Clothing styles among the residents of the Tegal and Pekalongan Residency during the colonial period 1890 – 1940s: A Study Reflecting the Coastal Cultural Lifestyle

ABSTRACT : Fashion historiography primarily attributes this Europeanization process to external forces, such as the increasing immigration of men and especially women from Europe. Technological and scientific advances in transportation, communication, medicine, and hygiene enabled these newcomers to maintain European lifestyles in the tropics. They viewed anything indigenous to them as suspicious and potentially harmful. However, this is only half the story, as it fails to adequately explain the specific timing of the transformation of Dutch fashion. The long-standing Dutch domination of the Tegal and Pekalongan Residency, coupled with the influence of the predominantly Muslim native population, meant that clothing in the region served more than simply marking differences and similarities within the indigenous community. Clothing also served as a medium for expressing attitudes toward foreign cultural and political influences. The Dutch and other Europeans in the Dutch East Indies introduced European lifestyles to Indonesian society, including Muslim dress. The Dutch, who established regulations regarding Muslim dress in the Dutch East Indies, sparked confrontation among Muslims, not all of whom were indigenous, as the Muslim population also came from other countries. This led to conflict with the Dutch.

KEYWORDS: Tegal and Pekalongan Residency, kebaya clothing, indigenous clothing traditions, Indies culture