Figure 1.--Here we see Malay boys wearing tradtional clothes during the British colonial period. This photograpg was probabluy taken in the 1920s. |
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Malaysia is a diverse country consisting of Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Boys clothing styles differ based on their
ethnic backgrond. The Malay community wear what they consider to be modest dress.
Maylasia is a former Brotish colony. The colonial arrangements were somewhat complicated. There was not one centrally organized colony
Malaysia's population is about 50 percent ethnic Malay, all Muslim. The rest are ethnic Chinese (mostly Christian or Taoist) and ethnic Tamil (mostly Hindu).
In both Singapore and Malaysia, Islam regards it as immodest for people above puberty to show their thighs. Malay boys at secondary schools never wear short pants. However, some young urban trendy Malay teens in Kuala Lampur are now occasionally seen wearing shorts as a fashion item, but since the current fashion has them coming down to their knees anyway, they are not really transgressing Islamic rules. The long trousers or jeans they do wear are extremely
lightweight, for comfort in the tropical heat. Ordinary western
jeans are completely intolerable after about 3 minutes. Longs also have the advantage of protecting legs from mosquitoes.
Many Chinese boys wear short pantss for casual, though never for formal, wear. Likewise for school uniforms, a few Chinese Malaysian secondary boys wear uniform shorts.
We have very little information about Malasian boys clothing at this time. Until after World War II, traditional garments were very commonly worn. Hopefully a Malaysian reader will provide some basic information. We do have a page on tights.
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