Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Block print love part deux





Block print tunic: India, Plaid shirt: Abercrombie and Fitch, Boots: Wittner, Skirt: Jay Jays, Hat: Don't remember, Belt: South American market stall, Stone necklaces: India

Here I go wearing yet another vintagy block print dress from India. Ethnic textiles and I have a love affair that probably started as soon as I was born with all the soft cotton Kanthas my Mom surrounded me with. As a child I witnessed my Mother always trying to source ethically produced fabrics in natural fibres and have clothes tailored to our measurements. And she always tries to find struggling lady tailors/ small/ independent businesses to support, which sometimes used to result in comically proportioned outfits that she would then try to fix with sashes and belts.

I watched her trying to find a balance between buying high-end kids wear for more formal occasions and getting her own designs tailored for the casual stuff. Those early memories have made me appreciate quality fabrics and understand the importance of supporting local businesses. She never cared two hoots about what the other kids were wearing or what styles were in, for the most part of my life I dressed in seventies inspired clothes.

From her I learnt to have my own ideas about how I want to present myself aesthetically instead of depending on style mags to tell me what hem length I should be sporting. Coming from a country steeped in a rich textile and craft tradition, inculcated in me a deep abiding love for ethnic textiles, vegetable dyes, hand embroidered yumminess, crochet, knits, tie-dye, riots of colours, natural fibres and all things pretty. As a child I was mocked for being different but once I grew up people started to think I was bohemian asking me where I shopped, life is funny sometimes. All I know is every-time I see any item of clothing tie-dyed or block-printed especially in bright colours my hand reaches for it.

Sometimes its five sizes too large and I still wear it happy in my glow of love for scraps of fabric, probably causing fashion purists to shudder. But hey I have one life and I would like to live it dressed to please myself.

From once feeling bad about not fitting in to now enjoying refusing to blend in I've grown to love pairing clashing prints and colours. Here's to having confidence in order to become more and more outrageous in my choices and never water down the crazy. Have a great week everyone!

5 comments:

Keit said...

It's great you had a mom who supports individuality and creativity! And she did a pretty good job, you have an amazing style and I love looking at your photos.
P.S
About the bigger size of photos, usually when you put up a photo in the post you can click on it and under it choose size- small, large, xlarge or original size. I don't know if that's the problem, but I hope it helps ^_^

tanaya said...

Thanks so much Keit, she'll love to hear that someone across the world thinks so :D

I am going to play with blogger tonight to figure out the photo/ layout choices...Thank you for your help x

Selena said...

this outfit is so fun. i like your creativity

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Project Curve said...

your mom sounds awesome!even my mum used to take both me and my sister to the tailors she would discover & didn't care about "designer" or "branded" much...i love this outfit of yours!