A baju kurung is a loose-fitting full length dress, consisting of a skirt and a blouse. The skirt is made from a long cloth with foldings on one side; the blouse is collarless, has long sleeves, and extends to between the hips and knees. It is sometimes made of silk, imported from Japan, South Korea, Turkey or India, or from the Malaysian states of Terengganu or Kelantan.The modern baju kurung commonly uses lively colors and geometric patterns.Traditionalists prefer fabric from peninsular Malaysia's eastern states of Terengganu and Kelantan, where the culture of batik and other hand-designed fabrics is still strong.
A woman will often wear a baju kurung with a headscarf (a tudung) in the more conservative states in northern Malaysia.