Traditional clothes of Malaysia

Malay women wear the Baju Kurung and Malay men wear the Baju Melayu with a songkok on the head. Alternatively, the men wear batik shirts with trousers.

The Baju Kurung, is the Pahang traditional Malay costume for women. It is an elegant and sweet dress. They put on the Baju Kurung not only when attending formal and ceremonial occasions, but also for the office. So, to the Muslim women, the Baju Kurung also fits and conforms with the Islamic requirement to enclose the body.

The Baju Melayu is a traditional Malay outfit for men. Consists of two main parts. The first being the baju (long sleeved shirt) itself which has a raised stiff collar known as the cekak musang collar (literally fox's lease). The second part is the trousers. The two parts are made out of the same type of fabric which is usually silk, cotton, or a mixture of polyester and cotton. Malaysian men usually wear the shirt for general religious occasions, such as visiting the mosque or for a religious gathering. Some companies allow their male workers to wear Baju Melayu on Fridays.