Constantly being spammed with the same announcement on Facebook I almost forgot to look into it: an exhibition on 'Modest Fashion' in a museum only a tram ride away from my home.

I didn't expect much of it, the town where the museum is located is small and I hadn't visited the museum before. But the topic interests me and since I'm creating my own 'wearables' nowadays the idea of seeing more fabric, designs, and other artists' work very much appealed to me.

When I finally clicked the ad, I realized the exhibit would end in 5 days time :D I had almost missed it! And so I went.

I don't think I've ever underestimated something so much in my life

The exhibit was brilliant. It was set up very well, both the fashion objects and other artworks as well as the descriptions next to it - it was absolutely inspiring and of high quality. To make up for it I decided to spam my Instagram with 3 posts each with multiple pictures of the exhibition - cross-posting to Facebook, which got me a few likes from their own page. Sorry dear Stedelijk Museum in Schiedam, you're clearly very very good at your work!

Modest fashion?

Modest Fashion is the umbrella term for clothes that are less revealing, often with high necklines, long sleeves, wide and over-the-knee/floor lentgh dresses and wide pants. Although the movement might have started with muslim women wanting to cover themselves while also enjoying nice fabrics in lovely colours, more and more women, including celebrities like Meghan Markle, like to dress in Moderate Fashion.

Sometimes it's a statement, against the idea that 'naked is sexy', sometimes it's for comfort, as let's be honest, it's just easier to run for the train if you don't have to think about your short skirt sliding up :-)

Ghees, you promised us pictures!

Yes, you're right, I promised pictures. Well, here they are - they've all been posted on Instagram already, but seeing them all together in one long post is nice too :-)

These dresses! As I’ve been diving deep into getting to know everything about different fibers while creating my wool-silk scarves (@studionocta), I’m experiencing more and more appreciation for fashion and the handywork that goes in it. From Sarees in India that take months to weave and paint and embroider, to the spinning of wool after sheering, plucking, cleaning, carding, combing of fleece, I realize ‘clothing’ is more of an ART then we might take it for.

Some dresses shown in the exhibition were amazing examples of ‘Fashion as ART’. I kept coming back to a few of them over and over again. LOVE.

Modest Fashion was shown in all its facets, which made for a very colourful, joyful, and educational display of both clothing as well as art revolving about the theme of female fashion. I loved seeing so many (overwhelmingly, but not solely female!) artists playing with themes like prejudice, patriarchy and ownership over women’s bodies with such visually spectacular results.

Do I have a reason for posting this super-blue statement full-size? I will never tell.

Who says 'old-skool' brokade can't be pretty? I very much love the cut of the left dress, and the pattern of the right one. My brain started thinking of designs for my scarves immediately.

I recently went to another exhibition on 'The Hoodie', and this reminded me of that exhibit. Playing with a classic garment but in a fabric that's known for something entirely else - I love that. Very playful.

The exhibit ended with a room full of art referencing the more or less tradition roles women have had assigned to them over the centuries, with motherhood being a big one of them. One artist cut her own (!) pregnancy silhouette from brocade fabric (as seen on Insta), another wrapped a human figure in white cloth, inspired by Sufism and the mystical and sacred body.

Can't wait to visit my next exhibit in this museum! They had another half of the museum filled with artists like CoBRA and Rothko, but I was already filled with so much inspiration I couldn't add any more to it. I'll definitely be back soon <3

What's your favourite museum? Or favourite exhibition ever visited?

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