The Traje De Mestiza Terno
At the turn of the century with the Spanish and Spanish American war, Filipinos asserted themselves through crystallizing their identity with costume. Through the four hundred years of colonization, Filipinas wore plain wrap-around skirts (saya) fashioned out of opaque plaid or striped cotton and sinamay varieties, while the baro (blouse) was fashioned out of sheer lace fabrics. Since the baro was also made of fine material, a piece of cloth of the same fabric as the saya was worn over the baro to cover the breasts. This piece of cloth (which doubled as a veil) later evolved into the pañuelo. According to historians, the use of the pañuelo was an imposition of the Spanish missionaries on the ‘Indian’ women who resisted undergarments. In the American colonial era (1902-1946), sleeves evolved from the bell-shape to the butterfly sleeves design associated with the terno today.
The Traje de Mestiza as featured here is an early offspring of the Maria Clara, a creation of delicate lace bell sleeves and detailed embroidered skirts. The gown became the star of the zarsuelas with all the glittering glamour of a beauty queen.
Be a fin de siecle belle of the ball with the Traje de Mestiza terno now available at the Casa Del Shai Deco.
June 22nd, 2007 at 7:29 am
Oh I just drooled on my keyboard, this is GORGEOUS Shai. I am really in awe of the fantastic work you and all the SL designers do and the amount of detail you put into your pieces.
June 24th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Hi Shai, this is exactly the gown that I want my daughter to wear on her 18th b-day “filipiniana” theme, but I am looking for something practical that she can be comfortable the whole night..also I hope not too expensive as I am paying part of the “kutilyon” participants wardrobes too.
Pls email me how to go about this
June 24th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
Hi Gina, sadly the gown is a virtual creation and solely exists in a virtual game called second life. Thoughts about transitioning my designs into the real world have been toying in my head. I am connected to a few couturiers and seamstresses though. Maybe we can realize both our dreams. I will email you my contact info in Manila.
July 13th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I’m interested in traje de mestiza terno. Please let me know where I can see one in San Francisco, California.
Thanks
July 17th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Hi Agnes, these creations are made for a virtual world called second life. I am looking to study fashion so I can create these in the real world. Ill keep you posted if there are gowns like this in San Francisco.
October 10th, 2009 at 7:34 am
Hi Ms. Shai,
Nice work. I’m getting married next year. I was looking for Filipiniana gowns, and this is almost exactly what I have in mind.
Keep up the good work. God bless.
*^_^*