Fashion and clothing for Filipino-Americans has been a symbol of political action since their arrival to the U.S. in the early 20th century. Dealing with U.S. occupation in the Philippines, both students and laborers adopted American styles of dress while also maintaining styles of dress that originated in the Philippines. Fashion remains an integral aspect for the Filipino-American community, with many cultural celebrations regarding fashion such as Canada Philippine Fashion Week in Toronto and other fashion weeks occurring in numerous global cities. Aside from partaking in fashion, the Philippines also produces clothing that is made for mass consumption overseas, in places such as the U.S., Europe, and Canada.
History
American colonial period
The pensionandos were a group of students sent to the U.S. for the purpose of gaining an education from an American university, with the hopes that these students could go back home to contribute to Filipino society. Starting in 1901, the pensionado program allowed for Filipino students to gain an education from an American university; unlike the “Manong” generation, there were a significant number of Filipina women in the program. The Philippines was under U.S. colonial rule during the time the pensionado program was first put into place. American teachers in the Philippines encouraged Filipino students back home to adopt American styles of fashion and clothing and leave behind traditional Filipino garments. In the 1920s, the camisa (blouse) and the saya (skirt) were used in conjunction to form what is known as the terno. The terno is alternatively referred to as the Maria Clara gown. The inspiration for the terno came about due to American evening gowns more utilitarian, with diminished skirts and sleeves. The terno was commonly worn among Filipina students as a replacement to the camisa. The perception was that traditional Filipino clothing such as the camisa were cumbersome and inconvenient for daily use. Because of this, American clothing became the standard for everyday wear in Filipino society. Physical education class in the Filipino curriculum was pivotal for this change. It allowed specifically for women to dress in non-traditional Filipino clothing and in athletic wear that was fashionable in the United States.
Many Filipina women struggled with wearing both American and Filipino clothing. For Filipina women, it was a common belief among Filipino society that they were gatekeepers of Filipino culture. Filipina women had the dilemma of adopting the new American style of clothing while keeping old, traditional Filipino garments intact and in fashion. Filipinos who did not wear American clothes were looked down upon for not being able to become accustomed to American culture. However, Filipinos who did wear American clothing were believed to not be “Filipino” enough.
In the U.S., the 1904 World’s Fair (also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) had an exhibit of Filipinos dressed as the Igorot tribe. This led to the mistaken portrayal of Filipinos as solely representative of the Igorot people. Filipino students looked to dispel the stereotypes of the Igorot tribe by dressing in American style clothing. Throughout the course of the week, Filipina women were allowed to either dress in American clothes or Filipino clothes. Filipina students often alternated between the two styles of dress. For the purposes of work and study, Filipina students decided to wear American clothing. On other occasions such as special events, Filipina students opted for traditional Filipino clothing. Garments such as the terno were often worn for such special events. The wearing of the terno was interpreted as a patriotic thing to do, showing pride in Filipino culture. For male pensionados, their styles of clothing differed from the “Manong” generation. Instead of wearing suits, male Filipino students opted to wear hats instead of suits and ties. The main reason for this occurrence was because male Filipino students wanted to differ themselves from the negative stereotypes surrounding individuals belonging to the Manong generation. For some male Filipino students, more money was spent on clothing and material possessions than their education and food.