Indigo Dyed Wabi Sabi Coat

A new piece for my Etsy shop: I call it "Wabi Sabi" because it has a worn, aged appearance -- which I like very much. I started by dyeing with onion skins, which gave the fabric (a silk/linen blend) a khaki/gold color -- and then I dipped the fabric in indigo a number of times. The uneven look of the dye is what I especially care for.

But then there's the question of "wabi sabi" itself: What does it really mean? It's a spiritual and artistic idea, according to Wikipedia, having to do with the idea that nothing lasts, nothing is finished, nothing is perfect -- more a sense of the transcience of things that can be conveyed through aged and worn objects. I do love the idea and hope that the fabric gives a feeling of wear rather than "newness."

Here is my friend, Dana Connell, modeling the coat. It has a loose, unstructured, kimono feel.