Need New Rags?

Need a new bathing suit or maybe a dress that fills the casual elegance bill? Been looking for just the right tropical dress or shirt but can't find the right colors or the right fit or the right style? Yes? Well, hoist your sails and head to the southern-most isle in the Eastern Caribbean, and then get ready to refurbish your wardrobe, Trini style.

Trinidad has an impressive history of supporting the garment industry. Joanne Cheekes of Trump Tours in Chaguaramas explains, "Factories that turned out ready-made garments flourished in Trinidad after independence in 1962. The government encouraged the opening of factories to boost employment and to make Trinidad less dependent on imported goods, but the growth of the industry was limited by the population of the island. With a small market, they could turn out lots of dresses that were alike, but it wasn't cost effective to produce many different styles out of different fabrics.

"At the height of ready-made production, Trini women who bought these clothes would see three dresses just like theirs at every party. Being fierce individualists with a flair for style, they wanted affordable elegance, uniqueness and variety in their wardrobes, so those who could made their own clothes or hired someone to do it. "

As a result, many factories closed their doors, leaving their seamstresses unemployed. The Trinidad government, in a move to encourage garment manufacture as a cottage industry, removed the duty on imported fabric, thereby giving a boost to fabric retailers and the seamstresses and tailors."

Now, the Trini woman purchases fine linens, cottons, rayons, polyester blends and silks from all over the world and then employs a local seamstress to make for her the perfect garment.

I first became aware of this rich resource when I heard on the cruisers' net that the "swim suit lady", Debbie, would be at the marina to take orders. Wow! This is for me! The drill was: go to Frederick Street where all the fabric is sold, choose your Lycra, then on Thursday, take it to Debbie and within a week or two, you'll have your new suits. So, I gathered some friends, grabbed a maxi-taxi, and off we went.

I was overwhelmed by what I saw! For several blocks, every storefront was ablaze with great swaths of color unfurled from huge bolts of cloth. Inside there are sales clerks and shoppers pulling out fabric from columns of bolts stacked precariously from floor to ceiling, squeezing between tables on which were stacked even more fabric. I made my way inside through the maze, stopping at every turn to touch this print, that silk. The sales clerk directed me to a small corner in the back, where there were no fewer than 300 bolts of brightly colored bathing suit Lycras to choose from.

This was paradise!

No worries about finding something that fit. No need to look for the right cut, the right length, the right style. Just find the fabric that ruffles your skirt and buy it. Then find another, and buy it too!

I had the bug. There are only so many swimsuits that a person can justify having made, so I branched out quickly to feed my new addiction. I made a few inquiries about seamstresses who make other things, like men's shirts, dressy dresses, sheets and casual things. Yes, there are many to choose from, I was told.

Two hours and six stores later, I had scored a stunning linen print for a dress, two tropical cottons for shirts, a sophisticated rayon print for a tunic, bright bold rayons for shorts, and two huge bolts of colorful cottons for fitted sheets. I could scarcely carry all of my purchases, but I was happy. At least for now.

After lunch at the food court, in itself a good reason to go downtown, I went in search of Myrtle, a seamstress recommended for sewing fine garments. She's located, as are many others, upstairs over a store and had several women working with her. In her shop were books and catalogs where I shopped style and fit, and then she took every measurement of my body you can imagine, and several you can't. I left her with the fabric, the measurements and the picture of a dress I wanted which she agreed to have ready in two weeks. Back at the marina, I left the shirt fabrics with our own Chaguaramas seamstress, Sherrie, who does a beautiful job with men's shirts, and on Thursday, the swimsuit lady took the Lycra and my order for suits for John and me. And that was just the beginning!

I've been having this craving for a bold African print made into a comfy boat dress, and I saw this blouse…. Here I go again!