"I Love Your African Style!"

Today I wore my newest lappa suit (and it will be my last while I'm here! I need to rein in my lappa craze!) to go back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The way the day unfolded, I ended up doing a good deal of walking this afternoon and it was just such a good reminder of why I like wearing lappa.  When I walk around Monrovia, I stick out a bit (I'm trying to formulate a post about what it is like to be white in Liberia, but since I'm still wrapping my head around how I want to speak about it, I'll hold off there) and so it probably doesn't surprise you that I get a fair amount of attention, but what I like when I wear lappa is the number of women who reach out to me to tell me that they like my suit.  While of course this is complimentary in and of itself (who doesn't like to hear they look good?), I really appreciate it on a different level and I can see these women do too.  I love the fashion here - all the bright suits and dresses, the creative ways lappa is put together - and I like being able to show the women of Liberia that I love their style.  I hear a lot of talk from Liberians about how things are better in the US or about how things aren't great in Liberia, and I like being able to wear something that very prominently shows that I respect and admire Liberian culture.  So maybe I do need a few more lappa suits before I go home.... just kidding!! ... maybe :)