Now that Ramadan has entered its second week, I can't help but notice the countless ads and promotions of baju raya on TV, newspapers, magazines and Facebook. I notice that somehow the baju kurung has lost its originality and losing popularity as the baju raya . Facts that don't really sit well with me. Back when I was young, the baju kurung was the only baju raya that I knew. Occassionally, baju kebaya was also worn as baju raya but in Johor we used to be proud of the traditional baju kurung. Johor takes pride in its baju kurung Teluk Belanga , its distinctive style is known from the cutting style at the neck. The Teluk Belanga style has no collar and the neckline is stitched in the style known as tulang belut ("eel's spines or bones"). My mom used to sew our baju kurungs herself. She would spend hours stitching the seams, as well as stitching the tulang belut , a skill which I unfortunately didn't inherit. Sigh. Nowadays, it is difficult to find ...
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