Everything about Baju Melayu totally explained
Baju Melayu is a traditional Malay outfit for men. It literally translates as 'Malay shirt' and consists of two main parts. The first being the
baju (long sleeved shirt) itself which has a raised stiff collar known as the
cekak musang collar (literally fox's lease). The second part is the trousers. The two parts are made out of the same type of fabric which is usually silk, cotton, or a mixture of polyester and cotton. A skirt-type adornment is also commonly worn with the Baju Melayu, which is either the "kain samping", made out of
songket cloth or the
kain sarung, made out of cotton or a polyester mix. Both are loops of fabric which are folded around the wearer's waist. A jet-black or dark coloured headgear called the
songkok can also worn to complete the attire.
In shirts made with the
cekak musang collar, the
placket of the
baju will seem to form a third of the
baju from the top when it's worn beneath the
kain samping or
kain sarung. However, the hem line of the
baju actually runs to the middle of the lap. The placket typically has three to four buttonholes and is fastened together by dress studs called
kancing which are not unlike those used in Western-style formal
dress shirts. The studs usually have screw-in backs and can be made from a variety of materials including gold, silver and precious or semi-precious stones. They studs can also be connected with a light chain which will be concealed behind the shirt when the placket is fastened.
In
Johor, both the design and the wearing of Baju Melayu is somewhat different. Here, the
kain samping or
kain sarung is worn below the
baju rather than above it. The
baju itself doesn't have the
cekak musang collar or any placket. Instead, the opening is hemmed with stiff stitching called
tulang belut (literally eel's spine) and ends with a small loop at the top of one side to fit a singular
kancing (similar to the collars of
Baju Kurung worn by women). This style is known as the
Teluk Belanga style and is said to be designed by
Sultan Abu Bakar himself as a remembrance of the move of Johor's administrative capital from Teluk Belanga in Singapore to
Tanjung Puteri in 1866 (today it's known as Johor Bahru).
A black Baju Melayu with a black
kain samping embroidered with gold thread is considered a form of formal dress, and is the official attire required during official national events, especially highly formal ones like the official celebration of the
Yang di-Pertuan Agong's birthday. Malaysian ambassadors presenting their credentials to foreign heads of state are also required to wear the black Baju Melayu. The white Baju Melayu is worn by Malaysian royalty should a member of the royal family passes away.
The Baju Melayu is commonly worn in Malaysia and
Singapore by Malay men, although its use in
Singapore is usually restricted to Fridays at mosques, and the
Eid ul-Fitr (Hari Raya) holiday. Malaysian men usually wear the shirt for general religious occasions, such as visiting the mosque or for a religious gathering. Some companies allow their male workers to wear Baju Melayu on Fridays, whereas others have it as a policy. On the whole Singaporeans frequently refer to it as a
Baju Kurung, although this term in Malaysia usually refers only to the corresponding outfit for women.
In
Indonesia, both the Baju Melayu in both collar styles (and other Malay clothes such as Baju Kurung) is popular in provinces with large Malay populations such as Riau, the Riau Islands, West Kalimantan and a few other provinces. Recently, the "Baju Melayu" has become more popular and isn't only worn at traditional events, but also in formal occasions. Government officers wear them proudly during official events (even national events).
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Further Information
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