Mali Bracelets

Purple dress, Ross $13

Neon green belt, eBay $2

Black sandals, Payless $7

Friendship bracelets, flea market in Mexico $2

Mali bracelets, Omoi $2 (each)

On my recent trip to Mexico I found a cart covered in color woven friendship bracelets. Earlier in the summer I had started making a whole bunch of my own, but I have yet to master any cool designs (I only  know how to make chevrons!). I paired two of them with my mali bangles from a small Japanese gift shop hidden away on Pine Street, several blocks away from Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. I've even seen similar bangles by Vanessa Mooney featured in magazines like Nylon, but for exponentially greater prices. I basically built my outfit around the accessories, drawing from the bright colors in the bracelets' patterns. Though I really like the color and pleated detail on this dress I hadn't worn it all summer, and I realized that the flower shaped buttons on the front that made it look too juvenile were driving me away. They just needed a couple of plucks with my handy, but always illusive, seam ripper. I'm positive I own at least four, all in different colors, yet they always manage to disappear into the depths of my sewing box.