I have just done a quick trip to a busy, grey city and have realised that it is imperative that we display as much colour, creativity, and acceptance of flamboyance as we can. It was so very glum and dreary. Very sophisticated but oh so dull. I longed for splashes of colour, outrageous style. Coincidentally, the fashion industry has finally recognised the kaftan as great to wear (bless). This is great news. Is this an end to the tyranny of the stick insect model and that those poor creatures will now be able to eat more than a single lettuce leaf? Does this signal that it’s game over for slender young girls selling anti-aging creams and tighty-tight so-called ‘mum jeans’? Please say yes.

The acceptance of vibrant, comfortable clothing may be one of the few glimmers of light in a world drenched in out-of-control, rabid social media, and horrid, alarming news.

Which brings me to kaftans. My daughter and I were strolling along the shops when we passed a place selling kaftans. We were immediately attracted by the rainbow glitter and dazzling selection of colours. Huzzah! we thought, perfect for the quirky and ever-accepting Northern Rivers, and very suitable in a humid climate. We nearly fainted at the cost. These kaftans were pricey! Then we saw the sale rack and quickly scuttled over. We do love a sale rack. Well, excuse me while I larf. Their version of a sale and mine were hundreds and hundreds of dollars apart. We sidled our low-brow, shabby, cheap no-good butts out of there.

Our commitment to colour and comfort remained. We know women, men, and non-specific gender people of all ages who favour the brightly-coloured-verging-on-outrageous kaftan, and I must say, they look utterly fabulous. Comfy AND glamorous. That’s more like it.

So where will you shop for your kaftans and quirky clothing and not go broke or feel shamed in an expensive shop? Fear not, fellow seeker of a reasonably priced kaftan—op shops, markets, and good old FB Marketplace are places to shop inexpensively, and not contribute to the HUGE amount of clothing waste. Here you can display that perfect combo of virtue, thrift, and style.

Note well that despite the darkness at the edges, the Interweb can be used for good as well as evil. If that means unleashing a wave of people dressed comfortably in vibrant, glamorous, glittering colours into a grey old world, why then, let’s go. Nothing to lose! Smiles, laughter, and acceptance all around.

I am convinced we need more laughter, joy, and delight. Recently I saw a sign at a swimming pool that said: ‘No Skylarking!’ What an instruction. As if we all long to sit primly on our chairs and be obedient. Hell no!

That kind of talk only brings out the brat in us. My thinking is this: pop on your brightest kaftan (you will be on trend, remember) and start skylarking immediately.

Dr Airdre Grant