Bleeds Blue
I have been feeling blue lately.
I want everything that is white and blue in clothing, that is. I think it is because of this heat that I crave those colors. My recent purchases were a white blazer and a blue tie dye dress. And crazily enough I want more: like a pure white maxi skirt, a blue maxi skirt, a white embroidered blouse. But since I need to curb my shopping enthusiasm, I went shopping in my closet and found this tie dye maxi dress. I only wore it once before (and it was featured on the blog here). Like almost all the clothes I own, it became too tight (at the top) after the move to India. So it was in my "to refashion pile" for a long time. Today I took it out, removed the zipper on the side and sew some elastic band just under the bust. Then I went and cut a triangle from an old tube top to stitch to the side of the dress where the zipper was. Now it is easier to wear. And it is perfect for this heat. However it bleeds blue. At the end of the day my hands and nails were a bit blue. Actually I did wear it at the beginning of the week with a white cardigan. I went home cursing myself because I was sure that the cardigan would turn blue. Thankfully it did not but it served as a reminder not to pair the dress with white again.
The dress is made of a fabric that is very popular in West Africa.We call it "THIOUB" in my country Senegal, and it basically means "tie dye". Although tie dye in my country is made with all kinds of colors nowadays, some ethnic groups still favor this indigo color.
I want everything that is white and blue in clothing, that is. I think it is because of this heat that I crave those colors. My recent purchases were a white blazer and a blue tie dye dress. And crazily enough I want more: like a pure white maxi skirt, a blue maxi skirt, a white embroidered blouse. But since I need to curb my shopping enthusiasm, I went shopping in my closet and found this tie dye maxi dress. I only wore it once before (and it was featured on the blog here). Like almost all the clothes I own, it became too tight (at the top) after the move to India. So it was in my "to refashion pile" for a long time. Today I took it out, removed the zipper on the side and sew some elastic band just under the bust. Then I went and cut a triangle from an old tube top to stitch to the side of the dress where the zipper was. Now it is easier to wear. And it is perfect for this heat. However it bleeds blue. At the end of the day my hands and nails were a bit blue. Actually I did wear it at the beginning of the week with a white cardigan. I went home cursing myself because I was sure that the cardigan would turn blue. Thankfully it did not but it served as a reminder not to pair the dress with white again.
Scarf - gift from Ethiopia
Wrap around cardigan - Gap
Dress - tailored then altered
Sandals - Fidak Fair in Dakar
Sorry I was sneezing there!
My colorful sandals
How it is done (Source:Google)
In my country, a Thioub cloth is usually used to make a huge kaftan or mumu we like to call Boubou. It is very rare that we use it for anything else.
A Senegalese woman wearing Boubou in Thioub
(Source: Google)
I did however think that it would be great for a maxi dress a few years back and sent the design home to be made. I sent pictures of the tie dye material and the type of dress I wanted and my Dad took upon himself to find the right material and give my measurements to the tailor. The dress turned out great against all odds (can you imagine ordering a dress to be tailor made via Skype?) but I would have preferred a lighter material, and less bleeding. It is fine because I rarely wear it.
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