The five fashion capitals of the world have traditionally been Paris, Milan, Tokyo, London, and New York. These five cities are known for being the trailblazers in the global fashion circles. Shanghai is an up-and-coming city whose fashion is becoming better recognized each year. In the United States, in addition to New York, Los Angeles is another growing center for fashion. Having lived in both the United States and Shanghai, I have seen both similarities and differences in the fashion of both places.
One of the fundamental color analysis rules is that the color of one’s dress should be dependent on the color of one’s skin and hair, the race of the people plays a big part in the fashion of the region. Therefore, since most Shanghainese are fair skinned with dark hair, according to color analysis they should wear white, black, or grey colored clothing as it is naturally easier on the eyes. Thus, Shanghainese fashion focuses on these three colors. In the US, where there is a much more homogenous mix of races, the local fashion involves many more colors. A Caucasian with Light hair and blue eyes, for example, is more suited to wearing warmer colors such as orange or yellow. From this it can be seen that American fashion involves a larger variety of colors.
During the winter in the northeastern United States, men and women can be seen dressing in turtlenecks which are both practical and fashionable. Turtlenecks protect one’s neck and prevent catching colds. They are a nice alternative to scarves, which are easily lost and often unwieldy. Scarves are still the neck protector of choice for females. On their heads, men and women have both been trending towards replacing hats with popular winter headbands, which look trendy due to being able to expose one’s hairdo while protecting the forehead from cold. A well developed ski tourism industry in the states of Colorado, Vermont, and California has created an entire ski fashion market. Ski jackets from the company The North Face are especially popular, as they are both attractive and waterproof and thus a necessity on the ski slopes.
Winter in Shanghai has men and women flocking to the stores to purchase the latest black or white fluffy goose-down jackets, which make men look endearing as if they were a ball of cotton candy and make women look as cute as freshly trimmed French poodles. Wool scarves and cashmere sweaters imported from Mongolia also make a perennial appearance on both men and women as well, again usually in shades of white or black. Shanghai is known for its cold and wet winters, and due to the fact that many families choose not to turn on their heat in the winter, they can be seen bundled in their down jackets and wool hats indoors as well as outdoors.
When the weather warms up in the summer, the heavy clothes and boots come off and are replaced with t-shirts and sandals. Both in the US and Shanghai, sandals and flip flops are popular summer footwear for males and females. As Shanghai has been transitioning into a city with more liberal attitudes towards fashion, each year the women in Shanghai are learning from their Western counterparts and showing off their legs with shorter shorts and mini-skirts. Other clear signs are the increasingly popular colorful designer labels bags (fake or real) such as Louis Vuitton, Oscar De La Renta, and Lanvin. A major difference between western and eastern women’s fashion is the eastern woman’s love for accessories, including chains, jewelry, miniature dolls, and stickers on cell phones, bags, coin purses, backpacks, jackets, mittens, and even belts. In a trend that originated in the American fashion shows, large, bold belts have hit the Shanghainese fashion scene recently. This new trend is all about purposely having a belt that contrasts with rather than matches the rest of the attire. This can be evidenced by the large number of Shanghainese women dressing in belts with animal patterns or snake skin, often over a plain black or white dress. Finally, a trend that hasn’t yet reached Shanghai yet but is currently popular in America is the wearing of large pieces of jewelry. Black American males, for example, often are seen wearing large gold or silver chains, and large earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are a current fad among women.
Shanghai’s fashion is clearly greatly influenced by American and European fashion. Despite this, Shanghai still has its own distinct flavor due to the fact that the people are different, both in appearance and culture as well. Because of this, I believe Shanghai will continue to develop its fashion, continuing to borrow ideas from western fashion circles, but never completely assimilating, and ultimately will establish a style all on it’s own.
