Baby Steps, Shanghai

Cris and I were just discussing how things are improving, slowly but surely, in the Shanghai fashion scene. In baby steps. We’ve started to notice that women are wearing less patches of glued on faux diamond shimmers, less floral on top of lace on top of velvet ruching. Unfortunately, the shoes and accessories never quite fit the look they are going for. Some locals are starting to have an eye for a more classic, simple, flattering dress that can be worn decades later, equipping their attire with whatever accessories they currently own, not knowing the strength and hold good accessories have over an outfit.

The most common problem seen in Shanghai are the mismatched shoes. This lady’s dress is adorable, but I would not only change her shiny copper shoes with white bow ties with nude or off white pumps or flats, I would also change the glasses and hair. You can’t really tell, but she is also wearing those funny little ankle stockings so common in Shanghai, when women wear flats or high heels. It is super disturbing and I wake up in a cold sweat, in the morning, thinking about laundry and those ankle stockings. Ask the husband.

Maybe this is just all part of the mystery to the Chinese consumer.