The Nyonya kebaya has come back into fashion these last few years, often displaying brilliant colours and eye-catching designs. But this is not always the case.

Katong Gal, visiting the Sarong Kebaya Exhibition at the Peranakanm Museum, reminds us that the colourful kebaya was a recent innovation:

Many of us, when we think about the sarong kebaya, tend to focus on the beautifully embroidered, colourful kebaya tops, complemented by the sarong below. In fact, this is a rather “modern” interpretation of the sarong kebaya.

The sarong kebaya exhibition reminds us that the sarong kebaya has changed considerably since its early days. The exhibits displayed were composed of a long jacket reaching well past the knees, and the sarong, which was typically dark blue or dark red – this was because they were dyed with natural dyes, and these were the only two colours available.

Read her post here. Sarong Kebaya: Peranakan Fashion and its International Sources is on display at the Peranakan Museum until April 2012.