HALIFAX FASHION

No, you do not see Halifax lined up with Paris, Milan or even London and New York amongst the great centres of fashion in the world- and with good reason. Immigrants have many problems trying to settle and integrate in their new conutry, but dress is not going to be one of them- unless you’re talking about how to dress for Canadian winters.

As can be expected, Iranian women tend to stand out because of dressing up, rather than down. Too much kohl and mascara, too many sparkly clips and bits and pieces stuck in orange dyed hair, too many real gold baubles, pants too tight and t-shirts too fussy: these are the hallmarks of our female compatriots, as spotted in the local parks, convenience stores, and halal meat shops.  Haligonian ladies, on the other hands, are never so comfortable as when flapping around in flip-flops and leggings or jogging in trainers and shorts, wearing faded t-shirts and sleeveless vests. After trainers and flip-flops, scuffed round-toed ballet flats are a firm favourite. These last items fell out of fashion in Tehran at least one year ago- Tehran girls, please correct me if I am wrong.  Make-up is minimal in these parts of the world, which is strangely at odds with the barrage of beauty products on display and the supermodel faces pasted everywhere.

During these past months I have spotted a couple of outfits on Halifax fashionistas which really stood out:

1. A navy blue dress with white polka spots. The dress had a wide skirt falling in pleats to the knee, and a tight, close-cut top with straps- no sleeves. It was cinched at the waist with a wide red veneer belt, which really caught the eye. She was wearing red high-heeled shoes on bare feet, and had long golden-brown hair falling in curly waves right down her back.

2. Running across the road, Halifax fashion plate no. 2 was wearing a tight satiny mini-dress in an unusual autumn-leaf brown colour. Her hair was straight, and cut in a assymetric bob, the kind where one side is longer than the other, and hides the face. Her hair was slightly darker brown than her dress. Again, the dress was sleeveless, with straps, and underneath she was wearing a pure white billowing shirt or chemise of some sort, with tight wrists. Bare legs, and high brown heels completed the picture. Not the sort of outfit you see everyday.

Tags: dress, fashion, Iranian women, style