Chinese Vest

Oriental vibes in tropics.

Let me start this story with an acknowledgement that this qipao, in more simple words - dress in Chinese style, spent some good time, like a year or two, inside my wardrobe before I did finalize the way how to use it in more modern, European-much terms. No, not like that. I mean I found out I could use this qipao as a vest by simply throwing it over a shirt or a turtleneck a good number of months ago. And I did apply it few times this very way, of course with a pair of jeans as a bottom part, while out and about around the city. But still something was disturbing me within those outfits of mine. They all were too casual... You know, I find it pretty typical of me to have a category of pieces that spend more time within my wardrobe rather than outside it. Hope you got my point here.

I mean there are these items, fortunately in my case they make up a small percentage of total... so there are these items that are not used often. Better say, that are used quite rarely. Such pieces tend to be quite statement ones due to color, print, embroidery and even overall style, like in the case with this Chinese dress. It was like 345th time I was looking through Gucci's Autumn/Winter collection on Vogue Runway (for one of those seasonal Trend Reports) when the idea of today's outfit came to my mind. Okay, in my opinion Alessandro Michele is one of best creative directors these very days who is able to turn this fashion oddness into something interesting. Something one really likes to examine head to toes (his references to the Tenenbaums and Wes Anderson's works in Gucci's A/W 2015 collection made me go and dive deep in creations of this film director).

So I was looking through those visuals from runway show on Vogue Runway, there was an all black pant suit look followed by a dress inspired by Chinese qipao... and that was it... a moment when modern uniform merged with Chinese vibes. And you know one of my favorite uniform-like formulas - white shirt and black pants. As simple as that. As it turns out now, right? By the way, ladies, a little advice regarding these pants that I got from Light in the Box (as I really feel like sharing it). If you are about to add these #LitB piece to your seasonal arsenal, then I highly recommend you to go a size or two up for a more loose (non-leggings) look. Fortunately, I was lacking a piece of black lounge wear pants while couching and watching a new episode of Grey's Anatomy and so...