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Clothing
From local sensations to international flavors, Hua Hin’s underlying clothing sphere responds to all the tastes and genders across the costuming spectrum. While Khommapastr and Batik make the original assets for Hua Hin in this department, fashion goods and name brands make their entrance through modern stores as well as night markets to keep the town at a fairly competitive fashion pace.
Above all the beauties Hua Hin has to offer to its visitors, of course, is the tranquility unrivalled by other developed parts of the country like Bangkok or Pattaya. In parallel with the town’s moderate urbanization level, Hua Hin moves forward to the extravagance at a slower pace. In presence of this fact, designers’ brands and the haute couture culture is absent in this town. Imported fashions in the town do not set their targets over the top, but instead choose to retain themselves at price ranges which are relatively high and yet still accessible by average to upscale customers.
The Hua Hin Market Village, set between Hua Hin Soi 88 and Soi 92, serves the town as the main hall for clothes and accessories shopping. A range of shops representing respectable imported and local brands carrying casual, athletic, stylish, adventure apparels line up from the mall’s outer hall down into the most part of its inner ground floor.
These shops, which sell gears both for women and men in the price range of 500-3,000 baht (USD15-88), are joined by self-owned kiosks mostly selling outfits and accessories inspired by the wildly popular Korean fashion scene at a price range more attainable. Lacy blouses in an all feminine color like silver-pink are as commonly seen as flat-heeled shoes made of leather-like materials in golden tones.
Led off by the boom of the Korean pop culture, its fashion is out in the bloom and takes over Thailand’s shopping streets. The phenomenon is visible in Hua Hin in places selling non-brand stuff like the aforementioned kiosks in the Market Village, the night market on Dechanuchit Road, and the evening market run in front of Grand Hall Hotel 5pm-12am from Wednesdays to Sundays. In these markets, the predominant Korean fashion also enjoys major cameos of surfer style and punk-feel clothes.
And, undoubtedly, these cheap shopping sites offer cheaper clothes and accessories than those available in shopping malls and proper stores that dot Petchkasem Road as well as the town’s main alley Hua Hin 61.
A bra sold in shopping mall costs averagely 500 baht, and a man’s underwear 250 baht. Meanwhile, you could get a well-made two-piece set for less than 200 baht and a pair of boxers at 70 baht. Not to mention the notches that could be taken off, if you are in the zone for good bargaining.
A quality typical to Thailand’s street shopping scene is things being sold at 199 baht or other x9 or xx9 baht prices, with no price tags. This actually applies to all kinds of goods, be it Korean-style fashion or a bundle of Chinese-made hairclips. Whether x9 or xx9, the bottom line for clothes shopping in Thailand is that you are assured to get best-quality products at reasonable prices.
As we have recounted the facts of modern clothes shopping in Hua Hin so far, it may be assumed that Hua Hin is fairly behind Bangkok in the aspect. However, laying Hua Hin against the Bangkok city in any talks concerning modernization would just do no justice to this tranquil beach resort. Though Hua Hin has the convenience to offer, it does not strive to nestle the hustle and bustle as part of its reputation. And, in lights of costume discussion, this peaceful maritime destination has the pride objects that far more than make up to the absence of city-like decadence.
Hua Hin’s linkages to the Siamese royalties and its pristine marine beauty weave the cradles for the “wearable” form of the artistic heritages inherited to this small dainty town. Among other signature products, Kommapastr and Batik painted fabrics stand out as Hua Hin’s ultimate cultural prides which also represent historic accounts in themselves.
Khommapastr is cotton fabric adorned with handpainted traditional Thai patterns initially modeled on King Rama IV’s outfits. Khommapastr’s first production in Hua Hin evolves from the fabric business initiated in Vietnam by a courtier couple formerly serving the abdicating King Rama VII during their asylum years.
From the old days of serving as the room showcasing craftsmen’s skilful traditional Thai pattern handpaintings, the definition of Khommapastr fabric, through decades, has expanded and immersed the entire lineup of clothing items and modern patterns into its world.
Khommapastr today boasts the authenticity of its painting technique through rails of top pieces, pants, skirts, and accessories, bedecked with both traditional Thai patterns and fun images like watermelon quarters and cheeky-looking elephant cubs. Culture-conscious gentleman and ladies, as well as their children, may find a refined addition to their wardrobes through range of Khommapastr items. Non-clothing accessories such as mini-notebooks and namecard wallets also get stylish with pieces of Khommapastr fabric sewn to the jackets.
Coming second close to Khommapastr as another artistic symbol of Hua Hin is Batik—the candle wax-framed, colorful fabric. Batik makes its way to Hua Hin through the southern part of the country. The lively and laid-back nature of this tropical region speaks volumes through Batik’s exploitation of hot-toned colors in paintings of marine life.
Batik’s uniqueness lies in the color-filling technique, where craftsmen draw patterns on a cloth with candle wax. The process forms clean frames that prevent different colors, which are filled the cloth with in the following step, from blending together. When the wax is removed, a finished Batik piece reveals colorfully ink-filled images of marine life formed inside white lines. The creatures drift in the sea portrayed by a vivid abstract background.
Some creative Batik makers, though, animate the tradition by adding patterns of tropical flowers, horses, or even Western-themed contingents such as Santa Claus to their array of Batik ornamentations.
Just like Khommapastr, Batik branches out from usual clothing items to fabric-based accessories ranging from pillowcases, belt, drapes, carry-alls, toilet paper cases, to mini-purses for coins.
Hua Hin offers a multi-dimensioned experience in costume shopping. Whether you are set to rage through the rails for the best deals or out in the search of a cultural flavor, the last thing you would find is disappointment.
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