Fashion finds a place in Balinese traditional attire
Fashion finds a place in Balinese traditional attire
By I Ketut Sutika
DENPASAR (ANTARA): Hundreds of young Balinese girls looked
happy and beautiful in their elaborate ceremonial costumes.
Wearing lavish lace and see-through chiffon kebaya (traditional
blouses) exposing their slim and youthful bodies, teamed with
gold-embroidered songket (long cloths), the girls
enthusiastically attended a ceremony in a Hindu temple in
Denpasar.
This is an everyday scene in most of villages on the tourist
island of Bali. Daily temple ceremonies, weddings and birthdays
are part of the lives of the Balinese.
Attending such ceremonies, both women and men must abide by
the old-age dress code. For worshiping in a temple or other
religious location, people should wear appropriate traditional
clothes. This is a white or yellow kebaya and songket for women,
and a sarong a white shirt for men, who also wear a head cloth
called an udeng.
Women generally use cotton and brocade fabrics for ceremonial
kebaya and more sophisticated and expensive material for wedding
parties.
Over the last few years as fashion fever has hit the island,
many young women have modified their traditional costumes, adding
contemporary fashion touches.
They replaced the cotton kebaya with chic tulle, jersey, lace
and even velvet blouses.
The influence of kebaya designers like Edo Hutabarat and Adjie
Notonegoro in Jakarta also became clear. Balinese girls began to
wear luxury kebaya. A transparent tulle kebaya adorned with beads
and gold and silver embroidery is a particular favorite.
Wearing such a blouse is prestigious for many girls. It also
stresses the shape of their bodies
Their extravagant fashion styles have attracted the attention
of the province's religious leaders.
"They have changed traditional costumes into sexy dresses
which people can see through to their bodies," said Dr. Anak
Agung Ayu Ketut Agung.
A seminar on traditional Balinese clothes was held recently to
discuss the changing trend in ceremonial costumes.
I Komang Urip Tribuana, a lecturer at the Denpasar Arts
Institute, said that ceremonial clothes must have esthetic and
philosophical values.
The Balinese have recognized unwritten dress codes which are
applied for different occasions. People are required to wear
different types of traditional costumes in accordance to the
event. There are also various taboos pertaining to clothes, with
color being the first consideration in wearing traditional
clothes.
Not properly observing customs will offend many Balinese
people.
"Young girls often adopt modern fashion styles while ignoring
the philosophy of each piece of traditional clothing," he said.
Efforts to preserve traditional clothes are being carried out
by several groups in the community, including the Women's Welfare
Movement (PKK) headed by the wife of the Bali governor, Dewa
Beratha.
Part of PKK's efforts include the documentation of traditional
costumes and organizing seminars.
"We must make the entire community aware of our programs,
including women's organizations, school students, even owners of
beauty salons," said Mrs. Beratha.
She said her group would release a guidebook on traditional
Balinese dress.
"Clothes are an important part of the cultural heritage for
the Balinese," she said.