halfwhiteboy

Wearing a Barong Tagalog--with rolled-up sleeves. Regarded as the country's national formal wear for men, the Barong Tagalog sure is a thing of beauty. Whether they're cheapies from Divisoria that cost only a few hundred pesos or expensive designer pieces, you can't discount the Barong's innate elegance. I got to wear one again last Friday when our department celebrated the culmination of Buwan ng Wika (Language Month). While it's a celebration often confined to schools, we've been at it for three years now. It's something I actually look forward to each year.

Looking oh, so dignified here. Although the celebrations are normally concentrated in elementary schools, August is Buwan ng Wika (Language Month) in the Philippines. Along with dressing up in various traditional Filipino costumes, schools usually hold programs and contests showcasing the national language and traditional Filipino songs and dances. Our department decided to join in the fun by designating a special day yesterday where everyone was required to wear a traditional Filipino costume reinterpreted for modern times. Two years ago when we first held this event, I found myself wearing an ethnic-designed shirt with a malong . This year I decided on a Barong Tagalog , considered our national formal wear for men. But no one wants to go all formal on a Friday, so I wore my Barong Tagalog with sneakers . I thought, if a full-on suit works just fine with sneakers, a barong would be just as perfect with this type of footwear.