The Barong Tagalog and Terno: A Story of Heritage, Culture and Identity

The terno and the barong, also known as the barong tagalog, are traditional national garments of the Philippines. Popular today at weddings and formal events, the garments are symbols of Filipino culture that have a complex history. Shaped by both native and colonial influences, the barong and terno offer insights into how Filipino cultural identity has been preserved and transformed over time.

The History and Evolution of the Barong Tagalog and Terno

Native Roots of the Baro

The barong and terno can both trace their roots back to the baro, a simple, collarless shirt or jacket with long sleeves, worn by both men and women in pre-colonial Philippines. The baro was often woven with native techniques and made from abacá, a fiber from banana plants similar to linen. 

Changes in Design During the Spanish Colonial Era

During the Spanish colonial era, the baro evolved into the barong mahaba (literally “long baro”), which started to become associated with the elites. Unlike the unisex baro, the barong mahaba was worn by men and appeared as a knee-length shirt that was sheer and embroidered. Illustrations from the 1820s show that the upper-class native and mestizo (people of mixed native Filipino and Spanish ancestry) embraced this version of the barong. It often came in bold hues, like red, blue, and green, but this barong version also started using piña fabric, which is a sheer luxury textile that is now a hallmark of the modern barong tagalog. Piña is another Spanish colonial influence—it is made from pineapples, which were introduced to the Philippines by the Spanish to cultivate and export. The elites also incorporated Western elements into the barong mahaba, such as Elizabethan-style ruffs and accessories like European-style top hats.

For women, the baro evolved into the baro’t saya, which was the barong mahaba’s feminine counterpart, included a blouse (baro or camisa), a shoulder covering (pañuelo), and a long skirt (saya) topped with a short cloth wrap (tapis). Wealthy women from Luzon and Visayas often wore theirs in luxurious layers and vibrant patterns as a show of status and wealth. 

The barong continued to evolve throughout the 19th century, splitting into different variations for formal wear and everyday wear. During the 1840s, the classic barong tagalog emerged from barong mahaba as men’s formalwear. This is the version that is most popular today, with sheer fabric, a simpler collar with no ruffs, and embroidery. At this time, it was often worn with a Western-style bowler hat or native buntal hat. On the other hand, this period also saw the popularization of the casual barong called the baro cerrada (literally “short baro”) or Americana cerrada. The design featured a closed-neck collar and was used for everyday wear. The baro cerrada also leaned more toward the original baro design—made with opaque, linen-like abacá and typically seen in white, brown, or blue, paired with white trousers. This variation was more durable and practical compared to the sheer, delicate barong tagalog worn by government workers and the elite. Still, the garment bridged social divides, as it was worn by all men, regardless of class, from native Filipinos to those of mixed descent.

Meanwhile, the women’s baro’t saya evolved into several distinct styles known collectively as Filipiniana—from the elegant traje de mestiza (a.k.a. María Clara) to the Visayan kimona with its embroidered blouse and checkered patadyong skirt. Eventually, these evolved into what we now recognize as the terno, a single-piece gown with iconic butterfly sleeves.

Barong Popularity From American Occupation to Philippine Independence

During the American colonial period in the 20th century, in an attempt to match Western standards, many elite Filipino men abandoned the barong for suits and tuxedos at formal events. Women, however, continued to wear the terno, the updated versions of the baro’t saya. However, among the general public, both garments never really went away, quietly holding their place as a symbol of everyday Filipino identity.

After the Philippines gained independence in 1946, Western-style suits continued to dominate men's fashion. However, in 1953, President Ramon Magsaysay, campaigning as “the man of the masses,” wore a barong to his inauguration, representing national identity, pride, and alignment with the common folks. For the first time in Filipino history since the American occupation, a president chose to wear traditional Filipino attire as formal wear on an international stage. Furthermore, his wife, Luz Magsaysay, wore the terno at the inauguration. Both garments became a national statement of pride, independence, and identity. 

During the Marcos regime, Imelda Marcos, the wife of President Ferdinand Marcos, became widely recognized for the terno as it became her signature dress. As a result, the terno fell out of favor in the Philippines due to its association with the opulence and corruption of the Marcos regime, though the barong continued to be popular.

By the mid-1990s, the terno began to reemerge in the Philippines, especially in formal settings like weddings and cultural celebrations like Ternocon. In modern days, the terno and barong are celebrated symbols of Filipino heritage, and new reinterpretations of the terno and barong encourage younger generations to embrace them. 

Barong and Terno in the Diaspora

In the United States, both the barong and terno have grown popular among the Filipino diaspora. The garments have appeared on red carpets, at weddings, and all over TikTok and Instagram. Filipino-American celebrities have been spotted in barongs and ternos at major events, putting Filipino heritage in the spotlight.

Filipino-led brands, from around the globe, such as the Vinta Gallery and The Mestizo, have also appeared to reinvent the barong and terno with bold colors, silhouettes, and styling. Furthermore, Filipino designers in the diaspora such as Jillian Joy Hand Crafted and MAAARI have also found creative ways to modernize the terno and barong, combining tradition with modern and Western trends. Through these creative efforts, the global Filipino community continues to evolve the barong, celebrating it as a distinctly Filipino garment shaped by both native and Western influences.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barong_tagalog

2. https://www.cnn.com/style/filipino-american-fashion-barong-history/

3. https://www.josemelgarejo.com/filipino-wedding-traditions/

4. Roces, Mina, “Gender, Nation, and the Politics of Dress in Twentieth-Century Philippines,” in The Politics of Dress in Asia and the Americas, Brighton: Sussex Academic Press, 2008, pp. 19–42.

5. https://vintagallery.com/blogs/news/the-filipiniana-dress-the-rebirth-of-the-terno

6. https://www.seamwork.com/craft-projects/reimagining-the-philippine-terno-for-modern-times?srsltid=AfmBOopJ0SllR4RlhlP81VoDRO6ZdB5AemrvGttayKMfaE6yeru78zQw

7. https://www.abs-cbn.com/life/06/08/22/can-the-terno-be-dissociated-from-its-imeldific-iconography