Malaysia is a beautiful country with diverse cultures and a rich history. People from different ethnic backgrounds have distinct sets of traditional attire that reflect their cultures. I wanted to share with you just how varied and beautiful clothes in Malaysia can be. Here are some of the more common ethnic costumes worn by Malaysians that show their vibrant cultural heritage.

Tsem Rinpoche

Malay Clothes

The baju kurung comprises two parts: a blouse and a long skirt

Before the 20th century and the advent of Islam, Malay women used to wear the kemban, which was a sarong, or long piece of cloth, that was wrapped around the body and left the shoulders bare. The universal adoption of Islam as the main religion amongst Malays saw the demise of the kemban and the rise of the more modest and yet elegant baju kurung. The baju kurung comprises two parts: a blouse and a long skirt. The blouse is loose-fitting and varies in length between the hip and the knee. Traditionally, it also features long sleeves, but modern designs have shown off a three-quarter length with bell sleeves and flares. The skirt goes down to the ankle and has pleats on one side to facilitate walking and sitting. The outfit can be made with traditional songket or batik fabric, or with simple floral or batik designs on cotton or any modern fabric blend. To complete the outfit, the women would usually wear a shawl, also known as a selendang, or a headscarf like the tudung or hijab.

Women in baju kurung

Men in baju melayu

The traditional attire for Malay men is the baju melayu. It consists of a loose long-sleeved top worn over trousers and a sampin, or short sarong wrapped around the hips. To complete the look, the Malay men wear a cap known as a songkok.

Significance of the Tudung

A woman wearing tudung

Tudung is a Malay term for the headscarf, veil, or shawl that covers the hair, neck, and chest area, and leaves only the woman’s face exposed. The tudung is sometimes referred to by the Arabic word hijab, which means ‘barrier’, and satisfies the part of the Islamic dress code that calls for Muslim women to dress modestly.

Although the tudung is not mandatory before puberty, some parents start training their daughters to wear the tudung from a much younger age. The decision to adopt the tudung as a part of one’s daily wear is usually a personal one, and it is a commitment that is kept for life.

Children wearing tudung

How to Wear

Kemban

A woman in kemban and a man in sarong

There are two different kinds of sarongs – a long piece of cloth, and a piece of cloth sewn along the width to form a tubular shape. With the tubular sarong, you step or slip into the centre and pull it up right under your arms. Wrap the sides of the sarong in front of you and fold a few inches of cloth down so that it holds the sarong tightly around your body. Then, roll that fold down a couple of times to ensure that the sarong does not fall down.

The flat sarong requires draping it across your back while holding a corner in each hand. Wrap the fabric around your body. To make things easier, you can keep the fabric underneath your arms so that your hands are free to twist the corners of the sarong before making a knot at chest level.
Tudung

How to wear tudung

There are many ways to fashion a scarf or shawl into a tudung. The basic triangle style works well with any type of square-shaped fabric.

1. Fold one of the corners of the scarf down diagonally to the opposite corner to form a triangular shape.
2. Place the long folded side of the scarf on top of your forehead. The two ends of the scarf will be draping over your shoulders, and the apex of the triangle will be hanging over the back of your head.
3. Open your mouth as you pinch the edges of the scarf under your chin, and then pin them down. Your mouth is opened so that you will have ample space to move your jaw once the tudung is in place.
4. Next, cross the ends of the scarf over your neck so that the left goes to the right, and vice versa. The tails of the scarf should be draping across your neck and down the back of your shoulders.
5. Pull the two ends to the back of your head and pin them together underneath the back corner of the scarf.
6. Adjust the tudung, and you will be good to go.

There are ready-made alternatives that are available off-the-shelf from retail stores that allow you to slide your head in through the opening of the scarf. Once the scarf is in place and you have made a little adjustment, you will be ready to show off your new style.

Please keep in mind that Muslim women wear the tudung as a form of commitment to themselves and their religion. Please do not take the wearing of a tudung as a joke in any way, and be respectful of these beautiful people.
Sampin

Malay men wearing sampin

The sampin is worn similar to the kemban, except that it is worn at either the waist or the hips. After slipping into the centre of the circular sarong and pulling it up to waist level, fold the two ends inwards so that the sarong is wrapped snugly around you. Fold the first few inches of the sarong down, and continue folding it until the sampin falls just below the knee. Complete your outfit with a songkok.

Where to Buy

Traditional Malay attire can be found in many major shopping malls in Malaysia. One such place is Wisma Yakin which has a wide selection of the traditional Malay attire.

Wisma Yakin
Jalan Masjid India,
City Centre, 50100
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

How to Get to Wisma Yakin
If you are taking the LRT, the nearest stations are the Bandaraya LRT Station and the Masjid Jamek LRT Station, which are both within walking distance of Wisma Yakin. Jalan Masjid India is a triangular enclave bordered by the streets of Jalan Ampang, Jalan Dang Wangi, and Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. You can also use a taxi or an Uber to get there.

Chinese Clothes

A woman wearing a traditional cheongsam

The Chinese have adopted a comfortable yet elegant piece of traditional wear called the cheongsam, which is also known as a ‘long dress’. This is also a popular fashion choice for the modern-day woman. The cheongsam is often made of shimmering silk with embroidered satin or other sensual fabrics. It is a one-piece dress that has a high collar with frog closure buttons that run down from the neck to the upper side of the chest. It is a full-length and form-fitting dress with thigh-high slits either on one or both sides of the dress. The cheongsam has moved with the times, and now offers shorter variations which are popular with the younger set.

The samfoo is another traditional Chinese attire, but it is usually worn by older and more mature women. Similar to pyjamas, it is a two-piece garment with a loose-fitting top worn over three-quarter length or ankle-length pants.

A variety of samfoo

While there is no particular traditional wear for the men, one may find button-up shirts that are made from similar materials as the cheongsam. These shirts can be either long-sleeved or short-sleeved with frog closure buttons running down the centre.

Where to Buy

Chinese traditional wear can be found in major shopping malls around Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia. If you happen to be shopping outside of the Chinese New Year period, however, Central Market in Kuala Lumpur is your best option for cultural dresses and items.

Central Market
Jalan Hang Kasturi,
City Centre, 50050
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
http://www.centralmarket.com.my/

Central Market in Kuala Lumpur

How to Get to Central Market
If you are travelling by train, you can take the Kelana Jaya Line and stop at the Pasar Seni Station, which is located right across from Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. You can also take the Ampang Line, but you will have to alight at the Masjid Jamek Station which is a 15-minute walk from Central Market. If you take the KTM Commuter, the Kuala Lumpur Station is only a 5-minute walk away.

If you plan on taking a bus, use the following Rapid KL Bus services:
821, 822, 851, 180, 640, 650, 651, 652, 772, 780, 781, 782, 750, 751, 752, 770, 771, BET1, BET3, BET4.

You can also use The KL Hop-On Hop-Off buses. These are City Tour Buses that stops at the station right across from Central Market Kuala Lumpur. Another option is GOKL, a free city bus service that stops right across from Central Market. You can also use a taxi or an Uber to get there.

Indian

Indian women wearing sari

The sari is the most recognizable of traditional Indian wear. The sari itself is 4-8 metres in length and about 0.6-1.2 meters wide. A petticoat is worn underneath the sari with a matching or contrasting choli, which is a tight-fitting midriff blouse with or without sleeves. The whole sari is wrapped around the body, reaching just under or above the navel, with the extensively embroidered or printed end draping over the left shoulder. The breadth of the garment reaches from the waist down to the floor and is tied tightly at the waist with a drawstring. The colour of the petticoat should match the base colour of the sari as closely as possible. It functions as a support garment to help hold the sari in place.

The women from Northern India, however, wear the salwar kameez, also known as a Punjabi suit. It is a long dress-like, sleeveless top that is worn over trousers, and matched with a shawl to complete the look.

Indian men wearing kurta

Indian men traditionally wear a kurta and trousers during formal occasions. The kurta is a long knee-length shirt typically made of cotton or linen.

How to Wear

How to wear an Indian sari

Sari

1. First, choose a petticoat that matches the base colour of the sari. The petticoat will not be visible once the sari has been put on.
2. A fitting choli will be worn as well. The choli will end below the bust area, leaving the waist and navel area exposed.
3. Next, you will start by tucking the plain end of the sari into the petticoat at a start position just a bit to the right side of the navel. The other end will be flowing down to the ground so you will have to make sure that it is not dragging on the floor.
4. Once the length is fixed, you can bring the remaining length of the sari to the left side from the back, wrapping once around yourself, so that the sari is right back in front of you on the right side.
5. You will continue tucking the sari into the petticoat while making sure that the sari draping on you does not touch the floor.
6. Next, make around five to seven folds of equal width, about 5 inches per fold, starting from the end of the tucked-in sari.
7. Gather the folds together neatly, making sure that the lower edges of the pleats are straight, even, and not touching the ground.
8. Pin them down with a safety pin to prevent the pleats from unfolding.
9. Tuck the folds neatly into the petticoat at the waist, where the folds are slightly to the left of the navel, so that the pleats open to your left side.
10. Drape the remaining fabric around your hips one more time from the left, going behind you, and back to the right again, while you hold on to the top edge of the sari.
11. When the sari comes back to the front, you will drape it over your left shoulder so that end of the sari is hanging down your back. You can also use a safety pin to fix the sari to the choli at the shoulder so that it does not fall off.

Salwar Kameez

Indian women in salwar kameez

The salwar pants usually have an elastic waist or a drawstring at the front. You can also determine which is the front and back of the trousers by looking at where the pockets are located. Once you put on the pants, adjust the legs so that the fabric flows down nicely. The blouse may have beads, hooks, or special designs on them, so be careful not to catch them in your hair while you are slipping into the top. To complete the whole look, wear the shawl over your shoulders, around your neck, or just drape it over one of your shoulders.

Where to Buy

Little India in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

You can find traditional Indian wear at the Little India here in Kuala Lumpur. Just head down to Brickfields, and you will have a wide range of styles to choose from.

Brickfields
Jalan Travers to Jalan Tun Sambanthan,
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

How to Get to Brickfields
By train, you can take either the Putra LRT Line, or the KL Monorail, stop at the KL Sentral station, and walk over to Brickfields. You can also take a taxi or an Uber to Brickfields.

Peranakan Clothes

Ladies in kebaya pendek

The Peranakans are a unique culture that began when Chinese immigrants began marrying into the local Malay community many centuries ago. They are also known as the Baba-Nyonyas. “Baba” refers to the men, and “Nyonya” refers to the women.

The Nyonya’s traditional attire is the nyonya kebaya, which is worn with a batik sarong as a skirt, and three kerosang, or brooches, holding the jacket closed and in place. The women also wear a pair of hand-made beaded slippers, called the kasot manek-manek, to complete the look. The traditional kasot manek-manek is a pair of hand-sewn slippers where glass beads are strung up and sewn onto a canvas. It often features European floral designs with strong, Peranakan-influenced colours.

The Nyonya clothing consists of three layers, which are the inner wear, the outer jacket, and the sarong. The outer jacket is usually made of sheer materials, like gauze cotton, voile, or georgette. The inner wear is usually a traditional camisole called choli. The jackets are extensively embroidered with emphasis at the collar, sleeves, and hems. The embroidery is usually done by hand as machine-sewn embroidery do not look as intricate as the hand-sewn pieces. The nyonya kebaya usually uses a sarong with a Batik Java design.

Peranakan women in baju panjang

The nyonya kebaya comes in two basic styles. The first is the baju panjang, which features a longer, straight-cut jacket that comes down to the knee. It is usually worn by the more mature ladies, and is made out of a sheer material. A set of three kerosang is used to secure the front of the baju panjang. An embroidered cotton handkerchief is tucked in at the collar area to complete the look. The second style is called the kebaya pendek. It is preferred by the younger nyonyas as the hip-length jacket accentuates the figure.

A peranakan groom wearing baju lokchuan

The Babas wear a baju lokchuan, which is similar to what the Chinese men would wear. Others may prefer to wear a long-sleeved shirt with a Chinese collar, or just a batik shirt.

How to Wear

Sarong for the Nyonya Kebaya
It is very easy to wear the sarong. Just slip into the circular sarong and position yourself on the left side of the sarong while holding the right end of the sarong with your left hand. Using your right hand, hold down the front part of the sarong so that it fits nicely across your abdomen. With your left hand, fold the remaining material towards your left hip while still holding on to the front and back edges where it meets on the right side of your hip. Secure everything tightly and then fold the top of the sarong at your waist level in an outward manner. Make sure that the sarong does not drag on the floor, then turn it so that the end of the sarong folds in front of your left thigh. Usually, a belt is required to secure the sarong.

Where to Buy

Jonker street in Melaka, Malaysia

The best place to get Peranakan items is Malacca, which has a rich history of Peranakan culture, at either Jonker Street or the Hatten Square Melaka Mall. If you are in Kuala Lumpur, there are a few stores in Central Market that sell traditional Peranakan attire.

Jonker Street
Jalan Hang Jebat,
75200 Melaka, Malaysia

Hatten Square
Jalan Merdeka,
Bandar Hilir,
75000 Melaka, Malaysia
http://www.hattensquare.com.my/

Central Market
Jalan Hang Kasturi,
50050 Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia
http://www.centralmarket.com.my/

Hatten Square, Melaka, Malaysia

How to Get to Central Market
If you are travelling by train, you can take the Kelana Jaya Line and stop at the Pasar Seni Station, which is located right across from Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. You can also take the Ampang line, but you will have to alight at the Masjid Jamek Station and walk 15 minutes to Central Market. If you take the KTM Commuter, the Kuala Lumpur Station is only a 5-minute walk away.

If you are taking a Rapid KL Bus service, take the following buses:
821, 822, 851, 180, 640, 650, 651, 652, 772, 780, 781, 782, 750, 751, 752, 770, 771, BET1, BET3, BET4.

You can also take the KL Hop-On Hop-Off buses. This is a city tour bus that stops at the station right across from Central Market. Alternatively, use the free GOKL city bus service that travels selected routes in the city and stops right across from Central Market. You can also use a taxi or an Uber to get there.

Portuguese-Eurasian

Women of Portuguese-Eurasian descent in Melaka wearing their traditional attires

The Portuguese-Eurasians are descendants of 16th century Portuguese settlers who made their home in Malacca. Their traditional attire strongly reflects their heritage. The colours black and red dominate their traditional costumes. The men wear jackets and trousers with waist sashes, while the women wear broad front-layered skirts.

Sarawak

There are many different cultures in Sarawak. However, there are three main ethnic groups in Sarawak whose traditional wear are more frequently seen.

Iban

An Iban couple in traditional attire

The women wear the Ngepan Iban which is made up of 11 components. The entire costume can weigh up to 5kg (approximately 11lbs), and is worn during special occasions, ceremonies, rituals, and dances.

The full Ngepan Iban consists of the following:

1. The sugu tinggi, or silver headdress.
2. The marek empang or tangu, which is worn around the neck and rests on the shoulders of the person wearing it.
3. The kain karap or the kebat, which is a traditional woven skirt that is worn around the waist.
4. The lampit, or silver belt.
5. The rawai, or silver corset.
6. The tumpa pirak or bentuk, which are the silver bangles encircling the wrists.
7. The gelang kaki or gerunchung, which are also known as anklets.
8. The silver purse, or buah pauh.
9. The selampai, or sash.
10. The tali ujan or mulung, which is a fine silver chain.
11. The sementing buchai or sengkiling, which is a coin corset with dangling coins.

The traditional attire for the men is known the baju burung, which is worn together with the sirat. The baju burung is a vest-like top, and the sirat is a long scarf-like cloth, about 25cm (10 inches) wide and 3-4m (10-12 feet) long, that is tied around the waist. The two ends of the scarf are used to cover the front and the back, so as not to expose themselves.

How to Wear

Sirat
Pull one end of the scarf from the back, between the buttocks, and to the front, to cover the private areas. Using the longer end of the scarf, circle the scarf around your hips under the other end that you first used. After securing the longer end of the scarf around your hips to the desired length, tie a knot above the area of your natal cleft.

Orang Ulu

Ulu women in their traditional attire

The Orang Ulu is made up of a few tribes, namely the Kenyah, Kayan, Kelabit, Klemantan, Lun Bawang, and Penan tribes. They wear their traditional attire only during important ritual ceremonies and the welcoming of guests.

The women wear a headdress called the lavong and a dress called the ketip, which are all handmade. The headdress is made of beads while the ketip is adorned with colourful beads and sequins.

Bidayuh

Bidayuh women in their traditional attire

The Bidayuh attire for women consists of a short-sleeved or sleeveless top, a skirt called the jomuh, and matching accessories, which includes the selapi (sash), pangiah (beaded necklace), porik (metal belt), and a sipiah (headdress).

The Bidayuh men wear a tawuop or tahup, which is a long piece of cloth that is wrapped around the body in such a way that the two ends hang down the front and back of the body. The male headdress is known as the burang sumba, and the armlets are called kima.

The pangiah is a beaded necklace made out of high-quality ceramic beads and pendants. The pendants on the pangiah are made from either the teeth of wild animals or from artificial teeth. The pangiah features very colourful rows of beads that are tied together with nylon strings or small stripes. It is the perfect accessory for Bidayuh women for official functions, cultural dinners, or everyday use. The pangiah shows the Bidayuh’s cultural identity and is one of the must-haves for a Bidayuh lady.

Sabah

Models in Sabah traditional clothes

There are around 32 groups of indigenous people in Sabah and just as many variations of tribal dress in different styles. Many of these groups have their own style and colour, although most of them use black as a base. Colour is added by sewing on beads of red, orange, white, and green. These traditional costumes will usually include antique bead necklaces and belts, hand-engraved silver jewellery, and belts of old silver dollar coins. Most of these accessories are treasured items. They are regarded as precious family heirlooms that are passed down from one generation to the next.

Kadazandusun

Kadazandusun women and man in their traditional attire

The Kadazandusun is the largest ethnic tribe in Sabah. The women of this culture wear short shirts known as the sinuangga, and a wrap skirt called the tapi. They have a batik scarf that is fitted with a himpogot belt made out of silver dollar coins. They accessorise with gold jewellery like the hamai (necklace), gohong (bangles), simbong (earrings), sinsing (ring), and pawn (brooch).

The base material for the sinuangga is black commercial fabric, with silk or velvet used for ceremonial occasions. For daily-wear purposes, it is made with cotton. Sinuangga is the short-sleeved blouse with a U-neckline that is worn by younger women. It has embroidery along the openings for the head and arms, the side seams, and along the middle of the back. The embroidery is made from red, yellow and cream cotton yarn. Gold buttons are fixed all the way from the neck to the waist on costumes meant for ceremonial or formal occasions. The tapi is a long wrap dress that is similar to the sarong.

The traditional wear for men is the gaung and souva. The gaung is a long-sleeved shirt with gold trimmings and buttons. The souva is a pair of long trousers that is worn with a waistband called the toogot. There are gold trimmings that run down the seams of the souva. The men also wear a siga, a type of headdress, on their heads to complete the full look. The siga is made of cotton and can be either folded or twisted. They are usually worn for ceremonial purposes.

Bajau

Bajau men in their traditional attire

They are considered the cowboys of the East. During special occasions, the Bajau men wear black, or sometimes a white long-sleeved shirt called a badu sampit. They have gold buttons running down the front of the shirt like a button down shirt, which is also decorated with silver flowers called intiras. They match the badu sampit with a pair of tight-fitting trousers. Both the shirt and trousers have gold trimmings sewn on. They would also usually wear a headpiece known as a podong. The Bajau man also carries a silver-hilted dagger called a karis by his side. The sheath is made from wood and silver. He will also carry a spear, or a bujak.

Rungus

Rungus men and women in their traditional attire

The traditional attire for the Rungus women is made with cloth processed from hand-grown and hand-spun cotton. A black cloth with little hand-stitched patterns is worn from the chest down to the waist. This forms the banat tondu, or the blouse, that is paired with the tapi rinugading, which is a knee-length skirt of the same material. There is also another scarf-like black cloth that is about 30cm (11.8 inches) long. It is slipped over the head and rests on the shoulders to drape over the arms like sleeves. The women wear this with what is called an orot, which is a belt made of stripped bark with little brass rings and beads weaved into it. The orot is worn around the hips with a string of beads, known as the lobokon, hung loosely from the orot. The orot is hand-made by the Rungus men using a technique that is known only to them. Long beaded necklaces, called sandang, are also worn diagonally over the shoulders. They often include ivory-white discs obtained from the shells of kima or animal bones.

The women’s hair are usually combed into a bun and adorned with a multi-coloured floral headdress called the titimbok. There is a thin band of beads, called the sisingal, which is tied around the forehead. A braid, made out of pieces of cloth sewn together in rows, is tied at the back of the neck.

 
For more interesting information:

• Indians in Malaysia
• Guan Yin Day
• Monarchy System in Malaysia
• Gawai Dayak: The Celebration of Bountiful Harvest
• Thaipusam – The Festival of Lord Murugan
• 25 Mouthwatering Dishes of Malaysia

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