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.[6] It is sometimes made of silk, imported from Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Turkey or India, or from the Malaysian states of Terengganu or Kelantan.[5] The modern baju kurung commonly uses lively colours and geometric patterns.[5]
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