Yes! Please Bring Back The KEBAYA.

PWWS President Halida Ali (in white blouse) posing in the 2016 February Calendar

I have a wish, that more Malaysian women would wear the Kebaya that beautiful lace blouse and sarong dress combination our mothers and grandmothers including popular singer Saloma wore regularly in years gone by.

I am totally for the idea especially after reading a report about Lyana Khairuddin’s initiative ‘Bring Back The Kebaya’ movement.

The poster for 'Bring Back the Kebaya' movement.

Lyana aims to put the kebaya into mainstream Malaysian life and questioned why Malaysian women abandoned this previously very common dress to adopt the Arab style jubbah dress instead.

My enthusiasm was encouraged when I came across a 2016 calendar produced by NGO Perak Women for Women Society where all the models were dressed in the sarong kebaya.

Posters of singer 'Saloma' wearing the kebaya

PWWS President Halida Mohd Ali when contacted said the calendar was part of the society’s fund raising project.

“The idea to pose in the kebaya was unanimous” said Halida who explained that the society had held a kebaya promotion event in 2015.

“All our members wore the kebaya during the event so when the fund raising idea came up the members decided to dress in the kebaya.  

“The committee felt that the kebaya should be revived similar to during our mother’s time when the ladies wore the batek sarong and kebaya.

“It was unique and elegant unlike the common baju kurung that does not have a shape and is less attractive”.

Halida said all those who modeled for the calendar wore their own dress while some had one tailored just for the shoot adding that all who participated thoroughly had fun dressing up for the calendar shoot.

Perak Women for Women Society (PWW) is a registered NGO set up in 2003 to enhance the status and lives of women in Perak.

JAG