For as long as I can remember, I've admired, loved, and tried to wear outfits inspired by traditional Asian, particularly Chinese, clothing. But for the look to work, the pieces must be modern and versatile enough to wear daily; otherwise, I feel like I run the risk of looking campy or cheap (as in, $5-ugly-cheongsam-from-Chinatown cheap).
That's why you can never go wrong with
Shanghai Tang, a Hong Kong-based company which makes elegant, beautiful and quality clothes capturing Chinese glamour, as in the era of fashionable, nostalgic 1930s Shanghai (think
Maggie Cheung in In The Mood for Love). I've long been a fan of the brand; unfortunately, you'll find them mostly abroad, in cities like Jakarta, Dubai, Tokyo, Singapore, Taipei, Milan, and so on.
Thankfully, Shanghai Tang has an online store which I've only just discovered! Among their selection is a beautiful beaded
cocktail dress with mandarin collar, a cotton
hand crochet coat in vibrant orange with frog buttons and a sash, and one of their basics--a
cotton wrap tee with a high collar that comes in white, black, red, and fuschia.