Siobhan, Minneapolis Store Manager, on Mehera Shaw Clothing

June 23, 2009

Is there a way to lean back against the wall we have hit in our economy and strike an attractive pose? Might we find novel ways to look outstanding against such a grey backdrop? Let me tell you, those black and brown outfits won’t pop much against that aforementioned wall. That haute tough smirk won’t take you far this year when what we all crave is a genuine smile. What we need now is some color, some fun and delight.

In brighter times, when options and ideas were more profuse, it seemed sensible and somehow grounding to look hard-edged. In the midst of disposable incomes and trends those black outfits appeared nonchalant and stoic, a grand contrast to the hyper-stimulation of advertising and the burgeoning mass media. As the nineties crept forward through the millennium fashion embraced darker and darker cloth and attitudes that continued right through into recent years. The culmination came in skull-and-crossbones motifs in the strangest places- on baby clothes for example. Finally we started to see so much black polish and grey fabric that the nonchalance began to metamorphose into plain negativity, perhaps an uncanny prelude to the recent crash.

So the worst has happened, or so some would say. Here we are rebuilding and reframing our perceptions. Now, rather than a makeover for our home and a new wardrobe every season, we might just be able to commit to one or two new pieces of clothing every few months. Personally I want those pieces to be uplifting and graceful. I want them to be high quality, investment pieces that won’t quickly date and that justify the time I took in selecting them. Mehera Shaw offers clothing that is elegant and classic, with just enough whimsy to make the pieces feminine, and enough color to lift any black mood. The delightful variety of prints are examples of age-old traditions of printing and dyeing, making luxury and history accessible and most of all- wearable.

The tightening of purse-strings has also made many people more conscious of the Global Community and has given us a chance to pause and reflect on what we might do to be better citizens. I find, with less money to spend, I generally make far more conscious and conscientious decisions and think much more carefully about where that money goes when I sign it over. It is time well spent to find places like Mehera Shaw who are committed to Fair Trade and to ecologically sound practices. It comes as a relief to know that I am doing as little harm as possible and maybe even helping someone by considering more carefully where my dollar goes.
This is the perfect time to embrace the beauty that is ours to claim. It is a time to find charm in good company, artistry in that well-prepared dinner and pleasure in smelling the proverbial roses. In the midst of these shaky times I hope, as women, we can still find ways to celebrate and show ourselves in a new light. We need to take responsibility and be the beauty we want around us, be the happiness we still feel, and manifest these ideas not just in our attitudes but in our outer appearances as well.

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