I'll go first.

• I spend a lot of time in Asia. In recent years, as with other parts of the world. It's getting hotter and humid. I visited an East Asian country recently and temperatures were about 50°C (122°F for the Americans) with the humidex. Culturally, it's more conservative there and older people say women shouldn't show cleavage, collar bones, wear spaghetti strap tops, etc. At this point, it's so hot outside I will take the option of not getting heat stroke and risk offending some local. Something like a loose linen top might have worked as a compromise but I don't own any.
• the quality of pieces have gone down. It's insanely expensive just to get a classic cut blazer or a dress that isn't boxy. I don't recall it being this expensive 20 or 30 years ago to have some pieces that aren't loose shapeless pieces of fabric.