NOV 29 — It is that time of the year when I look like a church mouse. I am still pretty new to this dressing for the four seasons business, you see, and cannot comprehend the need to have five sweaters, four coats (day/night/casual/work/formal) and countless scarves — or how some folks here manage to pile on heavy winter coats, scarves and boots at 18°C.
Hong Kong is London’s Far East counterpart in the high-fashion stakes. How we love to dress up here.
It could be 28°C and we’d still pull on our knee-high boots (I say “our” here in the spirit of loving my present home country). It is little wonder then how the term “Hiong Kiong kiok” (Hong Kong feet) was coined. This condition usually refers to athlete’s foot but is more often used to describe smelly feet.
I got through last year’s cold season with one sweater on top of a long-sleeved T-shirt and a vest. No coat or jacket because it wasn’t cold enough.
My skint wardrobe was cultivated from studying former colleagues in London; some of whom, like clockwork, would wear the same yellow shirt every Monday, blue shirt on Tuesday and so forth, women included.
This left me to conclude that they had no issue working with a limited work wardrobe, preferring instead to focus on the job before them rather than the fashion statement they were (not) making.
Sometimes I envy the colours, textures and styles my present neighbours revel in. Until recently I was truly mystified by how they managed to stuff so many clothes into their tiny apartments when my lean collection was already busting out of the cupboard.
Then I discovered how they did it. The first option involves placing bulky clothes like sweaters into a special clear plastic bag attached to the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner. When the machine is activated it will suck the air out of the bag, leaving you with a package one-third the size of the original. Cool, huh?
I stumbled upon the second method while apartment-hunting one day. We walked into a bedroom which had nothing but stainless steel vertical poles bolted into the floor and ceiling.
Interesting neighbours, I thought to myself. Then it hit me — these were not props for pole dancing but supports for a walk-in wardrobe. Ah!
I’ve just read that this year’s winter is Hong Kong’s coldest in a while — so there is hope yet for proper winter wear.
A Hong Konger friend who had lived in Singapore for two years once told me she would never again live in a country with warm weather all year round. She found it depressing battling the heat and humidity every day, with no cool respite in sight.
I secretly think she loves the idea of a seasonal wardrobe. I totally get that. Who wouldn’t love to hide under piles of clothes when the bulges start to show, especially during the holiday season? Or like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, flaunt a toned figure after months of hiding under bulky sweaters?
Meanwhile, with only two weeks to go before I leave sunny Malaysia, I am wearing as many light, airy clothes as I can before placing them in a cardboard box.
My heavy wool coat is crying to be set free but until the thermostat hits 11°C it will have to remain in its vacuum-packed bag. For now, a grotty, moth-ball infused sweater is all I’m packing.
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