Would you believe me if I told you that this skirt was from the 8th grade?

Crazy to think, right? I’m surprised it still even fit around my hips

This is a traditional Indian skirt that I love but was tucked away in the corner of my closet. I only found it recently as I was doing some cleaning, and remembered all of the vivid memories dancing in this skirt. I love the colors, the mirror work, and intricate thread work on this skirt. To think that someone in India had hand sewn each embroidery, each sea shell, and each mirror, meant to me that this was something I would hold onto because of the art and labor that went into creating this piece.

As I’m trying to be more intentional with my purchases, I decided to bring this skirt back by repurposing it for a streetwear look. It was so nice starting conversations with strangers at the park who asked about the origins of this skirt; I loved the feeling that came from being able to share a part of my culture with someone new. With the pandemic in mind and being mindful of purchases during the holidays, what cultural pieces do you have in your closet that you can see yourself rocking in a modern way?