The Society of Black Sheep: Bringing a real edge to Singapore's fashion scene

I love edgy fashion. In fact I admire people who wear it so confidently and pull it off so easily. Maybe you don’t see so much in Singapore but if there was anyone to dare, they wouldn’t find a better place to get those cutting edge pieces than The Society of Black Sheep boutique in MBS.

It is the last place you'd expect to find edgy fashion. The kind of boutique that wouldn't look out of place in Notting Hill or Greenwich Village and here it is, next door to the Gucci and Prada superstores in The Shoppes at MBS.

While I am really not edgy by nature, I’m rather adventurous in my sense of style and always up for experimenting and trying different styles on. Boring is definitely not an option here!

Weekend Want: Edgy and colouful platforms from Malaysian label Chic Yamada

Over a lunch conversation last week, I realized that for the past 5 months I have been on a shoe diet! Yup, as shoeholic as I am, I have successfully managed to avoid adding a single pair of shoes to my collection!

Although I always see cool stuff here and there, I have decided that unless it is something different from anything I have, cooler or bolder I’m not buying it.

With my avant-garde heelless Marc Jacobs, blinding neon yellow platforms and edgy (and practically un-wearable) McQueens, I doubted I would find a pair which is any bolder – that is until I stumbled over these Moccasin platforms from Malaysian-based label Chic Yamada. Foot candy at its best!

These Yamada platforms would fit perfectly in my eclectic shoe collection!

Can't decide which colour combination is best...

Weekend Want: TENTWENTYSHOP.com affordable but stylish looks

When updating my closet or shopping in general, I’m almost always guilty of ignoring my casual everyday wardrobe and buying items which catch my attention even if I end up wearing them very little.

But after moving to Singapore, and no more having an office job where a dress code is needed, I realized that I’m missing some key pieces to make my everyday runs as fashionable as my work wardrobe and special occasions’ one.

Change is good sometimes and although not my usual colour, I love this black
dress which would get me through from day to night...

However this doesn’t mean I am convinced yet that the Alexander Wang plain tee is worth the few hundred dollars investment! To me it’s simple. As long as the quality and design is good, casual wear doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Most trends change is a season or two so why invest in a non-classic fast fashion piece as much as you’d do in a timeless handbag for example?

On the other hand, although a good alternative to the overpriced international highstreet chains, blogshops fail to offer a good quality pieces for picky people like me. So is there an in between?

Recently I did find an alternative in form of local e-tailer tentwentyshop.com which stocks casual and fun pieces from young Korean designers, and for great value.

GlamRockChic Shoes: From Malaysia with Love in time for Valentines Day

The best thing about Valentine’s Day falling just after Chinese New Year is that if you have already bought a red dress, you can wear it again, and if you haven't then you can grab one on sale now :-)

However, although nice, red dresses are overrated for this occasion and instead of wearing red head to toe for your date next week, there is something more sexy and less ‘in your face’ to wear. And no I’m not talking about red lingerie; it is shoes I’m talking about!

As a shoeholic, I 100% believe that a great pair of shoes makes an outfit shine especially if you’re talking about statement shoes, my absolute favourites!

Let this Heart & Soul shootie from Malaysian label GlamRockChic will
do all the talking this Valentine's Day!

Shito shoes: adding colour and character to Singapore’s LBD

Whoever it was that said brown was the new black had obviously never been to Singapore.

Brown isn't the new black here. black is. In fact black was the old black, and will more than likely be pretty much every other future black too.

And in a country where monochrome dresses are a staple of most wardrobes, it becomes more essential for the average person to accessorize well.

For some that means a nice expensive handbag, but for me it means one thing...SHOES!!!

What's better to accessorize an LBD than a pair of bold statement shoes?
This Shito pair is my current favourite!!!

Celebrating 5 years of DEPRESSION… the label

It was obvious on Saturday evening that those people who turned out en masse for DEPRESSION party weren’t there for the free drinks, food, goodie bags or to show off. People seemed to genuinely love the label itself and who can blame them for that!

The event was one of the very few I’ve been to where people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Almost everybody was in black-and-white, the trademark colours of the label (read more about it here). Of course I had some colour on me (duh!) but still, even my glittery floral jacket failed to alienate me from the rest of the crowd who were super friendly.

Depression: A Singapore label that doesn’t live up to its name

Singapore label Depression is holding a party for its new store in Cathay Cineleisure over the weekend.

But because I’ll mostly be blogging about the event next week, I figured it a must to introduce people to the clothes this week.

Luckily for us, this is one label that doesn’t live up to its name…thank goodness! Depression is anything but. Instead, this Singaporean brand pushes out eye-catching and sometimes visually challenging clothes with ease.

All I want for Christmas is… The Cobbler red suede wedges ala Alexander McQueen

Although I am guilty of having spent well over S$1,000 for a pair of shoes on few occasions, this doesn’t mean that I don’t like a good bargain as well!

I have been coveting these beautiful red suede wedges from Alexander McQueen for a while now, but with other people to buy gifts for at this time of the year, I had to search for a better value option.

Namely the ‘Scarlet Suede Audacity Wedges’ from online Singaporean label The Cobbler.

From left: Alexander McQueen wedges v/s The Cobbler version.

It’s not Tom Ford: H&M announces its next collaboration with Italian label Marni

It couldn’t be further in style and approach than Versace, and yet the Milan Fashion Week highlight label Marni is going to be the next designer brand to collaborate with the highstreet giant H&M.

Personally I’m ecstatic! Yes Tom Ford (who was being heavily tipped by fashion writers despite being ultra-luxury and limited in womenswear terms) is sleek and stylish but Marni is much more fun and most of all wearable!

It’s one of those labels like Marc Jacobs and Prada which built a reputation on being bold, full of patterns and colours; in other words, ‘out-there’ yet sophisticated.

Marni's colourful patterns and relaxed cuts are definitely
not to miss!

Standing out for not being different

With rows of boutiques in the painfully trendy Haji Lane fighting for attention, one store stands out oddly enough for trying to blend in with the crowd.

Bellezza Couture stands out with its rather sombre choice of display

Shockingly there isn’t a pair of fitted chinos on display, but that is precisely the USP (unique selling point) of the new store Bellezza Couture.

Its owner Amanda Chiang has fulfilled her childhood dream by opening the tiny boutique just 2 months ago.

Sisters Amanda and Anjelica Chiang at their boutique

And while its staple of light separates - ideal for work, lunch or those who don’t want to plump their feathers in public – shouldn’t appeal to Haji Lane’s immaculately-coiffured crowd, it is obviously doing something right.

Because while Belleza Couture is currently what real estate agents might creatively call ‘cosy’, the store is currently working on expansion plans to take over the floor above.

While I admire the drive (and am jealous of the ambition), I don’t quite get the logic behind what must be an expensive location.

Despite the pretty pieces in the shop, the adherence to the Singapore monotone office code (except for few blazers and a Cristopher Kane-inspired galaxy print top) makes it look rather bland in comparison to other shops on the same street that made a reputation by being unique and individual.

Christopher Kane's 2011 Resort Collection, and a top with the
similar galaxy print (SG$39) at Bellezza  Couture

A rather interesting mix: chiffon and faux leather shirt (SG$49)

Finally some color!!! Bright blazers to light up any dull work wardrobe (SG$69)

The clothes and shoes in Bellezza Couture are local or Korean-sourced and the prices range from SG$29 to SG$79 which seems quite reasonable especially if you compare it with same quality but more mass-produced pieces from the likes of Forever21 and New Look. So at least it’s good value.

I did like a few items in the shop but very little stood out in terms of originality and uniqueness.

The one exception – and it is a big exception – was a pair of spiked loafers which I will go back for once I’ve figured out what to wear them with (or convinced myself that I’m not gonna hurt anyone with!)

Clearly my favorites: Spiked Loafers in grey or black (SG$59)  

Leopard-print oxfords (SG$39)

Honestly, I donno who would wear these but kudos to them if
they manage to pull them off! (SG$49)

My verdict: Bellezza Couture caters for the average everyday girl on a budget, who is looking for clothes which are understated, stylish but not a style statement; and shoes which are not made for the faint hearted. I don’t see the logic in that but well they might just make the right balance!

Belleza Couture is located on 29 Haji Lane, Singapore. Tel: +65 6299 4298 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +65 6299 4298      end_of_the_skype_highlighting