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Heya! Any advice on shopping in Cairo. What is it like as a place to buy exotic clothes and things? What are prices like. Oh, can you buy designer stuff out there, is it cheaper than the uk? When it says you can buy pure perfume scent..is this safe to wear straignt away or do you have to do something to it first?? lol usually I just buy and spray!! Posts: 293 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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Cairo is always cheaper than others well you want to buy clothes you can to any mall like Hilton Ramsis mall "Tahrir" or Talaat Harb Mall in Talaat Harb St. "Tahrir" for antiquites you can go to khan-el khalili or hussien hope that helps ./Osama
Posts: 38 | From: Alexandria,Egypt | Registered: Mar 2004
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That's great thanks Osam!! . Can you just buy materials and get people to make them up for you? I usually buy materials and make my own clothes in the UK. When I don't buy then ready made. When you make them yourself, you can make them as tight,loose,long or short as you like! Posts: 293 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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Giggle Girl I think the designer wear shopping scene in cairo is non-existent as far as I know, however if you are more interested in buying material and making your own clothes then you're in luck, loads of material, quality ranges from great to terrible, check out khan el khalili for exotic clothes, things are indeed cheaper, but remember to always haggle and try to bring the price down, you being a foreigner sellers assume you pack the quid, believe me haggle with them, works all the time.. Enjoy your time there...
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lol. I intend to haggle! Where can I find silk to buy? And good quality Egyptian cotton? Can all this be found in Khan el Khalili? I'm really looking forward to visiting Khan el Khalili...I have seen pictures from friends that have been. It looks so vibrant and lively!
Posts: 293 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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You won't find fabrics in the Khan, for those you have to go to the Wekalat el Balah which is a huge market for clothes and fabrics. And you should definitely haggle there, it's fun, but maybe take someone with you who speaks a bit of Arabic since there are no tourists. Posts: 2334 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Fantastic! Great help thanks Dalia; Should I get a translator for that trip then? Or shall i just show the arabic in my phrase book?!! Posts: 293 | From: UK | Registered: Mar 2004
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I hate to say it, but don't come here looking for fantastic fabrics at good prices for sewing your own clothes. If Dalia and/or Expat know where to find good silks and even a variety of decent cottons, wish they would give us the store name.
There are good cottons for sheeting, but that is about it here in Egypt (in my experience) and other than that, they love their polyester. Silk is as good as non-existant. If you ask for silk, they will surely show you something (polyester) and claim it is silk. If you really know your fabrics, do come prepared to do testing on anything they claim is one fabric or another as they will lie to you as soon as look at you about the fabric content every time.
And while there are tailors here that are very good, plan on giving them a week to sew something and in general if you want it to be cheap, bring something for them to copy, don't expect them to be able to sew up anything the way you want it without a pattern to follow....and even then, it's a good idea to expect some of them (the cheaper ones) to add a little something to make it "a little fancy".
I don't want to sound negative on the subject (even though I know I do), as I do have clothes made here, but it's just that it's not very very easy for a tourist to walk in here, find fabric and a tailor to do something quickly. Cairo ain't Hong Kong.
And, if you do find great fabrics, they will likely be imports and NOT CHEAP. The best cottons seem to make it out of the country.
quote:Originally posted by Debbie: And while there are tailors here that are very good, plan on giving them a week to sew something and in general if you want it to be cheap, bring something for them to copy, don't expect them to be able to sew up anything the way you want it without a pattern to follow....and even then, it's a good idea to expect some of them (the cheaper ones) to add a little something to make it "a little fancy".
I don't want to sound negative on the subject (even though I know I do), as I do have clothes made here, but it's just that it's not very very easy for a tourist to walk in here, find fabric and a tailor to do something quickly.
You're right, Debbie, it takes a while to have the stuff made and it's definitely a good idea to bring some item that the tailor can copy.
However, if you look around you can find nice fabrics among all the polyester stuff. A friend of mine had a whole new wardrobe made here before she returned to the states.
I have a tailor in Zamalek who's very good. Nice old guy, he doesn't speak a word of English though ...
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Debbie, I think you misunderstood. My post wasn't positive (unless you consider paying more and having less of a selection on imported clothes a good thing.)
The only time I buy clothes in Cairo is when it's an emergency...and the only store that I found has reasonable styles with clothese that don't fall apart in a few months is Mix-n-Match, which has branches everywhere. I do seasonal shopping for the year on trips to the US...there are always sales and it's a better value in the long run, bcs the clothes can withstand the brutal spin cycles of most washing machines in cairo and last longer.
quote:Originally posted by ExptinCAI: ...and the only store that I found has reasonable styles with clothese that don't fall apart in a few months is Mix-n-Match, which has branches everywhere.
I'd like to add Dalydress (nice stuff and nice quality) and Rojada (which I think has only one branch in Mohandessin. Nice working girl clothes).
quote:Originally posted by Dalia: You're right, Debbie, it takes a while to have the stuff made and it's definitely a good idea to bring some item that the tailor can copy.
However, if you look around you can find nice fabrics among all the polyester stuff. A friend of mine had a whole new wardrobe made here before she returned to the states.
I have a tailor in Zamalek who's very good. Nice old guy, he doesn't speak a word of English though ...
silk...nonexistent?! oh well. lol. Thanks alot for the advice about the tailor, but I'm not going to pay someone to do something I can do just as well myself! Thanks alot
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. Can you just buy materials and get people to make them up for you? I usually buy materials and make my own clothes in the UK. When I don't buy then ready made. When you make them yourself, you can make them as tight,loose,long or short as you like! 
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