SMK Cikgu's Regalia - Baju Kurung (Part 2)

In this second part, I am going to show you more pictures of me in different baju kurungs. However, the baju kurungs are not the highlight of these pictures; the people and the stories are. 

Read Part 1 here if you are interested to see my first baju kurung, my favorite baju kurung, and my tailor-made baju kurungs.

11.

This picture was taken in early 2017. I was a newbie teacher and a proud owner of a new Perodua Axia. One day, as I was ready to head to school in my car as usual, I noticed that a bird egg had dropped and cracked on the top of my car. If it was just a gigantic lump of bird poop, I would have ignored it. However, the broken egg was gruesome (it could have been a hatchling) and most importantly, it stank.

I drove to the petrol station near my school and asked the workers for some water to clean the mess. This uncle saw me and offered to help. He cleaned my car by blasting water at it. I offered him some money in return but if I remember correctly, he declined it. I took this picture, thinking to myself that I have to remember the kindness of this stranger and pass it on in the future.

 

12.

This picture was taken in July 2017 at a district-level English workshop. Some of the 2017 fellows from different schools had gathered because we were intrigued by the speaker and the topic he presented (use of Poker card and magic tricks in class). Ever since the cohort graduated from DPLI, we seldom meet. It's normal for people to each be busy with their own lives and drift apart slowly, so I am not feeling particularly sad about it.

However, once in a while, when I look back at pictures we have taken together, I am reminded of the happy memories we shared and I am grateful that our paths crossed. 

13.

To be honest, even up till now, I have yet to fully comprehend the charm of wearing matching (sedondon) baju kurungs as a group. But I ain't gonna be the mood spoiler and ruin the fun for others. This is a matching baju kurung we got in 2018 for the four of us who sit in the language lab office. I am really thankful that I don't have to sit in the crowded and noisy teachers' room. These three ladies in the picture have been my pillars of support in this school. The photo was taken earlier this month before the Form 1 to Form 4 students were back to school.

Speaking of this baju kurung, I had a hard time accepting it at first. For some odd reasons, the combination of the color, the shoulder pads, and the front zipper design reminds me of the robes of Jedi. Hmm...

14.

Here's another matching baju kurung we got for all English teachers in the school. This picture was taken earlier this year. 

I am closest to this colleague of mine in the school. She is very outspoken and she has mentored me through various situations since I joined the school. We both started in the afternoon session and were transferred to the morning session two years later. We often go out and have high tea together after work. I really cherish this kind of co-worker relationship. 

 

15.

This picture was taken earlier this year during the parent-teacher annual meeting. The dress code was yellow. The baju kurung I wore was a hand-me-down from a senior. After almost three years, I decided that it was too worn out and I cut it into pieces to be used as wipe clothes when the students came back from MCO holiday. 

Everyone in this picture can be counted as my juniors at work. Even though some of them are at the same age as me or slightly older, they joined the school and the profession after me. When I look at this picture, I am reminded that I am no longer a newbie teacher. Damn, time flies.

16.

This photo was taken earlier this year during the weekly Pembangunan Insan slot. We colored these Chinese masks in conjunction with Chinese New Year celebration. 

I got this baju kurung last year in order to fulfill the requirement of wearing red on Mondays. Muslim female teachers in Johor government schools are required to wear red tudung every Monday. The only three non-Muslim female teachers in the school (me included) have decided to wear something red on Mondays since we do not need to wear head scarf.

17.

This photo was taken just a few days ago when I went to Moonlight Cake House with my colleague after work. 

This baju kurung is my latest acquisition and it is an impulse purchase. When I saw the pattern of this baju kurung, I instantly thought of the fancy kimonos worn by the women in the Japanese drama, Ooku. Man, I just need to have it in my closet! Truth be told, one of the reasons why I like baju kurung so much is because of the diverse patterns. It really fulfills my fantasy of living as a noble in the olden days.

 

18, 19, 20.

These three photos were all taken during different periods. On the far left was a picture taken when we were marking exam papers. In the middle was a picture taken during one of my college Christian fellowship gatherings. On the far right was a picture taken during TFM Pre-Service Programme. 

The only similarity of these three pictures is that the baju kurungs I wore were all hand-me-downs, which I have thrown away now.

Few weeks ago, when my students were learning descriptive writing, they came across a sentence in a sample essay - "the Saffron-robed monks strolled the streets of Bangkok." They were puzzled as to why the writer would include such a plain detail in her writing. I pointed out to my students that in many other countries in the world, it is a rare occurrence to see people walking around the town in outfits unique to their identities, such as traditional or religious clothes. 

Malaysians are blessed to not only be able to preserve our diverse culture, but to own and wear different kinds of traditional outfits on a daily basis, at an affordable price. May we all be grateful with what we have.

SMK Cikgu's Regalia - Baju Kurung (Part 1)

With the end of the farewell ceremony for my ex-principal, Mr. A, I have finally gathered all the photos I need to create this post. After all, the grey Songket matched with mint green baju kurung top that I wore for the ceremony inspired this post. (The photo will be revealed later.)

Before I go into introducing my tiny galore of baju kurung, allow me to lament a little bit about my experience with fashion since young. When my mum decided that I was too old to go around the town in pajamas she bought from pasar pagi, I was suddenly bestowed with the freedom of matching my outfit of the day. For a long period of time when I was in Standard 5 and 6, my favorite outfit was an amber yellow graphic-T matched with a pandan green polka dots miniskirt. Up till this point, I am still perplexed by my daring fashion choice at that time. I was basically a moving kuih lapis hijau kuning.

Here's a picture of kuih lapis hijau kuning to aid you with your imagination.

By the time I felt embarrassed about it, I was already in secondary school. Oh no. Throughout my five years in secondary school, seldom did I need to buy my own clothes. I spent most of my weekends participating in various club activities, so I usually wore club T-shirts everywhere I went and I had little to no mood and time for shopping. My mum would get me some new tops when she saw suitable ones. My neighbor would pass me large bags of branded hand-me-downs every now and then when she cleared her closet for the new season. As a result, I became very lazy when it comes to the matter of fashion.

How is my past experience related to baju kurung you ask? Baju kurung is perfect for lazy people like me. It always comes in a set so I don't have to figure out which top goes with which skirt. Also, as soon as I have figured out the cut of baju kurung that I like/ look good in, I can buy or tailor the same design every time and be sure that I will look decent in it. In short, baju kurung is a convenient working uniform for me.

Alright, let's dive in and look at some baju kurungs I have/ had and the stories behind these photos.

1.

I owned my first baju kurung when I was enrolled in college for ACTP course. All female students were required to wear baju kurung every Monday and Friday. Knowing nothing about baju kurung at that time, I made the safe choice of choosing a plain baju kurung top which matched with a checkered skirt.

This picture was taken to be used as a flyer when I participated in an inter-class speech contest in 2012. It was bulk-printed and the flyers were pasted everywhere around the faculty. In the end, I lost the competition. I suppose this was a dark history of me...?

2.

Fast forward to 2016. The photo below was taken when my partner and I interviewed the principal of the school where we interned at for TFM Rancangan Orientasi Sekolah. I had this baju kurung since 2013 and I brought it to the States, thinking that I might wear it when the occasion calls for it. In the end, I wore it twice when I was in the States: once during a Raya celebration and once during an international Christian conference.

One funny thing about this pink baju kurung is that many people had approached me and asked whether I had it tailored because the top looks like the Vietnamese split tunic dress (ao dai). Truth be told, I got this for RM30 at Tesco.

3.

Here comes my favorite baju kurung of all time. The photo below was taken by professionals at the end of 2016 as my TFM fellow profile picture. Look at that smile and that vivid color. I wear this baju kurung to school frequently up till this day. Both the color and the cut still hold up well. Best RM50 spent.

4.

Moving into the year of 2017, when I began my life as a SMK teacher. This baju kurung is yet another superb deal I seized from Tesco. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I knew for a fact that it would be a worthy piece because of its timeless, silky black color and refreshing flower pattern.

The photo below was taken at the farewell ceremony for my (first) ex-principal, Mr. S. At that time, I had yet to receive the car that I had ordered, so even though I was teaching in the afternoon session, I would ride in my collab's car and go to school early in the morning. It was a tiring experience for both me and my collabs (because they needed to pick me up in the evening), but for some mystifying reasons, I still looked fresh in this picture. Passion sustained me, I guess...?

5.

Let's move on to look at my tailor-made baju kurungs. This classic Ikea warehouse portrait was taken when Ikea Tebrau first opened at the end of 2017. 

I bought this fabric because one of the teachers I am close with asked me whether I wanted one. Erm... I didn't really need one but I was bad at saying no, so yes, I got myself my first four meters of fabric. Thankfully, the outcome was great and I received many praises when I wore this baju kurung. Up till this day, this baju kurung is still one of my go-to baju kurungs when I am rushing or when I am lazy to iron my clothes.

 

6.

The same teacher asked whether I wanted more fabric and for the same reason as mentioned above, I got myself a Batik this time. The fabric is very breathable and the pattern is nice, but the color falls short of my expectation. Nevertheless, this baju kurung is very comfortable and fitting. 

This photo of me and my two TFM collabs was taken in 2018 during our school Raya celebration. I had a lot of fun working with these two high-achievers for two years. If fate calls for it, maybe we will collaborate again in the future...? (This line sounds corny.)

 

7.

Next, this baju kurung was my tacky attempt at cosplaying as a Kadet Polis. For your information, students and teachers in government schools are required to wear co-curricular uniforms to schools every Wednesday. When I visited the textile shop, I couldn't find the correct blue fabric for Pandu Puteri uniform, so I thought I could get away as a Kadet Polis if I wore a baju kurung made of a darker shade of blue. My plan worked for about two years. Then, a new co-curricular senior assistant came to my school and started enforcing stricter rules. Since then, this baju kurung has been a decoration in my closet. 

The photo below was taken at Senibong earlier this year. We were celebrating the end of a project as a team.

8.

Here comes the most infamous baju kurung among my collection. The swirly brinjal. In 2018, a group of senior teachers decided that this pattern would be a great choice as the official Batik for my school. I beg to differ. Still, I have to admit that this fabric is the material I like because it makes a durable baju kurung that is suitable for everyday wear.

9.

Hold your breath. Here comes the Songket themed baju kurung that inspired this post. Ta-daa! Ain't I elegant (shameless grin). 

Please speak only good words about this baju kurung because it cost me an arm and a leg. The fabric cost RM80 while the tailoring fee cost RM110. I plan to reap the most out of the expensive attire by posting my picture in it everywhere on social media. However, for now, I will reserve this baju kurung for special occasions only since the Songket skirt is not meant for hard-wearing.

10.

My most recent tailor-made baju kurung is this Batik that matched with a peach-colored top. The origin of this baju kurung is fun to mention. The tailor that I entrusted my Songket themed baju kurung with made this peach-colored top using my measurement and an extra piece of fabric she had. I had no idea of its existence until she shoved it in my hand and gave me the hard sell. Coincidentally, I had a brand new purple Batik which I had no use of, so I agreed to buying the top if she would make the Batik into a suitable skirt to match with the top. In the end, everything worked out well. The tailor successfully sold another piece of garment while I finally found an use for my Batik. 

This photo was taken when I visited Book Xcess last Thursday. 

We, as humans, dress up well to make ourselves feel good. I am no exception to this rule. As I am writing this post, I get slightly sentimental reminiscing past events that associated with the baju kurungs and the photos. I still have a few photos of me in different baju kurungs and a few stories which I would like to share with the world. I shall include them in the coming post so that this post is not too long. 

As always, thank you for reading.