Sunset by the beach in Lucknowi Chikan

After a long week when one goes to the beach to watch the waves crash framed by a gorgeous sunset, you want an easy outfit. This is my go-to for the in-between months during spring or autumn.

A bright crop with boy-friend jeans and a duster of some sort. This duster has white hand embroidery on a white muslin fabric, this kind of work is called Chikankari and the North Indian city of Lucknow is the heart of Chickankari today. Anything I wear always has a touch of home in subtle or non-subtle ways especially since I've moved to a country with absolute no textile heritage!

The earliest reference to chikankari dates back to as early as the 3rd century BC when Greek traveller Megasthenes mentioned the use of flowered muslins by Indians. You have seen me wear Lucknowi Chikan here in a post last year.

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Oversize Lucknowi Kurta with Joggers

I constantly get asked how I wear kurtas in daily life outside of India, I never know how to answer the question except to say; I just wear them. Anywhere, any kind, with anything and pretty much for all kinds of activities, for eg. on the day these photos were taken, we went on a coastal walk, bike ride around Sydney's eastern beaches and exploring markets plus eating street food.

This kurta is a Lucknowi Chikankari kurta that was bought years ago and is still going strong. Chikan is a traditional embroidery style that originated in the North of India in what is modern day Lucknow, I think it started off as white on white intricate embroidery on muslin. These days however one can see it on every kind of colour from the usual pastel to neons. I love the beauty and the practicality of these airy, flowy, light kurtas especially in hot summers but here I am wearing it in the middle of winter in Sydney because I don't believe in seasonal wear. To be honest though, this particular day was a really nice, warm winter day and I layered my Icebreaker merino base layer under it and a merino duster cardigan over it.

I think the secret to wearing anything is that one shouldn't bother about rules, for eg. I have worn this exact same kurta with booty shorts in the summer and with anything else I feel like including but not limited to flowy skirts, wide legged pants, boyfriend jeans, bell-bottoms and as I've worn them here, with joggers plus vans. In my world there are no rules for wearing anything, annoying aunties do glare at me but I have learnt to just tune them out. So if you're looking to wear something just go ahead wear it, I believe we really need to get experimental with our traditional wear, sarees with shorts, kurtas with minis tied to the side, anything that takes one's fancy.

And also I have no respect for sizing, if I like something I will wear it, regardless of the size, I WILL make it fit. I used to like things that fit me and looked like they were tailor made for me but then got tired of being too small to fit into things I liked and have pretty much given up on fitted clothing. Another thing I don't care for is gendering of clothes, I like clothes and can't be arsed with gender specific clothing. For eg. these joggers are from the kids (boys) section and the kurta is extra-large but I like how comfy they were together.

What are your favourite ways to wear your kurtas?