Only in China

I went on a shopping trip to Shenzhen with some friends this week and in one little shop I was sitting across from this gorgeous Chinese girl. She had so much natural style and although she was wearing jeans and flats and a simple shirt, there was just something really cool and refined about her. After secretly staring for a bit I thought it was possibly her striking watch that made her outfit so cool. 

I said to her I love your style and I really love your watch ...  and within seconds she had taken it off and told me it was fake and she had bought it at such and such shop on the 3rd floor, and would I like to try it on? 

Only in China.

Friday April 24 2015 in Hong Kong

Another blue-sky day in Admiralty, Hong Kong

I did some window shopping and the Miu Miu window stopped me in my tracks - wonderfully weird with the alien-like mannequin dressed in a sweet collar, crazy skirt and perspex heeled lace-up boots.

The afternoon continued with a fashion-inspired tea set at Cafe Gray, at the Upper House hotel

Harpers Bazaar: Joan Juliet Buck on dressing your age

some of the issues of Paris Vogue under the leadership of Joan Juliet Buck - models used to have visible pores in those days, i.e. they were sort of human

and my all time favorite issue as well with the superhumanly beautiful Brooke Shields

Joan's issues always showed Paris in the most glamorous light - here with the lovely model Beth Ruppert

If you ever read US Harper's Bazaar you are undoubtedly familiar with their Fabulous At Every Age features. They often seem to be a vehicle to appease advertisers, put together half-heartedly by someone is not likely even 22. But still, I like that they show a lot of fun clothes and accessories which is why I want to read a fashion magazine in the first place. This month (May 2015), however, they have hit the nail on the head with regard to dressing and aging. In Coming of Age Joan Juliet Buck, formerly editor-in-chief of Paris Vogue, talks about her own Hall of Fame style and what has had to change now that she is older.

GREAT STYLE IS TIMELESS - UNTIL IT ISN'T  is the stoically accurate opening line of Joan's essay which continues with a personal list of aging no-no's:  necklaces, black jackets, shoulder pads, any earrings, printed scarves, red lipstick, smoky sexy eye make-up, visibly uncomfortable high heels. She has also put away her amber bead necklace:  my amber beads from pre-perestroika Moscow, which used to be a river of golden light, make me look like I teach poetry part-time while attempting a second career in hand-thrown pots. If you haven't got the issue, make sure you get it - it's a good one.

On Wednesday night I attended a trend talk by Noni Ware, a fashionable friend with many years of experience working for British magazines, and her take on dressing one's age was enlightening. She says women should force themselves to try new shapes and styles, not necessarily to keep up with trends but to stay informed, and not give up on new ideas in fashion, one of the great joys of our lives. I loved her advice because the worst thing for a woman over 40 is to resort to classics only - tie an Hermès scarf around your neck and you will soon qualify for a senior citizen's discount wherever you go. For more advice from Noni or for a personal shopping consultation, go to her website www.oenoneware.com or contact her HERE.

JDCamicetta welcomes the lovely Amanda to Hong Kong this weekend

Named after our whip-smart lawyer friend with legs longer than Claudia Schiffer - I have thrown on a JDCamicetta Amanda shirtdress this morning. With Céline sandals. 

Find JDCamicetta on Facebook.

Reading Porter magazine this morning

and totally mesmerized by this beautiful photo of Lauren Hutton in a khaki jacket

How to change your interior when everything you own is colorful?

This room is never going to be neutral

I suppose a bit of silver polish would be a good start

The white light from the window is not a filter or a trick - it is genuine authentic Peak fog

Sorry I do not have any answers to the question in the title. I am really asking. I have mostly very colorful art, and two purple chairs as well. I suppose I could change the flowers and the pillows, and possibly recover the purple chairs. Just feeling like I need a change but I live in a rental house so I am stuck with the floors and walls. Any advice?

Dreaming of Valentino with a broken Amex card

I have loved and loved Rockstuds all over this blog (until the cows came home) and I thought at one point I would never love any accessories better ever. And then the lovely Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli came up with this gorgeous printed leather.  S W O O N .

Not likely I will be buying any of it soon because my Amex is not working. I mentioned it once to my husband, then it didn't work again, but I thought if I keep asking he may investigate why it's not working and that is not ideal either...

God, I just sounded like a 1950s housewife. Then again, I sometimes wonder how far we have really honestly come since those days. As long as women are the ones having the babies...

Feel free to send me angry comments if you like. That would be far preferable to the Ukrainian spam robots that have been hitting my site with a vengeance.

Another trip to Uniqlo - check out their +J collection

Chloé bag (old)

Zara skirt (or shall I call it vintage?)

Uniqlo +J shirt (in stores now)

Sandra d'Auriol necklace (old)

Isabel Marant sandals (2 years old)

After my last trip to Uniqlo I googled Inès de la Fressange to find pictures of the entire collection she did with the Japanese company. I came across a video in which Inès says white shirts are a tiny beet boriing, and we are better off buying a light blue shirt instead. I thought, yes maybe she is right. Anyway, I went back to Uniqlo again yesterday to have another look at Inès' clothes (sans husband and kids this time) and they are basically all gone - barely anything left really. All I can say is I hope she does another collection for Fall, because what I saw I loved. Taking over part of her racks were white, black and navy shirts from Uniqlo's +J collection, and the white shirts, well, they weren't so boring actually. Before last week I had not been at Uniqlo in years - now I will probably be back there every other day.

Stop what you are doing and take a moment to look around

It was quite cool on the shady side in Causeway Bay this morning but then I suddenly felt the warmth of the sun - as I looked up I noticed this cheerfully painted building above me. Never once did I notice that before.

Yeah I know I know

It is spring time in Hong Kong!!!  C'est Super! On this gorgeous sunny day I have not been able to stop singing THIS fab new song by President Street. A new season, a new tune, now I think all I need is a new handbag...

T-shirt by Seed Teen (in stores now)

Jeans by Zara (in stores now)

Jacket by Tory Burch  (similar HERE)

Boots by Chloé (in stores now)

Estnation at Roppongi Hills, Tokyo

Estnation, a beautiful boutique/mini-department store at the Roppongi Hills shopping mall

Modern lines at Roppongi Hills

Beauty products at Estnation

I am not entirely sure why I took such an instant instinctive liking to Tokyo. There were obvious things I love like the very glam fashion and beauty stores. Although many of the shops sold quite basic classic clothes, so much attention had been paid to the displays and the store interiors that everything looked fresh and somehow very Japanese - even though most of the brands sold in shops I visited were American and French. Now I understand why Uniqlo picked Ines de la Fressange for a collaboration, because the Japanese seem to love that sober French navy, grey and white look.

I also think I loved the order of all things Tokyo. The tidy queues, the rules obeyed perfectly, the no-smoking-on-the-street signs, the incredibly clean metro system. This is so obviously not South East Asia, where I tend to spend more time because of its proximity to Hong Kong - Tokyo is much more like Holland or Germany, where often convention is not seen as weakness but as a strength to build a successful society. Maybe Tokyo simply reminds me of home and the values I have grown up with. 

In any event, I am already plotting a return - I am thinking a girls shopping trip is in order. Husbands can put a damper on such things ♥

Third impression of Tokyo: I never want to go home

Fallen cherry blossoms cover the ground of Shinjuku Park like an early dusting of snow

Tokyo's vastness seen from the 45th floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

The sweetest mini bouquets at Tomorrowland near Shibuyu

Akihabara section of Tokyo

Ginza - the Madison Avenue of Tokyo

Cartoon character figurines for grown-ups

Can't remember the name of this shrine near Shinjuku

This is the only Japanese fashion I have seen so far. Many international chains, and a lot of utilitarian American clothes like Carhartt. This was a shop in Ginza and I think it was called Comme Ça Style.

Second impression of Tokyo - nothing but sweetness and light

Marni sandals at Tomorrowland in Tokyo

First impressions of Tokyo

Shibuyu

Harajuku

Fashion section of the newspaper

The National Museum

Black suits and trench coats in the underground

I am overwhelmed after only one day in Tokyo but in a very good way. It is (for lack of a more sophisticated word) amazing. Absolutely amazing.

Easter Sunday 2015 in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong - lunch and some Ines de la Fressange

We crossed the road near the Sogo department store and for a moment I saw my whole life flash before me. A shy Dutch girl from a provincial part of Holland crossing the road with a thousand Chinese people in Causeway Bay. I am not exactly shy anymore and I have shaken off provincial southern Holland. Yet, do you ever think what your life had been like if you had made different decisions, or if different decisions had been made for you? 

When I was 17 I was hopelessly attached to a useless boyfriend and my whole life was about that relationship. Had he not broken up with me my life could have been so horrible - or maybe I would have been happily bored, it's hard to say really. But today on this perfect Spring day, he too flashed before me as I crossed those yellow zebra stripes, and I thought thank goodness for the useless boyfriend's decision because that decision was one of among others that set in motion the life which led to today, Easter Sunday 2015 in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

The old and new collide in Causeway Bay

Paradise Dynasty Restaurant

Lettuce rolls for Easter lunch

And some dumplings too

Late afternoon at the scenic overlook on Stubbs Road

The restaurant happened to be right above a Uniqlo shop. I was super excited to see the Ines de la Fressange collection there which is a perfect mix of French and Japanese style. Brilliant really, my favorite design collaboration by far. Good quality fabrics and easy to wear classic shapes - the clothes are tiny, however, so I bought a size L for my jacket and T-shirt. XL available as well.

Grey blue jacket - it is unlined linen, a perfectly classic layer over a T-shirt in summer.

Happy Easter from the walking trails above Pokfulam

Happy Easter everyone!

I feel like I am living in black and white today

Linen T-shirt by Isabel Marant

Leather skirt by Carven

Black and white jacket by Marc Jacobs

Black and white shoes by Jason Wu

So horribly grey and foggy on the Peak in Hong Kong. I hear it is sunny and hot in Repulse Bay. But since I didn't leave the Peak today, I am feeling pretty grey. The Marc Jacobs jacket is about 10 years old. I got it at the then recently opened Marc Jacobs Collection store on Mount Street in London. His collection clothes are exquisitely made - after all these years this jacket is still perfect. I also love THIS jacket from Marc's Spring collection.

Marni sparkly sandals on another foggy day at the Peak, Hong Kong

Marni sandals at the pool - shame about the eternal Peak fog

PS: 3rd post with shoes in a row - I should call this blog I LOVE SHOES

My incredibly well dressed friend Melbourne Fashion Girl said yesterday that she thought quite a bit of this season's fashion is hard to wear and I very much agree. Maybe that's why I can only get excited about shoes lately.