How Hong Kong officials can change to connect with the young
N. Balakrishnan urges Hong Kong’s top brass to follow the example of Japan and Singapore, and even Xi Jinping, in updating their wardrobes for wider public appeal
It won’t be long, I believe, before we see a US president wearing a hoodie to a press conference. Just as we no longer see American leaders wearing top hats, so their silk ties and suits will become rarer as the century progresses.
The reason is simple: society follows the dress codes of the successful; today, internet and social media billionaires no longer wear ties, or even formal shirts.
Hong Kong’s decision makers still seem stuck in the 1950s.
If our decision makers were to loosen their dress codes, this may be the first step to connecting with the young.
The dress sense of Hong Kong’s cabinet looks distinctly provincial English
Clothes are important in both practical and symbolic terms, and it is about time that Hong Kong decision makers abandoned their outdated style. They may feel self-conscious at first. But if senior government officials cannot manage to “disrupt” their wardrobes, what hope is there for them to disrupt the taxi service vested interests and supermarket cartels? If nothing else, they may save on air conditioning bills.