Modest and Pretty

Well, I have to confess, I didn't stay awake through the night to see if I could see the Northern Lights last night, and there wasn't anything in the local news that said they were visible here.

Oh well, there is another chance of seeing them tonight. Minnesota apparently got an eyeful though. Anyone out there see anything?

Meanwhile, I have decide to let myself go through another "phase" in life. Awhile ago I realized that going through "phases" were what made being young so much fun. Some of my phases have included listening to Country Western music, growing scented foliage plants, baking bread, doing macrame and collecting vintage silk lingerie.

My newest phase: Kurti!

Kurti is the feminine form of Kurta, which is simply a collarless, straight sleeved tunic.

The sleeves can be anywhere from wrist length to sleeveless, but they don't have fitted cuffs.
Kurti can be worn with leggings, capris, or knee length shorts, and usually are made from silk or fine lawn like cotton embellished with embrodiery, beads, mirrors, sequins, or metallic ribbons.

I bought a white shirt with a beaded neckline a year ago, and liked it so much I went back to the shop to get something similiar. They were just expensive enough that after I bought another blouse, I went on line to see if I could find a source with a more reasonable price point.

My first favorite on-line shop: Ria Fashions.

I looked through their KURTIS/TUNIC link, and found two tunics that I liked in my size. I figure they will be nice and cool to wear to work with dressy sandals and tailored bermuda shorts and capris during the summer, and then I can dress down with flip flops at home.

Now for me, I don't want to look like I suddenly went boho hippy, or like an over the top India wanna be, so I tried to picture myself in each outfit before deciding (for summer) on this one

and this one.
(They promise that they would sue if anyone poached their pictures , so I am just linking to them here.)

Then I found this site:

I haven't ordered from them yet; they said they would combine shipping costs so I will wait until they confirm what shipping would be.

I can totally imagine this top in winter over an orange or navy turtleneck and denim or navy narrow leg slacks at work. And jeans on the weekends.

Maybe this phase will pass quickly, or maybe not.
I am seeing similar items being promoted as part of the movie "Eat, Pray, Love", and a few name brand stores at "pricy-price" prices.

So...what do you think? Too Indian? Too "wrong side of the Middle East"? (Some of the Kurti stores out of Pakistan sell primary to Muslim; I'm more interested in companies based in India. I am kicking myself that I didn't wake up to this idea while I was in Houston where there was a HUGE Indian clothing store.)

It is quite interesting that the sites promote their kurtis with phrases like "You will look beautiful and modest."

Isn't that a refreshing thought, instead of our typical American advertising that has a "Hot and Sexy" promise? Frankly, except in the privacy of my own bedroom, I studiously avoid looking either hot (I have enough trouble with hormonal temperature surges) or sexy. I have always thought "classy" or "cool" or "charming" were much better looks to aim for.

Well, here's some more eye candy if you want to indulge in a bit of Bollywood daydreaming and fabric envy. I would be thrilled if the long tunic kurdi style caught on, if only to cover witless young ladies with a thong strap peeking from the tops of their tight fitting legging covered backsides.