Fashion at its finest!

...and we do too! :)

Hello again! You're probably all wondering why it's taken me a couple of days to put up a new post. Well, a trip to the embassy on one day followed by an early morning the next is the culprit. But you don't really want to hear about that. What you really want to know is... what are people wearing??? (cue red carpet music here).

Well, you are in luck! While riding around, I was struck with the notion that I haven't exactly covered fashion here yet. So, that's exactly what I am going to do!

Sophaek in his second appearance. This time, a fashion model!

Yes indeed. I'm going to tell you who's wearing what, and where!

Well, first off, some typical misconceptions include the thought that Cambodians live in the stix, and sit around not wearing shirts and dirty shorts. While this may actually hold true of a few older people I have seen, the vast majority here are conservative. (by the way, if they are old, then you know what they lived through, and survived. Let's let them wear whatever they want to, shall we?)

Students in uniform. Some schools even give out matching helmets to promote safety!

Typical clothing choices include a sensible top for women with a skirt, cropped pants, or jeans. Every now and again you see a younger person with shorts on that aren't calf-length, but for the most part, they dress with modesty in mind.

Again, thanks wikimedia commons.

Headwear is essential here, as the sun beats on you without mercy. We're very close to the equator, you see, which makes that sunshine all the brighter.





The Krama is one example of Khmer head gear. This traditional garment can be used as a sling to carry children, a scarf, and in extreme cases, a hammock. Never let it be said that this is a wasteful people. They are quite innovative when it comes to using the resources at hand.






What's the smartest thing people can wear on their heads here? Why, that's easy!

Remember, Sa'aad means beautiful. I'd love to say 'sensible too' but I don't know that word. Thanks to Aidan, I can tell people my name is cheese, and then ask them politely for a monkey.

Yup! A helmet! What? I've already shown you how people drive here...

Traditional wear, courtesy of In His Steps International. This was a Christmas presentation they put on one year.

There are also traditional garments for special occasions, such as dances, or weddings.

What? What's the normal everyday Cambodian wearing?

Pajamas!

Stop looking at me like that. You have weirder stuff at Wal-mart!

Yes, PJ's are in this season. I'm not talking your typical running pants and tank top either. I mean full blown silk PJ's. No booties though...

Headwear and sensible top/slacks on one, PJ's and slippers on the other. ...but no helmets! No, I don't know if that's a chicken in her hand.

Outside of this, you'll see the younger generation in USA wear - jeans, angry bird shirts, hello kitty hoodies (no idea why they all wear hoodies in this heat), and more.

 

Siri gives me funny looks too, especially if I tell her I'm cold...

What's that you ask? Is it hot?













So how does one survive the constant heat and overhanging thunderclouds? Well, you can do the tourist thing, and wear shorts. However, you are likely to put someone off if you are attending a business function of any kind, or trying to appear professional. What's more, 'tourist' is another word for 'please hike up your prices' when you are at a market or vendor.

Another way of overcoming the heat, is to shop locally. The Khmer aren't immune to the heat, and in particular they think it unseemly to sweat visibly.

Hmm? No, they're Larry Hilfiger. Tommy's younger cousin....'s roommate.

Take my jeans, for instance (...not literally. It's bad enough you have to guard the clotheslines sometimes here, much less having my readers wandering off with my clothes!). These are fakes... knock offs, if you will, but the material is ultra-thin and light. They still provide great insect protection, look good, and have pockets that keep my wallet VERY tightly enclosed (Pickpockets fear my jeans, they are so awesome. It's like having Chuck Norris with me while I walk around.), while also being lightweight enough to keep me cool...ish.

What shouldn't you wear here?

Revealing clothes, muu-muus, pictures of batgecko (it attracts small children that may cry when you don't hold still), and anything political. You also don't want to wear too much bling, as you will either get robbed, or mistaken for an American celebrity of some kind.

Also, don't wear this:

This is a tuctuc driver. Anyone feeling brave? He may or may not have already hit the bar a couple times... :)

Ok, that's it for today. I do have the trip to the Embassy to talk about, and a few other odds and ends. Until then, Aidan, Siri, and I wish you a great day!