Tuesday, 03 October 2006 @ 4:10pm.

I tried a bit of “retail therapy” today, particularly since I need new clothes. I may have to start handwashing more as the little washing machine at my boarding house likes to eat clothes. Unfortunately, shopping isn’t always that relaxing, especially if you can’t find things that fit well. While women’s clothing tends to be the right length here (i.e., many women are short just like me), they don’t usually fit that well if you have curves or a slightly different body type. In addition, I like colors, but not a lot of patterns, and well, let’s just say that there are patterns galore here. There are polka dots, stripes, flowers, plaids, pictures, paisley, logos, cartoons, animal prints, traditional motifs, etc. Solid color shirts often have ruffles, extra buttons, special stitching, fancy collars or cuffs, or additional items that add some flair. Who would have thought it would be a challenge to find a plain jane outfit? The funny thing is that when I’m in Michigan, I lament about how rare it is to see bright colors and patterns! I did luck out today and found three dress shirts (all the same style, but different colors, and yes, there were stripes) and a jean skirt.

I also searched for shoes, but that was a bust. Though flip-flops are quite comfortable, they are not appropriate for many places of work and business. One usually has to wear closed-toed shoes and a covered or strapped heel. It’s best if you can wear slip-ons since you never know when you’ll have to leave your shoes outside or near the door. I had some good pairs to start with, but they are all wearing out quickly. I laughed an unhappy laugh the other day when I realized that one pair had insoles that were practically coming off because of the heat. I then checked some of my other shoes, and sure enough, those insoles are pretty much out of commission, too. Tried good old fashioned super-glue, but it’s no match for Jakarta’s heat, pollution, rough sidewalks and streets, and the amount of walking I do. I was thrilled with a pair of sandals I bought a few months ago and just out of curiosity, I kept track of how long the shoes lasted. Grand total was 2.5 months, and I didn’t even wear them everyday. So much for that!

I probably shouldn’t complain that much, however. Some of my foreign friends and colleagues here have a more difficult time since they tend to be taller men with bigger builds. They end up going to the really expensive malls or using tailors a lot. Tailors in other cities can be quite affordable, but prices here in Jakarta can break one’s budget.

Currently, there are plenty of store sales because it’s Ramadan. The store sections with busana Muslim (Muslim clothing) seem to double or triple in size during this period. Here are some pictures of outfits:

Young girls’ attire:
Girls Muslim Clothing
(taken from Akbar’s Collection, Sidoarjo, East Java, http://habibah2004.tripod.com/id2.html)

Young boys’ attire:
Boys Muslim Clothing
(taken from Akbar’s Collection, Sidoarjo, East Java, http://habibah2004.tripod.com/id2.html)

Women’s clothing:
Women\'s Muslim Clothing
(taken from Nova Women’s Weekly Magazine, Jakarta, http://www.tabloidnova.com/articles.asp?id=1208)

Men’s clothing:
Mens Muslim Clothing
(taken from Cahaya Mitra Kreasi, Surabaya, East Java, http://chavitakidz.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=66)