Getting a new suit is always a challenge for me here. The women style suit, though it looks nice, I am not so fond of wearing that style. I always ask the tailor for the 'man-pants'... meaning straight-legged pants... but each and every time the tailor will look at me as if I've gone mad. Heaven forbid for a women to wear man pants! It's just that the women pants are balloony and billowy much like Jasmine in Disney's Alladin! They are not exactily the kind of pants that I would wear to run to the store in back home. But if they're 'straight-legged' pants than for sure there's more a chance that I'd wear them more often than none. And the tops... well, there's nothing particularly wrong with them it's just that they're so long and I'm accustomed to either a dress or pants and a shirt but not both. So I usally ask for my tops shorter (just above the knee... that's short for a women's top here!). And I'm partial to the shorter sleeve. The tailor still looks at me with a puzzled look just in case I have lost my mind but he willingly writes down the measurements. And on top of that he draws funny little square drawings of what the outfit will look like which (this time making me think that he's lost HIS marbles because his drawings look nothing like a shirt or pants) but I keep my comments to myslf and vow to learn a few choice words in his language if the final product looks anything like his drawings!

Next came the talk of when it will be finished. The day was Wednesday and he spoke of Monday. I started to gather my fabric thinking that was much to far away. So he siad Satudrday (since Friday is presumably Pray Day). I agreed to this. Next the haggle over price... I knew it was going to be more expensive than usual. Most womens' outfits were Rs70-80. He decided to charge me the price of a man's dress of Rs150 (since of course I was asking for man pants!) Which is really kind of crazy... I mean the women's pants are a lot harder to make... but I digress... I wasn't going to pay Rs150 since I only paid Rs140 for the fabric (not the greatest of fabric but great colours for me!!). He said Rs130... I thought about it. You see the last tailor I went to in Srinagar charged me Rs100 but the the whole outfit was too small and I went back for alterations and he charged me another Rs20 but it still wasn't fitting just right. So I told this guy that I'd pay him Rs100 and if I really like the suit I'd give him the extra Rs30.

Well, Saturday came along and I was impressed. Needless to say I gladly paid him the extra Rs30! Everyone said that I looked like a lady of society (that's their way of saying a city girl!!). But one thing that boggles me... men wear the dresses and women wear the suits!!

ps. Thought today was father's day... sorry dad, realized that it was last Sunday! But I thought of you!!