Kebaya Is A Lifestyle

When there are clothes that give a lot of inspiration for the “fashion”, social status or identity, it is the kebaya. For us, kebaya closely with everyday. Clothing was worn grandmother and parents, ranging from Mbok herbalist to the mother country.

On an afternoon at the end of April, guests meet the performance kebaya Amy Atmanto in a shopping center in the region’s elite Thamrin, Jakarta. Officials, former officials, and socialite blend into one. Just call Linda Agum Gumelar, Siti Fadilah Supari, Mien Uno, Rima Melati, scheduled to Tati, until Marini Zumarnis and Diah Permata Sari. All wore kebaya kebaya praised each other and they used one another.

Interestingly, not only the nuances of color that filled the room, but also no visible kebaya “uniform”. Red kebaya worn Fadilah Supari, for example, away from formal impression. Cloth he wore was relaxed, like a coil sheath. In her kebaya, Fadilah figure that as long as a health minister was once known to impress even more relaxed straightforward.

Kebaya became a hot issue throughout April. Could be because April is closely associated with Kartini Day, while warning of Kartini is often associated with the kebaya. That month is also usually an opportunity for senior designers and new to re-interpret the kebaya in accordance with the current character of Indonesian women.

Looking back, the journey was very long kebaya. Kebaya was first used in Indonesia around the 16th century. According to the homeowner fabric Bin House, Josephine Komara, or known by Obin, Indonesian people are not familiar with the culture used to wear clothes, but wearing kemben. “My start was known as the Portuguese and Dutch arrived. This shirt is then used to continue to use so that emerges form kemben kebaya, kebaya bef, “said Obin.

Due to cultural buttons unknown in Indonesia, women in the past wearing a pin to unite the two sides of the shirt. “And, Kartini was born a kebaya. Plus beads, safety pins also function be decorative, “said Obin, who had known since childhood kebaya. He claimed to really enjoy wearing kebaya. “Women certainly have a tendency to wear something that makes it more beautiful and comfortable. For that, I choose the kebaya, “he said.

Political symbol
In the journey, kebaya has played a variety of functions, whether political, social, or cultural. Henk Schulte Nordholt, in his book, Outward Appearances, for example, write down how kebaya has become a political symbol of Indonesian women.

During the Japanese occupation period (1942-1945), the Indonesian woman who was then a prisoner of war rather than choose to wear kebaya cloth wearing Western-style resistance. This attitude indicates a political position to distinguish themselves with women prisoners of war from the Netherlands.

Not surprisingly, the post-independence President Sukarno and then transforming the kebaya as the national dress. However, the position of “honor” that disappeared in the New Order era. Kebaya became mandatory uniform Dharma Wanita and women in the civil service environment required to become members of Dharma Wanita. Function “control” imposed by kebaya makes some political literacy of women in those days to be antipathy and linking kebaya as a symbol of “oppression.”

“Once kebaya has become a symbol of restraint against women. It can be seen in the New Order era, especially among mothers of Dharma Wanita. They willingly tortured by wearing tight kebaya and fabrics that look pretty and graceful. When it appeared as uniform or kebaya uniform, “said sociologist Julia Suryakusuma.

However, the kebaya is now more a part of fashion and lifestyle. Kebaya is no longer interpreted rigidly. “We can track the trend that the diutak fiddle with the designers was not far from the kebaya and batik. Apparently, the political awareness that the kebaya is already firmly entrenched national dress, “said Julia.

Collaboration among the women, fashion entrepreneurs, fashion designers, and lovers of culture to inspire younger generations that the kebaya is one of the nation’s identity to be kept from sight. In recent years, the trend continued to strengthen in the daily kebaya youth. Course in style and customized pieces.

“Right now there is a short-sleeved kebaya. They, in fact, combine with a pair of jeans. I also make kebaya by hand three quarters to make it more elegant, baseball complicated, and can be used as daily wear, “said Obin.

So-so we hope will also follow in the footsteps kebaya batik which nowadays has become part of everyday fashion. Do not let other countries hurried mengetap kebaya as their national dress and then we hit the ceiling (and then-yack loudly talking about the kebaya-without ever wear them). Kebaya, yes!
(Kompas)

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