"Out of Asia" or… my year in China

…about the fashion sense here!…or rather lack thereof?

It’s a combination between Japanese cute meets military necessity meets brand obsession overload meets Bedazzler!

Now I have to admit my daily wardrobe here in China has not been living up to my own usual fashion standards. While I would love to say that I am braving the current Siberian winter frequently wearing heels and cute skirts like my favourite French fashion blogger Garance Dore , I am much more practical than that (remember, I work 8-10 hours/day in a meat locker disguised as a school and must dress accordingly for my own survival) and I left much of that part of my wardrobe behind in Canada. Shopping for a new one has not been a financial or top-of-the-list thing to do here in China and well…when I have ventured to have a look around…let’s just say it has been a bit of a challenge. Let me explain.

For your consideration we have Exhibit A:

Exhibit A: The holiday section of a Beijing mall, note the black dress

I concede that, in general holiday fashion does tend towards the embellished, and I think I have mentioned it is cold here so that accounts for the fur or faux-fur trim added to everything.  However…it DOES NOT account for the rhinestones, ruching, bows, stripe detailing AND the pairing of that black dress in the foreground with a diamond-studded bow necklace! It’s like the more trends we can cram into one piece the better! Think of that concept and then think that is how women put together an entire outfit here — each item having progressively more incongruous detail than the last.

Exhibit B (Parts A-F):

Part A, Parent

Part B, Parent (detail)

So here we have a parent at our school New Years Eve Concert wearing the latest trend that EVERYONE is wearing and I mean EVERYONE! From 14 year olds to 54 year olds.

That would be shorts (yes, in the dead of winter), varying in length from Nair short-shorts to just above the knee Bermuda length, paired with tights…and high boots – the higher the better! Both in heel and in coverage. I.e. the above-the-knee boot is not only reserved for working girls here as tends to be its lot  in North America.

You can’t actually appreciate the magnificence that is this outfit in the photos. You do however see the orange fur, which fairly blinds your senses into submission, coupled with the not-so-easily discerned vermilion-hued hair, the neon-green and chocolate brown Louie Vuitton scarf and purse that you can see just peaking out on the left side of the photo in Part A. The shorts she is wearing are actually leather AND the above-the-knee high-heeled boots do have silver and diamond accents.

Yes, now is where you utter – “WOW!”

Think she is just a one-off? Again these were all just taken in one day in one place – our school gym:

Part C: Parent, pretty sure there are shorts involved - love the fur hat!

And Part D and E of Exhibit B:

Part D: Parent wearing shorts with boots and tights: Check!

Part E: accompanying giant designer label bag: Checkeroo

Now…don’t get me wrong…fashion…wrong or right would not be doing it’s job if it did not influence the masses….so yes, I am coming to terms with the fact that I am quietly seeking my own pair of above-the-knee boots

Flats though…no heels…tastefully paired with lesser-than-attention getting items will do nicely I think.

BUT ABSOLUTELY NO SHORTS!

Part F: ...and a Teacher!