At the Fabric Mart

The fabric marts in Shanghai are well known for the custom made clothes you can have made for extremely low prices. Last weekend we visited one. It is three floors of tiny little stalls, each with its own fabrics and tailor. Each tailor has garments he or she has made hanging around the edges of the stall as samples so shoppers can see what kind of work they do. If you want to have something made, you can choose a style from among the samples, or bring a photo of a garment (like from a magazine), or bring a garment you already own that you would like to have copied. Then you choose what fabric you'd like it to be made from. It is fun just to see all the many beautiful fabrics!

The kids had fun looking at the hundreds of styles and colors of loose buttons that one vendor had on display. Both Madelyn and Seth bought themselves a little bag of buttons that they hope to use in a special creation.

There are also some vendors selling ready-made ties, scarves, and belts that can be cut to size. Caleb and Seth found neon (one pink, one green) and black striped and checked ties they liked for 10 RMB... about $1.20. They ran into some school friends at that stall, and all four agreed to wear the ties they bought to school the next week. Unfortunately, it was decided by the powers that be at the school that neon ties did not fit the uniform dress code!


Madelyn especially enjoyed all the glitzy fabrics in this stall.

A larger size stall than the typical.
The stall where Scott ordered a suit... notice the non-existent dressing room facilities... if you want to try on the pants you order here, you'd better not be shy!