Fashion Chronicle of an Ashtangi

Since we are on the topic of clothing.  And I'm hoping to get a Lululemon sponsorship in Boston, please enjoy my

Fashion Chronicle of an Ashtangi
home from the first trip in India, a journey begins...


1999
I remember my first practice in Milford, NH with Robert Moses in 1999. Just home from India, where I had been riding bicycles to the village school in a saree, temporarily dropped out of college to follow my yoga-love path.  Pray tell, Kate, at this Mysore class in the basement of the Milford Town Hall--what did you wear???

A thong-style gray leotard stolen 5 years ago from Walmart (in my stealing phase for I which I still pay Karma), a pair of shorty board shorts from the thrift store that were a little too big after parasitic weight-loss.  The shorts hung low so you could I was indeed wearing a thong.  I don't think Robert gave a care.  It's NH after all, Live Free or Die is on the license plates.  I didn't shave my legs at the time, I just shaved my head after a battle with lice.  You get the picture.

2001
Fast forward to 6 months in Encinitas with Tim Miller.  Brought 1 outfit in my pack for the move to SoCal, both purchased on clearance at Marshall's.  Danskin capri tights, cotton, and an Asics purple top.  I still only wore natural fabrics as a rule.  By the end of 3 months it smelled bad, elastic wearing out so I do believe my ass crack was at times visible.  I went to TJ Max and bought a repeat outfit on clearance.  

2002
Moved to Maui, a new chapter begins.  I began the shorts phase here.  Anything goes on Maui and its humid.  Things mold and go rank quickly.  Sweaty clothes may or may not get a chance to dry on the line at Nancy's (no dryer, we're on solar). So I'll tell you the real reasons I began wearing less clothing:  
Laundry.  Mold.
A sports bra and shorter than short shorts, synthetic.  I got used to the feeling of air on skin, was proclaimed a nudist by my housemates.  I was really into being able to see my Uddiyana.  The sight of my protruding belly always a great reminder.  Others used to comment on how nice it was that I was "so comfortable with my belly". Well, I was until you said that.  Thanks.  Which resulted in me, live free or die, wearing even smaller clothing as a way to daily confront my vanity and supercede it, rise into the breath and the focus of the practice where I am Not This Body.  

2003
Everything I owned stolen from the car on the way back from the airport at Kahalui (can you say Karma?).  On my way to Mysore.  The merchants in Paia pooled together to make me a care package of clearance items: a bikini, a pair of booty-jeans, and a black Gaiam unitard.  
I showed up in Mysore with the unitard, hand me down navy capri tights and a rainbow striped sports bra.  Alternated the two for 3 months.  I was so glad to get rid of that unitard.

2004
Began modeling for my friends' company Inner Waves on Maui and got tons of free, colorful, organic cotton yoga clothes.  To this day, they are my favorite.

2008
Fast forward to Kate gets tired of hitchhiking, hand-me-downs, and being broke on the islands.  Move to Boston to teach where a student as well an old friend are working for Lululemon and style me out with a few outfits made of Luon.  In the cold, it is warmer than cotton.  The days of styled-out yoga fashions begin.  

I still practiced in short shorts, would never teach in them because that's too much of other people's sweat on my legs.  But Kino's got a great point.  I started wearing pants for the friction to practice the advanced series.  I didn't have the humility to fall off my sweaty arms, as she describes.  Now, I miss my shorts, which is why I pack them for friday primary days.
I actually can't even imagine practicing here, mad mad sweaty, with my leg slipping from behind my head and off my arms and just sweat sweat everywhere.  I think what Kino does defies the laws of physics.  I salute her and aspire to this level of core strength, totally worth all the shit-talking about my clothes if I end up able to balance without friction.

2013
So, what is Kate wearing in Mysore this year?  Hard Tail cotton pants (cotton pants in the tropics seem like a good idea and its dry enough to resolve the laundry issue) and yes, I'll admit they are hand-me-downs from a Yatri who outgrew her suitcase.  You can take the girl out of NH but...

In my middle-age, with continuous trips to India and digestive distress that comes and goes, I am no longer "comfortable with my belly".  I wear long tops that cover my muffin-tops and keep my belly warm and mosquito free.  Bites on the sides itch the worst!! Presently rocking Barry Silver's Sita Ram tank because it makes me smile (http://www.facebook.com/GBSKglobal) with a Jockey sports bra I buy a few of every year on Devarajas-Urs Road.  I haven’t found anything in the states that I like better!

There you have it friends, the How Why When and What of one Ashtangi’s fashion choices.  I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing it.