In Thing / Chinese dresses

Latest in covetable evening wear is the sleek and sexy 'Cheong Sam', a tight fitting, high-necked Chinese dress split to the thigh on both sides. First seen on curvy Drew Barrymore on chatshow interviews and style magazine spreads, the look was then taken up by MTV presenter Marijne Van Der Vlugt and will soon be seen on Elizabeth Hurley in a forthcoming health magazine interview.

In the meantime club chicks are wearing them and the West End shop Sign of the Times has ordered in a stack to sell to aspiring China dolls.

'It's a classic dress, you could go to a restaurant or the theatre in it,' says Sign of the Times's Sidoni Barton. 'Girls are wearing them because oriental is definitely the latest trend.'

Cheong Sams cost pounds 56 from Sign of the Times, 15 Shorts Gardens WC2 (071-240 6694) Mon-Sat 10.30am-6.30pm/Sun12am-5pm

(Photograph omitted)