Floral block print cotton in a magical rainforest

Remember when I was talking about buying same dresses in different colours over and over again here? Well the dress in these photos is the exact same dress as this one just in brown, when I like something I really like to go all out and get all different versions of it. Do you do that too?

Shawl Shenanigans

Every winter I get completely enamoured with a shawl or few and have one of them (or many) wrapped around myself for the entire season all day every day. More often than not they are bright colours with embroidery, mirrors, tassels definitely pure wool and hand loomed to perfection. This year the two obsession includes this one from Bhuj and another Patola shawl :)

This one is Bandhani with mirror work, hand loomed as well as hand dyed worn with a brocade mini in a rain-forest. I don't think there is a more perfect way to wear things other than exploring deep in the foliage surrounded by mossy, slippery rocks, waterfalls and ferns. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

Incoming storm

I love kurtas is a major understatement, I could use the word obsessed but I am trying to avoid words with ableist connotations. But I can tell you this, I constantly dream about kurtas, the designs, the fabric options and how I would style them. I've only been back from India for a few months and I already have fabric and sketches ready to update my kurta collection for my next trip.

Lately I've been wearing heaps of kurtas with curved hems and longer tail. And I absolutely refuse to call kurtas; tunics, if the world can learn to say pyjama and jodhpurs we shouldn't have to use tunics when we mean kurtas.

I think its high time we wore more than just short kurtis to work. Cotton anarkalis in my opinion makes great summer dresses, Patiala salwars make wonderful relaxed pants, churidars make great drop-crotch pants, sarees make wonderful evening wear, cholis/ saree blouses make interesting crop-tops, I could go on but you get the point.

I genuinely don't understand people who keep their traditional clothing for special occasions or just wear them during ethnic get togethers. I dunno why anyone would want to blend in. The silk kurta in these photos is ages old and as is the beaded necklace, I have worn it before here.

Australia; always was, always will be Aboriginal Land

Pictures from the Invasion Day Sydney March; I believe as allies it is very important us to educate ourselves on issues of First Nation Australians, learn to be respectful and stand in solidarity with them. We in Australia are all living on occupied land unless we are Indigenous Australians, we must recognise this privilege and understand that we have so much more in common with Indigenous people than the colonisers.

Understanding the history and the heritage of the First Peoples is something that is very important to me and I know there is strength in solidarity. Purna Swaraj (complete self-governance) was proclaimed by Indians on this very day the 26th January in 1930 which rejected the dominion status conferred by Britain. That is all I celebrate today and I wish the same for Indigenous Australians.

Relaxed spring afternoons

Most of these pictures have been taken in front of a mural of the Aboriginal Australian flag in The Block, Redfern. The Block has been a meeting place for Aboriginal people for more than half a century, as people travelled from country towns to Sydney in search of work. The area is synonymous with Indigenous land rights and till quite recently was the site of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy demanding affordable housing for Indigenous Australian.

It is a place steeped in history and struggle, I went there over the weekend to listen to some live music by Indigenous artists. It was the first really warm day this spring and my embroidered top from Columbia came out to play with beaded jewellery from Kenya, South Africa and Columbia. I am obsessed with Maasai, South American and Indian beaded jewellery and wish to deck myself head to toe in them. A great afternoon spent listening to some good music and chatting with interesting locals before riding away as the sun set.