Cool Chinese Ethnic Apparel

chinese ethnic apparel

Bet you did not know China has this kind of ethnic apparel. It looks more african than anything to my eye.

http://2u4.us/1f

Little Pakistan Aids Flood Victims

I did not even know there was a “Little Pakistan” anywhere, much less in New York city.

It seems that with the Pakistani government for some reason (or none) blacking out TV coverage of the disaster in their country, world awareness of how bad it has become has not become a call to action.

Adding to that the confusion amongst the American populace as to exactly who is and is not our “friend” amongst the world’s countries. Especially after the 8 years of Bush-era finger jabbing into the chests of other world leaders, the US is learning to settle for “frenemies”.

Given that it is unlikely that the US will be held accountable for somehow causing the Pakistani flood, it is safe to say that if the US were to make its aide and presence known in a big way, it may go a long way to ameliorating hostilities.

If you break bread with someone, he’s a little less likely to want to saw off your head. Maybe a little.

Now if we would just stop killing Pakistanis with drones while they are on their own home turf, things would be even better, but I digress.

Little Pakistan is making relief efforts on its own. (LINK)

In addition to funds, the groups are accepting canned goods and other nonperishable food items.

Vintage Clothing Show In 26th Year

Vintage shirt... Very vintage shirt

The Vintage Clothing & Textile Show in it’s 26th year, features 65 exhibitors selling and displaying a wide selection of antique textiles, vintage clothing and much more!

Beyond the high fashion vintage and gently worn designer clothing, you will find an extensive array of other material from nostalgic eras including vintage table linens, bed linens, Victorian lace, draperies and cushions, a variety of wearable decorative trims, perfume bottles, jewelry boxes, buttons, shoes, handbags, jewelry, shawls, ethnic textiles and the list goes on.

The show has attracted a very loyal and enthusiastic following.

In recent shows, designer resale has been a noticeably strong trend.

Participating dealers are known to save their best and most unusual items for this event and their audience knows it.

 There is always something for everyone, from the most discerning collector to the college student on a limited budget!

See link below for more information

http://2u4.us/a

Marsha, Marsha, Marsha. And India.

MuMu

Why does Indian apparel come up whenever the phrase “ethnic apparel” is employed?

In keeping myself informed so that I can write this blog with any kind of authority, it makes me wonder.

I see dozens of alerts about what is going on on the beautiful subcontinent of India, but mostly silence from the rest of the world on the fashion front.

It is all filmy fabrics, sarees, and paisley.  And while I do LOVE these designs, I know there is more to be seen.

It makes me wonder if much of the ethic apparel is suitable for the U.S. market.

Cold climates require warm clothing. And while I am in awe that someone can make a suite of clothes from available materials in a muderous environment with a pen knife and some twine, I would be hard pressed to find a market in Maryland.

Anything made of skins is probably out.

Hot climates too. A Bedouin bhurka may be great for wearable shade, but would stand out a tad in Miami.

The one exception in weeks was a site offering Bulgarian clothes. Wonderful! If only the site were live.

I found a site on mumu dresses today, but they almost all looked to be of Asian descent….

Mainstream Alternative

Jamaica Sundress

There is an ethnic bandwagon that may just save American business.

Seems that the clothing stores have had it rough the past few sessions.

The traditional hip is being replaced by the ethnic hip.

And its working.

An article in New York Fashion states that the bastion of stodgy, Talbots, is getting its financial freak on by offering more ethnic apparel.

I do not see how the items presented in the article in any way qualify as ethnic, but I will take their word on it.

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2010/04/can_talbots_get_hip.html

Ditto Ekru, based in India.  http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=84686

But Ekru by definition was always ethnic in its apparel.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere….

The economies of ethnicity http://mediareach.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/how-to-reach-ethnic-minorities/

What is ethnicity anyway? http://apeaceofconflict.com/2009/03/01/ethnic-conflict/

Methnicity

Hollywood drug supply...

I am appaled to see how many of the roles in Hollywood are for black/brown skinned people when it comes to the role of drug dealer and or drug user.

I know alot more whites that use drugs than my non white friends; I don’t know of a single self-respecting non white amigo that deals.

I know they are out there, but i have to ask myself if what is reperesented is reflecting what is actually out there.

Yes, commentors, I know. Does it ever? Ok, but to what degree?

... Hollywood drug demand

It is more than just another day, it is how we think about one another. The overview, the zeitgeist.

If we’re going to live together, if we’re going to blend we have to give each other a fair shake.

Sorry for the rant this week, guys, but this blog is getting harder and harder to write.

I research each of these posts by reading news sent to me via google news, and everytime the word ‘ethnic’ is used, it is referring to something  out of India or followed by the word ‘cleansing’.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere….

An Orwellian Hello Kitty: http://thatyemayobtain.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/hellobey-kitty/

An old blog from Hillary, everyone has an ethnicity, even pale blue white folks http://edinburghfeministing.wordpress.com/2009/07/16/i-have-an-ethnic-background-no/

What is an ethnicity?

The Head Wrap For The Rebellion Ethnic

Americans are all about race. We are a giant melting pot with lumps in the stew, and what I mean by that is that some things do not dissolve into the melting pot as quickly as others.

Given that we are (largely) a nation of closely-generational immigrants, we come from different languages, dress, customs and skin color. Given all these things, what is ethnicity?

In doing my homework for this post, I found the “Cultural Dictionary” which lists the following definition:

ethnicity [(eth-nis-uh-tee)] – Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group’s customs, beliefs, and language.

There is also a parenthetical notation :

Note: Many minority groups in the United States maintain strong ethnic identity; especially in cities, immigrants are often attracted to ethnic communities established by people from their own country, communities in which many traditional cultural features are maintained.

Put simply, it is not people who necessarily look like me (however you define the “me”), but people who believe and act like me.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere…

A great (old) post by toutlemonde that traces the use of the word “ethnic” to its initial use as a tool in global colonization.

jewelry0asquar offers wholesale ethnic jewelry

Ethnicity is used here as a mention in defining the self. Simple, but still a nice post. http://daljitnandhra.wordpress.com/2009/07/07/my-ethnicity/

Headwrap seen above

Ethic Specific?

Hawaiian Shirt, Surfer Panel

Just a quick note today, the daylight savings spring-forward time change hit me like a car.

The notices I have been getting have been almost exclusively associating “ethnic apparel’ and anything out of India.

There’s more to this apparel than just Indian, although we are partial to anything from the subcontinent.

“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your ethnicities”.

Plus Size Idea

Rasta Tubetop Batik

An article by worldsimple.com had some interesting advice and a good idea. It was for plus sized women to add a little geometrics to the prints of their dresses and accessorize to size.

The loose lines, flowing designs, and beautiful patterns of most ethnic clothes already offer these features, be it a full lenghth dashiki (aka kaftan) or a sundress.

All it takes is the right dress, right attitude and the right handbag.

Link to article here.

I found a type of  ethic apparel today that I had not heard the word for. Sure, I had seen them plenty of times, and they were of a different name. Enter the Kurta.

Il-la-la has a new lineup of ethnic designs. I have contaced this company to possibly represent them and sell their wares, but will have to wait  and see. Il-la-la

Elsewhere on the blogosphere….

Traditional indian apparel that would go nicely into my sundresses site : http://blog.indianselections.net/2009/11/06/ethnic-gifts-ideas-for-foreign-associates-and-nris-2/

Embroidered dresses from india http://embroideredjewellery.wordpress.com/2010/03/12/indian-embroidered-clothing-embroidered-clothing-embroidered-clothing-india-embroidered-clothing-in-india-india-embroidered-clothing-jewellery-india-mirrors-silks-embroidery/

Onward and upward

Typical Sundress from Hawaii

A new report states that the market for ethnic apparel grew by 13% recently and that we can expect the market to grow around 10% per year here forward*

Granted, this is for the India market, but the figures for the US and India, both modern financial and consumer powerhouses, will likely be on the same curve.

This means a growing availabilty for new (old) and intersting styles for the consumer, and a healthy profit margin for providers (Hawaiian Shirts, Muu Muu,  Sundresses).

Elsewhere in the blogosphere….

A good rant on ethnicity as applies to an average-ish woman…

Beautiful ethnic fashion illustrations….

Not really ethnic, but certainly interesting, what to take on an african safari….

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http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=83306