There are several emblems that represent the hardworking Filipino, and one of them is the Good Morning towel.
You’ve probably spotted it draped around the necks of jeepney drivers, conductors, and street vendors.
You might even remember your parents or guardians chasing after you as a child, tucking one between your back and your shirt.
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Its early history traces back to 19th-century Hong Kong, where it was widely used in tea shops and noodle houses, and to 20th-century Singapore, where it became a staple for rickshaw pullers and laborers. Regardless of region or use, the Good Morning towel has come to be associated with hard work and perseverance.
This symbol has also been embraced by Filipino celebrities as of late—but not quite in the way we’re used to.
The Good Morning towel has evolved into a sartorial piece, reimagined as a backless halter top spotted on celebrities.
She styled it with parachute pants and tabi Mary Janes, creating a look that’s both comfortable and polished enough for performance.
The statement bib was created by homegrown brand Glorious Dias, who layered its signature phrase “Mahal kita, hayop ka” over the towel’s distinctive text and design. Its features also include a Mandarin collar with a humble keyhole, a fringed bottom, and a red lining that ties everything together (literally and figuratively).
The same top was also seen on Glaiza de Castro during her guesting on the noontime show It’s Showtime.
The actress’ casual outfit was completed with red jorts and white pumps, with her edgy hairstyle and elegant dangling earrings elevating the look.
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The Evolution of the Good Morning Towel by Glorious Dias
In 2023, Glorious Dias released its version of the Good Morning towel, co-created with Pangasinan-based artist and cultural worker Jai Hernandez.
“This piece centers on the quiet power of the everyday,” the brand explained in an Instagram post, tagging the cloth as “a fixture of Filipino life and a steadfast co-star to a culture of care.”
Fully embodying the belief that “manual labor is, and has always been, skilled labor,” each towel is silkscreen-printed by hand.
The thoughtful gesture is “both reclamation and confession” that admits—and embraces—how challenging it may be to express our care. Consider it a labor of love, if you will.
The brand’s history with the Good Morning towel began years prior—specifically in 2017 through silk rags co-created with procrasti.making and in 2022 through dyed carry-alls made for the costume design of the musical, Carousel.
Come the first quarter of 2026, Glorious Dias has reimagined the towels into tops. Aside from a bib, they have also been transformed into a camisa, a jersey, and a polo (including a cape version, reminiscent of how the towel would hang off the back of our shirts).
“By reframing the ordinary, we also reflect upon entrenched dress codes and the classed assumptions they often enforce,” the brand said.
“Recontextualization operates here as both nostalgic nod and critique, questioning hierarchies of taste, value, and what business casual can mean in a tropical country.”
Glorious Dias can be found at HUB Make Lab in Escolta, Manila and Common Room Rockwell in Poblacion, Makati.
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