I love clothes, but I never think twice about how I dress in the States. People are dumpy and anything goes... How do most people dress in HK? I had the movers here today and I was thinking about what to bring. I am mostly going to be a stay at home mother/freelance writer, but I may also do a bit of merchandising work (at some point)with some friends in the apparel business. I am in New England, where I am already wearing a heavy coat and gloves. I suppose I will not need all of my woolens.

I typically wear jeans and flats with fitted t-shirts and lots of beads. I also have a couple of tattoos. My husband will be Managing Director when we come to Asia, so I am wondering if I should try to be a bit less casual? I feel so silly even asking this type of question. I can be a wild dresser and have toned it down considerably since having kids and such. Should I wear suits to my children's school interviews next week? In the summer, do women cover up? Are dresses worn a lot? What about as women age? Are the rules different for mothers? Are expats shlumpier than local women?
Do women typically wear makeup and heels or jeans and tshirts?

What about for men? Will my husband dress the same for business as in Boston?

[BenderBends]

i moved here after 7 years in Boston....god i hated that city !!!

anyways.... the fashion here is varied here just like back home in states.

You have groups of people wearing funky 80's
You have some wearing white trash "trendy" clothes (I HATE TRUCKER CAPS!!!!)
You got lots of business suits, dresses
theres some grungy people
you got the typical chigger wear (chinese hip-hop)
theres some sporting the poor villager look (oddly mismatched colors and poor fabrics / patterns)
a few "wannabe movie star" looks (gots to love the wife beater and suit jacket)


and some other ones too im forgetting at the moment...Age does not seem to effect the style....as they mix and match from day to day

i typically wear flip-flops, jeans, and a t-shirt, sometimes a button down / collared shirt.

[freeier]

abit of overdressing wouldn't hurt in hk, both in the formality sense and in the temperature sense 8-P

[BenderBends]

Originally Posted by freeier

abit of overdressing wouldn't hurt in hk, both in the formality sense and in the temperature sense 8-P

me or inprov?

i dress nice when needed...but for my job, we dont need to play dress up. plus im boss.

and weather here is soooooo damn hot 80% of the year that when i am running aorund HK and to china factories....id be better off wearing a bathing suit to compliment all that sweat dripping

[freeier]

u were not asking right. 8-)
referring more to the ladies i suppose.

[Expatriate]

Anything goes.

With a few exceptions:
In office suit & tie for the men (and, of course, shirts and shoes) and don't forget the 1/4 arm undershirt

In theater it starts at smart casual and goes up to the tux

Some bars have dress codes.


Most of the ladies run around in pyjamas and flip-flops. But most of the ladies are older Chinese.


If you don't understand the language, it doesn't really matter what the people talk about - your dress, your skin, your weight, your height or your hair.

[Expatriate]

Originally Posted by inprov

I am in New England, where I am already wearing a heavy coat and gloves.

There is no law against doing that here too.

It's a free city.

[BenderBends]

i think i would collapse if i was wearing a coat and gloves

[freeier]

u'd see some of them popping up in hk soon.

[barleycorn]

Basic good taste never goes out of style. A pair of black pants/slacks, a light-weight shirt/blouse, sensible shoes/sneakers, carry a back-pack and small umbrella on rainy days and you're set to go.