He says it would be fun to do a combined 'he says, she says'. We thought you might be interested to know more about the local fashions here in Siberia. I know by the end of this post my mother-in-law will be slipping on her stilettos and heading for the airport just in time to catch the local sales here in Siberia.
He says, safari suits are very much the style when it comes to office attire for men. The Channel Nine Commentary team seem to have had a big influence here in Siberia with beige, off white, cream, light brown, dark brown and the occasional light blue safari suit being all the rage.
She says, women tend to favour variety and bright, very bright colours. Most women dress in one of two styles 1) a loose sari-like floral gown that covers one from head to toe and 2) multiple layers of culturally indecent clothing that once combined, are considered decent. The head covering is usually loosely wrapped, and frequently only covering the bun portion of the hair. I haven't seen many women without a scarf at all, but in areas where expats frequent, the scarves are often hung over the shoulders only. Occasionally I see a dress-style similar to the big sandpit, but I suspect they're not local women (unable to confirm through the postbox eyes-only slot).
He says, outside of work, men prefer to wear traditional clothing. They wear long, white robes that flow from shoulder to toe. Sometime they wear nothing underneath and other times the robes are accompanied by MC Hammer style white pants that are loose enough to fit two people inside. The men also wear a white cloth that is woven around their heads and looks similar to a turban. When wearing the traditional outfit, one wears open sandals whilst others prefer leather slip on shoes. Given the soaring temperatures, I would suggest that the traditional outfit is preferable to the safari suit. Wearing the traditional outfit to the office is an absolute no no and would probably lead to dismissal. One should not confuse work with activities outside of the office. I suspect it is a relic of the British colonial administration...
She says, it bothers me immensely that there is a considerable proportion of expatriate women who choose to ignore all cultural requirements and wear whatever feels comfortable i.e. short sleeves and short skirts. I don't know what they're thinking but the possibilities I can think of are 1) that they're not 'cousins' so they can wear what they like, 2) they're hot and refuse to submit to cultural requirements 3) it's a deliberate rebellion against living in a conservative society. I don't think any of those reasons are reasonable. I have chosen not cover my hair here (I have not yet seen any expats who are 'family' do so), but I always wear at least 3/4 sleeves and full-length skirts or pants. It's not about agreeing with 'cousin' dress code....it's respect for the culture in which we are visitors.
He says, then there are the cool guys who have succumbed to the subversive western influence of jeans, accompanied by either a t-shirt or what is know in some parts of the world as a 'golf' shirt or what I would call a polo shirt. The cool guys are generally (and we know all generalizations are fraught with danger) either wealthier Siberians, those from neighboring countries to the east or the expatriates like myself. I have even seen my fair share of hipsters sporting their thick black rimmed 'Malcolm X' glasses with even the occasional checked shirt buttoned up right to the top.
He says, that shorts are a no-go. They are for boys only. As such, I am limited to wearing them around the house. In discussions with other expatriates, we have debated the suitability of wearing theee-quarter length shorts which cover the knees. My Dutch colleagues wear them quite regularly without any hassles. So, if you're thinking about what to buy me for my birthday or Christmas, I prefer my three quarter shorts to be navy or light brown. Perhaps I could go all european and get some red ones?
Hmmm just wondering if you are expecting Merise or Mary.?
ReplyDeleteHmmmm -- I hear all your points but my question is -- if one of your Siberian ladies came here would she respect us by wearing our styles??? I'm idealistic enough to go for mutual respect.
Thanks for your comment Hmmary. Siberian women dress the way they do primarily due to religious belief and respect for God, and perhaps secondarily due to cultural, environmental and fashion factors. I posit that we in Australasia tend to choose our dress with comfort, fashion, environment and sometimes self-identity in mind. Therefore, I am not offended by their sense of dress, nor would I feel respected if Siberian women chose to wear our style of clothing in order to 'fit in,' as it goes against their fundamental beliefs. I would be happier for Australasians to support Siberian women and their like to feel comfortable in their choice of attire in our culture.
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