Maloncho Fashion

«Your dresses should be tight enough to show you’re a woman and loose enough to show you’re a lady.” — Edith Head
For someone used to wearing pants, dress shopping can be a little intimidating. This is doubly true when shopping outside your realm of knowledge– in this case, sari shopping. This is a world governed by fabrics and stones and stitching, where pricing can fluctuate wildly depending on how aggressively you deride their sticker price. If I were a raccoon or a crow, I’d be in shiny-​thing heaven; as a Detroiter with a wardrobe ready for corporate finance, all the bling was a little overwhelming. The patterns and colors seemed so brazen, and in my mind sequins were relegated to Vegas showgirls and grandmas with mad Bedazzler skills. Still, with some expert assistance, I took the plunge and tried some things that were way out of my comfort zone, and they looked AMAZING.
Maloncho is directly across from the heavy-​hitter of sari shops, Rima Sari Center. As such, they differentiate themselves by specializing in more affordable outfits, in a much more customer friendly setting. Maloncho is bright and maneuverable, service is friendly and attentive, and bargaining is more readily accepted– everything that Rima is not. The most expensive saris are around $ 300, compared to the $ 300-​$ 1000 at Rima. The dressing room is large and well lit, perfect for trying on multiple outfits and giving yourself a once over before coming out to show your companions.
The rule of thumb at the sari shops in this area is that the price on the sticker is just a starting point for negotiations– you should expect at least $ 20 – 30 dollars off a cheap dress, and about 40% off an expensive dress. Also, the first discounted price they give you is NOT the best price that can be had. Ask a few times for the best price or for additional things thrown in for free (tailoring or jewelry), or simply make an offer. Tailoring at this location should run between $ 5 and $ 10 dollars and take roughly 24hrs to complete, well worth it for a garment to fit perfectly.
For a bold red sari, two sets of bangles, and tailoring to take it in a bit, my total bill came to $ 70– perfectly reasonable for a special ensemble to wear to my best friends wedding.
True location differs from what is listed on Unilocal: 12 164 Conant St.