Orient yourself!

Indulge yourself this summer with styles inspired by the Far East – with a touch of Western flavor. Think yin and yang, soft and hard, deconstructed fabric with embroidery, a more global look as East meets West. Forget about costume-like pieces; instead, combine a cheongsam purchased in Chinatown with your latest low-rise jeans, or wrap an obi sash around a classic white shirt. Better yet, party hard wearing a mini-skirt, tank top and this season’s must-have kimono! For more formal occasions, go for floor-length lotus-embroidered dress with Mandarin collar or big calligraphy prints on a wrap dress for dramatic accent.

From John Galliano’s Spring 2003 Couture Show featuring models wearing huge hand-painted kimonos and Tibetan-lined furs and bamboo hats; Roberto Cavalli’s body-hugging and ultra short Mandarin collared dresses; Shanghai Tang’s colorful Oriental designs; to Shibuya’s ganguro (which in Chinese means "black face") girls, everyone seems to be inspired by the colorful, intricate and fun side of the Orient.

Mix and match last season’s pieces and update them with Oriental details. Accessorize with bamboo handlebags, embroidered obi or a jade necklace to complete your look.

Run to your nearest Freeway shop to avail yourself of the pieces shown on this spread and take a cue from actress, host and Freeway image model, G Tongi.

For your suggestions and inquiries, e-mail me at: jenniepperson@hotmail.com