the tapis that was tied around the waist with two strings. This was also referred to as a "dalantal" (apron).Patterns for the Filipino Dress: From the Traje de Mestiza to the Terno

Modernization

The word "terno" in Spanish refers to a matching set of clothes made of the same fabric. In the Philippines, "terno" refers to a woman's ensemble that consists of matching colors/patterns.Patterns for the Filipino Dress by Salvador Bernal & Georgina Encanto In the early 1900s, the traje de mestiza's components started to match in terms of color and patterns.Fashionable Filipinas: An Evolution of the Philippine National Dress in Photographs 1860–1890 by Gino Gonzales & Mark Lewis Higgins Some trajes in the 1910s were entirely made of the same material (such as "nipis" – a Filipino term meaning "fine" or "thin"Fashionable Fabrics: The Mestiza Dress from the Nineteenth Century to the 1940s by Sandra Castro). By the 1920s the term referred to a dress consisting of a matching "camisa" with butterfly sleeves, a heavily starched "pañuelo" (fichu), a "saya" (skirt) which normally came with a "cola" (train), and a "sobrefalda" (overskirt). By the late 1940s, the terno's meaning and silhouette evolved into any Western dress with butterfly sleeves attached to it. Occasionally the "terno" would be referred to as a "mestiza dress" by women who lived in the first half of the 20th century. During July 8, 2008, State of the Nation Address of Philippine president

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal-Arroyo (; born April 5, 1947), often referred to as PGMA or GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician who served as the 14th president of the Philippines from Presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, 2001 to 2010 ...

, she wore a "modernized María Clara gown". The adaptation donned by the president came was fuchsia-pink, designed by JC Buendia. Created in three weeks, the fabric used for the presidential gown was a blend of pineapple fibers and silk and was developed by the Philippine Research Institute, an agency of the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines. The six-yard fabric costing

₱ The Philippine peso sign (₱) is the currency symbol used for the Philippine peso, the official currency of the Philippines. The symbol resembles a Latin script, Latin letter P with two horizontal strokes. It differs from the currency symbol u ...

3,000 were produced in the

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Misamis Oriental Misamis Oriental (; ; ), officially the Province of Misamis Oriental, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province located in the Regions of the Philippines, region of Northern Mindanao in the Philippines. The provincial capital, as well as its ...

, processed in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

, and woven in the province of

Aklan Aklan, officially the Province of Aklan, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. Its capital and largest town is Kalibo. The province is situated in the northwest portion of Panay, Panay Islan ...

. The cloth was then colored with a dye from the ''sabang'', a native plant. According to the ''

Philippine Daily Inquirer The ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'' (''PDI''), or simply the ''Inquirer'', is an English-language newspaper in the Philippines. Founded in 1985, it is often regarded as the Philippines' newspaper of record. The newspaper is the most awarded broad ...

'', this is the first time in Philippine history that the media office of the

Malacañang Palace Malacañang Palace (, ), officially known as Malacañán Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila district of San Miguel, Manila, San Miguel, along Jose Laurel S ...

revealed details about a Filipino president's evening outfit that would be worn for a State of the Nation Address. However, the president herself talked about the attire she wore in June 2008 during the 50th anniversary of the Department of Science and Technology. The aforementioned outfit was an old-rose-colored dress from pineapple fibers and dyed with materials originating from coconut husks.Avendaño, Christine
‘Modernized’ Maria Clara gown for Arroyo
, ''Philippine Daily Inquirer'', July 28, 2008. Contemporarily there are many designers who incorporate filipiniana dresses into their creations, adding a modern twist to them. They are often tailored to match new aesthetic standards and practical needs of everyday people.The Modernization of the Filipiniana Gown
Retrieved January 26, 2019 Although its style has changed, the image of the classic

filipina Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino, English, or other Philippine languages. Despite formerly being subject to ...

can still be seen.

Gallery

File:Butterfly Gown.jpg, Woman in ''terno'' with stiffened "butterfly" sleeves File:Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach waves to the Malacanang Press.jpg,

Pia Wurtzbach Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach-Jauncey (; ; ; born September 24, 1989), formerly professionally known as Pia Romero, is a Filipino model, actress, and beauty pageant titleholder best known for winning the title of Miss Universe 2015. Previously, Wurtz ...

at the

wearning ''terno''. File:Kerchief (Pañuelo) MET 115249a.jpg, Early 19th century ''pañuelo'' in the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art, colloquially referred to as the Met, is an Encyclopedic museum, encyclopedic art museum in New York City. By floor area, it is the List of largest museums, third-largest museum in the world and the List of larg ...

File:Pinayavatar.jpg, '' Mestiza de sangley'' woman in ''traje de mestiza'' with an ''

abaniko An abaniko (from the Spanish word '' abanico'', "fan") is a type of hand fan from the Philippines. Description The abaniko is common accessory for the baro't saya, the traditional ladies’ attire. Various ways of using and holding the ab ...

'' fan File:Filipina mestizas, early 1800s.jpg, Filipina ''

s'' from the early 1800s with ''

s'' over ''

'', by Paul de la Gironiere File:La Mestisa by Justiniano Asuncion.jpg, ''La Mestisa'' (''A Filipina

Mestiza ( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...

'') by

Justiniano Asuncion Justiniano (born Josue Rivera) is an American comic book artist. His work includes the ''Doctor Fate'' feature in the 8-issue '' Countdown'' spin-off ''Countdown to Mystery'' miniseries (with the late writer Steve Gerber) from DC Comics, '' Evi ...

File:La Mestisa Española by Justiniano Asuncion.jpg, ''La Mestisa Española'' (''A Spanish Mestiza Filipina'') by

File:India de Manila by José Honorato Lozano.jpg, ''India de Manila'' (''Native

Filipina Filipinos () are citizens or people identified with the country of the Philippines. Filipinos come from various Austronesian peoples, all typically speaking Filipino, English, or other Philippine languages. Despite formerly being subject to ...

'') by

José Honorato Lozano José Honorato Lozano (1815 or 1821-1885) was a Filipino painter born in Manila. He is best known as the pioneering practitioner of the art form known as Letras y figuras, in which the letters of a patron's name is composed primarily by contoure ...

File:India A Caballo by José Honorato Lozano.jpg, ''India a Caballo'' (''Native

on a Horse'') by

File:Meztizo Spanish Woman.png, A gown worn by a Meztiza

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Maria Clara gown History of Asian clothing Kerchiefs National symbols of the Philippines Philippine clothing Women in the Philippines

Traditional components

Modernization

Gallery

See also

References

External links