Philippine National Costume & Outfits

Philippine national costume for schools, performances and groups

This is the collection for the times you are not dressing for a wedding, but for a programme: Buwan ng Wika in August, Independence Day in June, a folk dance number, or a cultural night at a Filipino association abroad. The Philippine national costume covers several distinct outfits, and which one you need depends entirely on what is being portrayed.

The pieces here are the recognisable ones. A baro't saya for the women, a Katipunero set for the boys, and the Maria Clara ensemble when the period is Spanish colonial.

Which costume you actually need

Teachers and parents often arrive knowing only that a costume is required. These are the four that cover almost every brief.

• Baro't saya: the everyday traditional dress of Filipino women, a blouse over a long skirt. The default answer for a girl or woman in a school programme. Gina JF810 is a balintawak, the country version, with an apron and headscarf.
• Maria Clara: the formal Spanish-era ensemble, with a pañuelo across the shoulders. For anything depicting the colonial period. Victoria BW017 is a full set.
• Katipunero: the revolutionary outfit, in red and black with a scarf. For Independence Day, Bonifacio Day and history presentations. Agustin JB006 in short sleeve, Bonifacio JB007 in long.
• Barong tagalog: the men's formal shirt. Correct for a boy playing a modern or formal role rather than a revolutionary one. See boys barong tagalog.

Hand-painted pieces sit slightly apart. Elle ML966 is a baro't saya with painted florals, which reads well on a stage because the pattern carries at distance.

Choose by event

• Buwan ng Wika

  August, and the busiest month of our year. Every school needs costumes at once, so order in June if you can. Baro't saya for girls, barong for boys.

• Independence Day and history days

  Katipunero sets for the boys. Boys Katipunero LZB1 is sized for children; the Agustin and Bonifacio sets are for older students and adults.

• Folk dance and performance

  Movement matters more than detail. Balintawak and baro't saya both allow it, and the pattern reads better from an audience than fine embroidery does.

• Cultural nights abroad

  Filipino associations, embassy events and university showcases. A Spanish alampay set gives you the recognisable silhouette without a full costume.

Dressing a group

Ordering for a class, a dance troupe or a whole family takes more planning than a single costume, and two things go wrong most often.

The first is colour. Dye lots vary between production runs, so ten costumes ordered in three batches will not match on stage under lighting. Order the whole group in one go.

The second is time. Most of these are made to order, and a group order is not faster than a single one. For an August programme, that means committing in June.

Size and fit

Costumes are worn over a long programme, often under stage lighting, and frequently by someone who will be dancing in them. Err towards comfort rather than a close fit.

Measure in inches rather than ordering by a familiar label, because Philippine sizing runs smaller than American or Australian sizing, often by a full size. Our size chart page carries separate charts for men, women, boys and girls.

For children, measure close to the date rather than months ahead, and take the next size up if the programme is still some way off. If a size falls outside the standard run, ask about custom fitting and we will cut to the measurements you send.

Related collections

For traditional women's dress beyond costume use, see traditional Filipiniana and the Maria Clara collection. For regional handwoven cloth, see Cordillera and ethnic designs or handwoven Pinilian and Inabel. The full ranges are in women's Filipiniana and men's barong tagalog.

Delivery times by country are on our shipping page.

Questions about Philippine costumes