Souvenir

Souvenir

It is oh so luxurious to the touch, oh so enticing to the eyes. The suaveness of it, the mauve melding with the fuchsianess of it entrances me even now. There is only one time I remember wearing it, yet I still love it today. I love the feeling as I run my fingers over it, the connection to the totally foreign world from which it comes.

Let me go back to the beginning, to the occasion I bought it for and maybe the only time I have and will wear it. We were in China, specifically in Daqing, the oil capital of the country. This was the most eye-opening, significant trip I've ever taken. The juxtaposition of things that boggled my mind (like the oil museum) with the incredible culture (like the Forbidden city in Beijing) still fascinates me. 

We were in a very modern mall, trying to get the final details for my good friend's wedding. She had decided to have the wedding she had always wanted back in her homeland, and the dress code was pretty specific. (No bare shoulders or scooping necklines, for example.) I was drawn to a shop with shiny, alluring fabrics. I didn't need a shawl for my dress because my sleeves covered enough, but I couldn't resist trying one on. And that led to all 4 of the salesgirls swirling around me and draping cloths on both arms and over my head. (Everyone works in China, so some shops like this one were quite overstaffed.) It was a hard decision (the twittering salesgirls kept bringing me new choices), but I finally settled on a couple of gifts and my shawl with three buttons in front and florescent flowers. It was the richness of the color that called to me in the end. 

The shawl is possibly the most delicate and beautiful thing I have ever owned. It sucks me back into China every time I take it out, and reminds me of the country's extreme grace, many workers, and strong colors.

Photo and text: Kristen Mastromarchi