Tuesday 13 August 2013

The Traditional Clothes at Malay Weddings

A typical Malay wedding will not be complete without the traditional attire of the bride as well as groom. Depending on the wedding couple, some of the more down-to-earth ones may opt for the super simple yet still stylish baju kurung and baju melayu when they’re getting hitched, while others may choose to wear something more ‘attention-grabbing’ such as Baju Kebarung, Baju Minangkabau, and Baju Cik Siti Wan Kembang. No matter what kind of tradtional Malay outfit you decide to wear, do make sure that it matches well with your wedding theme and your partner’s outfit too. Here are some of the most often worn traditional Malay clothes at Malay weddings:

1. Baju Kurung

There are several different types of Baju Kurung, and they include the basic Baju Kurung, Baju Kurung Kedah, Baju Kurung Pahang, and Baju Kurung Cekak Musang. Baju Kurung may be the least favorite traditional attire at most Malay weddings (though it’s still worn the most) since the outfit is very restricting to your every move, hence the name baju kurung, if loosely translated means ‘caged dress’. The Kedah type is the shorter version of the original, while the Pahang one has an A-line shape. For the Cekak Musang, it has high neckline similar to that of samfoos and cheongsams, but with frog claps.

Image from http://4.bp.blogspot.com 

2. Baju Kebaya
Among the famous Baju Kebaya include the basic Baju Kebaya, Baju Kebaya Kota Bharu, and Kebaya Nonya. Nowadays, the Malay’s favorite outfit during wedding would be the Kebaya Nonya ones, all thanks to the Baba and Nonya’s hip and trendy-looking Baju Kebaya which really appeals to the young Malay girls due to its simplified intricacy, sweet and feminine design.


Image from http://4.bp.blogspot.com

3. Baju Minangkabau.

These sets of wedding attire are not for the faint of heart, as only daredevils would want to wear such garish, striking outfits for their wedding day. The Baju Kebarung, Baju Minagkabau, and Baju Cik Siti Wan Kembang are all classically taylored wedding clothes, and the materials may be thick and itchy as well especially if the sun’s blazing. If you’re a really simple person with overworking sweat glands, forget these heavy clothes and opt for the light, cotton-type wedding outfits.

2 comments: