Lace + Crochet

In my mind, old timey crafts are preciously elegant and really bring to life an outfit that would otherwise get caught up in the synthetic fast fashion crap that currently floods the Western clothing market. In today's case; a feminine yet edgy crocheted handmade cuff from a new Lithuanian-by-way-of-Egypt designer SIMO and a lovely mixed and layered lace tinged abaya from Saudi Arabian design label; Sue. 

The designer behind SIMO sent me two bags laden with her treasures (all of which were promptly uploaded to my Instagram account). The smaller pieces may pop up in later outfit posts as I keep the focus on the extremely girly grey and pink blinged out bracelet.

I can't crochet to save my life so I'm impressed with the handiwork in this piece. The softness of wool and the hardness of the shiny metal really offset each other nicely, not to mention the cuteness of the blinged out jewels. Bonus points for being strong, secure and well made. 

I've had this abaya since forever. Two years is forever in the fast paced clothing world, right? It is probably the girliest piece I own but it does verge slightly on the dressing gown side of life so I am careful of where I wear it to in Australia. If I was overseas in Egypt or Dubai it wouldn't matter so much because over there it is obviously an abaya but in the West I find you have to be careful so you don't cross over into the nightwear side of things. 

I'm consciously trying to steer my closet into a more Western friendly style. Being a white girl myself, I look at my wardrobe choices and the amount of Arab cultural clothing shoved in there is overwhelming at times. I literally have to say to myself aloud "Wake up white girl! Where are the jeans? Where are the skirts? Where is the colour?" Sometimes I feel as if I have lost my roots so to ground myself again I am attempting to choose more non-black pieces, simpler cuts and modern Western tinged pieces in colours that are more suitable and acceptable in my culture. Copious amounts of black fabric gets too heavy on the eye sometimes, don't you think? 

Check out SIMO for other pretty handmade jewellery on their Facebook page.

Heels ~ Mollini (buy similar here)

Bracelet ~ SIMO (buy here)

Bag ~ Palestyle (buy here)

Abaya ~ Sue (buy here)