Style Scrapbook: Cultural Vs Contemporary

This outfit is a yes or no. It could look awful, or it could work. I still wasn't sure when I slammed down a finger on the finish button, but  I wanted to experiment when I saw this shirt on Fantasy Shopper. I decided to marry the heritage laden shirt with something cool and contemporary, something that contrasted but complimented the boldness of the print. This came in the form of wet look leggings.

Floral Ceiling Print Shirt, Eskander, £169. Boots, £130 Kurt Geiger. Leggings, £10, Miss Selfridge. Ring, Mango, £8.99. Necklace, £3, New Look. Earrings, £3, New Look.

The Eskander shirt, inspired by ancient Indian architecture, is the perfect example of a culturally submerged piece of clothing that is calling to be kicked into a wearable outfit that's more about you wearing the shirt than the shirt wearing you. It's so long that to wear it with leggings you have to be pretty tall to pull it off, but I think the sleek black leggings step the shirt's high collar, conservative austerity down a notch. 

Below are some beautiful examples of Indian architecture Google was kind enough to expose me to. The attention to detail and organised freedom never ceases to amaze me; to be able to translate such an intricate design into a piece of clothing that moves and flows with the body and can be lived not just behind bricks, but on the streets, fields or beach is something I find amazing. So yes, when my brother tells me my printed shirt looks like wallpaper with a wrinkled nose, I will remind him how he gawped and goggled in awe at the interiors of buildings in Crete, or Barcelona which were laden with very similar patterns. If a building can wear it, I can too.