The Dictator | Jennifer Lawrence’s hand cuff – where to find it?

I love the way those bangles you wear over your palm look but I’m not sure how comfort­able they are. How do they not slip off? Are you recommend­ing them?
Hand Over, About Town

The Dictator: You make it sound like the daily special. It’s actually yesterday’s. That is, if yesterday were 2013, when actress Jennifer Lawrence famously wore one at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiere in Italy; and also seen on Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker and many a cool blogger. Asking for hand cuffs could lead to confusion or hijinks for obvious reasons. Palm bracelet or palm cuff is effective, but can misdirect you to botanical motifs. And “handlet” is just too silly to say aloud. Believe it or not, the Diamond Stem Hand Bracelet by Ana Khouri, made with white diamonds and 18-carat yellow gold, that Lawrence wore is still available (about HK$164,470; latestrevival.com). Don’t worry, laughably cheap versions also exist, such as the Asos Fine Ring & Palm Cuff Bracelet Pack in rhodium (HK$97.60) and the Pilgrim rose-gold-plated Geo palm bangle (HK$488; asos.com). Plukka.com has the Ya Ein blue sapphire and 18-carat gold palm cuff by Nadine Kanso featuring Arabic calligraphy (HK$24,056). Hong Kong’s own Emphasis Jewellery carries an 18-carat palm bangle in combinations such as blue sapphires and white gold, pink sapphires and rose gold, or diamonds and white gold (HK$11,200 to HK$21,000; Elements, 1 Austin Road West, Kowloon). Although I wouldn’t recommend these pieces if you plan to operate heavy machinery or perform a piano recital, I have to admit they are more comfortable and snug than I imagined.

I’m quite taken with sheer or gauzy skirts but before I buy one, I need to know how to wear it. Am I really expected to trot myself out with only granny pants underneath like the models on the catwalk?
What Lies Beneath, Kennedy Road

The Dictator rules: Never! You are never to impersonate a horse, despite what you see on the runways. Now, whether you should don the large briefs shown by Alexander McQueen and Giambattista Valli depends on how much attention you’re comfortable with. Ukrainian label Paskal provides black stretch jersey shorts under­neath its baby blue, polka-dot flocked tulle skirt (HK$4,500; Harvey Nichols), as well as under a midi dress in flocked black tulle (HK$7,900). Joanna Chu Liao creates an, errmm, commando illusion with a nude-coloured miniskirt under a frilled, tiered sheer-black maxi skirt (HK$6,500; Harvey Nichols). Preen by Thornton Bregazzi has a dramatic, ruffled black tulle dress with a short, black satin slip (HK$9,100; netaporter.com). Giamba by Giambattista Valli flips that idea inside out with an outer miniskirt in a graffiti print jacquard hemmed by a long, sheer black tulle skirt (HK$5,400; Lane Crawford). While demure houses such as Chloé and Valentino provide full linings under their balletic, tulle skirts, others do without it entirely. Toga leaves it up to you with its pale blue and brown tulle maxi skirt sans undergarments (HK$7,700; Joyce). We might choose a modest pair of leggings or a slip, but you could always go for it in Spanx’s figure-correcting Higher Power Panties or Power Shorty (HK$300 to HK$900). I’m only half joking about that.

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