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from that day onwards, this back has one side's wing
the day dawns, memories from the stars fade away
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
I dress to DARE. /3:54 PM
Saw this article few days ago in THE NEW PAPER. Well, our award-winning blogger in Asia clearly states out what does it mean by 'I dress to DARE'.
"DRESSING - the cloth kind, not the salad kind - is about the first thing people notice, and also the one thing that sets the first impression others have of you. (Unless you have something remarkable on other parts of your body - such as the third eye - like that fellow in Journey to the West.)
It's obvious that clothes are important, so why do Singaporeans dress so shabbily?
When I visited Hong Kong, I had a really pleasant time looking at the people there. Even just standing on the streets, one can be entertained by the outrageous clothes the girls, and even the guys, wear.
My friend was laughing at this girl who was in a satin red bomber jacket with a black-and-white polka-dot tank top within, and a green striped skirt above violently purple tights and fuchsia heels.
But I think individualism should be encouraged. As hideous as that outfit was, at least it says something about her.
In contrast, almost all Singaporean girls are skinny, rebonded, and clad in black tank tops and jeans.
For a change, they wear spaghetti strap tops with denim skirts and slippers. Wow! The variety startles me!
Let's take for example that series of T-shirts with the 'Me' word in the middle of different icons, that is smiley face, sad face, dull face, ME, angry face.
It was ironic because 'being me' is about individualism. But then everyone started wearing those T-shirts. The kopi boy was wearing one, my MRT carriage had three 'unique' individuals.
It made me wonder: Did they buy it to be different or the same?
Whenever I tell my friends that their dressing is boring, I hear excuses. Too hot, too cold, too expensive, too lazy... This vicious circle is not likely to change.
In Japan, for example, most girls take two hours to dress up before leaving the house. If someone went out without nice curls and thick mascara, she would be ostracised. So most Japanese girls make the effort to doll themselves up.
And, since all kinds of clothes are often in demand, prices will drop!
But in Singapore, if you wear boots, everyone stares. Too bad.
Clothes aside, I think Singaporeans are generally afraid to be different.
Anything too different from the cookie-cutter crowd is bound to spark criticism.
Hopefully, this boring-dressing phenomenon will stop soon. But since it is not likely to, can someone please pass me my tank top?"
(Source taken from THE SUNDAY TIMES, 10 Apr 2005)
