Malhia Kent

     Happy New Year! I thought I'd start the year off by talking about a trip from 6 months ago, when I visited Paris and one of the coolest fabric stores I've ever seen. The store is Malhia Kent, which makes fabrics for haute couture and pret-a-porter brands. All their fabrics are made in France and while you can't buy the designs that they produce for haute couture brands, their storefront is PACKED with other offcuts and small samples. Usually all these little pieces are 10 euro a meter, but I happened to be there during a rare sale, so they were half-off. They also sell fabric on the roll by the meter and while I don't remember the full price for those it was quite a bit more (understandably so - they are gorgeous). The store is also cash only, so I sent my main squeeze to find an ATM and I started picking through the tables, contemplating how much fabric I could squeeze into my carry-on luggage. I found some amazing pieces and spent the first few weeks just staring at them. Finally, I got up the nerve to cut into one of the pieces and make a garment.

Lamentation for Fall (Y'all)

Jacket | Secondhand Frame Denim
Skirt | Secondhand Alice + Olivia
Patch | Badaboom Studio

      When we moved here, someone told me that Dubai has two seasons: summer and hell. Thankfully, we are re-entering summer and not a minute too soon. Daytime temps are flirting with the high 90s, nighttime temps are often in the 80s and humidity is only coming sporadically.  I feel the ecstasy of a woman able to go outdoors without her umbrella, sunglasses and chilled water bottle (because even with those things, I nevertheless ended up as a distraught puddle of a person after brief sojourns outdoors). 

Going Country

Thanks Jess for the photos!

     That photo looks like it should be the cover of my country album, no? I recently went to the wedding of one of the most fashion-loving ladies that I know. When she and I lived in the same city we used to go shopping and window-shopping all the time, talking about the latest trends and debating their merits. Whenever I went to a party at her place I knew it was an opportunity to debut something unusual or bold. Her enjoyment of style, plus the fact that this was my first in-person wedding since Covid started meant I was going to dress to the nines. Here are a few of my looks from the weekend:

Secret Separates

     I know my outfit is good when I have an urge to blog about it. This dress is actually secret separates, made up of the free Peppermint Wrap Skirt pattern and a self-drafted top. The fabric is the Oasis Night Fabric from Atelier Brunette, which I had the pleasure of buying in person from their Paris store. That store, by the way, is incredibly cute, and if not for luggage limitations I could have absolutely done some damage in there. 

     For the skirt, I made the Size A with minor modifications: adding one pocket in the side seam and using a slightly different (i.e. less precise) construction on the waist tie. (With the pattern and dark colors, no one can really tell.)

Ring Things

     Do you ever have an idea that, while it almost certainly isn't original, is one you thought of before anyone told it to you, and so it makes you particularly proud of it? For me, my Anniversary Ring is such an idea.

     Every year, on our anniversary, my gift from my main squeeze is a ring, purchased at some point during the past year. It doesn't have to be expensive or a have a particular look or feel. A perfect example would be one we found at a secondhand shop while traveling. After 20 or 30 years of marriage I'll have a diverse collection of rings that carry a lot of significance, evoke memories from throughout our relationship and that I can rotate through wearing depending on my outfit. I also have something to keep an eye out for whenever we are traveling and there is no guesswork over what to get me for our anniversary. A win-win, if I say so myself.

Frida's Garden

  

    (Sorry this is pushing twice, the new version of Blogger has a button - in a place of prominence - that un-publishes your post and I accidentally clicked on it.) I'm not sure it has been a particularly joyful start to 2021 for me, but at least one of my first sewing projects of the new year is radiating enough joy for both of us. The first time I wore this dress out, I got in my building's elevator and immediately got a compliment from a lady, which is about as good as you can do when it comes to outfit feedback.

      I absolutely fell in love with this Alexander Henry fabric print, entitled, Frida's Garden. It was on sale at one of my favorite CA fabric shops so I decided to treat myself and order, hoping the discount mostly offset international shipping. I knew it needed to be made into a party dress, and I look forward to wearing this to any and all bbqs, bashes and birthday parties once we're all able to safely have those again.