Monday, August 01, 2011

From Saver to Shopper

Shanghai Silk Addiction





Remember the suit and dress shirts I had tailored for the Man Who Fixes Things?  Well, I made friends with the tailor, Lan, who sewed for me a black and red silk skirt, one that I designed with a decidedly Chinese theme. One of the benefits of visiting the Bund Textile area is the ability to create dreams on fabric for a small price, by American standards, of course. I'm not a shopper, but rather a lifelong saver, yet after trying on the final skirt I had Lan sew ten more - for work, for play, for leisure, to perhaps share. 

We are not ourselves here in this city. We move slowly, smile quickly, buy things, work less, eat more. We must leave Shanghai soon, before we burn our work ethic to the ground, grow fat, consume too much of the ephemeral. Or maybe we'll just forget about 401ks and muscle tone for awhile, and enjoy every morsel while we can.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You have ten skirts that are exactly the same? Weirdo. :)

Anonymous said...

So glad you changed the picture! Those guys were not smiling!

Are you posting a picture of your custom made clothes?

XXOO
GTia

wuchunc said...

Every time I went home, I wish that I have time to wait for my cloths tailered. You are smart to take this oppertunity. Also see the wisdom of gathering similar style of things... Wonder if one day you or the engineer would take it to wcc's level... all my socks are the same. It makes sorting the laundry so much more straight forward.

Karen (and sometimes Casey) said...

GTia: Ha! They were a little somber, long work days for them in the sun.

I'll send you some pictures of the skirts - I had more copies made than I'm willing to publicly admit.

WCC: The Engineer uses exactly the same sock strategy as yours. Coincidence?

Anonymous said...

Dr. B: I'd love to see that skirt after one day in the Colorado sun. Or is one of those things you'll save, like a closet full of guest towels? Anon.