Kutubaru: What is it and its purpose in a Kebaya

Aah.. the Kebaya. From the Peranakan with their colourful muslin cotton Nyonya kebaya, to the glittery kebaya donned by Saloma in the black and white movies of old Malaya. It is currently the national womenswear in Indonesia and we are familiar with the indigo kebaya batik worn by Singapore Airlines flight attendants. This historic piece of clothing is truly the quintessential costume of the South East Asian woman.

But there is nothing more I can say about the kebaya that has not been threshed out by a plethora of articles and more well-researched journals. Today I am talking about the Kutubaru. “The whaa-?” I hear you think?

Kutubaru or Bef as some cultures call it, is that little piece of rectangle fabric at the centre body of a kebaya, specifically covering the chest and abdomen. It gives the kebaya a square neckline instead of the usual 'V' neckline. Granted, not all kebayas have it but this is a classic style and I am sure you have seen it around, especially now as the kebaya is all in the rage.

Long ago when all the SEA countries were one archipelago, the native women used to roam around performing their daily duties in either just a sarong or with the addition of a piece of fabric wrapped around the chest; “berkemban” in Bahasa. Then as religion came about and subsequently, war looms over the archipelago, the women started to dress more modestly covering their shoulders and back eventually creating the square neckline silhouette thus the Kutubaru kebaya was born. Indeed, the Kutubaru kebaya is truly inspired by the hardworking women of historic South East Asia!

The presence of a Kutubaru on a kebaya truly enhances its elegance. I personally love this style of Kebaya as it features a woman’s feminine decolletage. It also suits broad shoulders and busty ladies very well. Aesthetically speaking, it draws the eye to a woman’s collarbone, cuts the illusion of broadness and not as constrictive as a V-neck kebaya. Just my 10 sen’s worth, that’s all.

Have a look at some Kutubaru kebayas we have in store here.