Unstinting Fringing

Last summer I spotted a cream faux-raffia-trim top in the Country Road catalogue and I was immediately enamoured. It just looked like so much fun: all that fringe trim – full and soft and bouncy. The cotton knit fabric had a weave reminiscent of waffle, and the fringing was created with the same fabric. There was a matching skirt too.

It took me probably a week or two before I found time to duck into a store to look at it, though I didn’t have quite enough time to try it on. When I did, I discovered it was sold out! I was bitterly disappointed.

It just looked like so much fun: all that fringe trim – full and soft and bouncy.

I did see a similar top in Witchery, another Australian high street store, but it sported only a single row of fringing, and such paucity was disappointing. I couldn’t bring myself to fling my money away on stingy fringing.

A few months later I was browsing on eBay, and as I sometimes do, I was searching for items I’d missed out on when they were in stores. As my incredible luck would have it, I came across this top! The owner had never even worn it – the tags were still attached – and I immediately snapped it up at half the retail price.

I was so glad I did. I love the top and managed to wear it a few times before it grew too cold. Its frivolity is offset by the minimalist colour, which makes it more classic than it otherwise might have been. I am sure it is one of those pieces that I will want to wear for a few seasons more, if not quite forever. I do think it is something I will want to keep in my collection though, if only to one day hand it down to some descendant who will enjoy it as much as I have.

Photo: April 2016