Joel and Andi McMartin
  • Home
  • About
  • Give
  • Photos
  • Subscribe
  • Contact


Come Clothing Shopping with Me

March 16, 2017 by Joel and Andi

Last Monday I went fabric shopping with Joel’s mom and as I was doing that I thought it might be a fun post to share a little of what getting clothes here is like.

First of all clothing is very important here.  It is not just important for your own image as it is in the states, but what you wear communicates how much you honor the people or event you are attending.  So it can actually cause great offense to be under dressed for things.  True as foreigners we are given a lot of slack, but it is still an area we have worked on getting more culturally appropriate in.

It all starts with the Fabric

So for clothing it all starts with fabric shopping.  My favorite market for this is in the capital.  The market takes up probably 4 city blocks and I usually get lost at some point in our shopping venture.  The aisles are only big enough for one person to fit down, and the paths weave this way and that.  However you can find anything you want there in any color if you look hard enough.  Since this market is an hour and half away, I usually buy a lot and save the fabric to bring out as we need new cloths.  There are normal wax print fabrics, which is fun, but less formal.  There are also silks, hand woven fabrics, plastic shinny fabrics, and embroidered fabrics which are all for more fancy occasions.  We usually have to buy fabrics in 6 meters, which is plenty for a whole outfit for Joel or I or for a skirt for me and matching shirt for him.  We can easily spend a whole morning walking around to pick out fabrics as there is so much to see and pick from.  My least favorite part is bartering for the right price, but such is life.

Each boutique is full of fabrics, but when you find one you better just buy it as who knows if you will be able to find it again.
Some are walking around to bring their merchandise to you

After we have our fabrics the next step is the tailor.  I have used a few tailors in our town, but there is one now that I pretty much always go to.  He is usually swamped with work before any holiday or during wedding seasons, so I usually try to have things made during off seasons so that that they area ready for the events we need them for.  The first thing to decide is what to have made: a full outfit, dress, or just a skirt.  Or if it is for Joel will it be the whole outfit with the shirt going to the ground, to the knees or mid thigh, or just a shirt.  Then it is time to look through his stacks of books and pick out a model I like.  When we new to life here I picked out the simplest designs, but as we have been here longer I have gotten more adventurous.  Occasionally I have even handed over the fabric and given the tailor freedom to do what he wants.  He then takes our measurements and gives us a time to come back.  I have learned over time that it will probably take longer than he tells us, but so far if I have given him a deadline he has not let us down.

Our beloved tailor
Trying on my dress at his workshop

When it is done we stop by to try it on and get any adjustments made that need to be made.  I usually hold on to new outfits until there is a good occasion to wear them like, like a holiday or wedding as hand washing takes a quick toll on cloths as the colors will fade and the clothes will stretch out.

Some Fun Information to Know…

  • Clothing can be sorted into four categories: house clothes, which pretty much would be everything I brought with me from the states when we arrived, going out clothes, going visiting clothes and formal clothing.
  • Clothes are made more fancy by many things, but some include the type of fabric used, where the fabric came from, how much embroidery and sparkle  they include and the amount of fabric used in the outfit.

    These outfits are fancy because of the type of fabric and the embroidery
  • I still can’t always tell what fabric can be worn by only men, only women and either as this is vastly different from American standards.  I usually have to ask to make sure.   Just this past week I picked out a fabric and was quickly told men couldn’t wear it as there were more than 5 colors on it, but the pink fabric next to it….
  • People here love it when we all match.

    One of our matching family outfits
  • For house clothes there is another market called the “dig/search and buy”.  Ever wonder where all the clothes that don’t sell at thrift stores go?  Africa!  There is a market with piles and piles of used clothing that you can dig through and buy items for a dollar or less.  That is where I get all of my house skirts, the boys school clothes and Joel’s western style pants.
    The used clothing market
    It is in a different part of Dakar each day of the week
    Come ready to dig and search, but there can be great finds

    It is not a job for the faint of heart though

Filed Under: Updates and News Tagged With: Ethnos360, New Tribes Mission

More Posts:

« Two Coins
On The Road Again »

Comments

  1. Gordy Murphy says

    March 21, 2017 at 12:31 am

    Your posts are always so fascinating. I love the clear explanations and accompanying photos. Blessings from us at Cruz Community (Evergreen Bible’s church plant with Corey Lockbeam.

  2. June Green says

    March 16, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    Wow Andi, What an adventure and there is certainly a learning curve. I love all the colors and patterns. I also love the idea of a tailor. I’m assuming that that cost is less than the states.
    Thanks for sharing this with us,
    June

  3. Jane Van Ryn says

    March 16, 2017 at 5:46 pm

    That would be SO much easier than going to 10 different stores and finding nothing. Wish I could go along on a fabric search. ????

  4. Lauri M Amandus says

    March 16, 2017 at 4:57 pm

    Andi, how I loved this blog today. Just a kick to picture you and Cindy enjoying this adventure. Gives a whole new meaning when I run down to “JoAnn’s” three times in one day to get what I keep forgetting. I too love the whole family outfits. I get the fancy clothes but just not sure about the “fancy” shoes for Joel. Those are just a bit much! Tee hee. Thanks for sharing this great article. I felt I was right along with you for the shopping excursion. Good job. Now I want to see a pic of ALL the McMartins dressed alike!:)
    Lauri

  5. Elisabeth says

    March 16, 2017 at 4:52 pm

    Loved this, beautiful pictures, loved the colors, the clothes. Thanks for sharing the culture of clothing in Senegal..

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Archive

  • September 2022 (3)
  • June 2022 (1)
  • May 2022 (1)
  • November 2021 (1)
  • June 2021 (1)
  • May 2021 (2)
  • March 2021 (1)
  • February 2021 (1)
  • January 2021 (1)
  • November 2020 (1)
  • June 2020 (4)
  • May 2020 (1)
  • April 2020 (1)
  • March 2020 (3)
  • January 2020 (3)
  • October 2019 (3)
  • September 2019 (3)
  • August 2019 (3)
  • May 2019 (3)
  • April 2019 (1)
  • March 2019 (1)
  • February 2019 (2)
  • January 2019 (1)
  • December 2018 (2)
  • November 2018 (4)
  • October 2018 (2)
  • September 2018 (4)
  • August 2018 (5)
  • July 2018 (2)
  • June 2018 (2)
  • May 2018 (2)
  • April 2018 (2)
  • March 2018 (3)
  • February 2018 (2)
  • January 2018 (2)
  • December 2017 (1)
  • July 2017 (1)
  • May 2017 (5)
  • April 2017 (4)
  • March 2017 (3)
  • February 2017 (1)
  • January 2017 (4)
  • December 2016 (6)
  • October 2016 (5)
  • September 2016 (8)
  • August 2016 (1)
  • June 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (1)
  • April 2016 (5)
  • March 2016 (2)
  • February 2016 (2)
  • January 2016 (3)
  • December 2015 (2)
  • November 2015 (2)
  • October 2015 (3)
  • September 2015 (5)
  • August 2015 (4)
  • July 2015 (3)
  • June 2015 (3)
  • May 2015 (2)
  • April 2015 (2)
  • March 2015 (3)
  • February 2015 (4)
  • January 2015 (5)
  • December 2014 (2)
  • August 2014 (1)
  • June 2014 (5)
  • May 2014 (4)
  • April 2014 (4)
  • March 2014 (4)
  • February 2014 (6)
  • January 2014 (5)
  • December 2013 (5)
  • November 2013 (4)
  • October 2013 (6)
  • September 2013 (5)
  • August 2013 (6)
  • July 2013 (5)
  • June 2013 (7)
  • May 2013 (5)
  • April 2013 (5)
  • March 2013 (5)
  • February 2013 (4)
  • January 2013 (6)
  • December 2012 (5)
  • November 2012 (7)
  • October 2012 (7)
  • September 2012 (5)
  • August 2012 (6)
  • July 2012 (6)
  • June 2012 (7)
  • May 2012 (7)
  • April 2012 (6)
  • March 2012 (6)
  • February 2012 (7)
  • January 2012 (6)
  • December 2011 (6)
  • November 2011 (7)
  • October 2011 (12)
  • September 2011 (7)
  • August 2011 (3)
  • July 2011 (1)
  • June 2011 (2)
  • May 2011 (1)
  • April 2011 (2)
  • March 2011 (1)
  • February 2011 (2)

Browse posts by category

  • About
  • Blog
  • Home
  • Give
  • Photos
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

Disclaimer: This personal ministry website is provided by Ethnos360 as a courtesy to its members. Ethnos360 makes no warranty regarding the accuracy of the information on these pages. Opinions expressed are provided by members in good faith, but are entirely those of the member and do not necessarily represent policy, doctrinal position, or opinions of Ethnos360. If you encounter information that you consider questionable, please e-mail the Ethnos360 web team.

Joel and Andi McMartin

© Copyright 2023 Ethnos360. All rights reserved.

Log In

  • 