Types of baju kurung
With Hari Raya season approaching, those celebrating are sure to start flocking to boutiques, tailors, and Jakel malls. Though, like any festive shopping, things can get overwhelming pretty quickly.
And when it comes to shopping for baju kurung, this is a garment that comes in a wide range of styles. Needless to say, knowing what you’re looking for makes your shopping experience easier. To help you decide on your preferred style, check out these 7 popular types of baju kurung in Malaysia, so you can jump straight into shopping.
Table of Contents
1. Baju kurung pesak buluh
Before the existence of baju kurung, Malay women wore kain kemban, a torso wrap which shows off a woman’s shoulders. With the arrival of Islamic teachings from Arab traders to Malaysia, local Malay women began to wear baju kurung in preference for its loose-fitting form and to abide by the teachings of Islam.
It is believed that baju kurung pesak buluh is one of the earliest existing variants of baju kurung.
Image credit: Belajar Menjahit via Facebook
Also known as baju kurung biasa, it is the most common type of baju kurung that you can find all over the country. You’ll often see this variation in girls’ school uniforms. The name is translated to “bamboo gusset” for its straightforward cut without any flares or cinches, and the triangular piece of fabric at the underarms.
Typically, this variation of the garment is made with cotton for its cooling and breathable properties.
Image adapted from: @hanishx via X, @saralittlecorner via Instagram
If you’re aiming for a more traditional and simple look, this style of baju kurung is for you. And taking pictures at a paddy field definitely enhances the demure kampung girl vibes.
2. Baju kurung pesak gantung
Image adapted from: @fernbatikcollective, @cottonmetaphore via Instagram
Baju kurung pesak gantung has slightly flared sides. Instead of triangular gussets on the underarm of the garment, the fabric stretches down to attach the sleeves to the lower side gussets. This baju kurung is commonly paired with a long skirt, or kain, with folds on the left known as kipas. Skirts with this fold are also known as kipas tepi.
Similar to baju kurung pesak buluh, pesak gantung is commonly made with cotton. But for those who prefer a little more structure, there are also ones made with woven linen and silk. Baju kurung made with woven linen typically includes embroidered floral patterns.
This variant of baju kurung can be styled with a thin shawl over the shoulders. Find windy spots to take OOTD pictures with the shawl being blown behind you. The results? Expect to look like a majestic Malay princess.
3. Baju kurung Pahang
Image credit: Jabatan Muzium Negara
Baju kurung Pahang, also known as baju kurung Riau, has a similar cutting to baju kurung pesak gantung. The difference lies in the lower gusset and hem. The kurung pesak gantung’s gusset is made with two pieces of fabric for each side. In the kurung Pahang, the gusset is a singular piece of wide fabric on either side.
Image adapted from: LIDYA Kuala Lumpur via website
As for the hem, kurung Pahang has a more rounded shape and the traditional ones have a Cekak Musang collar with seven or nine buttons. Cekak Musang collars are ones typically seen on men’s baju Melayu. But the modern kurung Pahang features a rounded collar much like the standard baju kurung.
Image adapted from: LIDYA Kuala Lumpur, Byaqla via website
Similar to kurung pesak gantung, kurung Pahang is commonly made of woven linen with embroidery. It can also be styled with a thin cotton shawl over the shoulder, or a songket sash for a more classic look.
4. Baju kurung Kedah
Image adapted from: Chantek Batik, Aina Hariz KL via website
Baju kurung Kedah is the shorter take on the baju kurung. The sleeves are wider than most kurung and about three-quarters of an arm in length. Kurung Kedah has a tunic neckline, like the most popular baju kurung. The hem reaches around the hip, and classic versions feature smaller floral prints.
Baju kurung Kedah used to be paired with a simple kain batik. Now, people use matching wrap skirts to go with the top or kain songket for a more elegant look.
Image adapted from: Petra via website
Nowadays, you can find both simple variations and stylised ones that keep up with contemporary fashion trends. The top of this baju kurung lends itself well to everyday wear when paired with pants, due to its resemblance to a blouse.
5. Baju kurung cekak musang
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Baju kurung cekak musang is marked by a closed collar that partially covers the neck. It is believed that this design was inspired by Indian and Chinese clothing worn between the 1930s and 1940s.
This type of baju kurung has no gusset, but it is cut to show a slight hourglass figure with a flared-out hem that reaches the knees. Typically, this baju kurung is paired with kain batik or a songket with no folds.
If you’re going for understated elegance, this baju kurung is for you. You can also accessorise with a dokoh, which is a chest pendant decoration, or a shawl for maximum elegance.
6. Kebaya
Image adapted from: Muzium Negara
Baju kebaya is a traditional garment worn across Southeast Asia. In Malaysia, the Kebaya Nyonya is the most common and recognisable kebaya.
Different from a baju kurung, the kebaya top has a more tightly cinched waist and a hem that reaches around the hips, creating an hourglass shape. In short, it shows off more of the body’s silhouette as opposed to the baju kurung’s looser, more relaxed shape.
The traditional kebaya has a V-neckline with buttons in front, or is buttoned up using brooches. Meanwhile, the modern kebaya either maintains the buttons or sews the front and adds a zip at the back.
As for material, the kebaya is typically made with thin cotton, making it perfect for hot weather and high-humidity places like Malaysia.
Image adapted from: DoubleWoot, Bayu Somerset via website
Traditionally, the kebaya top is paired with kain batik. Nowadays, you can find many different styles and colours to fit current trends and to please fashion aesthetics. This includes looser kebaya and more opaque fabric for people who prefer more coverage.
Kebaya can be worn by itself or with a shawl around the shoulders or over the head. Wearing a kain batik across the body or over the head helps achieve that more classical, or even mysterious, look.
7. Kebarung
If you love the more form-fitting style of a kebaya, but prefer a more modest option like the baju kurung, the kebarung would be a perfect fit for you.
Image adapted from: Baju Somerset, Color Blast via website
Kebarung is basically the child of a kebaya and a baju kurung. It features a kebaya-style top, but with a hem stretching all the way down to the knees. It also has longer sleeves and a looser waist cinch, reminiscent of a baju kurung.
Typically, the kebarung also has padded shoulders to give the looser fit a more structured look and create an almost glass hourglass shape, all while maintaining modesty.
Since the kebarung is a mix of kebaya and baju kurung, the materials used to make a kebarung vary from both mediums. It can be made from printed cotton, linen, embroidered silk, and many other textile choices.
Pull off your ideal Hari Raya fit with this guide to baju kurung types
Now that you can differentiate the many styles of baju kurung, you can start shopping for a baju Raya fit or be on your way to a tailor shop to get that custom-made baju kurung.
Also read our other Raya guides:
Cover image adapted from: LIDYA Kuala Lumpur, Color Blast, Aina Hariz KL via website