Frocks & Frou Frou: family history

Top: ??? @ Shirts and Skirt Markets www.shirtandskirtmarkets.com.au

Hat: Adelina Design @ Rose St Markets www.rosestmarket.com.au

Gauchos: Ping Pong Clothing

Shoes: Joanne Mercer www.joannemercer.com.au

As you may or may not know, I am (fractionally) Chinese, and this year I've been discovering all sorts of interesting things about the family history.

Apparently my great grandparents came over to Australia from the B'Tau village (famous for a Bean Curd Factory) in the late 1800's to set up a general store in the New South Wales goldfields. Apart from an ill-fated trip back to China to educate the children (it resulted in the kidnapping and eventual death of my Great Grandfather, Chung Hin Gee) we've been here in Australia ever since.

The family in 1908 (apparently the baby is my grandpa)

It's nice to have a link to such a wonderfully established culture, and I only wish that I'd been exposed to more of it as a child.

As it is, apart from the fact that I make a mean Fried Rice, the only Asian thing about me is my almond eyes, so when I saw this Cheongsam-inspired top at the Shirts and Skirts Market in Abbotsford, I knew I had to have it.

I like Ethnic-inspired clothing. For general-wear it toes the line between fashion and costume admirably. Remember a few years ago when Cheongsams were all the rage? I was having a field day, because I actually looked legit in them.

I also really like Saris and Salwar Kameez, and there's some fantastic places to find them online, including www.eshakti.com who I've ordered from before, and provide gorgeous custom-made clothing inspired by Indian clothing. Perplexingly they don't seem to ship overseas anymore, but customers outside of US & Canada can always try a shipping service, if you see something you Must Have.

So what corner of the world are you from? Do have a national dress that you'd be prepared to wear out in public? Lederhosen, anyone? I know at least one of you is descended from the Bolyen family...

Frocks & Frou Frou

Monday, November 10, 2008

"Ethnic" dressing