I am quite proud of myself sometimes. I always thought I am pretty well-dressed and have good taste where fashion and style is concerned, but lately, I realise that the clothes I bought come out in stores after I bought them.
I cannot profess that I am a fashion guru or what not, but I do admit I have an eye for pretty things. Probably inherited from my mum, as she has even better taste than me. In fact, she still buys clothes for me, and the nicest things in my wardrobe are the ones she bought!
For instance, a few years back, I came across this pashmina shawl while surfing a website. In those days, pashminas were unheard of in Singapore. They only became in fashion around the end of 2002 or so. Anyway, I asked my second ex if he could bring back a pashmina for me when he went abroad, so he brought back a cashmere pashmina from Kashmir.
I was still teaching then, so there was no way I could wear the pashmina to work. But I wore it while in the cinemas and at dinners. In the days when girls still relied on cardigans and denim jackets, I could say I was one of the first ones to start using a pashmina.
Two years ago, I happened to buy a fur-lined camel-coloured jacket from Mango, and a few weeks later, I was watching "FRIENDS" and saw Monica wearing exactly the same jacket! I was stunned that whatever I bought was used on Hollywood artistes (well, of course it is not the same one, but it looks exactly the same)!
Early last year, I came across a website selling authentic fashions from the olden days, especially the fifties preppy era, sixties retro era and seventies hippy era. I saw this knitted crotchet shawl which I thought would be able to match one of my skirts and bought it. Recently, I see most boutiques here selling shawls like that - knitted crotchet wrap, in about the same type and design as the shawl I bought.
Last year, I bought a classy white trench coat, which I thought I could bring it travelling with me. But the trench coat is not that thick anyway, so it can be used more as a long jacket than a winter coat.
I was still wondering how to go about wearing it, when the other day, I went by not one, but two, shops selling a white trench coat, and used as a long jacket! One mannequin on display wore the trench coat over a knit top and pants; the other one wore it over a T-shirt and denim skirt.
This month, I have over-exceeded my shopping budget on shirtdresses. Shirtdresses are very in now, but I bought them around earlier in the month when only a few stores had it. I bought some from Zara, Miss Selfridge and another one from Esprit.
The following week, all the stores are selling shirtdresses and some girls in my company are wearing them. I do not have the habit of wearing clothes immediately after I bought them, unless I really like it, so normally, I will wait for the right moment to wear them. Thus, in a way, it is a big disadvantage because I will tend to store clothes, and before I started wearing, I will have bought new ones already.
Anyway, as I see all these, I cannot help but feel a sense of surprise and pride. To think that I can be a step ahead of the fashion world! But of course, the best fashion comes from Paris and Milan, as it was from there that the rest of the world determines what is in or out this particular season.
But I do not deliberately keep up with fashion. I just buy whatever I find is nice, suits my budget, body and taste, and suitable to wear for various occasions. It is probably just a coincidence that some things I buy end up being the season's greatest seller.
Hmmm... in that case, perhaps I can use my existing clothes and set up a boutique of my own?
I cannot profess that I am a fashion guru or what not, but I do admit I have an eye for pretty things. Probably inherited from my mum, as she has even better taste than me. In fact, she still buys clothes for me, and the nicest things in my wardrobe are the ones she bought!
For instance, a few years back, I came across this pashmina shawl while surfing a website. In those days, pashminas were unheard of in Singapore. They only became in fashion around the end of 2002 or so. Anyway, I asked my second ex if he could bring back a pashmina for me when he went abroad, so he brought back a cashmere pashmina from Kashmir.
I was still teaching then, so there was no way I could wear the pashmina to work. But I wore it while in the cinemas and at dinners. In the days when girls still relied on cardigans and denim jackets, I could say I was one of the first ones to start using a pashmina.
Two years ago, I happened to buy a fur-lined camel-coloured jacket from Mango, and a few weeks later, I was watching "FRIENDS" and saw Monica wearing exactly the same jacket! I was stunned that whatever I bought was used on Hollywood artistes (well, of course it is not the same one, but it looks exactly the same)!
Early last year, I came across a website selling authentic fashions from the olden days, especially the fifties preppy era, sixties retro era and seventies hippy era. I saw this knitted crotchet shawl which I thought would be able to match one of my skirts and bought it. Recently, I see most boutiques here selling shawls like that - knitted crotchet wrap, in about the same type and design as the shawl I bought.
Last year, I bought a classy white trench coat, which I thought I could bring it travelling with me. But the trench coat is not that thick anyway, so it can be used more as a long jacket than a winter coat.
I was still wondering how to go about wearing it, when the other day, I went by not one, but two, shops selling a white trench coat, and used as a long jacket! One mannequin on display wore the trench coat over a knit top and pants; the other one wore it over a T-shirt and denim skirt.
This month, I have over-exceeded my shopping budget on shirtdresses. Shirtdresses are very in now, but I bought them around earlier in the month when only a few stores had it. I bought some from Zara, Miss Selfridge and another one from Esprit.
The following week, all the stores are selling shirtdresses and some girls in my company are wearing them. I do not have the habit of wearing clothes immediately after I bought them, unless I really like it, so normally, I will wait for the right moment to wear them. Thus, in a way, it is a big disadvantage because I will tend to store clothes, and before I started wearing, I will have bought new ones already.
Anyway, as I see all these, I cannot help but feel a sense of surprise and pride. To think that I can be a step ahead of the fashion world! But of course, the best fashion comes from Paris and Milan, as it was from there that the rest of the world determines what is in or out this particular season.
But I do not deliberately keep up with fashion. I just buy whatever I find is nice, suits my budget, body and taste, and suitable to wear for various occasions. It is probably just a coincidence that some things I buy end up being the season's greatest seller.
Hmmm... in that case, perhaps I can use my existing clothes and set up a boutique of my own?
2 comments:
One thing you can do when you cannot actually buy anything is to note them down, and see if it is a "hit" or a "miss" a few months later. (Would be even better if you can find out the rate they are being sold.)
If you have a hit rate of over 75% in more than 2-3 years, this could be your potential line of income in future.
Really? Perhaps I should dig up all the stuff I have and then look around to see if they are "marketable" enough.
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