For decades, the portrait of a Filipina has been considered a picture of grace —she’s seated upright, donning a charming smile, and of course, dressed impeccably. Arguably the centerpiece of the portrait is the traditional dress — a Baro’t Saya, stunning with its bold shape and elaborate details. The Baro’t Saya is more than a dress — it’s a representation of the Filipina; the dress is as confident and striking, as it is graceful and refined. It’s no wonder why it’s constantly reimagined in current times — it’s such an excellent representation of what a modern Filipina should strive to embody.

Here is a run down of what you need to know about the Baro’t Saya.

The name means “blouse and skirt”

“Baro’t Saya” translates to “blouse and skirt,” the two main pieces that make up the traditional ensemble.

It’s composed of four parts

The baro’t saya is made of four parts. The Baro is a blouse made of lightweight material. The Saya is a skirt that falls anywhere below the knee or to the feet. The Panuelo or Alampay is a scarf draped on the shoulders, often secured by a brooch. The Tapiz is a short overskirt placed on top of the Saya. Through the decades and major events of our history, each component of the baro’t saya evolved in design. For example, because of the onset of world trade and higher availability of intricate fabrics, the Saya became more and more elaborate in design.

It’s worn with special underwear

Since the Baro’t Saya is lightweight and can be a little see-through, a special pair of undergarments can be worn underneath it. The Corpiño is worn under the blouse, and the Enaguas under the skirt. They are both light-colored and finely detailed undergarments. It allows another layer of design underneath the translucent material.

It uses Piña Fiber Piña

Fiber is the choice material for the baro’t saya because of its accessibility, practicality, and structural integrity. Pineapples grow abundantly in tropical countries like the Philippines, so the fiber is easy to access. The fabric is lightweight and breathable, which makes it perfect to wear for the hot weather. And despite the lightness of the material, it can be stiff and structured, allowing it to create the notable baro’t saya sleeves. Additionally, the way Piña Fiber is made — extracted manually and handwoven in a loom — is environmentally friendly. In fact, it is one of the sustainable fibers Bayo is trying to revive in our latest collection.

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