Global Fashion Nomads at the World Social Forum in Tunis 2013

We know it's a little late, but Hend Hassassi and I promised we would do a fashion recap of the incredibly diverse, colourful and creative ensembles we saw at the World Social Forum (FSM) in Tunis last month (March 2013). So here it is!

Meg: The African women at this conference won the fashion contest, hands down. 

Hend: No one said you can’t be an activist while being fashion forward.

Hend: Hamza's pants are off the hook. I also love the Amazigh flag- so beautiful. (The Amazigh are the native people of Tunisia) Meg: Please note he was also wearing grey converse- that's what I call mixing it up. And I love the rainbow band in his dreads. It's so happy.

This is Meg. Please note the epic jam session happening in the background. 

This is Hend. She's reppin' the FSM canvas bag.  Thanks for those by the way, organizers! :)

Meg: Another Amazigh flag. We can't get enough. Hend: This screams awesome. Loving the headband. And she’s rocking the Amazigh colours.

Meg: We hope we will be as stylish as him when we grown up. Hend: Is it John Lennon?!

Hend: Words fail me. Beard, camera, cargo pants...

Meg: He’s got that journalist thing going on. 

Hend: I love this. This is right from every angle. Happy hippy. Both of them.

Meg: This is why we love the Tunis frippe! Because this happens. 

Explanation- This guy was juggling during one of the concerts. 

Pants, top, scarf, hair...all of it is very good. 

This lady was from Egypt and so sweet. 

Hend: Her necklace was a clock. I loved it. 

Meg: I really liked that her hair scarf matched her sandals. 

Meg: These girls were so cute! 

Hend: They rocked the maxi skirts like no other FSM attendees could. There is a fashion lesson to be learned from this picture. 

Meg: These hijabis put our outfits to shame. Check out Ons' Tumblr page. 

Meg: I had to capture his tweed coat. It was amazing.

Hend: This guy is hipster without being too hipster.

(Our friend Oumayma, on hearing this, said “WHERE IS THE HIPSTER?!” Yeah...we may be a little obsessed.)

Meg: This woman’s painted t-shirts were exquisite. 

Hend: I love her earrings. SO TALENTED! Eeek.

Meg: THE SWEATER!

Hend: I think this is a blend of hipster meets reggae/rastafarae. And my bag is in the corner of the picture!

Tunisia Live, present and accounted for!

Hend: Effortless.

Meg: I like their scarves :)

Hend: Can I get a “hey-a” for that skirt?

Meg: Yes you can.

Hend: These pants would be the sister of Hamza’a pants. They would be the cool siblings who love each other. 

Meg: (Is laughing too hard to comment)

Hend: She deserves a prize for the perfect outfit. Bohemian, perfect. Even her shades. She had to be so perfect she made us all feel bad!

Meg: She looks like she’s at Coachella. And her friend’s pants are so cool. 

Hend: I dedicate the song “Something” by the Beatles to this guy. 

Meg: Sometimes simplicity is best.

Meg: I had to add this for the culture in the stiches.

Hend: I love the traditional Palestinian embroidery.

Meg: And their dancing in the background! :)

Meg by a fountain. 

Meg, trying to control her hair on a windy day. 

Hend in the sun's rays.

Meg: Your necklace is amazing! We were both wearing Senegalese necklaces that day :)

Meg: She looks like she’s straight from the 60s. And I don’t know where they guys behind her are from, but they are hilarious. The whole thing is very Brady Bunch.

Hend: Yeah, definitely 60s vibe. And the guys- matchy-matchy at your age? You should be ashamed. 

Meg: I took this picture for Hend.

Hend: Those shoes! I’m already in love with the Oxford trend, but what I like about these is the mixture of tan and brown. They’re unique.

Hend: This one, seriously. It’s beyond being effortless. It reminds me of Rachel Bilson. Or a model. 

Meg: This is what I want to look like every day. The end. 

Hend: Her pants! The sandals, the scarf, everything. It’s like the perfect outfit to sport this time of year.

Meg: I loved how comfortable she looked. And the colours were so pretty and spring-like. 

Hend: Yeah, it’s effortless. 

Hend: Beautiful.

Meg: She was wearing a hair feather! :)

Hend: I really like the two colours- red and navy. And both of those girls, really good. It has hipster/street chic influence but not too much. 

Meg: Again, effortless. Sensing a theme here?

Hend: I don’t know what to say. This is what FSM is all about. People hanging out.

Meg: And if your clothes don’t let you do that, you’re not wearing the right ones. 

Meg: This woman was not afraid of colour. And her hair is so cool. As someone with pin-straight locks, can I just say I am jealous?

Hend: I am such a fan of cobalt blue. It’s the perfect spring transition colour. Not pastel, not a dark winter colour. 

And the pants- awesoooooooome! 

Hend: Her sweater is beautiful. Printed and colourful, which is what spring should be all about. And I love that she paired it with a twist- a skirt and tights. Hats off.

Meg: You definitely needed to pack a sweater for this event. The days were hot, but the nights were surprisingly cold. Always be prepared! 

Meg: They were so cool, we wanted to be their friends. It almost happened, but sadly they are back in Italy now.

Hend: I just want to be a part of their clique. They are the kind of people you want to hang out with around a bonfire, talking about life, music, all the good things.

Meg: Green pants, satchels, scarves...world traveller style at its best! Come back and visit soon!

It’s us! 

Hend: Beanie, pants, jean jacket, right on. Also, I love your sandals! Those are the sandals you should wear with those kind of pants.

Meg: Thanks, they’re by iPanema. And I really loved your layers. Again, the frippe is our fashion haven. 

We hope these pictures give you a glimpse, however small, of the culture, creativity and passion of the participants of FSM 2013. We were so inspired by the panels we went to, the people we talked to and saw, and the impromptu musical jam sessions, volleyball games, dance parties, and friendships that occurred along the way. Here's hoping we can make it to FSM 2014 in Port Allegro, Brazil. Another world is possible!

PS- If you missed it, check out my (Meg) multimedia reportage on the Palestinian presence at the forum here!