Peruvian Pink

Winter is my least favourite season. I’d planned to escape to warmer climes somewhere in South or Central America this year to avoid months on end of feet like ice blocks, but somehow that hasn’t happened. My plan to stock up on textiles from that part of the world, however, has made a little progress, thanks to a find at Fitzroy Market recently.

This sweet little jacket was $15 and the vendor told me she bought it at a market in Peru. It looks to be completely handmade although I think the fabric (wool? or maybe alpaca or llama? or synthetic?) was probably bought rather than handwoven.

I had thought that Peruvian traditional dress was quite homogenous but a Google search failed to yield anything covered with this kind of decoration. Obviously whoever made this was very fond of buttons… or they just happened to have a lot in their stash and needed to use them up?

It turns out to be the perfect match colour-wise for this skirt, which I can only wear in deepest winter because it’s like wearing a blanket. I love when pieces that are new to me fit in so well with my existing wardrobe! 

This bright pink, woolly pair came in handy on a visit to Dominique Portet winery last weekend – the Yarra Valley gets pretty chilly! I’m actually wearing merino long johns under this skirt, but I doubt that you would want to see those 🙂

I won’t be needing long johns or anything merino next week as I’m off for a little holiday in Borneo. Not quite South America, but I’ll get there some day!