The beauty of color and culture

As you all know, my closet is very much that of a New Yorker: it is full of black and gray. And while I adore my grays and neutrals, I am starting to feel that I could use some color in my life. However, I am simply not willing to change my look to that of a resident of Miami, head to toe bright colors and silk prints.  Meanwhile, as I get more and more opportunities to travel, I find that the rest of the worlds native cultures have a joy and artistry in their use of color that is glorious in its detail and unabashedly bright hues. It is a look that I would very much like to harness, and have found that many designers have been feeling the same way. As you can see above from the pictures I found on Style.com Dries van Noten, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Catherine Malandrino, and Etro are all ones who have drawn inspiration from ethnic textiles.

My thought has been to keep my beloved black and gray wardrobe, but start adding in pops of color and beautifully rich textures. One simple way to achieve this is with accessories such as scarves or handbags.  Today I had the fortune to come across Beads of Paradise (located one East 17th St. near Union Square, NYC) that carried a wide range of handbags from Thailand. These special bags were all hand made by a cooperative of women in the Hmong hill tribe, who used recycled fabrics to create beautifully detailed bags in a range of colors and sizes.  Prices range form $18-$165, and I feel would be well worth the purchase as no two are alike. I also believe these to be pieces that could be used throughout your life, as opposed to simply being a chintzy trend item.

Click here to start shopping for handbags such as the ones below.