Monday, August 23, 2010

Central American Embroidery

I've ended up with more variety in the looks i've been able to wear with this skirt than i expected. It's an example of how the shape of the top worn with a particular skirt determines the silhouette and thus the overall look. I realized that this top had enough length for me to belt it at the high hip (instead of at the waist, which would give a similar silhouette to the previous outfits i've made around this skirt). One day i'll go all crazy on you and wear a different pair of shoes!

Central American embroidery is one of my favorite ethnic arts to wear. I don't know much about it, but the pieces i have seen are just incredible - amazing color sense, dense and precise needle work, and no limits to the imagination of what's depicted. A dear friend picked this blouse up at a garage sale for a buck or two and mailed it to me. All these gorgeous creatures depicted by hand. I'd wear it more except i want it to last as long as possible!

I managed to buy a gorgeous embroidered strap belt last winter in Mendocino. Unfortunately it's pink dye comes off very easily onto other fabric and i've had a hard time figuring out how to wear it without ruining the other clothes i'm wearing with it. Any ideas out there? It's a six foot long wrap belt.

I've been keeping my eye on the Mayan Connection site for years. The perfect convergence between a skirt that will work in my wardrobe scheme and my budget has yet to occur, but i'm keeping hope alive!

Blouse: ??? hand embroidery looks of Mexican origin?
Skirt: own design
Belt: some old thing
Sandals: Naturalizers

5 comments:

  1. What gorgeous embroidery! The colors tie in nicely with the skirt too.

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  2. I'm with Pseu! LOVE this outfit, and the embroidery is gorgeous.

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  3. Very pretty - I love embroidery.

    Re: the belt...could you sew a backing onto it? A contrast colour like a soft green?

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  4. Thank you 'D.P.', 'A.D.', and 'S.'!

    of course, i realized after posting this that including a pic of the belt would be a brilliant idea (pfft! at myself) light green would be really pretty, but the very saturated dark pink would bleed like crazy. however......you made me think about some distressed pleather i saw at Joanne's that *might* work as a backing. so thank you for the idea!!

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  5. I love this blouse, always have. One of the great pleasures about it is when you are wearing it and I hug you, it's soft and giving - in all senses of that word.
    8-)

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