Exemplary Embroidery

I’m still battling feelings of wanderlust.

Through my travels I like to keep my eye out for local style and traditional forms of dress. Truth be told, I’m quite the sucker for souvenir shops and outdoor markets with alleyways of vendors that stretch for miles. I like to think that I’m quite the little bargainer from my years of haggling experience, but sometimes the language barrier gets in the way. At that point I rely on my ten fingers and my smile to get my ideal price point across.

I carefully curated this dress from my trip to Mexico last year. Dazzled by the vibrant colors and beautifully embroidered flowers, I remember the first time I slipped it over my head. The vendor saw the flash of excitement on my face and immediately, I was at a disadvantage. I may not have had bargaining power to strike up a ridiculously good deal, but it didn’t matter.

The shapeless silhouette makes it easy and comfortable to wear, with the bright colors only made more stunning by way of embroidery. It reminds me of my embroidering days as a kid, spending endless hours threading embroidery floss into the fabric stretched out on two wooden hoops. I’d like to think that the same care was taken by some lady in Mexico carefully embroidering this dress just for me, but something tells me this was probably mass produced by a machine somewhere. In any case, I love it just the same!

I accessorized minimally with a pair of colorful vintage cork earrings, a simple necklace and even incorporated some enamel bangles curated from my time in Beijing. The dress’s ornate embroidery speaks for itself. It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand Spanish, this dress is simply beautiful and transcends all language barriers.

La playa? Thanks for the compliment, but I’m looking for the beach.