Shanghai Fashion: The Anklet Craze

Anything goes in this town where fashion is concerned. Plaids and stripes of entirely different colors and stripes and florals are common. As are people cruising around in their PJs at all hours of the day, which I've remarked on before.

The anklet sock and the anklet stocking are popular with people of all ages. The secretary in our office frequently sports the things with her increasingly short skirts and frightening ensembles. It's on the list of things to deal with.

I came across a seminar offered to Chinese working in foreign offices and I was momentarily tempted. I believe it covered dress code and personal hygiene, spitting in the office, table manners and other inappropriate work behavior. I just find it so patronizing I can't bring myself to sign the office up. Most need it. I have two female colleagues who toe the line well. Our senior Chinese male is definitely a candidate. He has the long pinkie nail used for picking ears and nose and hacks and spits in the trash can in his office which being next to my office is incredibly offensive. He doesn't change his clothes often enough and showers even less. This would be a much bigger problem if he actually stood out from the rest of the male Chinese population.

Rather than deal with the situation, I go shopping. I look for better clothes at a substantial discount in small sizes and show up at the office with gifts in hopes people will get the message. Problem avoidance. I'm working on the secretary now. In her case, it is bad enough that I will have to follow the gifts up with a discussion on the merits of a 11" white denim layered mini skirt, sleeveless tank with bushy armpit hair sticking out and heels and anklets.

I struggle with fashion appropriateness myself so I can sympathize. I have begun transferring my age inappropriate attire to a 20-something colleague in the office to reduce the chance that I'll pull it out again in a moment of weakness. It is difficult to dictate female fashion in all circumstances, but I have to give it a shot so I have a few less things in life to complain about.