June 19, 2017

Singaporeans aren’t generally known to be the best dressers and it’s fairly common knowledge that t-shirts, shorts, jeans and flip flops are the 4 main staples of a local wardrobe.

But as with the ever-changing nature of fashion, sartorial tides have turned on local shores. A growing number of Singaporeans have shed the local “uniform” in exchange for more chic and trendy styles—frequently inspired and sourced from the platitudes on social media. There are still though, the few who march to the beat of their own drum.

In this series, we shine a light on local fashionistas who aren’t afraid to go against trends, take a risk and embrace their individuality. From funky and pop glam looks to androgynous minimalist chic, here is an insight into their wardrobe and how their style represents who they are as a person.

This week, we talk to Grace Lim, a freelance stylist.

When I first stumbled upon Grace’s Instagram, she reminded me of a young Twiggy. Fun, eccentric and unabashedly bold. The 25-year-old’s style is peculiar, yet alluring and she carries an air of saccharine innocence. Her feed is full of envy-inducing adventures, effusive couple shots and the occasional behind the scene shots of her being a Night Owl Cinematics girl.

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From left: Ribbon Detailed Shirt from Pomelo, BaoBao bag by Issey Miyake. Shades from Gentle Monster; Right: T-shirt from Bleached Goods, Jeans from Playground (Greyhound), Vans Shoes from The Social Foot

“My foray into fashion started when I was still an assistant to a stylist. I was tasked to source for a whole fashion spread consisting of 10 looks. After spending the whole day sourcing, I realised I enjoyed what I was doing. Thereafter, I decided to call my mentor, CK Koo, and he said: ‘Really? You like it? Okay, I’ll teach you everything you need to know.’

I majored in Graphic Design at LASALLE College of the Arts. After graduation, I knew that I didn’t want to be a graphic designer, so I went to help my family’s business. I was a lost child; I didn’t know what I liked or what I wanted to do, until I got into styling. 

As a freelancer, especially a young stylist without much experience, it can be really tough. Sometimes I need to find other alternatives because of the ad-hoc opportunities. There was once I tried working in “sales”, only to discover that it was a multi-level marketing (MLM) business which they pretended not to be. For that whole week, I did door-to-door sales and only made $150. It was pathetic and I felt cheated. Since that incident, I told myself to go back to what I am comfortable with.

Working as a stylist is definitely not a glamorous job. It is a lot of hard work and multi-tasking! As a newbie who is starting out, I need to do everything on my own like logistics, steaming, dressing models to staying on top of things during a shoot… it’s too long to list everything out!

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From Left: Dress from and Bags from Pleats Please; Right: Man’s T-shirt from Palace, Shorts from Korea, and Shades from Izipizi. 

“I would say my style is Korean meets Japanese. Having a straight figure, the Korean style suits me the best, in terms of loose silhouettes. I guess my signature look is just an oversized tee with a pair of jeans. That’s what I love to throw on when I’m lazy to dress up. 

More often than not, I get too adventurous with my own outfits and I’ll put on really ridiculous ones. After rushing out of the house, I get a reality check, and sometimes feel the need to go Zara and find a decent top to change into.”

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From Left: Lazy Oaf T-shirt, Beret, Pants and Mules from Korea; Right: Dress from Korea and Shoes from Spur Shoes.

I like to coordinate my outfit with my boyfriend and since we stay together, it is much easier to do so. 

This might sound funny, but I have a purple t-shirt from Zara. I have never been a fan of purple but I just can’t get over the Yellow fur on it with a Toco Toucan print. Oh, and talking about yellow, I’m extremely into that colour now! I totally love the different shades of yellow and it is such a wearable colour.

In Singapore, I usually only shop in Zara, Uniqlo and Topshop. Other than that, Pomelo has a really good range of styles with prices that are worth the quality. I travel to Seoul every year and I will go on a shopping spree to stock up and update my wardrobe. I love how their styles are always so timeless and classic—I can wear it over and over again.