Chinatown Pretty

Fashion and Wisdom from Chinatown’s Most Stylish Seniors

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Pub Date 22 Sep 2020 | Archive Date 22 Sep 2020

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Description

Chinatown Pretty is a signature style worn by pòh pohs (grandmas) and gùng gungs (grandpas) everywhere—but it's also a life philosophy, mixing resourcefulness, creativity, and a knack for finding joy even in difficult circumstances.

This book is filled with beautiful photos and stories, including:

- Seniors who dress up impeccably just to walk to the grocery store

- A man who spent twenty years as a political prisoner in China

- A senior who reminisces about singing Cantonese opera with his roommates. 

Chinatown Pretty features heartwarming portraits and shares nuggets of philosophical wisdom and personal stories about immigration, and is sure to provide a fresh perspective on Chinese American culture today. 

Not available for Kindle download.

Chinatown Pretty is a signature style worn by pòh pohs (grandmas) and gùng gungs (grandpas) everywhere—but it's also a life philosophy, mixing resourcefulness, creativity, and a knack for finding joy...


A Note From the Publisher

Follow along on social media!
Instagram: @chinatownpretty | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chinatownpretty/ | www.chinatownpretty.com

Follow along on social media!
Instagram: @chinatownpretty | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chinatownpretty/ | www.chinatownpretty.com


Available Editions

EDITION Hardcover
ISBN 9781452175805
PRICE $24.95 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (PDF)

Average rating from 45 members


Featured Reviews

This is a wonderful book of the many Chinatown’s around the country and its older generation, the grandparents. It’s filled with beautiful photos and stories. Wonderful to learn about different cultures! Thank you to Chronicle Books, authors Andrea Lo and Valerie Lau, and NetGalley for an ebook ARC. This is my honest review.

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Chinatown Pretty by Andrea Lo and Valerie Luu 3.5 stars

A charming pictorial of the fashion sense of the local elders living in various Chinatown's in North America and a tribute to the resilience of an the immigrant population. Many of the elders immigrated because of war, government crackdowns and economic circumstances. As such their fashion is governed by practicality with bits of whimsy and color. I think waste is a four letter word for many of them and slow fashion was a way of life before it became a trend. I enjoyed this book as a tribute to a community that may be disappearing before our eyes.

Thank you Netgalley and Chronicle Books for this ARC.

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**I received 'Chinatown Pretty' from NetGalley and Chronicle Books, in exchange for an honest review**

I loved viewing 'Chinatown Pretty's lovely images of an older generation nestled in Chinatown culture. It was so precious glancing at these individuals' unique sense of fashion. Browsing through this digital copy drew me towards the Instagram account of the same name.

I love the fact that Andrea Lo and Valerie Luu appreciate the style of an older generation, one that they long to maintain a connection with. Maintaining the bridge between young and elder generations is something that's extremely important, since we have much to learn from the older age group. Maintaining connections is something that's extremely important, regardless of culture and ethnic background.

I look forward to purchasing 'Chinatown Pretty' when this becomes available!

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A lovely lovely book an ode to Chinatowns to the beautiful women who live there.Their outfits unique original.Fantastic photos essays.A book I enjoyed from beginning to end.Will be buying a copy for myself and giving as a gift to special friends.#netgalley #chinatownpretty

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A charming book celebrating the seniors living, and sometimes working, in five different North American Chinatowns. While the pictures celebrate their style, the essays tell their story.

The surprising thing about the book is how trendly and individual their clothes are

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"These outfits weave together the seniors' diaspora: where they came from, what they did for a living, how they made the best of their circumstances" (p. 9).

I have a university degree in China Studies and as such, the Chinese diaspora is one of my main academic interests. But more importantly, like anyone intimately familiar with China or any of the global Chinatowns, I've always been mesmerized or *shook* by the clothing choices of elders in these locations. As Lo and Luu frame it perfectly, "these seniors cause us to to do a double, sometimes triple take when we pass them in the crosswalks." That is so relatable it made me laugh! At times astonished, at times chuckling and always impressed, I've fallen in love with the style this books calls Chinatown Pretty: "a delightful mix of modern and vintage, high and low, bold patterns and colors and contemporary streetwear - like Nike sneakers or a Supreme hat."

This book is a splendid collection of fashion photography paired with stories of each recognized person - their story of immigration or growing up in Chinatown, hardships and joys, as well as how Lo and Luu met them. Honestly, I came for the dazzling photos but stayed for the raw, funny and at times heartbreaking narratives. Better yet, we get a very wide range of styles and histories, as the research took place in Chinatowns of San Francisco, Oakland, LA, NYC, Chicago and Vancouver.

"Chinatown Pretty" is a true delight and I honestly couldn't recommend it more.

*Thank you to the Publisher for a free advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I have a tiny Korean grandmother so I may be partial to this book, but I absolutely ADORED the photos and stories of grandmas and grandpas in different Chinatowns across North America. Each unique persona and soul captures the energy of their city. You will be filled with joy and creative fashion inspiration after reading.

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Chinatown Pretty was such a charming book. I loved the photos and stories of the grandmothers and grandfathers Even if the book focuses on the fashion, it's still a wonderful tribute to an older generation that has some really fascinating stories to tell.

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This book is so beautiful! It serves as an homage to the style of the seniors in Chinatown's around the world. So many of them have insightful, inspirational, tear-jerking stories to tell, as well as innovative fashion sense. I loved reading about the histories of each Chinatown as well and their impact on their local communities.

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Stunning photography paired with poignant stories of the Chinese seniors that live, shop, and play in the Chinatown districts here in the U.S.

The photos capture the essence and spirit of the grandmas and grandpas dressed in the signature style associated with Chinatown residents; and oooh, the stories of their hardships and immigration will touch your heart.

An excellent book that is sure to grace your coffee table or library shelf. Five stars.

Thank you Chronicle Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

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Chinatown Pretty, as the title might suggest, is a gorgeous book. Fundamentally, this is a book about fashion and it absolutely delivers on that premise. The subjects of Chinatown Pretty are senior citizens of Chinatowns across North America in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, and Vancouver. On each page, the reader experiences novel combinations of clothing varied in texture, pattern, and origin. The portraiture throughout the book is gorgeous and captures the character and creativity of each subject.

I appreciated the care that Lo and Luu put into honoring the creativity and resourcefulness of each person documented in the book. Each outfit in the book was accompanied with some amount of text ranging from a few sentences to several pages documenting the individual's experiences with clothing and throughout their life. Frequently highlighted throughout the book is the fact that so rarely are some senior adults involved in conversation by young people and given the opportunity to share their stories. The stories are often powerful, moving tales of resistance and endurance in the face of hardship but just as often they are silly or flashy or scandalous in ways that do not get regular representation in media. In addition to cultural representation, this book also takes on the structural racism and immigration in its past, present, and future that informs culture.

Like any good book, Chinatown Pretty sparks interests and makes you want to pick up 5 more. A must read if you are interested in fashion, age representation, or Chinatown history.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Chronicle Books for an advance reader copy of Chinatown Pretty in exchange for an honest review.

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Bright-green jade shoes, power gloves in a striking red tone, multi-coloured silk ties and and the courage to wear the uttermost unique fashion combinations I have ever seen. I was browsing through this collection of photographs and reading the shared personal stories on Chinese-American culture with great interest. Six Chinatowns are portrayed in this book & they provide proof that we should never be afraid to wear strong colours and to create our own fashion style. The vibrant pictures and many smiling faces captured here proudly show that happiness is a lot about: living with joy. A mindset.

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I loved paging through 'Chinatown Pretty's beautiful images and wished I read thid book on paper. So gorgeous and inspiring! This book shows insights of the older generation living in various Chinatowns in America. The vibrant pictures show that you nevver should be afraid to go bold and yes, if you want to, wear three scarves or double hats. A big plus were the smiles; they really captured a mood.

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Wonderfully photographed and paired with the most heartfelt narrative, this book gave a really pleasant surprise. Coming from a city with a very small Chinatown, it's very interesting to see how the biggest Chinatowns across North America are like. I found the stories behind each senior photographed and interviewed a delight to read, and I feel a new sense of appreciation for my own Chinese grandma (whom I absolutely adore) as well as other seniors in my community.
Thanks to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for a chance to review this wonderful book.

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I loved it! I don't usually read non-fiction books but this just had such a neat description I just had to check it out. This book is basically a bunch of photos of seniors found in various famous Chinatowns and their outfits. The book is divided into chapters based on each Chinatown location and there's a little blurb in the beginning about the history of each Chinatown. With each senior who had a photo, there was a blurb about their outfit and sometimes details of their life. This was just such a sweet book to read and I loved looking at all the creative outfits and reading the stories that went along with them. This was a very quick read as well since half the book is made up of pictures. One thing I was a bit sad about was that I read this book on my Kobo which doesn't have colour so all the pictures were in black and white. I just really want to buy this book now so I can experience all the colour. This would be a great book just to have on your coffee table to flip through. Seriously great book go check it out!

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Although I consumed Chinatown Pretty on my iPad, I can tell that it will most definitely be a beautiful book to own and display. I love the premise of appreciating and celebrating not just the elders of various Chinatowns in North America, but also the locations themselves as they constantly fight against gentrification. It would have never occurred to me to take such a close look at Chinatown style among the older set, and I'm glad that Lo and Luu did. There are common themes and trends within the different areas (often relating to local weather), but also a lot of variety. Some are flamboyant, some prefer monochrome, some are elegant, but above all what struck me is that they are all so practical! Kudos to Lo and Luu for finding beauty in an oft-overlooked population and providing an opportunity for these elders to be recognized and share parts of their stories.

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What a lovely book, brimming with personality and gorgeous visuals!

I must admit, I am a junkie of anything Asian and this book was a perfect match for me. The photographs alone were compelling, but the stories that accompanied the pictures were very heart-warming.

The format reminded me very much of the Humans of New York. If you enjoy that genre, this book will bring you hours of joy.

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Oh my god my heart can't take the amount of sweetness in this!!

They all seemed so adorable and so nice. <3
It was so colorful and happy their smiles were precious I almost cried. I would LOVE to hear all of their stories in person. Loved everything!

Honestly, if you wanna see older people with an amazing fashion sense, beautiful, BEAUTIFUL pictures, go check this, it'll warm your heart and improve your day!

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If "Humans of New York" had gone to Chinatown is about the best way to describe this book, lovelky put together by Andrea Lo and Valerie Luu over many years of wandering the streets of the San Francisco Chinatown, and then Chicago, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Oakland, and Manhattan.

The outfits are so bright, so colorful, and put together with such great purpose that it got the authors talking to the seniors and learning about their lives and hopes and fears, and all the things you learn about when you actually have a good conversation.

And these are people they see several time, and hear about, and show great love and respect to. Such as when the sought out You Tian Wu, known as "The One" who said it all "When you're young, you dont' have to care about fashion. But when you're old, you have to."

Wonderful book. Makes you wonder how they are doing these days, and what they are up to, now.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

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I loved this warm, colorful collection of photos and stories from North American Chinatowns. Although the primary focus of Chinatown Pretty is to showcase the unique and creative fashion choices of Chinatown’s senior residents, it also introduces readers to the history, culture, and lifestyle of these communities. Lo and Luu captured the stories and smiles of these models beautifully, and it’s so fascinating to get a more personal look at the individuals who call some of the earliest centers of Asian American culture home. I think “Chinatown Pretty” would be especially popular among those who enjoy the wholesome posts on “Subtle Asian Traits.”

The next time I go to LA Chinatown, I’ll definitely be looking at the community and its residents through a different lens (figuratively, of course, because I’d never be able to pull off the awesome glasses that the grandmas and grandpas are sporting throughout this book).

Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this beautiful collection!

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Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

I enjoyed the concept. I found the book was quite lengthy for the subject matter, but I’d like to see what it will look like IRL after it is published — will it be a big thick book or a large, thinner version? I’d love the colorful photographs as well.

All in all, it’s a cute and culturally interesting book that I think would make a great gift. I even have someone in mind!

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Where do I even begin with this review?!...The gorgeous photographs, the heartwarming life stories, the interesting historical information about Chinatown...?

Maybe the best place to begin is with my love for spending time in Chinatown, despite having no Chinese ancestry or speaking any of the Chinese languages myself. As a student in Central London, I spent a good amount of time in the London Chinatown (which is unfortunately not highlighted in this book), both with Chinese friends and by myself. I took everyone who visited me to visit Chinatown and used whatever I had learned from my friends to pick the best restaurants, best dishes, best souvenirs, and best groceries. I cannot explain why I was so drawn to Chinatown then. Perhaps it was the warm smiles of the seniors just like the ones in this book, or perhaps it was because it felt like I was leaving London without actually having to do so. The bottom line is that my love for Chinatown, despite being inexplicable, was strong. And it still is, even though the nearest Chinatown now is a plane ride away. Still, whenever I visit a city where there is Chinatown, I never fail to stop by.

This art & photography book compiles photographs and life stories/ interviews with seniors in six different Chinatown locations across North America, namely San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and Vancouver. Out of these six, I've only personally been to Los Angeles Chinatown and New York (Manhattan) Chinatown, but after reading this I definitely want to go to all the rest as well. This was such a wholesome book, that brought tears to my eyes and a smile on my face, sometimes at the same time. The people photographed here are seniors, mostly Chinese. Their life stories vary and range from moving to North America after their retirement to be closer to their children to escaping to North America as political and war refugees. Despite their different backgrounds though, they all seem to have a contagious smile and a love of living.

Alongside the interviews and life stories of the seniors in the photographs, the book also offers information about the history of each Chinatown in each location, as well as the issues the residents are dealing with due to the gentrification that is threatening the Chinatown life. I loved learning these bits of history, and it made me appreciate Chinatown even more for what it represents for the people whose whole lives revolve around it.

All in all, I loved this book. If you love travelling, people watching, beautiful photography, and of course Chinatown, you need this book in your life. Its only flaw was that it ended.

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I loved this book! My favorite kind of fashion book. Chinatown Pretty captures photos and moments with fashion-forward seniors in 6 Chinatowns around the US. This is not the first time Chinese or Chinese-American seniors have taken center stage--the blog Accidental Chinese Hipster had its moment in the sun highlighting some great looks a few years ago. But this book takes what was great about that blog and goes a little further. With short snippets and interviews, we can a taste of the people, personalities, and humanity behind the fashion. As someone who is part-Chinese and has spent a lot of time in China negotiating that identity, I loved the representational nature of it. It hit me right in the feels and made me very nostalgic for friends, family and strangers I think could've fit well with this book. I am so thankful for the loving care that went into making this book and allowing us a glimpse into the lives of some of the world's most fashionable people. I wish I could spend even more time with them!

Many thanks to Netgalley for providing the book in exchange for an honest review.

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5/5

"Chinatown Pretty" by Andrea Lo and Valerie Luu is a collection of portraits and life stories of the elderly residents of Chinatowns. Through clothing and accessories, the book offers a glimpse into the everyday joys, hardship and lives of the Chinatown elderly.

From a design standpoint, the book is simply breathtaking. The layouts, fonts and pastel colours used were well-thought-out and suited the concept of the book very well. "Chinatown Pretty" will most definitely make a beautiful coffee table book.

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I am blown away by how much heart went into the making of this book. It brought so much joy to see the beautiful color older folks in Chinatown like to don, and it brought me back to when I was 6 or 7 watching my Toisanese grandmother on her sewing machine stitching together random scraps she scavenged to a new coat. This book reminds me of how much Chinese love & celebrate color, and how my aunts were always telling me I should wear less black.

The photos in here are stunning; Andria’s skills highlight each face to make wrinkles look elegant and refined. I found the blurbs a bit cheesy but overall I really appreciated the stories they told because so many of these older immigrants have endured war & loss to tell their stories. I’m sure Adria and Valerie brought infinite joy in just asking to speak with them, to share a part of their day with someone willing to listen.

This books resurfaces some thoughts I have regarding Chinatowns in North America and I question the future of our Chinatowns. Some, as stated in this book, have become the hip place to be with trendy boutique eateries while others have become derelict and full of vacancies. I toured Vancouver Chinatown with “Chinatown Gal” and it was interesting to hear that most buildings have changed ownership to non-Chinese because children of Chinese immigrants refused to live/work in Chinatown like their parents. Which is a bit ironic bc their parents immigrated for “better opportunities,” which, to many, meant living outside of Chinatown. So what happens to Chinatowns in the future? Who will decide what occupies our symbolic Chinatowns?

In short: come for the clothes, stay for the photos; come for the photos, stay for the stories; come for the stories, stay to understand your Toisanese grandmother a smidge better.

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The gorgeous photographs, the heartwarming life stories, are only the beginning of this book. I could not put it down and wanted to see every page to see what was going on next. So much history, so many personalities, so much to be inspired by!

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What a lovely book! This is one I'd want on my coffee table for everyone to read and flip through. It's an introduction to different Chinatowns in the United States (and Vancouver, BC, Canada) and its seniors. Each section includes an introduction to the Chinatown with some descriptions of the history and what it is like now. The section introductions are followed by short interviews with the different photographed seniors in a Humans Of New York style. Each senior has something different to say and stories to share. I really like how personal and heartwarming this collection is and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a beautiful art book that's also very readable and delightful.

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The photos in this book were really great. BringS back a lot of memories from when i was little and would visit various Chinatowns in different cities.

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