Small Town Shopaholic: ASOS

Monday, June 9, 2008

Ikat Believe It!

In my recent shopping forays, whether they be in store, online or through the pages of InStyle, I keep running into something called Ikat. Ikat dresses, ikat camisoles, etc. So finally I decide to find out what the heck Ikat is exactly. According to Wikipedia

Ikat, or Ikkat, is a style of weaving that uses a resist dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design. A Double Ikat is when both the warp and the weft are tie-dyed before weaving. Ikat means "to tie" or "to bind" in the Malay language...Through common usage, the word has come to describe both the process and the cloth itself. Ikats have been woven in cultures all over the world. Like any craft or art form, ikats vary widely from country to country and region to region. Designs may have symbolic of ritual meaning or have been developed for export trade. Ikats are often symbols of status, wealth, power and prestige. Perhaps because of the difficulty and time required to make ikats, some cultures believe the cloth is imbued with magical powers.

Ikat fabrics have become quite the trend as of late. Kristen Bell wore Jenni Kayne's beautiful Ikat maxi dress and Bulgari jewels to the premiere of her movie "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Other lables are fueling this trend, putting out pieces that incorporate ikat designs. It's easy to wear, just incorporate one patterned piece at a time into your outfit. Wear an ikat dress with simple sandals, or pair an ikat cami with jeans and heels for a night out.