Barong Tagalog
forwarded email: This was sent to me by a friend and I think it's nice to know. Nobody ever told me why the barong is the national dress of thePhilippines . So I did my research, I'm sure most of you know this, but just in case. During the Spanish occupation of the Philippines (over 300 years from1561-1889) the barong tagalog was required by the Spanish government for Filipinos (indios) to be worn at most times to show the difference between the rich and the poor. He said that the poor who serve the rich must always be in uniform. Take their chauffeurs, maids, and employees as examples. They are in uniform to immediately distinguish them from the employers. When the Spaniards colonized the Filipinos, they had to make it abundantly clear who the boss was through the imposition of a dress code. Men were not allowed to tuck their shirttails in. That was the mark of his inferior status. Second, the cloth material should be transparent so that he could not conceal any weapon that co...