Red, Black, Green

Took the skirt I had made in Old Dubai out for a spin. Unless you are the exact average size on the market, tailors are indispensable. A little shortening, tucking, letting out, adjusting...it's worth it to get something that fits your every curve just right. The right fit can accentuate your best features and boost your confidence. You ever see how a man's personality changes after leaving the barber? Yeah, way up.

There is a surprising amount of fabric worn in this region (abaya, caftan, kandura) for the temperature to stay hovering around 110°F. I enjoy the length, but I'm a cheat because I gotta let one body part out to catch the barely there breeze that flows between buildings and ever so often catches the leaves.

Visiting new neighborhoods, Jumeirah Village Circle and Motor City, I threw on a backless, one-piece swimsuit and then zipped up the skirt right on top. I was drawn to the light cotton textile immediately, its bold, diasporadic print a perfect match for the similarly wrapped hoop earrings I picked up on 125th Street in Harlem before moving out the neighborhood. Yes, they heavy. 3.5 hour wear time, max. Do it for the culture. But don't you let no cute earrings stretch your lobes for a like!

I kept it simple on top with a high pony. From the Gold Coast, Egyptians, Greeks; Rapunzel wasn't the first to do it. Try an ornate ponytail holder, or if you have thick hair like mine, you probably can get away with using your arm cuffs as hair jewelry as well. 

Be bold. Be light. Be you.

One-piece Swimsuit: American Apparel     Floor-length Skirt: Regent Tailors, Dubai

Photographer: Abid Raza