Strings of beads encircle the women’s necks, but the typical ornament consists of strands above strands of beads reaching from the wrist to the elbow, and if the wealth of the owner permits, even covering the upper arm as well (Plate LXXIX).  The strands are fastened tightly above the wrist, causing that portion of the arm to swell.  Slits of bamboo are usually placed under the beads, and may be removed if the pain or annoyance of the constriction is too severe.  The upper arm beads are removed with little difficulty; but those on the forearm are taken off only once or twice a year, when new threads are substituted, or when the owner is in mourning.  Beneath these ornaments a delicate fretwork of blue lines is tattooed, so that the woman’s arms may not be white and unsightly when she is without her beads. [244]

Most of the women have their ears pierced, but in the valley towns only a small proportion wear earrings.  In the mountain sections heavy ornaments of gold or copper are worn, the weight often drawing the lobe of the ear far down on the neck.

When at work, the woman discards all clothing from the upper portion of her body, but at other times wears a short-sleeved jacket which reaches to her waist (Plate LXXVII).  The waist is cut so low in the neck that the head can pass through.  There is no shoulder seam.  A straight piece set over the shoulder extends down in square, both front and back, to a line about even with the breast, where it is sewed to the garment proper.  A narrow skirt (dingwa), with colored border, extends from the waist to the knees.  It is held in place by drawing it tightly and then tucking one corner under the upper edge, or by pressing it beneath the girdle (Plate LXXVIII).

When a girl becomes a woman, she dons a girdle (palingtan) of braided grass or rattan which fits over the hips, and to which a clout is attached (Plate LXXX).  As a rule, the girdle and clout are not removed when bathing, as are the other garments.

The woman seldom wears a hat, except when she is working in the fields, where sunshades large enough to protect the entire body are used (Plate LIV).  Frequently a cloth or a skirt is twisted about the head as a protection against the sun.

On chilly mornings one often sees the people covered from head to ankles with their sleeping blankets, or a woman may draw a particularly wide skirt about her body just below the armpits so that she is protected from her breasts to the knees.

The teeth of both sexes are blackened with iron salts and tan bark, [245] but they are not cut or mutilated, as is common with many Philippine peoples.

While both sexes are proud of heavy heads of hair, they do not look with equal favor on face and body hairs.  These are plucked out either by grasping them between a knife blade and the thumb nail, or with a bamboo device known as iming.  This consists of a section of bamboo split into several strips at one end.  A hair is placed in one end of the slits, and the bamboo is bent into a half circle, causing it to take a firm hold, when it is jerked outwards.