I’ve had to ditch the dusters (dastahs). Irishman said he’d refuse to sleep with me (read that as something else) if I continued to wear them. In revenge for his hateful, chauvinist ultimatum, I did toy briefly with the idea of celibacy over comfort but I caved in and grudgingly gave into his wishes a couple of months ago. To demonstrate my pique, I had an idea to dramatically burn all 12 of them on some sort of Fashion Disaster style pyre (see Indonesian Fashion: Rule Number One Permalink: https://lottienevin.com/2012/04/06/inonesian-fash…ule-number-one/ but that would have been dreadfully wasteful so I bequeathed them instead to one of the ladies in the apartment block who clearly has a much nicer husband than I do.
Now that my beloved dusters are no longer part of my wardrobe, I’ve taken to wearing wraps made of hand-printed batik instead; they are my own self-styled version of Kenyan Kikoys.
Since we moved into our new apartment 2 months ago, I’ve been trying to make it as homely as possible and my latest home improvement has involved some gardening. Our ‘Garden’ is a narrow balcony that leads off the sitting room, not a huge acreage by any means but it’s better than nothing and at least some sort of space to put plants and go and have a cheeky cheroot when I succumb to the nicotine monster.
I bought a load of plants, pots and a large sack of earth and yesterday morning set about re-potting some of the larger plants and potting up the new ones. It was a very humid morning and the sweat started to pour of me in no time as I lugged the heavy bag containing the earth and heaved the pots around. I was wearing my batik wrap, until that is, the moment that it slipped down and left me stark naked on the balcony in full view of anyone that could see me from the office buildings that surround us, or the streets below, or come to think of it our neighbours. Rather than cover my modesty, I continued shoveling earth into the pots and arranging the plants until I had finished the job. If a man can walk around Jakarta stark naked, then surely a woman can go about her gardening naked too? I didn’t tell Irishman about my brief dabble with naturisism. I thought I’d wait for him to read this and then he might just change his mind and let me wear my beloved dusters again.
Lottie Nevin - The Red House Diaries 
Bare Nature beats deadly dusters any day xxxxxx
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Hah! you would say that wouldn’t you? xxxx
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Bare nature beats deadly dusters anyday xxxx
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Too funny. What an accidental way in an attempt to get your way.” I enjoyed the post. I do hope you get to wear your dusters or what ever they are called. Must be some comfy clothing.
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Dusters are really hideous but very comfy. I’m still banned from wearing them as per his message above yours! I’m looking forward to catching up with your blog very soon – thanks for all your great comments. Lottie
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Beautiful pink batik – I love the scene patterns. I always meant to comment about the naked man you saw in Jakarta. I saw three naked men over the course of 12 months in different parts of Indonesia. Two looked like they might be mentally ill – long hair, very disheveled. Made me very sad.
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I have a feeling that you may be right Lydia and that makes me sad too, though at the time I was so dumbstruck to have seen a naked man wandering about that it didn’t occur to me that he might be mentally ill. I was thinking more along the lines of someone proud and confident, a bit of a show off perhaps.
Yes, the batiks with the scenes are wonderful and I’m slowly building up a small collection of them.
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I’m still laughing!!! But Lottie, I have to agree with sweet Pete. Even as a tyke I watched the elder neighbor lady putter in her yard in a frightful, shapeless thing that was gathered at the yoke and snapped down the front. I believe it had puff sleeves and little white lambs jumping over fences. Even as a snotty toddler I knew a fashion faux pas when I saw one!
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Oh Sherry, you terrible traitor! there I was thinking that you were my friend? You are one of the most elegant ladies that I’ve ever met, but surely you have something dodgy in your closet? surely you have some hideous garment that you throw on when you just want to frump about? Next time I come to see you, I’m going to rifle through your cupboards……..X
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hee hee hee…love it.
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Glad you liked it!!
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Really Pete, i am surprised at you.
Thought you would enjoy the opposites of sexless baggy dusta versus beautiful sexy woman underneath.
I.e. home from work, boring, sexless woman versus…….wow, she took it off…..comeeeeer!
Ying and yang and all that.
And whilst its on you could imagine anything underneath?…..take it off and all you got is reality?
Lottie, get yourself some cotton interlock knickers that will teach him!!!!!!
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In my dreams Bernadette, in my dreams sigh….i’m going to ramp it up a few notches and go with your idea of the interlock knickers and maybe a string vest as well. It’s chilly in London at Christmas!
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Funny, funny, funny! Love that you just kept gardening away au naturel.
My Gram did her housework donned in a duster, high heels, and wig, cracked us up as kids! Loved here dearly, but have to side with Team Antii-Duster if we’re talking sexy around-the-house wear…
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Your Gram sounds like a winner, a woman who knew damn well how to do comfort and sex-goddess all at the same time. Maybe that’s what I’m doing wrong, not wearing the heels?…..
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