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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Any Jewelry, post: 9949691, member: 2844&quot;]I love the first one, with that very Dutch blonde boy in a sarong.<img src="styles/default/xenforo/smilies/smile.png" class="mceSmilie" alt=":)" unselectable="on" /></p><p><br /></p><p>It was mostly a custom among those who had lived there for generations, often Indos (Eurasians). Their Indonesian mothers had worn the sarong and kebaya, so they wore it too.</p><p>During the VOC period it was customary for European men to marry local women or have local concubines/slaves. In fact it was encouraged by the VOC for a better understanding of local languages and customs, which facilitated trade.</p><p>Their children were Peranakan, a mix of both cultures, much like the Chinese Peranakan. This cultural mix was also regarded as favourable for good relations between the VOC and local rulers, and mixed people constituted an important part of the colonial population. Some of them look(ed) very European, just like some Chinese Peranakans look very Chinese, but they were born locally and had never seen Europe.</p><p><br /></p><p>Larger scale migration of European women to the Dutch East Indies only happened from 1870 onward, but they were still a minority compared to Eurasian women.</p><p>When the VOC went bankrupt, the Dutch East Indies suddenly became the responsibility of the Dutch government. The administration began to regard Indonesia as a real colony, which should be exploited as a colony, so not for trade with locals. With a real colony came a larger scale European occupation, and more Europeans. European women who came over with their husbands or married colonial civil servants were ex-pats.</p><p><br /></p><p>Since it was customary for colonial women to wear local dress, and it was sensible to do so in a hot climate, some newcomers gradually adopted the custom. Sarong and kebaya would be worn during the day, and at night they often dressed in European style dresses, albeit thinner fabrics and a looser fit than in Europe.</p><p><br /></p><p>Probably closer to 1900. In the early 20th century the colonial government promoted Indonesian culture for the Indonesians, and decided it should be reserved for Indonesians only. Europeans were discouraged from wearing local dress, and by the 1920s very few &#039;full-blooded&#039; Europeans wore a sarong.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the Dutch East Indies Chinese Peranakan people were part of colonial society, many worked for the colonial government as overseers, tax collectors etc. So the clothing is pretty much the same, even with the white kebaya. Besides, they too had local foremothers, and many intermarried with Eurasians.</p><p><br /></p><p>Her kebaya isn&#039;t lace, btw, it is a fabric we call batist. It has some openwork, but it is different from lace kebayas (which are my favourite).[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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