BEAUTY OF MALAYSIA (TRADITIONAL CLOTHES)

BEAUTY OF MALAYSIA BY:
(TRADITIONAL ADAM RIFQY BIN ANIZAN
CLOTHES) 1 ANGGERIK

MALAY TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ Traditional Malay attire for men is the baju
melayu, a loose tunic which is worn over
trousers and usually accompanied with a
sarong called a sampin which is wrapped
around the hips. It is also often
accompanied with a songkok or cap.

+ Malay women wear the baju kurung, a knee-
length blouse worn over a long skirt. The
blouse is long-sleeved and collarless, while
the skirt, called a kain, has pleats on one
side.A headscarf is sometimes worn with
this.

CHINESE TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ The classical everyday clothing for men in Malaysia is a short-
sleeved shirt worn outside the trousers, light-weight trousers
and informally, sandals for comfort.

+ The Chinese women wear the cheongsam, a one-piece dress
with a high collar, diagonally closed with small clips or
toggles (fabric clasps). It sometimes can have slits at the side,
as is made with a soft fabric such as silk.

INDIAN
TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ Indians wear sarees, a cloth of 5-6 yards which is usually
worn with a petticoat of a similar shade. It is wrapped
around the body so that the embroidered end hangs over
the shoulder, while the petticoat is worn above the
bellybutton to support the saree, which can be made
from a wide variety of materials. There are two layers to a
sari: a long bright coloured "dress" decorated with
colourful beads sewn on it to make it look more
attractive, and a wrap, a piece of straight fabric draped
around one shoulder which ties across the body around
the waist area. Women with a high standing will have
their clothing made from gold and silver thread with
elaborate beading. In formal occasions Indian men wear
the "kurta", a knee-length shirt usually made from cotton
or linen.

KADAZAN DUSUN
TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ “Sinuangga” and “tapi” is known as the traditional garments
for Kadazandusun women. They wear short shirts which is
sinuangga, wrap-skirt tapi and batik scarf fitted with belt
himpogot (silver dollar coins) and some gold jewellery such
as necklace (hamai), bangles (gohong), earrings (simbong),
ring (sinsing) and brooch (pawn). “Tapi” is a long cylindrical
wrap-skirt and formerly of plain black cotton.

+ Gaung and souva is the traditional garments of the ethnic
Kadazandusun men. Gaung is a long-sleeved shirt without
embroidery. It is decorated with gold trimming and gold
buttons on now days. Souva ia a black trousers worn with
waistband that is “toogot” and there are gold trimming on
the seams along the hips for modern trousers.

IBAN TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ The Iban traditional costume for women is “marik empang”
and kain kebat. Marik empang is a combination of beads and
hand-stitched cotton decorative outer garment. It is usually
red in colour. Iban women require to wear marik empang at
any occasion or festival. The “ngajat” or the traditional Iban
dance performed by an Iban women must wear the “marik
empang” as part of the outer garment adorning her shoulder.
Kain kebat, which is a cloth patterned by the ikat (tie)
technique.

+ The traditional garment of Iban men is called kelambi and
“sirat”. There are two types of kelambi which is sleeved and
sleeveless. Kelambi worn by men Iban during certain
ceremonies.

BIDAYUH TRADITIONAL
COSTUME

+ The traditional Bidayuh costume set for women
comprises the short-sleeved or sleeveless blouse,
‘jomuh’ (skirt), and matching accessories such as
the ‘selapai’ (sash), ‘pangiah’ (bead necklace),
‘porik’ (copper/ metal belt) and ‘sipiah’ (headgear).

+ The men wear a ‘tawuop’ or ‘tahup’ (long loin- cloth
wrapped around the body with one end hanging
down in front and the other at the back), the ”
burang sumba” (headgear) and occasionally the
“kima” (armlets).