I do not know how many people here are going to get new baju raya for this coming Hari Raya. But i know i'm in the market for one. Actually i came out of some mamak session with a few of my malay friends on some plans for visiting people during raya. So pot pet and more pot pet, and i was thrown the idea of making a Baju Melayu for me to go raya open house touring with my malay friends. But that was last month.

Now i already have 4 off the shelf ones cheap from Mydin. Different designs and colors. And what suprising is even though they are of the same size, the fit is bad here and there. Cheap as in less than RM50 each. I was gunning for 7 sets to finish the rainbow color. These don't see action at all. And my parents seem to question me, "Since when did you changed religion?" when they search my wardrobe for crack. Of course they know i like to collect weird stuff. I could be getting rid of them if i get a tailored one. No more space for stuff.

So last week on Sunday i went to KL Wisma Yakin where there is supposed to be a lot of Baju Melayu tailors. I always pass by this place when walking to Jln TAR for many years and i never stopped in this building before. And i have heard of many getting their malay traditional wear there. So that day i went inside to explore. The first shop, i was greeted by a girl who was enthusiastic to get you as a customer. She promptly showed me ready made ones. But i was looking to get one tailored. Ask for a ball park figure, RM70 for tailoring charges. Not including fabric. The second shop also charges the same. Then by the 3rd or 4th shop, i think, another enthusiastic sales girl greets me. She gets me in the air conditioned room and shows me the ready made ones. RM 168 for complete top and bottom with sampin. I was so tempted to buy that there and then. But it wasn't satin type of fabric and its cotton mix. I wanted flash.

Then i went to Omar Ali and they quoted RM120 for tailoring charges, excluding fabric. Ready made ones cost from RM250 right up to RM800!!!. Pretty high. A check on the website, this is one of them seemingly high class ones like Spark Manshop kind of thing. Then there is BAK tailoring. Now this one i saw their branch before in in Tmn Tun called BAC MADACENA. I read in news papers last few weeks ago that this shop is a branch of BAK. And the name is an amalgam of some words. And the shop in Tmn Tun is very flashy. Then there is Den Wahab, the guy that supplied Baju melayu to the late Sudirman (the singer). But a quick check on websites have read a few negative feedbacks. And some of my malay friends say this tailor is over rated and very pricey. I don't think he will go lower than RM120 offered by Omar Ali though.

Now back at home, after visiting so many shops in Wisma Yakin, i'm going to go ask a few more non malay shops near my house and probably another visit to Pertama & Campbell. I hope to get one made next month.

Now what choice of color would go well with typical chinese skin? hahaha. a quick check, white is getting married, black is getting conferred national titles. So leaves me with a large swathe of colors. I'm quite fond of maroon or probably some dark blue number. Can't do yellow!

Then the other details like butang baju, songkok and sampin, maybe to be bought during ramadhan. Friends say more choices during then. Oh well, thats all i could report. Hopefully could post pictures later.

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Aug 28 2010, 11:39 PM

Well i just to experience what it is like to get baju raya. People want to travel the world, i want to wear the world. So i think la. Because i haven't go open house for few years already. Good excuse to get one?

Yeah i saw MZ tahir also. Maybe i went inside there when i was walking around. But because the signboard are mostly facing the main street, so didn't see. How much damage did it cost you? Most of the other shops ask for RM70 just for workmanship. I wonder how their workmanship is? In fact maybe i could look at the tech aspects of baju melayu making. Because seriously the only workmanship i could see and comment would be sewing lines. Once there, i could see easily see the collar fit, the back drape and shoulder drape. Then its learning about baju melayu for sleeves and the body length. For suits/ shirts its so easy to get info. But this traditional wear is almost non existent.

Erm.... i think only Omar Ali and BAK can make that, as they do western tailoring as well. And they also sell linen shirts. But i don't want muted fabrics. I want satin!! I think the only one i'm going to get tailored might as well go for gutso!!! And i could go buy fabric from the shops nearby or use in-house fabrics. If buy, i could spend additional hours shop touring before my head decides.

Thank you guys for the comments.

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Jun 22 2010, 10:06 AM

I do not think it would be wise for me to adopt western tailoring principles in making my first baju melayu. Of course i would like to do as suggested. But come to think of it, how many baju melayu tailors get a chance to make traditional suits/ shirts? I would use some principles of how a shirt would wear on me. And nothing more. Because seriously i don't want to look like a smarty pants as i'm journeying into the unknown. Maybe that time there could be adjustments made. And i'm loosing a little weight too. I would now know how the thing would fit again after 2 more months. All my pants seem to have lost an inch these last few month of controlled eating.

I want great fabric. But not silk. I want some sheen but not tacky shiny. The buttons would be those tuxedo style put on buttons. Not sewn on. Damn a lot of designs the last i saw! Your color choice is great too. But i hope not to hit high cost for getting one. There are still the accessories like songkok (I saw Mydin RM10 above. But i want to get those better looking with a curve on the top one.) Sampin (not those ultra super few hundred to thousand ringgit one la!) and capal shoe(RM35-RM85).

Hope to get some report in. Might be visiting my alterations tailor nearby for cost this week.

Thanks for the recco. Ampang Park eh? I remember a few tailoring shops there too. Maybe should go and have a look.

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Added on June 22, 2010, 1:28 pmThanks for the reply. I am thinking of Bak or Omar Ali. I have been in their showroom which is impressive. But u know la, people like me damn always thinking shops would put a lot of effort to jazz up their products on display. And later falter when u see the final product. I think i would skip Den Wahab then. There are a few more small shops in Wisma Yakin. I thought of giving them a try since their workmanship is RM70. Bak & Omar Ali RM120 as i was quoted. I think i don't want to spend a fortune on one. Its more of a personal agenda now rather than a need. How much was yours anyway? I'm getting prices to compare.

Mirrors my sentiment. I want to say, i'm trying, rather than overdo it. Its probably my only 1 and i don't want to be an over thought out spaceman.

Linen would probably going to get me through the day feeling like ice in my azz. But its not something i want. Talk about ulu, i went through some pictures of people in baju melayu during merdeka and found some design differences. Back then collars was mainly cekak musang (the 2 button type). And it was quite tight that folds appear on the collars. I thought maybe Tunku Abdul Rahman's tailor made a mistake, but the design is echoed by a few people during that time. Also i remember seeing some P Ramlee movies where he wore the same tight collar. I think it was a style back then. During TAR's time, the pants is hell wide and straight like a womens palazoo. Its as wide as bell bottoms and covers the shoes but without tight hips. And read more i found that some tailors called them "seluar cina". It must be the design was adopted by locals here when they saw how comfortable the chinese immigrants pants were. The mandarin collar seems to come from the influence as well. Notably some info was gathered that the design was called "kolar Tunku" or "Kolar Cina". It was was because he is the first to sport such style. But i'm getting a cekak musang collar (Fox stranglehold!)

It seems like i'm beginning to compile a lot more knowledge about this type of clothing.
Anyway does anyone know how low the top shirt should drop? Is it supposed to drop until the lower thigh or higher? Is the length the same as a suit jacket? Maybe its tailors perception of balance at work? Mystery to me until i go make one.

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Jun 22 2010, 01:37 PM

Well the modern society would probably laugh at me. But i want to try everything. Everybody does that. I want to try this in a fashion scope i'm confortable with. I think modern people aren't that fanatical nowdays. Maybe for Michael Jackson? I think of just letting the Baju melayu be a part of my experince rather than it being the focal point of what i want to do. But seriously u can't really take your eyes and mind off that headline, [Chinese guy and Baju Melayu]. Its seems like a pointless show off by a guy. And the laughter continues. Besides some attempts at making this as baju kebangsaan seems to fall short. Even though in most travelogues the Baju Melayu and Baju Kurung is the national costume. We go batik.

If between friends, they would go ooohhh and ahhhh. But at strangers, "U change religion?" Damn we can be open minded about Chua Soi Lek being a porn star, but cannot look at some chinese getting dressed in some other race decent wear. Strange world we live in. I still remember Country Heights Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew showing up in some meeting with some ministers in his hotel and he was wearing a purple baju melayu complete with songkok! Next day the papers say he reverted to Islam. That was many years ago. So if i go ahead, next day i'm branded malay already.

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Added on June 22, 2010, 2:16 pmI have seen baju melayu made with very nice bronze colores lining material. And whats funny is, the lining has brand names repeatedly woven in it. So i thought that guy looked like a chocolate wrapper. Even with LV's iconic patterns i still think i would look like i was wearing gift wrapper.

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Jun 22 2010, 02:16 PM

You have it easy, as you grow up wearing this every raya. But its different for me. I't like tasting cili padi for the first time. I've tastes regular chili but now upgraded a little. Its like you worn such things before, now you upgrade to more stronger stuff. Ready made are not available yet. I think only next month will be available everywhere.

Hahaha FusionEx was being cynical la. But the best tailors of baju melayu is still unknown right? Maybe during my exploration can unearth who is the best? But i will be getting only one. I could just rate customer service and pricing. Not a good way to get it done because in some forums its always some small home made baju melayu the best. Like home made food. I do not know if you have seen people wearing baju melayu with brands splattered all over his body. 5 years ago i saw some teenager with Cerutti 1881 prints that look like lining material near my neighbourhood. Bronze color and fabric looks thick and shiny. Not satin shiny, but a nice polished sheen. I thought that look good, until i came across a chocolate wrapper that has the same color hue and its brand Van Houten printed diagonally like that! I proceded to laugh my heart out. No way i want to be seen like that. And now LV print for Baju Melayu? I might as well be wearing a bag over my head. I'm not that brand concious fortunately.

Hey just because i have a michelin style body, does not mean i must have the kings tailor make one for me. My body is my palace!

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Added on June 22, 2010, 5:32 pmOh yeah!!! This one i saw a lot of time before. Damn crazy man. I mean patterns and prints ok la. But brand names?!?!?

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Added on June 23, 2010, 3:49 pmOk

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Jun 23 2010, 03:49 PM

Here are some pictures of the color i want. This one is off the rack ones. I got it cheap on clearance. Nice color. Some sort of blueish grey.



This picture shoes more blueish tone. Its shiny under bright light. Else its somewhat classy gloss. The camera angle is low, hence shows my Michelin endorsed beer gut. My camera macro ain't good. This is almost the actual color with no flash.



Here is the purchase slip of the fabric and the tailoring slip.



I'm trying to show the color here. Its fairly accurate. Brown to almost black.

Ok that all for now. I cannot sleep. Football!!!

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Jul 9 2010, 01:52 AM

Already collected it last week. And i spent almost half a day at Jln TAR!! I can tell that it is tailored very traditionally. And with this statement, all those fitted shirt tailoring techniques does not apply here. Its cut pretty loose or the lost weight is showing here? I dunno.

Still looking around for a good deal on the sampin. BAK showed me a RM280 sampin for my do. Its a handmade number with unfinished hem and it not stiched together yet. But i cannot justify myself for paying so much for it. I would have paid for it there and then. But i remembered that usually the expensives ones are bought and they are used almost forever and is kept as a family heirloom. There are a few stalls that sells sampin in a funny manner. RM 95 for 1 or RM100 for 2. Machine made quality RM50, Handmade quality RM100. Hmm.... i really have to check what is the primary diffrence here. I didn't buy them as i wanted to check out Mydin and Kamdar.

Oh yeah i paid a visit to the national textile museum last week too. Its interesting. And they let me take pictures, but without flash. So my cheap camera can only do so much. Maybe i'll start a thread here to show u whats inside.

So i was really busy last week. hahaha.

Wait for pictures.

Well yeah if i intend to give to keep it as a heirloom!!!! The ribu ribu one i saw at BAK also. And the priceless one i saw at Textile museum. mostly its owned by Terengganu royalty one. Last time i asked my malay friends why buy so expensive, they say quality. But really la, they keluarga berada can afford pay 4 digits for those. I seriously do not want to use so much money for a sampin. And most of them nowdays grown up also don't really think its necessary to own it. If want to talk about this songket industry, i think can talk until tomorrow also cannot finish. Its almost the same with any textile industry. If you ask me to pay 4 digits to make a songket baju melayu i think i can consider. But then this baju diraja.... can ah go raya?

Junjung Patik Philippe harap diampun....

I know i know pix pix pix. I'm getting there.

Ok got the pictures of me wearing it taken this afternoon during lunch. Its not ironed yet hence the creases here and there.

Here is the basic top and pants. And the songkok for effect.


Here is the shot with the sampin.


Here is the back.


Complimentary vanity shot. hehe


And lebih-lebih shot. hahaha


Here is the buttons from Mydin. Its somewhat orange brown color. Matching la.


Its comfortable to wear surprisingly in the warm afternoon. No sticky feeling. Maybe because i'm indoors. I really like the color compared to my original idea of dark grey.

So 1 more thing to do in my big book of to do is crossed out. Now just wait 2 more weeks to go visit friends or maybe go open house. I dunno can get pix or not, no promises here.

That is not dark grey. Its brown. Its very dark brown. Almost blend into the background wardrobe. I just need a tree to hug and no one will know where i am. hahaha The sampin was bought in one of the many sampin stalls at Jln TAR bazaar. Very easy to spot. They will have cardboards with prices written RM49 for 1 and RM50 for 2 or RM99 for 1 RM100 for 2. Even have kualiti mesin and kualiti tangan. Its machine made. Cannot expect much. BUT i already know how to spot a handmade one and a machine made one after visiting almost all the stalls there.

The buttons are probably the best deal in the whole of the bazaar. I got them at Mydin. RM15 for 3 sets. 3 sets!!! . An almost similar one around the bazaar will cost RM10-15 each set. There is only 1 stall that sells only buttons and brooches there.

The buttons are heavy with a nice clinking sound when they hit each other. The back of the button is engraved ITALY, but who cares? I have to put them from the back in first on the baju as the flower on the button is rather large. BAK made the button holes few CM bigger. I think they anticipated this.

Oh yeah the songkok is from BMO Traditional and is cost RM23. It has a hard plastic sweatband compared to most that uses PVC. Surprisingly wears comfortably than some of those that i have tried at the bazaar. And the felt looks very durable and not as bushy as the regular ones. The lines are clean and sharp.

This post has been edited by netmatrix: Aug 24 2010, 09:14 AM

I guess they are machined. Hand stiched.... i know what u mean. Its like the technique used to make suits. But its not necessary to me. If commissioned from a western style tailor, maybe can specify that. But i don't see the point since the sleeves and pants hem does not have stress points. Basically they just flap around. I do not know if BAK can do it. But they do offer embroidery on the sleeves and button placket. I'm not attracted to embroidery. BAK charges extra RM40 for embroidery.

I did not want a too contrasting color. Although i did bought another red/purple sampin together with this one. I bought this one because i find it possible match. I think it worked out well. If i get green, i could pass off as a plant. But the one that will definitely work is dark bronze or copper colored songket with gold flowers. Fit for a king.

This one is from Mydin. Cost RM9.90 i think. Its not made with velvet, but some kind of polyester material. It is made by Wadimor from Indonesia. When i was selecting this, there was a lot of not well made ones. Fraying and such. This material is hard to work with as there is no friction to help during sewing. Also for my hat collection.


This one is also from Mydin. Cost RM12.90 if i'm not mistaken. It was introduced 3 years ago actually. It is made by Wadimor from Indonesia. This also has high reject rates from factory. And this is the only embroidery that appealed to me. And looking at the picture i see a cows head there. Its for my hat collection too.


This post has been edited by netmatrix: Aug 26 2010, 02:32 AM

If you go, try not to go in the afternoon as it is very hot and stuffy. Maybe in the evening ok la. But that time its even more packed with people. On the streets its packed. Inside Wisma Yakin is no different. Everyone is busy. Friday is a holiday in Selangor, so i think KL would be jammed because of working people and shoppers.

Hot makciks got la. Where got hot ciks? hahaha. The stall left only a few units and my size is the last one. But i think they will refresh the stocks daily. The stall is somewhere near behind GLOBE silk store. It only sells songkoks. I asked a few stall that sells mix of kopiah and songkok and some other stuff, they were asking high prices. One pakcik with a stall in front of Maybank asks for RM60. Some stalls also within the region of that price. I have a lot also is for collecting. Most wear, but i collect them to collect dust.

Anyway where is a pix of your songket turun temurun? hehehe.

Well the trend is towards this linen fabric. So is the one in Granoff. But the design in Wardrobe is.... Indonesian. I don't have anything with the fabric choice and color. But Indonesian details...... Not that i have anything with Indonesians giving the current situation. Plus it would be out of place with a planned the Sabahan/ Sarawak ethnic wear i'm eyeing.

Don't really worry about that. But fully lined? Its a coat already. Oh wait its not! My Indonesian batik is also lined. Say didn't i mention Indonesian earlier?

If the same one, i'm sure a kingsly sum. I'll check it out this weekend. I'm estimating 4 digits for the Wardrobe number.

Hahaha! Puasa time u want to scope out people meh? Anyway got see linen number there. But its either very lousy coarse linen or linen mixed with poly or something. It could even not be linen. I do not think there are any linen number in the stalls. But in BMO, there is this interesting French something fabric BM there.

Its definitely not. I have seen enough Indonesian Telenovela to know its not. Its definitely something that is referenced from there. I'm working now and can't find the pictures that clues it to that Wardrobe number.

Did you go to Jln TAR or not? 2day holiday can go see la. Some more its like last week already and u still haven't gotten what u want? I think there is a stall in Jln TAR that sell linen ones. But i forgot already. I checked back all my pictures, but there isn't any that indicate linen ones. Maybe one of the shops in Campbell or Pertama has it. I didn't check them outthe last few weeks.

Linen is not stiff like cotton used for chinos. U have to own linen shirts to know. Linen looks hard because the fabric is coarse. So when stress is put on the cloth, the weaves does not slide against each other like most fabric does. Its like everything tries to stay in shape. In fact during wear linen holds its shape much more better than most fabrics. Only light coloured songket will show the skin. The dark colored ones won't.

If you ask me, i think its closest to songket. But its probably a bad comparison. A linen baju really looks good. I think Granoff would display it till raya. Go check it out.