Can anyone recommend any good tailors in Hong Kong or Shenzhen? I will be there next week for 3 days. Also, I'm hoping to buy some good shoes. Any good shoe stores I should know about?

There are extensive posts here about shopping in Hong Kong. Look especially for posts by Cicerone who has taken the time to compile this information (she lives in Hong Kong). The tailor I use is Maxwell's; Cicerone lists them and a number of others. Do note that three days is really the absolute minimum for custom-made clothing. You'll need to have daily fittings, so you need to choose a tailor where you are staying. The tailoring in Hong Kong is very good, but it is not inexpensive.

Are you going to both Hong Kong and Shenzhen? Do note that Shenzen is across the border and you'll need a PRC visa to get there. If you are crossing that border more than once, you'll need a multi-entry visa.

Lane Crawford has FABULOUS shoes....

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...mendations.cfm

A lot of these tailors are very expensive. Does anyone know which ones are inexpensive. I've heard of people getting things made for $20. I just want some dresses made, nothing too fancy. I'm in my early 30s.

Getting dresses made for $20? Not in Hong Kong, or at least not in many decades.

Tailoring in Hong Kong is expensive. Even in a less expensive place like Bangkok,you'll pay more than $20 for a custom-made dress.

Hong Kong in general is an expensive place to visit.

If you know of people who have had things made for US$20, you should find out the names of the tailors they used (as well as the year of their trip). I think you would be quite hard-pressed to find a tailor in Hong Kong these days who would make a ladies dress for that price. (I assume you are not including the price of the fabric in that amount.) It is possible that there may be tailors who will make a man’s shirt for that amount based on a minimum order of say 3 shirts (and again not including fabric price), so perhaps that is what you are basing your pricing on; but men’s shirts are quite different from a ladies dress which requires more work, e.g. a lining.

You might be able to find a tailor in Shenzhen to work for that price, although I have my real doubts about that; and also IMO the quality of tailoring in Shenzhen is very poor. You also have to add in the cost of the PRC visa to that low price (currently about US$100 for US citizens), assuming your trip does not otherwise include the PRC. Most importantly, unless you either want to wait around in Shenzhen for 6-8 hours one day so you can have a fitting, or make 2 trips over the 3 days for a fitting, I think you will end up with an ill-fitting garment, thereby defeating the whole purpose of paying for custom-made clothing.

You might be able to find simple off-the-rack dresses in that price range by shopping in less upscale malls or areas like Causeway Bay (assuming you are somewhat in the smaller size range, i.e. US 6- 8 or less), but you might also be able to find dresses in that price range in the US as well.

I have responded to your e-mail to me separately.

thanks Cicerone, I have just responded to your email. I am a US 6. I'm happy to pay more for a garment if it's done well. My mum was in HK and China last year and had some shirts. I will definitely visit the tailor you recommended.