Tips to tantalize

Tips for men

A general rule for acquiring a successful look is to wear a pair of well-pressed or ironed trousers and a sports shirt.

Add to these basics a fashionable blazer, leather jacket or simple sports coat.

And don't forget about the shoes or boots (be sure to always keep them polished), a new belt and watch. Accessories do make a huge difference.

Try to stay away from wearing a tie. You want to stay loose and approachable ? not look uptight or snobby.

Also avoid jeans, T-shirts and trainers if you want to make a good impression.

Tips for women

Be simple: Avoid complex trimmings, complicated styles. Let your dress be so simple that a child could understand it.

Be sensible: Don't follow the latest fad just because it is in at the moment. Fashion slavery is a sign of a crowd-serving, worldly heart.

Be comfortable. Only wear high heels if you can walk gracefully in them.

Clothes

Milliontex-Z

This is a specialized boutique for men's suits. For the time being, discounts of 30 to 50 per cent are available for a selection of shirts and polo shirts. Custom-made service is also available.

Hours: 9 am to 9 pm

Location: Unit 109-110, 1/F of Kerry Mall, Kerry Centre, 1 Guanghualu, Chaoyang District

Tel: 8529-9442

Ethnic style

Buyi qingshang, which means clothes made of pure cotton, is a small shop specializing in primitive ornaments made of cotton and linen.

Here you'll find a sponge-packed fish-shape key ring, sofa cushions of various designs, pillowcases, table cloths, cotton blankets and purses. They are all handmade and dyed with natural dyes made from vegetable and fruit juice.

You'll also find grey shirts made of Nepalese cloth with dark blue and brown strips, another possible choice for Halloween.

Location: 3/F, Beijing International Hi-tech Convention and Exhibition Centre, 48 Xisanhuan Lu, Haidian District

Hours: 10 am to 10 pm Tel: 6216-1655

Perfume

Perfume is a compulsory partner. To smell good is a matter of elegance and refinement. But not only that. Traditionally perfume was looked upon as a magical love potion.

There are some rules concerning the composition of perfume and when it should be worn. In the morning and at noon use green, floral perfumes, fresh and light. In the afternoon use fruit, floral, lightly amber perfumes. For evening choose oriental, "heavy," complicated perfumes, with a big quantity of amber and musk.

Small tip: Searching for perfumes

It is best to buy a perfume in the morning, when your senses are a lot sharper. In order to have a lot of choice, it is preferable to go to a specialist store.

Don't wear any perfume.

Don't let yourself be fooled by the latest fashion and do not smell perfumes from pieces of carton; the smell is deformed.

Don't try more than three perfumes.

Get out of the store, come back in 30 minutes and apply one of the previous three perfumes on your wrist; not on your neck or behind your ears. If you don't like it you will have to withstand it for the rest of the day

Don't buy it on the same day; try it for several days.

One more piece of advice: don't try perfumes after you've eaten, during menstruation or when you are stressed.

Leather

Stylish leather

Pictured (right) is Liu Zaiping's Leather Ware shop, which carries a wide selection of leather ware designed and handmade by Liu himself, unique and stylish.

Hours: 9 am to 9 pm

Location: Liu Zaiping Leatherware Shop, NB112, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Lovely leather

Originally located in Sanlitun clothing street, Loverly Leather carries handmade leather ware like satchels, purses, sandals, belts and necklaces. Trendy but with a price tag to match: satchels sell at 300 yuan (US$36) up.

Discounts of up to 20 per cent are available - so don't be afraid to ask! Custom-made service is also available. It usually takes about three days to get a custom-made piece.

Hours: 9 am-9 pm

Location: Lovely Leather, 1/F Longfu Dasha, Longfusi Pedestrian Street, Dongsi Beidajie, Dongcheng District

Tel: 139-1011-4135

Accessories

Alexandre hairpin

Just doll it up.

Location: Beazu, NB110, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Baccarat crystal pendant

Location: L118, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Hours: 9 am to 9 pm

Tel: 6505-4989

Facial blotters

Oily Skin? Linen Blotters to the rescue! Bring thin linen blotters to zap away oil in an instant! One hundred of these little wonders come in a vinyl envelope for storage and travel. Use these handy blotters before touching up with your make-up or powder. The blotters do not disturb make-up at all...just press and lift the oil will be on the blotter and off your face. The material is thin like tissue paper but made of linen. Just toss away when finished.

Price: 11.8 yuan (US$1.4)

Location: Watson's shop, 1/F Fulllink Plaza, Chaoyangmenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Pen and watch

Believed by some to be another namecard of a man, a pen and a watch add a nice finishing touch to a smart appearance.

Hours: 9 am to 9 pm

Location: L131A, China World Shopping Mall, 1 Jiangguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

Tel: 6532-5511 ext 219

Gift

China Cat

China Cat offers a wide selection of small yet interesting gift ideas if you want to impress your new date a little more.

A small studio run by an artist, it is a good place to find a unique item like a beautifully crafted coffee cup, for about 10 yuan (US$1.2). Low tables and chairs outside are where she paints on paper, pottery, glassware, tabletops, nick knacks and even the packing paper.

Location: 14 Houhai Nanyan, Xicheng District

Hours: 11 am to midnight Tel: 6651-5392