The Filipinos are a curios lot. They are very nationalistic and are more than willing to fight, argue, debate and even die for the country. Nationalism is a general trait for nationalism after all means the belief that one’s nation is of utmost concern. This goes without saying that there has been an ongoing thrust for the Filipinos to “buy Filipino”. This drive is to encourage Filipinos to buy goods that are made in the Philippines. However, this is not always the case as imported goods flood the Philippine market.
The support of the Philippine government has led many locals to go into the manufacture of clothes and other articles of clothing. The quality of the items are (of course) dependent on the price tag. The universal the “more expensive the better quality” holds true.
Filipinos are self-confessed fashionistas. Everyone wants to be in the height of fashion. The affluent ones go for the branded items, locally and internationally. For the rest of Filipinos, local items that are reasonably priced and even imported ones from China, Taiwan, Bangkok will do.
Filipino trend in clothes is universal. What is current in fashion in the United States are found in malls located in big and small urban cities. Flea markets abound with imported products from surrounding Asian countries. Filipinos do buy imported goods like clothes, gadgets and food that are sold in most stores and shops. It’s usual to see imported and local goods side by side especially at the groceries.
The Filipino youth is a hodgepodge of fashion. You’ll see some uppity class A girls who are into their designer jeans and shirts complete with their designer bag and shoes. You’ll see some Bs and Cs sporting such ensemble too but more often than not, they are imitations. The Ds and Es have a fashion level of their own too. Fashion is fashion as it transcends the social strata.
Skinny jeans, tees, shorts, tubes and strapless blouses, and accessories are still very popular among teens and young girls. Boys still go for dark colored shirts paired with denims. Teens, both boys and girls still gravitate towards Chucks, Zanuck, Crocs and Havaianas. For those who can’t afford the originals, there are always imitations available at a bargain place called Divisoria. It is the bargain center of Manila and may well be the Filipino counterpart of Thailand’s Jatujak (Chatuchak) Market. Everyone goes and shops at Divisoria.
Divisoria
The trend on mobile phone is phenomenal. Almost everyone in the Philippines has a mobile phone. Even grandmas and grandpas text away! Mobile texting has become an accepted norm of communication that a Filipino might win the gold medal in the Olympics if there is such an event. The Philippines is the “texting capital” of the world with a daily average of 600 million text messages sent daily.
Another trend is the opening of accounts in social networking sites. Friendster used to be the top social networking site in the Philippines but the advent of Facebook and Multiply led to a massive migration to Facebook or Multiply.
Among above average students, laptops have also become as essential as cell phones.
How about your country? Are the trends the same or is there something unique not mentioned here but particular in your country?
Wow! I am so proud to be Pinoy!
I really like this blog post. Thanks.