The nostalgic charm of Casco Viejo’s Spanish colonial buildings is a pleasant departure from the cluttered look of the rest of Panama City. The neighborhood, once ridden with gangs and crime, now attracts stylish tourists, many staying at the new Ace hotel, which employs a number of former gang members as part of a rehabilitation of the neighborhood.

“It feels great when you come here because it feels like you are somewhere else, but you are in Panama,” said Pam Hetlinger, recently in the area wearing a Faithfull maxi dress, Michael Kors bag and Valentino shoes. “This is the perfect dress to wear for when you are walking around Casco Viejo because you sort of match the buildings wearing all these colors.” (This interview has been edited and condensed.)

Pam Hetlinger

Founder of The Girl From Panama blog.

Tell us about the fashion in Panama City.

It’s a very tropical culture with an urban influence. During the summer, people like to wear lots of summer dresses. But you will also see people wearing a suit and tie even though it’s 100 degrees outside.

Tell us about your style.

My style is influenced by a lot of different things, mainly traveling and the city of Panama — whenever I wear colorful clothes, that comes from my Panamanian heritage, for sure. I do have a blog, so I have to stay current. I like to try different trends. Sometimes they work for me and sometimes they don’t, but that is the fun part about working in the fashion industry. You get to shape your own style by trying different trends.