Is there a more elegant outfit for Malaysian women than baju kurung?
Being in a multicultural country, each Malaysian have their own culture and with it, comes their own traditional outfit. However, despite all this, the one outfit that seems to unify all women across Malaysia is the baju kurung. Despite its simple appearance, the baju kurung coupled with the signature tudung is truly versatile in terms of style and categories of events you can wear this dress to.
The story behind the iconic outfit
Baju kurung is a traditional costume that originated from Peninsular Malaysia and is traditionally worn by women in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. A traditional baju kurung consists of a loose-fitting blouse with a button at the top and skirt but the baju kurungs in Malaysia have been adapted and inspired according to the latest fashion trends.
Modernization of the baju kurung in Malaysia
Going into the 21st century, baju kurung and Malaysian women have come a long way in terms of adapting it to their style and comfort. Baju kurung now is embroidered with different beads, sequins, lacy patterns and many more depending on each other’s tastes and the designers themselves.
The material itself to make the baju kurung has also diversified into a wide selection of materials including satin, silk, batik, linen and many more.
Integration into the Malaysian official landscape
While baju kurung is still a traditional outfit for the Malay community, in Malaysia, the baju kurung is worn by women across all races for any official government event or for any educational institution. The reason for this could most probably be that this outfit could be considered the most comfortable and most modest as well. Living in Malaysia, the baju kurung is also the most accessible outfit for women of all ages.
If you want it fancy for example weddings, lo and behold, there are countless wedding baju kurung designs or if you want to wear it on a day to day basis, you could find many different designs of simple baju kurungs to match your vibe and aesthetic.
How to style the baju kurung?
You might think that there’s pretty much one style to the baju kurung but no, there’s where you’re wrong. There are five different styles of Malaysian baju kurung developed in Peninsular Malaysia and are considered classics. These styles include:
- Baju kurung Teluk Belanga- This baju kurung popular in Johor has no collar and the neckline is stitched in various forms of embroidery.
- Baju kurung Cekak Musang- Said to have influences from India and China, the baju kurung has a standing collar with holes for five buttons.
- Baju kurung Kedah-The baju kurung top resembles a short blouse worn in Southern Thailand to the hips level and is worn with a batik cloth.
- Baju kurung Pahang-With a combination of styles from Terengganu, the baju kurung Pahang has a Cekak Musang collar with seven to nine buttons.
- Baju kurung Perak-This baju kurung is the only baju kurung worn with pants inspired by the Perak and Acheh royalties and is even worn with a samping similar to a baju Melayu.
So, there you have it, baju kurung in Malaysia comes with a rich history and safe to say, we don’t see it going out of style any time soon. Get your own today and wear it for every occasion!