The perfect summer cocktail dress

I've mentioned my obsession with Hong Kong-based company Shanghai Tang before, and as I browsed through their online store today, I found yet another reason to love them--this multicolored "pop peony" sequined dress. The silhouette is a basic white tank dress, but every inch of this beauty is smothered in colored sequins. The spangles add a glittery, textured sheen to the dress, almost making the gorgeous rainbow of colors--pink, orange, yellow, black, blue, red--come alive. Can't you see this vibrant creation as a cocktail dress at an outdoors summer party, paired with equally bright shoes and perhaps a subdued clutch so all the colors won't clash? No matter what, you'll be the center of attention in this dress that's sure to bedazzle the rest of the partygoers.

Shanghai Style

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.