Pre-transnationalism in dress, a methodology: The unique example of Hong Kong’s expatriate western women, 1960–1997

This paper seeks to outline ways in which the topic of transnationalism can be thoroughly explored by other researchers using as an example, research on the Hong Kong fashion system and especially the experience of expatriate Western women in using dress as a means of manifesting identities in the early period of transnationalisn and the period immediately preceding it. Issues of fashion leadership and hegemony are discussed, and particularly expatriate minority dress, together with: the appropriation of regional dress; binge shopping’; and women’s tailoring, all contributing to fashion in one of Asia’s world cities.