Title
Baju panjang
Year/Period
Late 19th-early 20th century
Region
Penang
Object Type
Dimension
Object size: 116 x 41.4 cm
Accession No.
2008-00155
Collection of
Credit Line
Gift of Mr and Mrs Khaw Teik Kooi
The ‘baju panjang’ is a hip or knee length long tunic with a v-shaped opening for the head. This piece features floral motif enclosed in diamond-shaped floral scrolls on a purple background. The ‘baju panjang’, being long and loose fitting, is suitable for the hot, humid climate in Southeast Asia as it allowed for better ventilation. Early photographs from the mid 1850s reflect the garment, with its loose conservative form, and muted tones of natural dyes as the style of the day. In the early decades of the 20th century, these became more colourful with the introduction of synthetic dyes.
