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.