La Falda del Día de Los Muertos

My spanish is iffy... apologies for any misspellings.

I found this skirt in a little shop on Olvera Street in Los Angeles. I'm a sucker for Mexican Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) -themed art and textiles. For example, this is one of my favorite murals (also an amazing restaurant, in case you ever happen to be in Philly).

The first time I wore this skirt, I ended up spending the night in the E.R. with a friend who had sewn through her finger. After which, I washed it in hot water. The skirt, I mean. Not the finger. Well, the E.R. medics took care of washing that and eventually got the needle out. I also thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized my person and everything else that I had on or with me. Because I don't even want to think about what kind of freaky infections you can pick up in an E.R. like the one we were in.

While I wouldn't call myself even remotely superstitious, it did weird me out a little to remember what happened the last time I wore it, especially when it occurred to me that I would be working on costumes (and often using a sewing machine) for fifteen hours straight on this day, due to a looming deadline, and that sometimes I wouldn't have anyone around to come to my aid if I sewed through my finger. Fortunately, the day and night passed without incident. The curse-that-I-never-really-believed in has been lifted.

Black wrap-shirt: ?
Camisole: Burlington Coat Factory.
Necklace and earrings: a little hole-in-the-wall shop, somewhere in Philly.
Skirt: a little shop on Olvera Street in L.A.
Thermal leggings: Wintersilks.
Boots: Dansko.