(Labels: Black Tank- Bebe, White Lace Tank- American Apparel)
I inherited this Ankara skirt
from my grandmother, along with many other types of Ankara apparel, most of which were handmade
(my grandmother was an AMAZING seamstress and an even better dresser). I have a
slight addiction to Ankara
fabric and I have a strong feeling that it will appear in my wardrobe quite frequently
this summer.
Ankara fabric is also known as Dutch wax print fabric and
although it is most commonly referred to as African print or having African
origins, the fabric was actually crafted by the Dutch as an
Indonesian-inspired, batik-like fabric. After the Dutch introduced the fabric
to the European market, it began to be mass-produced but it did not gain
popularity until it reached modern-day Ghana
and began to spread throughout West Africa.
After the fabric caught on in West Africa, the Dutch were inspired to design
the fabric in order to better reflect West African culture and focus less on
Indonesian batik.
Ankara
fabric alone tells a deep history of cultural blending and sharing. I think
that it is a perfect example of how beautiful things can be created with the
participation and combination of different cultural influences!
Of course, with such atypical patterns and color
combinations expressed in each piece of Ankara
fabric, it can be difficult to style it without distracting from its overall
beauty. I figured these images might help a little:
(Blogger and huge inspiration- Folake of StylePantry.com)
(The Boxing Kitten)
(Italian Designer Stella Jean)
With infinite love,
The Frohemian
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