Around the World in 80 Dresses

When in Hongkong do as the people from Hongkong do. That’s what I thought. So, first thing I bought a couple of ample jackets, silk, cotton, flowery, in subdued colours, whatever. And I went to a tea house to taste fragrant Chinese tea. No, I was not ashamed to behave like a silly tourist. I got that Eastern feel I had longed for.  I didn’t care that hardly any fashionable young Hongkong lady does wear these heirlooms any more. They may remind them of their grandmothers’ attire. That’s why one finds most of them at vintage shops.    New ones are the asymetric black jacket from Taipeh and the black and pink from KL.  The latter softens the boyish look of my flanell bermudas from Comptoir des Cottoniers.   I just like the comfort of those ample jackets so much. Any boring black pant gets a new life combined with a lovely Chinese top. Try it.

I love the elegance of Far Eastern dressing styles, the brightness of Indian colours and the softness of South East Asian silks. From every trip to Asia I come back with loads of fabrics and stuff. Too much in fact. You don’t want to look like going to a fancy dress party. The avid traveller and the style conscious fashionista are competing within me. I have to restrict myself to using the exotic items sparingly. A vest here, a silk shawl there toned down by some black. The green velvet cap with the silver embroidery has a special place in my traveller’s heart. It was a gift I got many years ago on a trip to Upper Egypt. © Christophe Cappelli, 123RF © Marc Ryckaert ( MJJR ) Gurna_Mosque_R01 I was a young professional on my first job and we stayed overnight in the ancient village of Gurna. The roof of the white washed caravanseray was the deep blue star studded sky. Our group was invited to take part in the stock dance which substituted TV as the villagers' eveni...