There's Vintage in them thar souks!!

I thought I'd better add my piece before we need to make this blog 'M and M in UAE'!

I've always considered myself adaptable - but have since decided there are things which I just can't (or don't want to) live without! I often dream of flying home - and staying there - just to hold Azzy and hear his bad jokes - to have my op shopping fix(es) regularly and a glass of wine to cook with and ponder the day over- or in fact, whenever I darn well feel like it really!

Azzy has always grounded me, good wine relieves & relaxes and Op Shopping plain excites me like a kid in a candy store!......Vintage clothing has always softened my demeanor - for reasons I'm not able to define - although I do think mum has influenced that.

For many years, between work, study and family, I have squeezed the buying, selling , wearing and admiring 1000's of amazing things from the past....

Try to imagine a banshee in the passenger seat of what should be the driver seat of our small car - when on a general bread and milk shopping trip passing back streets lined with tailor shops - when I was probably dreaming of being elsewhere...

My brake foot went down and I would have grabbed the wheel had it not been - that it wasn't where it should have been!

Hanging (slightly visible) in an old unwashed-for-centuries window of a tailor shop was a dress that I knew instantly was 'A find'...I actually saw the label long before scanning the full thing!! (So pleased my defensive op-shopping skills are still active!). All of the shops were closed - as they usually are when I want to shop....but, Michael stopped so I could get a closer look....(as well as he perhaps knew the repercussions of not?).

I was gazing longingly into the window, when I noticed 'the guy' - who smiled broadly and beckoned me in. I had a private invitation to enter which wasn't unlike the feelings I had when I was invited to be an 'unpacker' of the bales of clothing from my most favourite 'shed opshop' in Brisbane...just as dusty, dingy and disgusting - but, full of treasures only a keen eye can discriminate!

'The guy' - took the dress down after a while and said in his broken English that I could have it - for dirhams...I think I had a tear of joy! I spent the best part of 20 minutes trying to explain that I'd "need to come back another day - no dirhams".

On noticing that I was looking quizzical at his many Jesus icons hanging behind the counter (well, I did think Iconic representations of any one/thing are not done!) he asked me what Religion I was - being the diplomat, I told him I was bought up Catholic in an 'is that the right thing to say' voice.....I didn't want to offend.

He proceeded to call me "sister" as I tried to look through his racks of clothing - (of which I was incredibly impressed at the retro styling of many items)...and generally ignore the religious overtones of his attempted communication - steering it back toward 'clothing appreciation' .

I told my new brother, that I would come back one day to buy the old 1950's gown....and left his store. A few moments later, while I was in the car and excitedly retelling of my experience - out he comes with his broad grin - holding the frock and walking briskly toward the car!

He instructed me to "take", "take"..."pay other day"...while shaking his 'brother's hand and enquiring of Michaels religion and talking of me as his sister in between including Ashur into the 'conversation'. I won't say I wasn't tempted, but knowing my financial state...knew the "other day" - may or may not come...I declined his offer - I got all Catholic on me!?

Now, I don't know if Michael sensed my disappointment at 'being so close, but, yet so far', or just couldn't stand the thought of my incessant ramblings for however long...but, he produced the 200dirhams and in came the dress through the window!

I am relieved and somewhat annoyed at the fact that there IS vintage in Al Ain - And many of the patterns used to make contemporary under-abaya wear are typically 50's ballgown types as well as 60's and 70's long frocks.....and since discovering this and spending some time in fabric shops - well! what can I say? These people have IMPECCABLE taste!!

What annoys me though is that now, I have an added burning desire to FIND IT all!!!

Working F/T really does wreck that one!....although - on trawling through the dress up clothes at school - I did notice a clump of aged looking sequins..which in fact turned out to be (although ghastly!) and original 1950's beaded and sequined number that will hang in shame in an upstairs wardrobe for a while! Perhaps, I'll keep these two gems as my beginnings of my new collection?

K