The Philippines Today

Oban is used by the Ifugao women to carry their children. It is a rectangular cloth that swings over a woman’s back and acts as blanket slings. As an acceptance for their paternal obligations, fathers are required to give mothers an oban blanket. Adult Ifugao should also be carried in a spiritual blanket-sling by a … Read more

Payneta is an ornamental comb made of turtle shells, horn and silver. These large decorative combs were usually worn under mantilla or a lace headdress during the Spanish era. Paynetas were once worn as an ornament for Filipino women’s perfect buns by the previous generations. Paynetas are more than just combs; they are also an … Read more

Qipao, also known as cheongsam, is a body-hugging Chinese clothing that originated in Manchu. During the 1920s and 1930s, it was known as the Mandarin gown until Chinese socialites and upper-class women in Shanghai modified it. The qipao is a close-fitting, high-necked garment with the skirt slit halfway up the side. It can be seen … Read more

The word “rayadillo” is a Spanish word that means “striped material”. In the mid-nineteenth century, it was a blue and white fabric used to manufacture military uniforms for Spanish colonial soldiers. Veterans of the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine-American War wore rayadillo uniforms the most in the Philippines. These outfits were designed by the artist … Read more

The umpak is a clothing used by the ethnolinguistic group Bagobo. It is a closed-front upper garment for men. Shell disks solidly cover the entire front as well as the cuffs. This type of clothing is among Bagobo’s textiles dyed using ikat. It is made from abaca, cotton threads, natural and synthetic dyes. Umpak ka … Read more