Modern Maria Clara

Just before this month of August ends, I decided to create a toothpick doll wearing a modern Terno Maria Clara gown. 

Every month of August, the Philippines celebrates a month-long celebration of Buwan ng Wika (Buwan means Month while Wika means Language). It used to be a week-long celebration, until President Ramos declared it should be a month-long starting from the year 1997. It's usually the month where all Philippine schools hold programs and contests about the National Language of the Philippines and our rich culture and history. Along with it, participants also wear our traditional clothes which are the Barong Tagalog (for men) and Baro't Saya (for women).

Baro't Saya is an early pre-colonial clothing of the Philippines, and also has different forms. Back in the day when there were castes, the upper class wore Baro't Saya made from silk while the lower class wore Baro made from pounded white bark fiber.  

One of the forms of Baro't Saya is the Maria Clara dress, which has four pieces (camisa or baro for the top, saya which is the skirt, panuelo for the scarf, and tapis which is a knee-length overskirt that hugs the hips). It got its name from a fictional character from the book Noli Me Tangere by Dr. Jose P. Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines.  

Then came the 1900s and the Maria Clara dress evolved to a more modern design and style and later called as Terno which refers to matching colors and patterns, or Mestiza Dress. The panuelo (Spanish for scarf) was also replaced by the butterfly sleeves. The Maria Clara dress got even more modernized at the start of the 20th century and various modern designs are worn by prominent people in the Philippines. The modern version of the Maria Clara is always worn by Imelda Marcos, the 10th First Lady of the Philippines. Pia Wurtzbach, Miss Universe 2015, also wore the modern Terno during the 64th Miss Universe.

Personally, I haven't worn an actual Maria Clara dress or even the modern Terno. Back when I was still a student, I was always the one participating in the art contests (poster-making, or bulletin board design) unlike my other classmates who joined the literary contests such as singing, balagtasan (Filipino version of debate), sabayang pagbigkas (choral recitation), and dance contests. I have only worn something similar to the Maria Clara dress once back in college. I only improvised a few fabrics to make it look like a Maria Clara dress.

I used a tan skin-tone for this piece to represent the typical Filipina who has morena skin. I gave her a red ombre modern terno with a cage sleeve. I also used the mermaid-tail style to give it a more modern look. And yes, I've used my glittery nail polish on this doll again instead of my nails. 

I gave her an updo hairstyle, to give her a neat and dignified look. I also added tiny silver hair emblems to accentuate her black hair. I'm still deciding whether to create another toothpick doll wearing the traditional Maria Clara with all the panuelo and stuff.