Shopping in Oaxaca

In October 2015 I travelled to Oaxaca with a group of my students and a colleague on a study trip. A friend of my colleague's who is local and helped us out with the organisation of everything one day took us to meet Mariana. Mariana is a woman from a community in Oaxaca that has a very interesting design studio where she is trying to rescue iconography and embroidery techniques from the different communities in Oaxaca and she collaborates with women from these communities to make the embroidery in clothing that she designs. Of course the process can take months but these women receive fair payment for their work, something that doesn't happen always.

I saw a dress in the studio that I really loved but it wasn't my size and I think it was probably already made for someone else so I didn't buy anything on the spot. On the last night we were in Oaxaca I decided to order a dress. Mariana took my measurements and I chose the fabric, the colour of the embroidery and the iconography. After some delays because she couldn't find the fabric I had asked for, finally I got to pick up my new dress now that I went back to Oaxaca for the wedding. So like a child I had to use my new dress immediately so I used it for a day of shopping and wandering around the city. 

• Polka dot dress with handmade embroidery: MARIANA GRAPAIN ETNO DISEÑO
• Fuchsia ballerina flats/fuchsia small cross body bag: KATE SPADE NEW YORK

Polka dots again!

You know how I like polka dots and bright colours so how could I resist the combination?

Coral-white polka dot shirt: ASOS Curve/ Blue jeans: Lee/ cognac brown ballerina flats and blue clutch bag: H&M

Black and a touch of turquoise!

Well it has been more than a year since I presented to you these palazzo trousers but now it is time to see them in action. Don't be afraid to use bold colours! You can always combine them with neutral, eternal black like me on this outfit ;)

Black ballerina flats, black "C'est la vie" t-shirt, black headband and turquoise palazzo pants: Primark/ Black with white cat print envelope clutch bag: ASOS

Somewhere in the middle

Neither too formal nor too casual. Perfect for a day at the office where the dress code is quite loose.

Black oversize blazer: ASOS Curve/ black ballerina flats, black tank top (worn underneath) and transparent white and grey with glyph print t-shirt: Primark/ black purse: Zara/ blue skinny jeans: Karen T.

Red, grey and black

When you are with someone for a long time and you live together that doesn't mean that you stop having little dates and definitely you have to dress up for the occasion! What is the colour of love and passion? Well red of course!

Grey short-sleeved cardigan and black clutch bag: H&M/ black ballerina flats: Primark/ hoops with red beads: brand not known, were given as a present/ black sunglasses: Carrera/ grey and red with black detail around the waist dress: Candy Rain