I posted on the forum several months ago that I'd be in Hong Kong for 4 months. I got back a few weeks ago and thought it'd be fun to share a few thoughts about shopping in HK.

First off, you were all right, the shopping is amazing. And ubiquitous! Much of HK's social life is built around malls (maybe because they are a cheap source of AC in HK's sweltering summer?). You shop, you dine (both casual and fine), you meet friends, you do your homework, you take your kids to ice skating lessons, you buy groceries ... they're not unlike a community center! The variety and ubiquity was just amazing; 3 days after I returned, I found myself walking around Seattle's downtown shopping corridor and wondering why I was bored; the variety of stores and styles just couldn't match HK's.

As a study abroad student, I didn't really have time to buy much. I purchased a few basics (eg, white jeans, navy pullover), an experimental-to-me piece (an orange belt; the experiment seems to be failing), a bespoke white button-down shirt, and the 3 items below.

The fit on this white cutout sweater isn't 100%; you can see how it pulls across my bust (aka my Asian-shopping bane! I loathe being a C-cup in Asia; it makes me feel so immodest). However, wearing it makes me think of my 4 months in HK, so it's staying in my closet despite the fit. I'm pairing it here with black skinnies and a turtleneck.

The other photo is of a breezy tanktop-y tunic I bought from the Uniqlo + Orly Kiely collaboration. I actually set a goal not to buy knits this year, but the weather started getting really really really hot and sticky, and my US-brought t-shirts were too thick or too confining. I love the print, but I'm not sure it's a keeper: I'm trying to move away from knits, and furthermore I hate baring my shoulders (hence the cardigan that I also ended up buying when I realized I was choosing to sweat rather than wear climate-appropriate clothing!).

I didn't take any photos of my bespoke button-down; it's just a plain white shirt, after all! But if folks are interested I can write a separate post about my experiences with tailoring in HK (both bespoke and alterations).

Edited to add: forgot to mention the most important piece of all! After 5 years of searching, my husband and I finally found a pair of wedding bands that suited his taste and fit my tiny finger.