Threads of Influence: Colonial Impact on Filipino Fashion & Identity

Abstract

This paper provides a general overview of the complex relationship between fashion and cultural identity in the Philippines, primarily during the American colonial period (1898-1946), with a brief explanation of the prior impacts of Spanish colonization (1565-1898). Filipino fashion serves not only as a form of self-expression but also as a powerful example of cultural adaptation and resistance. As Americans introduced Western clothing styles and industrially produced textiles, traditional garments such as the Barong Tagalog and Baro’t Saya reflected both these colonial pressures and Filipino resilience. This paper highlights how clothing portrayed this societal change, especially with garments such as the Americana, which came to symbolize modernity and social mobility among the urban elite. At the same time, these garments were hybridized with traditional Filipino elements to maintain cultural identity. Scholars such as Barge Ramos, Sonia P. Yu, and Genevieve Alva Clutario emphasize how fashion was used to navigate and negotiate identity under foreign rule. They also examine the legacy of this colonial era and how it relates to contemporary Filipino fashion, where designers blend traditional aesthetics with modern techniques to reclaim and celebrate cultural heritage. The Manila Shawl, alongside traditional textiles, serves as a symbol of multicultural identity and creative resistance. Overall, this study demonstrates that fashion in the Philippines is deeply intertwined with the country’s history of colonization, and emphasizes Filipino identity and cultural survival.