DESPITE the Philippines having a mostly warm and sunny climate, we’ve all encountered a lot of Filipinos wearing clothes that are meant to be used in cold weather.
Regardless of the weather, clothing like these have become a trend, especially among Gen Zs who have made it their “aesthetic.”
One particular garment that figures in this trend is the jacket. Jackets can come in many varieties. Some of the varieties often worn by Filipinos are:
Denim Jacket:
Courtesy: unsplash.com / @Benjamin Voros
Bomber Jacket:
Courtesy: unsplash.com / @Tobias Tullius
Blazer:
Courtesy: pexels.com / @PNW Production
Cardigan:
Courtesy: unsplash.com / @Nadin Mario
Jackets are particularly popular among younger generations, especially for those who are into pop culture.
Sometimes, they use these to keep themselves dry during the rainy days or to protect their skin from sunburn. But sometimes, even if it’s warm and humid, they still make this part of their OOTDs.
Have you ever wondered why many Gen Zs can’t let go of their jackets?
We asked several members of these generations why they’re keen on wearing these pieces, even with the heat and humidity.
Aesthetics over comfort
Sharmaine Vidola, a pop culture fan, believes the preference for jackets is brought by the influence of K -Pop, anime, dramas, and the like, which many young people find fashionable.
It is evident that fashion trends amongst Gen Z and Millennials are highly influenced by pop culture. The OOTDs of Kpop artists, and Kdrama’s actors and actresses are highly anticipated, whether they fall under the category of cottage core or baddie.
And since many of the works of these foreign artists are filmed in the cold, they wear jackets, which then become popular among their fans.
Bogart Laguardia, a Gen Z who’s not particularly fond of wearing jackets, said these are used mainly for style in the Philippines.
Marc Ureña, who sometimes wears a jacket when the heat is manageable, also thinks some prioritize “aesthetics over comfort.”
“People nowadays generally prefer wearing something to appear more attractive to other people rather than something that is more suited to the environment that they’re currently in,” Ureña said.
The Philippines is usually warm and humid, with the mean annual temperature in most parts of the country being 26.6 celsius, with the coolest month being in January and the warmest being in May.
Given this, Vidola said it is no wonder many Gen Zs use the term “tiis ganda”
This shows “they are feeling the heat but they’re ready to endure [for the sake of] fashion,” she added.
Ureña also said Filipinos may have gotten used to the heat that they no longer mind sweating in their clothes.
“Living in a tropical country where the climate is either hot or scorching hot most of the time has made Filipinos rather indifferent to all of the sweating and exhaustion,” he said.
