You'll be glad to know my New Year's resolution is to spiff up my look. So, when I heard there are stain-proof white shirts I was overjoyed. I can't seem to get through the day without a pen mark, coffee drip or food stain!
Missing the Mark, Central

The Dictator rules: You thought I'd care about your slovenly habits? That's cute. Stained clothes are not. Although it's clear that you, not the clothes, are what must change for 2016, I will direct you to the latest stain-resistant options. Stain-battling inventions are hardly new. ScotchGard, hello? What is new and exciting, however, is a range of stylish women's tops in hydrophobic fabric. The Unstainable Shirt by Elizabeth & Clarke (unstainable.ec) uses miniscule fibres to repel liquids. It promises to repel coffee, wine, ketchup, mayonnaise, salad dressing and perspiration stains. And, despite all those properties, the fabric is breathable, soft and washer-dryer safe. One of the few no-nos is that you should not wipe spills (this will only force the liquid into the garment). Most liquids should just slide off while thicker substances should be rinsed with water. There must be a catch, right? Well, sort of. The first deliveries were made in October and the next batch is available for pre-order with the vague delivery date of "spring". The range comprises three crepe de chine tops (HK$388 each): The White, a classic dress shirt; The Parker, a casual blouse; The Arden, a sleeveless button-down; and The Liz Lemon T-shirt (HK$194).

 

I love the fluffy white jacket Gigi Hadid's been snapped wearing on the street a couple of times, but the photos always come with celeb news, not fashion details. Can you help me find it, or one that fits a student's budget?
Wish I Hadid, Kotewall Road

The Dictator: Always? You need to change your reference points, because we saw the model and her friend, Kendall Jenner, in that jacket on vogue.com, which clearly identified it as Express' shaggy Sherpa wedge jacket in ivory polyester express.com. If you followed fashion rather than gossip, you'd know that the furry, fluffy teddy bear coat was an autumn-winter 2015 trend. The good news: it's now on sale for HK$465. The bad news: it's only available in-store in the United States and running out quickly. So, unless you have a kind contact who will get it for you in the US, consider these alternatives. Check out the sexy selection at Lovers & Drifters, where you'll find racy pictures and lots of shag jackets in various colours, including The Wildling in white mohair knit (HK$1,339; loversanddrifters.com). AX Paris has a cute, cropped jacket in cream "Mongolian" faux fur that would work nicely (on sale, HK$283; axparis.com). We find it interesting that Ms Jenner seems to favour the Express jacket over one of the coloured faux fur pieces from her Kendall + Kylie at Topshop range (HK$1,239 and up). Your options increase if you'll consider spending a few thousand Hong Kong dollars, with lovely faux and real fur jackets by Iro, See by Chloé and H Brand.

Got a question for The Dictator? E-mail her with your name, or alias, and address at: [email protected]