It’s nice to know that the dear old safari suit (in the late 70s up until the mid 80s, they were affectionately known in my country as the “bush jacket” or “jungle tops/jungle trousers”) is again gaining popularity, albeit rather slowly.

In the Philippines, the safari suit was very popular for 2 decades, from 1968 to 1988. A lot of kinds of men wore them, from then President Ferdinand Marcos (he had, other than his “barong tagalogs”, an eclectic line-up of belted safari suits featuring “three-fourth quarters” shirt sleeves) to captains of industry to various TV personalities to security personnel.

Some of the most memorable designs were those designed by top fashion icon Jeanne Goulburn (it was sold in 6 different designs and most Filipino men bought all 6 designs at the same time! Also, the late Senator Ninoy Aquino was wearing a Beige Goulburn Leisure Suit when he was assasinated at the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983. In fact, he was still wearing that same leisure suit when he was buried - his mother wanted him to be buried in that suit and that she wanted the Filipinos to see “…what they had done to my son.” The bloodstained body and leisure of Senator Aquino was deeply ingrained in the collective consciousness of 2 generations of Filipinos.) and the unforgettable “Tropical Leisure Suit” (a safari suit with the jacket worn over a thick-textured shirt, known as an “executive shirt”) launched sometime in the late 70s (I think it was 1978, though it became popular only in late 1980) by Bejika Garments, Inc. I’m so very fortunate to own one of those “Tropical Leisure Suits”, as the owner of the garment company that launched it is a friend of my mom. Mine is a Dacron Almond Green and Croton Cream safari suit with a beige texturized “executive shirt” with light blue stripes. In the early 80s, the “Tropical Leisure Suit” was the corporate uniform of choice for most top government oficials, such as then Prime Minister Cesar Virata, then Foreign Minister Carlos P. Romulo, then Tourism Minister Jose Aspiras, then Metro Manila Vice Governor Ismael Mathay, Jr., then Manila City Mayor Ramon Bagatsing and then National Assembly Speaker Nicanor Yñiguez. The “Tropical Leisure Suit” was given a stamp of approval by the cabinet (collectively known as the “Technocrats”) and the Batasan (the National Assembly/Parliament), as people always see them in TV wearing those safari suits while being escorted at the Malacañang Palace, the Batasang Pambansa, the Manila Hotel or while being chaffeur-driven in their Opel Rekords, Toyota Cressidas & Crowns, Chrysler Colt Sigmas, Volkswagen Passats and Ford Cortinas & Granadas. The popularity of those 2 safari suit designs gave meaning to the phrase “power dressing”. (Nowadays, alas, the safari suits are the garb of choice for secuity guards and bodyguards…)

Anyway, enough of the lengthy history lesson… It’s good to know that the safari suit is again becoming popular, and that there is a website entirely dedicated to them. I hope to be able to meet other people in this site who has the same passion for safari suits, leisure suits, 70s clothing or just about anything 70s. It sure would be nice to exchange correspondences with you guys. =)

Kudos and more power to the people behind safarisuit.com!

PS - Could anybody among you guys send me snapshots of your safari suits? And also, do you know of anybody who would to put up their safari suits for sale? Please let me know by visiting my website (www.friendster.com/blykirby). Leave a personal message. =)

Kirby Sarmiento
Manila, 6 May 2008.