Kebaya

The kebaya is an open tunic with long sleeves, a collarless neck and front opening. It is a hip-length garment and is gently shaped to flatter the figure. This kebaya renda is made from white translucent voile and decorated with lace, which is sewn onto the edges of the plain fabric. Cutwork stylised floral motifs run down the centre of the piece and along the bottom, as well as on the sleeves. The rest of the piece is decorated with dots of varying sizes. Such forms of kebayas were commonly worn from the 1920s onwards among Nyonyas in the Straits Settlements. Eurasian women in the Dutch East Indies wore similar white cotton kebayas trimmed with handmade European lace during this time. Being of a translucent material, the kebaya would have been worn with an inner undergarment.