Friendly terms

Recalling how close friends or associates used terms to address each other besides their name or nicknames, I remember my parents call them "Kumpadre or Kumpare" (for the male species) and "Kumadre or Kumare" (for the female species). That was in the 1960s. Well, that was for the more elderly or those married and/or with children. The younger generation male then picked up from this, shortening it to "Pare" among their male pals. I don't think the younger women then used "Mare" addressing friends.

Kumpadre, kumpare, kumadre and kumare are monickers (if that's the right term) for those who are godfathers or godmothers for a friends son or daughter. These monickers denote closeness of friendship that made it the reason why Filipinos used the terms for friends. In urban cities, I believe, the terms are still used in short as "pare or mare".

In the 70s, there were many terms used to address friends such as "Utol or 'tol" (meaning brother/sister), "pards" (a corrupted short for partner) and "Bro", often pronounced as "bru" adopted from the military short for brother. This was for the younger generation. The Kumpadre or Kumpare and Kumadre or Kumare were still much used by older people until the mid 1990s. The shorter versions of Pare, Pre or Mare are still used by the middle aged.

Some time in the 80s, the terms "Chong (tsong) and Chang (tsang)" were also used to address friends. It was the short for "Tiyong and Tiyang" that meant uncle and aunt. It was short lived though. In the late 1980s, if I remember right, I heard my teenage son and his friends again address each other as "'tol". Until now, it still seems to be the common reference among friends for the younger generation, something like 40 years old and below.

What it was in our city could be different in other localities, then and now.

Fashion & Style Trend

This fashion trend is only for men and boys because I don't really know how it was for women or girls then. If I remember right, somewhere in the mid-1960s to the late 60s, when pants were somewhat skin tight. I think it was also at that time that denims and jeans started to become a fad. You could not get in them with your shoes on. There were some styles that had zippers on the inner leg bottoms, just so to be able to get feet through them. Following those years, came the flared or bell-bottomed pants, in direct contrast. The Philippines is a trend follower of what is "in" in the U.S. of A.

On hairstyle, the Elvis Presley style with sticky and greasy pomade was "in" until some time mid-60s when the mop top Beatles started to gain fame. When the Beatles took center stage, that was the advent of the "long-hair" era. Other bands that became famous sported longer hair than what the Beatles had. The famous pomade lost its gloss and hold. During that era, many barbershops closed down. Womens' hair saloons were more frequented by long-haired men. I don't deny that I was one of them.

In the recent past, late 90s to present, the fad of over-sized or loose garments came in. It seems that old clothes of Dad in the 1940s or 50s were back (only not to size). Putting sports jerseys over them also became a fad! Many 'rappers' sported this fashion.

Hairstyle for men almost went nowhere! Why? Because the trend became "No-Hair"! Clean shaven bald head was in! Barbershops started crop again as there was no styling needed. They are the experts in shaving the head. No style to worry about. The hairstyle for men now is on how one feels about it. There are still a good number of younger guys who prefer bald. I think this trend about hair for men will not change not until an entertainer as famous as the Beatles or Elvis Presley will again set a trend.

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