Trip to Kamuning for Momon's Barong

Today, we zeroed in on probably the only thing exclusively related to the groom--the barong.

Momon and I went to Kamuning--Quezon City's textile and tailoring capital--to see sample designs and research on rates. I've spent a number of weekends in Kamuning with my parents when I was young. My dad had his office attires and fancy barongs made there. My dress for the junior prom, CAT uniform, bed sheets were all done there. Whenever we need cloth for school projects, it's always Kamuning.

Our experience today affirms again the classic case for weddings, where the bride seems to be more important than the groom. For girls, we scan so many dress designs on the internet until we find the one, then we spend so much time again looking for the designer to have the dress interpreted for us. We know for a fact, and we have accepted it, that the most expensive clothing we will ever buy in our lives, we will only wear once.

For grooms, they decide between the barong and the suit. Then, we learn about the different kinds of fabric, their value and their prestige. From there, we pick and choose the design and work with a tailor to have it done. Sabi ko pa kay Momon, "Pag nakapili ka na ng gusto mong fabric, bubuklatin natin lahat yan para makita natin ang buong embroidery." Sabi nya, "Hindi, pipili na lang ako kahit naka-fold."

Ang pinakamahal pala sa barong is the abaca from Aklan, then the pina, then the jusi. Combinations of two fibers fall in between. We wondered why we haven't seen so many grooms wearing the abaca when it's so elegant and expensive--sort of a status symbol. There's also the callado embroidery which has all inches of the cloth embroidered; and the raya embroidery which has the embroideries at the back and in the sleeves. The type of weaving, whether checkered or unidirectional also has a bearing on the cost.

Prices of Cloth
Pure Abaca - 12,000
Pina Abaca - 5,000

Pure Pina Raya - 6,500 to 7,500
Pure Pina - 3,000 to 4,000

Pina Silk Raya - 4,500
Pina Silk - 2,000 to 2,500

Pina Callado Front - 6,000
Pina Callado Full - 12,000

Pina Jusi - 700 to 1,500 (depends on design)

Prices of Tailoring (Labor and includes lining, buttons, zippers, etc)
Pina with Lining - 1,500
Pina Jusi - 850
Pants - 400
Barong Suit - 3,800
Suit with Pants - 3,800

Momon has decided that he does not want a barong suit. He wants it either the pure abaca or pure pina raya. According to him, the final decision will depend on the budget left from my gown expenses, and whether or not he wants to be able to wear the barong again for other ocsasions. Case in point, again.

We also saw some cloths for wedding gowns, really interesting! But my mom intiially said that she wants us to go to Lumban and buy our cloths there. We'll see. Momon and I are open to another field trip. :)