Save and Accessorise this Lunar New Year
SAMANTHA HA finds out how to make yourself stand out from the crowd this Chinese New Year (CNY), by accessorising outfits on a $20 budget.
Dressed in your CNY outfit, you look great but something feels missing. Looking around, you find your accessory box filled with bracelets and necklaces that you hardly wear. At this moment, you wished someone had taught you how to style yourself better.
A recent Instagram poll showed that most youths do not have the luxury of purchasing branded accessories so they purchase cheaper alternatives on online platforms like Shopee, SHEIN and retail shops like Lovisa. Fifty-two per cent of 50 youths said they are confident in making accessory choices while the remaining 48 per cent voted ‘No’.
Fret not, as Miss Effie Goh, 27, a fashion stylist, shares her tips on how to stylise various outfits with simple and affordable jewellery for CNY and daily wear.
Another Instagram poll showed that 70 respondents often wear one of four different types of outfits during CNY.
35 females will wear a dress, while 16 will wear a blouse and skirt. As for males, 12 prefer wearing a t-shirt and a pair of bermudas, while seven will wear a collared shirt and long pants. Out of 55 respondents, 37 picked red while the rest chose yellow, blue and gold.
For dresses
Miss Goh says “a small dainty earring” works well, and if that’s the only accessory you plan to wear that day, she suggests looking at Afterall Studios or Editor’s Market, although it may be more expensive.
She also suggests opting for “mini-pearl hair bands” and bags which are affordable from stores like Shopee or SHEIN.
For textured dresses, Miss Goh says, “I would recommend not having anything on the neck area because it’s already heavily covered with lace or ruffles.”
Instead, she suggests a “small simple earring and a nice small purse” which creates a more minimalistic look.
For a blouse with a skirt
For blouses and skirts, Miss Goh suggests opting for necklaces that can be “statement or minimal”, depending on your top’s look.
She also says that earrings would be good for the outfit as well, and that “statement [pieces] would be nice”, and suggests having a “crossbody, clutch [or a] small purse”.
Miss Tiong says that she would make use of the fashion tips and advice from Miss Goh, when selecting her daily outfit.
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Photo credit: Miss Olivia Tiong
Miss Tiong says that she would make use of the fashion tips and advice from Miss Goh, when selecting her daily outfit.
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Photo credit: Miss Olivia Tiong
Miss Olivia Tiong, 20, a student who tried out Miss Goh’s tips, felt that it was “reassuring” to hear her tips as it comforted her doubts on whether she was making good outfit choices.
For T-shirt and Bermudas
For individuals who decide to dress in this outfit, Miss Goh suggests socks. “They can even wear funky socks, like printed socks or a sock of a different colour,” says Miss Goh, who recommends getting them from Uniqlo.
Miss Goh says that hats “can be a nice accessory since it’s going to be hot”, and that individuals can “go for a plain hat, with … [a] small logo, or even coloured hats, or hats with texture”.
She also suggests a crossbody bag that will “go with the whole street style look”, complementing the socks and hat.
Mr Tan says that he tries to find a “middle point” in fulfilling his father’s boundaries for traditional CNY outfits while still trying to incorporate his own personal style.
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Photo credits: Mr Jeremiah Tan
Mr Jeremiah Tan, 21, a full-time student, tried out the tips given by Miss Goh and felt that the places she recommended such as Shopee, SHEIN, and Uniqlo are affordable.
Mr Tan says that his fashion sense shows “how unbothered”, “simple”, and “easygoing” he is. He says that many often call him zhi nan (straight male), a Chinese slang term, due to his simplistic dressing.
However, Mr Tan says that he would make an effort to dress up using the tips given if he had the time.
Advice for individuals who still feel hesitant in dressing up
Mr Tan says that he would feel confident dressing up when he uses Miss Goh’s tips for his daily wear but says that it’s not an instant process.
“To me, there’s two parts. The first is where you’re very conscious about how people think, because you’re trying something [new] … maybe the first few times … I will get a bit conscious about how people think, then maybe after that I’ll be totally fine [and] I’ll feel confident in what I’m wearing,” Mr Tan says.
For youths who still feel unsure about their fashion sense, Miss Goh says, “[Finding] something that you feel comfortable with wearing is very important, and once you feel comfortable, I feel that confidence is key because once you’re confident, no matter what you wear, you can look good in it.”