Whenever I go to China, I'm always impressed by the way young people dress there. Unlike in America, where you can always find girls in ripped jeans and baggy tees, Chinese women pay careful attention to their clothing. In the summer, most women and teenage girls either wear dresses or chic denim shorts and a dressy blouse. And, they all wear some form of heels, whether it be espadrilles or kitten heels.
After each trip, I get really inspired by Asian fashion and start incorporating them into my own outfits. In particular, I'm a huge fan of Taiwanese and Korean fashion, both of which I find slightly more Americanized than Chinese fashion.
Nevertheless, the overall look of Asian fashion emphasizes cuteness and youth over in-your-face sexiness. Even though hemlines are short (in fact, many are even shorter than they are in the U.S. since Asian people are usually very petite), most pieces are still not trashy or overtly sexy. It's partly due to the fabric and cut of Asian clothing, many of which are very romantic and flowy. Chiffon, silk, and jersey are often used and bright colors like pink, lime, and lemon are embraced, all of which add a more youthful feel.
Shopping Tips:
- Even though designer boutiques from Louis Vuitton to Bottega Veneta can be found in many Asian cities, I would advise against buying European/American brands in Asia. The same item sells for at least 10% more there than in the U.S. due to high tariffs on imports of luxury goods.
- The best places to visit are the little boutiques that line the streets of every corner. These privately owned boutiques offer a dazzling array of merchandise, from accessories to apparel to handbags. Seriously, the variety of clothing and accessories in Asia will make your eyes water (I recently learned that they have bras with beautifully ornate straps that can double as bracelets or headbands!).
- Plus, these little boutiques are incredibly inexpensive. You can haggle any day dress down to around 200 yuan ($30). Most shop owners can speak simple English and if they can't, they can negotiate with you by typing their offering price on the calculators that they all carry.
- In addition, there are tons of designer-inspired/straight-up designer copies of pieces, like Chanel-inspired tweed blazers, Louboutin's signature red-soled pumps, and Louis Vuitton speedys. I'm not a fan of showing off fake logos, but a designer-inspired piece never hurt anyone.
Tips and Warning:
- Tops and dresses usually run in a one-size-fits-all category. This is great if you're a size xs-m, not so great if you're sizes larger than that.
- There are tons of adorable bras for cup sizes AAA-B, but better endowed girls might have some trouble finding bras that fit.
- Most Asians have very small feet, so it's hard to find shoes larger than a size 7 - equivalent to Asian/European size 37 (this always makes me so sad since there are so many adorable shoes but I'm a size 8).
- Carefully check the quality of an item before purchasing and look for any defects. Small boutiques - and even some big department stores - do not allow returns.
- Most items in small boutiques are not priced outright, so you have to ask the owner how much it is. Unfortunately, they usually jack prices up for foreigners, so it's best to shop with a native that you know.
If not, here's my quick and easy guide to bargaining:
Step 2. Once you're wearing it, don't look too pleased even if you absolutely adore it.
Step 3. Change back to your old clothes and go outside of the fitting room. At this point, the shop owner will be pushing you to buy it. This step is key: ask how much it is, and then inspect the piece and look dissatisfied. Point out any defects (no matter how minor) or if it's too short/long/tight/loose/not the ideal color. Then offer a price that is about 50 yuan ($7) less than what you are actually willing to pay for it.
Step 4. At this point, the shopowner will probably disagree and offer a new price higher than yours but lower than the original starting price. Now offer a price about 30 yuan ($5) less than what you would pay.
Step 5 (a). If the owner agrees, you're in luck! Congrats on your new purchase!
Step 5 (b). If the owner disagrees, you can either settle for his/her price if you absolutely must have the item, or you can perform the greatest trick of all time: walk away. Nine out of ten times, they'll call you back and sell it to you at the price you offered.
Here are two great websites for Asian fashion: the first is U.S. oriented and the second is like a Chinese Ebay (don't worry if you can't understand the language, just type in something like "Chanel blazer" in the search bar and see what you get!)
Yesstyle
Taobao
Have you ever shopped in Asia or ordered from Asian websites? Let me know of your experiences!
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