https://www.scmp.com/rss/10010/feed Style writer, personal shopper and teacher, Sofia A. Suárez, contributes to newspapers, magazines, travel guides and luxury brands around the world. Born and raised in Hong Kong, the Filipina-Italian attended Georgetown University before moving to New York to begin her career at Fairchild Publications. She has been a contributor to the Post since 1999, focusing on fashion, art and design. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the news: the summer holidays are cancelled. As the heat and humidity have set in, so has the reality that most of us aren’t going away this summer. So instead of packing for that annual trip to the south of France, Maine, or anywhere else, it’s time to think about summer essentials and make the best of staying home. Frolicking, of course, while being eternally grateful for our good health. Staying home doesn’t mean being stuck indoors if you’re lucky enough to live... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3092259/how-socially-distance-style-fashion-offers-fun-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3092259/how-socially-distance-style-fashion-offers-fun-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2020 17:00:14 +0000 Fashion is cancelled. Not really, but it can feel that way these days. Thanks to Covid-19, April won’t bring us the annual parade of outlandish outfits at Coachella, because it has been pushed back to October. In May, we can’t look forward to the red-carpet diversions of the Met Gala and Cannes. And from Sydney to Sao Paulo, fashion weeks around the world have been aborted or postponed. So, for a few months at least, we are more likely to see photos of celebs in their pyjamas than in haute... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3079974/how-coronavirus-crisis-forcing-fashion-rethink-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3079974/how-coronavirus-crisis-forcing-fashion-rethink-way?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2020 04:30:07 +0000 Have you cut your bangs yet? That’s just one of the questionable social media trends at a moment when people all over the world are staying home. Although right now we have far greater concerns than how we look, I’ve made a to-do list for this unexpected home time while we all do our civic duty (#stayhome). First, reorganise bulging wardrobes. Decluttering queen Marie Kondo’s books and videos offer a guide, of course. A search for “closet detox” reveals multiple tutorials with different... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3077939/life-under-lockdown-gives-you-time-marie-kondo-your?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3077939/life-under-lockdown-gives-you-time-marie-kondo-your?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2020 08:45:11 +0000 I have been thinking about weight a lot recently. Is it ever far from our minds? The many fat jokes that have accompanied self-quarantine during the Covid-19 pandemic are a little too close to the bone – or new flab. A few disparate events have recently put the spotlight back on the fashion industry’s efforts to be inclusive when it comes to sizing. In Paris, celebration and controversy ensued when Dutch model Jill Kortleve walked Chanel’s autumn/winter 2020 runway, making her the first... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3076737/why-billie-eilish-understands-body-positivity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3076737/why-billie-eilish-understands-body-positivity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2020 21:00:14 +0000 Are there certain types of clothing you look at, but never actually buy? For me, the hoodie is definitely one of them. Even during my university years, usually the apex of a person’s hoodie usage, I opted for a collegiate sweatshirt instead. Maybe it was the inevitable hair mussing, maybe it was the restricted neck turning, they just never appealed to me. I still consider and then reject beautiful cashmere hoodies as too casual. But as the line between sports­wear and luxury continues to blur,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3075714/thanks-rihanna-and-timothee-chalamet-hoodies-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3075714/thanks-rihanna-and-timothee-chalamet-hoodies-are?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2020 18:00:16 +0000 With all the new perspective that travel brings, it was modes of dress and societal uniforms that struck me the most on a recent trip to America’s Silicon Valley. Male tech executives there really do walk down the streets of Palo Alto in Patagonia fleeces and khaki trousers. These men, some of them so wealthy they could afford to wear anything their heart desired, have replaced traditional suits with a more casual uniform. We often instinctively resist uniforms enforced by others because they... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3074699/mark-zuckerberg-has-his-hoodie-soccer-moms-have?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3074699/mark-zuckerberg-has-his-hoodie-soccer-moms-have?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2020 22:00:06 +0000 Are you at peace with the mould in your life? That would be the first line in my mould self-help book. Working title, Thanks a Lot, Mould. Living in humid Hong Kong, we all have to come to terms with mould in our lives. It’s particularly conspicuous when I switch out my clothes from one season in preparation for the next. I pull out a leather bag and find it covered in white spots. Thanks a lot, mould. Favourite sandals? Thanks a lot, mould. Another wake-up call came on a recent trip. I went to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3052413/thanks-lot-mould-how-beat-fungus-hong-kongs-humid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3052413/thanks-lot-mould-how-beat-fungus-hong-kongs-humid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2020 03:30:12 +0000 For most of us, a face mask is not a fashion statement. Most recently, it is being used as a shield against the coronavirus, before that as an attempt to hide the identity of protesters, or a defence against air pollution. We don’t have the luxury of considering how the white or blue material coordinates with an outfit, although it may have crossed your mind. A simple online search for the now-scarce surgical face masks opens up a rabbit hole of designer face masks and celebrity fashion... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3051379/how-face-masks-became-fashion-statement-stylish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3051379/how-face-masks-became-fashion-statement-stylish?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Feb 2020 03:30:05 +0000 Man jewellery. If the very thought of it makes you cringe, you are not alone. Despite being the subject of derision for years, global sales of fine jewellery for men have been on the rise. Forget Liberace, Mr T, sleazy pickup artists circa 1995, pirates and/or Johnny Depp. Instead think of Harry Styles at the camp-themed 2019 Met Gala. Outfitted by Gucci designer Alessandro Michele, the former One Direction heartthrob’s gender-bending, modern renaissance look was access­orised with a pearl-drop... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3048923/mens-jewellery-why-should-girls-have-all-fun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3048923/mens-jewellery-why-should-girls-have-all-fun?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2020 03:15:11 +0000 I keep reading that high heels are making a comeback. That may be true among fashion editors, but trainers continue to dominate footwear in the real world. I made it through this past holiday season barely slipping on a pair of heels twice, but my white Veja Esplars completed outfits daily, from a sequinned skirt on New Year’s Eve to jeans during recovery on New Year’s Day. My beloved heels sit on display in the shoe cabinet like shining trophies, sparking distant memories of days and nights... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3046128/forget-heels-white-trainers-were-shoe-decade-going?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3046128/forget-heels-white-trainers-were-shoe-decade-going?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jan 2020 15:00:08 +0000 While January is filled with health kicks and fitness reboots, I’m battling the post-holiday blues with a detox of a different sort. Not a dry January or an extreme cleanse – I’ve been doing a wardrobe detox. I highly recommend it. It can be hard to know where to begin. Try honesty. There are countless self-help books to guide us, most notably Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2011). For me, though, it’s more about being honest than it is about finding joy in my... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3044262/start-new-year-sparking-joy-wardrobe-detox-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3044262/start-new-year-sparking-joy-wardrobe-detox-and?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2020 21:00:07 +0000 Princess dressing has been the bane of parents for decades. And we are in for another avalanche of Princess Elsa dresses, crowns, slippers, pyjamas and whatever else they can think of. Frozen II was released last month and with it another snowstorm of merchandise. Chilling. We had almost let it go (sorry) after the first Frozen, in 2013, but Disney couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Frozen merchandise and licensing raked in billions of dollars more than its box-office sales. Brides who take their... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3042559/how-kate-middleton-and-meghan-markle-became-top?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3042559/how-kate-middleton-and-meghan-markle-became-top?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Dec 2019 10:00:15 +0000 With the holidays comes kitsch, from ironic (read: hideous) Christmas jumpers, novelty earrings and reindeer and Santa headwearto matching pyjamas for all the family. One example of this I have yet to understand is holiday make-up, as if you suddenly have to show up looking like Lady Gaga. MAC Cosmetics has a holiday make-up look called Twinkling Drama. I’m not sure about your family, but mine doesn’t need any more drama during the holidays. Twinkling, though, I’m open to. Glam rock stars of the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3040468/how-wear-glitter-make-holidays-remember-little-goes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3040468/how-wear-glitter-make-holidays-remember-little-goes?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2019 07:30:08 +0000 What is the worst Christmas gift you’ve received? The wine holder in the shape of a sparkly pink Birkin has got to be in the top 10. When I was single, I received a “Tea Set for One” decorated with pictures of cats. There was the dancing Santa Claus from a distant relative as a wedding present – in June.  Etiquette tells us to gratefully accept whatever we are given. Times have changed, though. The world is choking on all the stuff we buy, especially during the holidays. We need new rules. Is it... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3039555/case-against-christmas-presents-we-need-create?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3039555/case-against-christmas-presents-we-need-create?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2019 21:00:16 +0000 Party season sneaks up on you, doesn’t it? This year, my first Christmas party set a record. It was on November 13. I used to think early December invitations were aggressive. On receiving the invite, my first thought was: what am I going to wear? I don’t think I’m alone. A mad scramble in my wardrobe ensued. That LBD I’ve worn multiple times is easy to transform with accessories, but a memor­able statement dress? Not so much, especially if you move in Hong Kong’s small circles. I don’t... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3038716/need-party-dress-fashion-rentals-are-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3038716/need-party-dress-fashion-rentals-are-way-go?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Nov 2019 22:00:07 +0000 I still can’t believe grey hair is in fashion. We are bombarded with messages telling us women must look young at all costs. Yet so-called granny chic has strengthened into a major trend over the past few years. L’Oreal named silver the hair colour of 2019. I’d love for this to be a movement against the pressure to never age, and the resulting plastification of women. But there’s a catch: you have to be gorgeous and tanned to pull it off, and preferably young. At least, that’s what the images on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3037481/granny-chic-why-going-grey-may-have-silver-lining?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3037481/granny-chic-why-going-grey-may-have-silver-lining?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Nov 2019 22:00:12 +0000 When California’s fur banmade headlines last month, my first thought was, “Oh no! More fake fur!” Faux fur is made of plastic, and with worrying levels of microplastics found in our water, food and air, the last thing we need is a reason to produce more. But dead furry animals elicit a more emotional response than plastic-strangled oceans. So what constitutes truly ethical fashion? Some of the biggest fashion houses have made the popular decision to join the anti-fur cause. Since 2015, brands... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3035694/real-fur-vs-fake-fur-which-worse-and-do-we-really?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3035694/real-fur-vs-fake-fur-which-worse-and-do-we-really?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Oct 2019 23:30:03 +0000 I was blindsided a few weeks ago by the question, “What’s a VSCO girl?” It was assumed that I’d know. I didn’t. So it’s finally happened. I’m officially so old, I need Gen Z to explain the latest pop culture phenomenon, or should I say meme. Replies from teens from Hong Kong to Europe to the United States came in rapidly in the form of videos or voice recordings. I suppose that generation is unaccus­tomed to typing anything longer than a social media post, and the VSCO girl lifestyle takes more... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3032171/vsco-girls-rich-white-vacuous-and-way-out-you-even?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3032171/vsco-girls-rich-white-vacuous-and-way-out-you-even?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Oct 2019 19:00:13 +0000 I received a promotional email the other day extolling the “Tesla of Chinos”. Oh, how I laughed. Naturally, I forwarded it to all the men I know with a laughing emoji. How ridiculous! I mean, chinos are just basic, beige cotton trousers, right? Wrong, apparently. Shame on me for thinking menswear was straightforward. Even men who have never strayed far from a blue button-down replied with an opinion. So what makes the perfect chinos? As with so many menswear staples, chinos have military roots.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3030324/chinos-or-khakis-whatever-you-call-them-theres-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3030324/chinos-or-khakis-whatever-you-call-them-theres-more?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Sep 2019 02:15:13 +0000 Last month, American actress Katie Holmes was photographed on a New York street in broad daylight wearing only a bra and an open cardigan over jeans while hailing a taxi with her daughter, Suri. The internet was ablaze with admiration, and the bra sold out within an hour of the brand posting it on social media. Why, I’ve been wondering, was it so laudable for Holmes to leave home without a shirt? Meanwhile, I have endured the gamut of undergarment solutions, from strapless bras to chicken... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3027783/katie-holmes-cashmere-bra-set-pulses-racing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3027783/katie-holmes-cashmere-bra-set-pulses-racing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Sep 2019 14:00:14 +0000 Millie Bobby Brown has launched a vegan cosmetics line called Florence by Mills. She’s 15 years old. As far as I know, the actor, who found fame playing Eleven in Netflix horror series Stranger Things, does not have a degree in derma­tology. I do admire her great skin and age-appropriate fashion choices. I’d take acting lessons from her. But would I seek her advice on skincare? Probably not. Nor would I be comfortable leaving in her young hands the complexions of other teen­agers, her target... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3026634/celebrity-beauty-brands-would-you-take-skincare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3026634/celebrity-beauty-brands-would-you-take-skincare?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2019 21:00:11 +0000 Unpacking after a summer holiday can be a depressing task, with only work and winter ahead. Mercifully, in Hong Kong we don’t have to put away our beachwear for long. This year’s homecoming, though, to both stormy politics and weather, triggered an immediate bout of post-holiday blues. I have sought solace in dashes to the beach and soaking up brief bursts of glorious sunlight, and thisreminded me of a former beach staple I haven’t considered in years: the sarong. A Malay word meaning sheath,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3025472/cover-comeback-sarongs-and-kaftans-whats-not-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3025472/cover-comeback-sarongs-and-kaftans-whats-not-love?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 07:00:16 +0000 I have worn mostly black for decades. I like to think it’s slimming. (Please don’t burst my bubble.) It presents the appearance of someone who has her act together. (I don’t.) It’s also easy (read: lazy) and hides stains. Recent events in Hong Kong, however, have made me question my fashion choices. Heading to a store for the mundane task of buying an iron, a friend said, “Well, you’d better change.” It took me a second to real­ise she wasn’t criticising my outfit. Police and others had been... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3024481/now-black-out-what-wear-hong-kong-many-shades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3024481/now-black-out-what-wear-hong-kong-many-shades?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Aug 2019 03:45:11 +0000 New motherhood is filled with questions, but even if you’ve read all the books and taken the classes, there will always be conundrums. You are unlikely to consider, for example, how you might dress after pregnancy and breastfeeding. Of course not; you’re too busy thinking about how you’re going to keep that baby alive. Eventually, though, you will need to re-establish a sense of self in your new role, and a superficial but integral part of that is how you look. Vanity in this case can be a form... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3021737/how-dress-new-mother-and-maintain-sense-style?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3021737/how-dress-new-mother-and-maintain-sense-style?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Aug 2019 13:00:16 +0000 I thought I had my eyebrows under control. Then a friend whispered in my ear as a woman we both know approached, “Ooh, look. She’s had microblading.” Micro-what? It made me realise I haven’t upgrad­ed my brow regimen since I began having them waxed and threaded in the 1990s. More recently, I’ve resorted to plucking to avoid yet another maintenance appoint­ment, but they’re not exactly symmetrical. What constitutes a beautiful eyebrow has morphed over the decades. In the 1920s, a pencil-thin... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3020569/brow-know-how-microblading-wigs-latest-trends-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3020569/brow-know-how-microblading-wigs-latest-trends-are?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2019 06:30:26 +0000 Where do you stand on shorts? For some women, they are a summer essential. Others wear them only on holiday. Then there are the few, like me, who thought we’d buried them with the fashion faux pas of our youth. But there’s no denying shorts are in fashion for the first time in years. They were all over the spring/summer runways. So how does a woman step back into them? I won’t lie. It’s a minefield. Last year, there was the hideous bike-short trend, which unfortunately lives on at Chanel and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3018916/shorts-are-back-fashion-love-them-or-loathe-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3018916/shorts-are-back-fashion-love-them-or-loathe-them?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2019 03:30:08 +0000 Tie-dye has been all over the fashion pages since it was declared a trend for spring/summer 2018 and again this year, but I didn’t think real people would wear it until the other day. A woman walked into my doctor’s waiting room in – wait for it – a bright pink tie-dye T-shirt, leopard-print maxi skirt and chunky white “ugly” trainers. Three big trends colliding on one body. It could have worked for a camp-themed party, à la Met Gala 2019, but in real life it looked, um, bold. But what respected... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3017963/tie-dye-back-yes-really-and-time-its-not-just?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3017963/tie-dye-back-yes-really-and-time-its-not-just?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2019 21:00:11 +0000 Flip-flops are back! Or so I keep reading. Let’s get something straight: flip-flops never really went away. There wasn’t a mass dumping of Havaianas, a brand that sells about 200 million pairs a year. When the company was sold in 2017, it was valued at US$1.1 billion. Flip-flops as we know them were widely adopted in the United States for beach­wear by the 1960s, and were probably inspired by Japanese zori following World War II. The rubber thong sandals were given an onomatopoeic name,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3017031/kendall-jenner-wore-flip-flops-heels-doesnt-mean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3017031/kendall-jenner-wore-flip-flops-heels-doesnt-mean?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2019 15:00:16 +0000 When I was a child, I suggested to my stylish mother that we wear matching outfits. She explained unequivocally that it would never happen. Oh, how times have changed. Almost every designer brand now offers shrunken replicas from their ready-to-wear lines, and children are “twinning” their parents in designer fashion more than ever before. Extending her personal brand, Kim Kardashian has coordinated outfits with daughter North West for years. The children of famous people and what they wear have... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3014021/beyonce-and-kim-kardashian-might-get-away-it-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3014021/beyonce-and-kim-kardashian-might-get-away-it-their?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:00:17 +0000 Think of five men you know, ranging from young to old. Now imagine each of them in extra-short shorts. Sorry. I just had to share what I went through when I read they have been deemed the must-have shorts style for summer 2019. Prada, Jacquemus, Dries Van Noten, Tom Ford, Dior, you name a fashion house and it’s got them. Most men I know wouldn’t be caught dead in tie-dyed leather shorts, even if they were sanctioned by Louis Vuitton. So how did we get here? A few generations ago, it would have... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3013048/miniskirts-men-short-shorts-are-back-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3013048/miniskirts-men-short-shorts-are-back-not?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:30:09 +0000 I have never been inspired by photos of celebrities at airports. Not once. Yet the absurd street-style subcategory seems to be growing. Laughable gems have included Emily Ratajkowski in her crop tops, Kendall Jenner in transparent crochet, and anyone in a fur jacket so bulky it would need its own seat. Then again, these women aren’t dressing for long-haul in economy class. They’re dressing to be photographed at the airport. My vitriol may be hypo­critical. Well into the 1980s, my father would... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3011313/how-fly-style-unlike-kendall-jenner-and-emily?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3011313/how-fly-style-unlike-kendall-jenner-and-emily?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2019 13:00:10 +0000 Try as I might to be a conscien­tious consumer and avoid accumulating clothing, there are a few pieces I cannot avoid replacing every so often. Leggings, aka the much-maligned yoga pant, are one of them. In my defence, I use them for all types of exercise, and I love compression for air travel. My favourite leggings have been lovingly washed and gently air dried, had their unravelled seams restitched, and been mended after tearing on overfamiliar branches on our beautiful hiking trails. Now... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3010115/how-buy-eco-friendly-activewear-and-help-alleviate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3010115/how-buy-eco-friendly-activewear-and-help-alleviate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2019 11:00:11 +0000 As I scrolled through photos from the pink carpet at this year’s Met Gala, I was offended by the people who made a lacklustre effort to dress the part, or none at all. I’ve never been invited to the Costume Institute’s annual extravaganza, but Hong Kong has mini “Met Galas” throughout the year. There are the Diamonds and Denim school fundraisers, Under the Sea charity galas, and Nuit Blanche parties, not to mention costume commitments such as Halloween and the Rugby Sevens. I was surprised by my... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3009742/after-met-galas-mishmash-camp-and-corny-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3009742/after-met-galas-mishmash-camp-and-corny-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2019 02:00:11 +0000 At some point in the 1980s, I shunned my girlie hair clips in favour of scrunchies and wide, velvet hairbands. By the early 2000s, I had graduated to a single chopstick hold­ing up a severe bun. I persevered with the look despite the ennui of being constantly asked, “Where’s the other one?” Then, although my chopstick never did stab anyone (unfortunately), I retired all hair sticks when my baby was born. Now that hair accessories are back “in”, I’m won­dering if they might be worth... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3006486/kate-middleton-selena-gomez-celebrity-hair-accessories-are?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/3006486/kate-middleton-selena-gomez-celebrity-hair-accessories-are?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Apr 2019 03:15:10 +0000 Isn’t it interesting how the smallest things can blow up into a big deal? When French designer Simon Porte Jacquemus sent models down his autumn/winter 2019 runway pinching minuscule bags between their fingers, people who care about fashion went crazy. The bags, copies of which were first sent out as invitations to the show, measure just 5cm wide. Influencers and celebrities raced to be photographed with one. Editorials came fast and furious, headlines reading: The Rise of the Impractical Micro... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3004419/least-practical-bag-ever-made-jacquemus-micro-bag?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3004419/least-practical-bag-ever-made-jacquemus-micro-bag?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Apr 2019 10:30:07 +0000 How do you feel about a pantsuit? A quick survey of friends shows women are divided. Many balk at the idea. Sarcastic comments about Hillary Clinton are quick to follow. Others claim their thighs preclude them from wearing trousers. In contrast, friends who work in fashion are enthusiastic. When asked, one replied with a triple, “love, love, love,” while another detailed her pur­chases thus far as she moves into a second year of pantsuit investments. We are not talking about absurd micro bags or... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3002353/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-julia-roberts-how-pantsuit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3002353/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-julia-roberts-how-pantsuit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2019 00:35:07 +0000 As friends and I head towards 50, I’ve begun hearing preposterous proclamations. One friend with perfect legs announced she could no longer wear her old dresses because the above-the-knee hemline was inappropriate. Another said that women over a certain age should go blond because dark hair brings out wrinkles. So should I be following rules for older women? Many of us have been conditioned to believe that ageing should be hidden. It is known as “mutton-shaming” and comes from the expression... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3001633/fashion-over-50-are-brands-finally-discovering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/3001633/fashion-over-50-are-brands-finally-discovering?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2019 06:15:09 +0000 Collagen has long been part of the white noise of cosmetics marketing for me. However, the buzz has become so loud I had to see what all the fuss was about. The most abundant protein in the human body’s connective and conjunctive tissues, collagen is the scaffolding for our skin, joints, muscles, tendons, bones, teeth, nails and hair. With age and environmental factors, collagen production decreases and natural enzymes break it down. Our skin loses elasticity, wrinkles appear and sagging begins... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2187847/michelle-obama-sandra-bullock-swear-it-collagen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2187847/michelle-obama-sandra-bullock-swear-it-collagen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Mar 2019 01:15:37 +0000 Sofia Suarez Sofia Suarez Let’s talk about pink. No, seriously. I know that waxing lyrical about a colour, especially this one, appears to only illustrate the frivolousness of fashion. It calls to mind the famous “Think Pink” number in the 1957 film Funny Face; Marilyn Monroe; and then Madonna’s imitation of her; and, of course, Barbie – all rather antiquated visions of femininity. Yet, in a world of women encouraging each other to “lean in” and the #MeToo movement, pink has arguably never been more popular. How did that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2186912/masculine-millennial-pussyhats-how-colour-pink?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2186912/masculine-millennial-pussyhats-how-colour-pink?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Feb 2019 22:00:20 +0000 My Holy Grail of knitwear is the perfect cardigan – not eye-wateringly expensive, but slim cut and a good shade of black. I recently thought my decade-long search across three continents had finally ended. There it was at a chic French boutique in Central at the bargain price of HK$890 (US$114). It wasn’t long, though, before black clouds began appearing, floating onto tables, white sofas and even other people’s plates. Where had I gone wrong? In the pursuit of luxury, I’d been focused on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2184112/how-buy-cashmere-guide-luxury-knitwear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2184112/how-buy-cashmere-guide-luxury-knitwear?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Jan 2019 19:15:15 +0000 Heels. Why do we put ourselves through the pain? I’ll tell you why: longer, slimmer legs. Now that awards season is upon us, or upon the celebrities who face the next few months teetering on vertigi­nous footwear, Hollywood stylists have come up with a solution involving cannabis. No, no. They’re not adding bleary eyes and a case of the munchies to the look. It’s all about the beauty world’s new favourite ingredient: CBD oil. CBD, which stands for cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2182343/why-cannabis-extract-cbd-oil-taking-beauty-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2182343/why-cannabis-extract-cbd-oil-taking-beauty-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Jan 2019 01:00:30 +0000 I love the new inspiration that a change in season brings, whether it’s in the shops or, as I’ve recently resolved, in my wardrobe. I’m all for trying spring/summer 2019’s head-to-toe beige trend. A new approach to suiting sounds like a good idea. Feathers? Can’t wait! I’m even game for attempting to pull off yellow. But bike shorts? Seriously? If you ask influential designers, Instagramers and celebrities, you’ll receive a resounding yes. In 2018, we saw cycling inspiration spinning around... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2181645/kim-kardashian-or-karl-lagerfeld-who-responsible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2181645/kim-kardashian-or-karl-lagerfeld-who-responsible?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jan 2019 00:30:15 +0000 New Year’s resolutions.Let’s be honest, these are just insincere attempts to assuage guilt over the excesses of the holiday season. By the Lunar New Year, they will have been forgotten and the consumption will begin again – after all, we all need a cute new red outfit, don’t we? Well, I’m considering a detox of a different sort: giving up fast fashion. I love the thrill of a cheap, fabulous find, however, excess has been weighing on my mind, especially after the October release of the United... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2180485/how-fast-fashion-boycott-could-help-save-world-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/fashion/article/2180485/how-fast-fashion-boycott-could-help-save-world-and?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jan 2019 00:15:30 +0000 I love the sexy mesh bikini I saw Kendall Jenner wearing on a magazine cover. Where can I get one? Strapped for Flash, Soho The Dictator rules: Just so we're clear: wearing one will not attract your very own Christian Grey, only weirdos, on Big Wave Bay. However, harnesses, extra straps and bondage styling seem to be on trend in swimwear. Ms Jenner's white tulle triangle bikini is by Brazilian designer Adriana Degreas (HK$1,953; www.fwrd.com). For those who didn't see the May issue of GQ... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1844750/style-diktats-carwash-skirts-and-swimwear-touch-kinky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1844750/style-diktats-carwash-skirts-and-swimwear-touch-kinky?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Aug 2015 14:29:53 +0000 Where do stars like Rihanna get those one-piece necklace belt-chain-harness thingies? When I googled "chain belt harness" I was led to equipment for construction workers! Help me. Chain Gang, Sheung Wan The Dictator rules: Ah, yes, the other celebrity who springs to mind is Miley Cyrus, who makes lots of tasteful decisions. I will answer this question out of duty, however, let it be known that I do not condone hoochie mama styling. The key words for your search are: body chain. Nastygal.com... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1810060/where-hong-kong-can-i-buy-rihanna-style-body-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1810060/where-hong-kong-can-i-buy-rihanna-style-body-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2015 14:39:44 +0000 I keep hearing about a new shoe brand called Buscemi. At first I thought it might be related to the actor from Boardwalk Empire since the show has some great shoes, but Google tells me that's not so. Are they in Hong Kong? Mr Dandy: You may not have heard of Jon Buscemi, but if you care about what you wear, you've probably bought something he created. The Los Angeles-based, New York-born designer has worked with Oliver Peoples, DC Shoes, Gourmet (the footwear brand) and the revamped Lotto. He... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1787465/style-maestros-wrangle-denim-jackets-buscemi-trainers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1787465/style-maestros-wrangle-denim-jackets-buscemi-trainers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2015 14:13:10 +0000 I feel like I'm missing out on the latest and greatest bathroom products, but I just don't like shopping. A friend told me there's a service that sends you men's toiletries every month. Does that extend to Hong Kong? Mr Dapper: Yes, I believe they're www.parknshop.com and www.wellcome.com.hk. I jest, but only slightly. Both supermarkets carry Gillette shaving products and keep me steadily stocked with shaving basics. But let's be honest, it's really my wife who, despite her own professional,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1778562/lowdown-stretch-suits-and-travel-suits-dandy-dapper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1778562/lowdown-stretch-suits-and-travel-suits-dandy-dapper?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 May 2015 14:32:53 +0000 I love looking at fashion blogs, and probably spend too much time on them at work, but most bloggers are twenty- or thirty-something! Are there any inspiring blogs for older women? Mature Matters, Jardine's Lookout The Dictator rules: Women can be attractive over 25 (or 50 or 75)? Don't be ridiculous. We should see only images of nubile, impossibly perfect girls. Just kidding. The most stylish woman I know is 75 years old. It's absurd that older beauty is so rarely represented in fashion.... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1766912/fashion-blogs-fabulously-40-and-slide-sandals-hot-or-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1766912/fashion-blogs-fabulously-40-and-slide-sandals-hot-or-not?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2015 14:00:00 +0000 I heard there's a thing called "tech neck". I'm always on my devices, so if I don't have it yet, I'm sure I will soon. Help! I've been so good about treating my face to potions and lotions. What should I be doing to avoid tech neck? Neck Out, Central The Dictator rules: Sit up straight and listen. No, seriously. Sceptical as we are, we see this "tech neck" thing as part marketing ploy, part fact. The idea is that we are all craning our necks, which supposedly have particularly delicate skin, to... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1760145/how-get-rid-camel-toe-and-tech-neck?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1760145/how-get-rid-camel-toe-and-tech-neck?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2015 11:26:43 +0000 Where can I get a butt facial? Behind the Times, Sheung Wan The Dictator rules: Wow. You just came right out and asked that. The top spas we contacted balked at the idea, hastening to add that it would be against their policy (and licensing terms) to provide any treatments directly on the bottom or the bust. However, we do have it on good authority that facial treatments for the derriere were popular in the United States last year. From what we've read, it basically involves massage,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1753411/dictator-gets-bottom-butt-facial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/article/1753411/dictator-gets-bottom-butt-facial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2015 14:01:48 +0000