the Arriviste

Missed Connections: The Blond in the Aviators and Knockout White Dress

Can't you just imagine her? She was an icon of style icon to me, if only for 15 seconds.

So the story goes thus: two girlfriends and I are in a taxi on our way to a much needed day at Spa Botanica yesterday, Sunday, when we spot this respendent young thing standing on the corner of Kreta Ayer and Kiong Saik in Chinatown. She's got on the most arresting white dress with a woven corseted top and a knee-length hem in the front that flowed to the ground in the back. Add to that picture her rock-star bangs falling over gold aviators, a bold, colorful bib necklace, the tough-chic black clutch, and the gladiator sandals (I think, it all happened so quickly) and you start get the idea.

She looked damn cool.

So cool in fact that we all swooned, debated stopping the cab to take her picture, and then decided I would seem like too much of a weird stalker if we did that, and so we kept on our way.

And now I totally regret it. It was a missed opportunity to document devastating style and real originality. So, I'm posting a Missed Connections ad:

Dear White Dress Girl,

If you're out there, email me, 'kay?

xoxo

My little black book. Or, where to find a decent dry cleaner, haircut, manicure...

Among the most daunting things about moving to a new place is establishing a roster of trusted services. Who's really going to be able to get that stain out of my accordion-pleated Marchesa gown without ruining it? Why do I have to pay $25 for a manicure, for godssake?? Is there anyone in this country who can cut curly hair properly??? The answers are you don't and yes, to the last two questions at least.

It has taken some time to assemble it, but I finally feel pretty confident about my services lineup and so I’d like to share it with you. My Most Valuable Players...

DRY CLEANER

Jeeves

http://jeevessingapore.com

Multiple locations

More expensive than independently run outfits, but still not exorbitant and worth every penny for the care they take with your clothes.

NAIL SALON

Elegant Nails

Tanglin Mall, 163 Tanglin Rd, 247933

Tel. 6235 8235

An express manicure goes for $12, less if you buy a package, and the manicurist called Orange does a particularly nice job. Be prepared for a postage stamp-sized shop. Call ahead.

HAIRDRESSER

Andy Ong at Kim Robinson

#02-12 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road, 238872

Tel. 6738 8006

www.kimrobinson.com

You may need to refinance your home to pay for a cut with Andy (a heart-attack inducing $248, as of this posting), but your hair will look expensive.

WAXING

Pink Parlour

www.pinkparlour.com.sg/

Multiple locations. I like Rachel at the Far East Plaza location, although it's tiny and not very luxe.

While I wish the decor were simple—the moody colors and boudoir-theme always leaves me feeling a little like I'm at a one-woman bachelorette party—the wax is gentle and aestheticians thorough (yay!). A bikini wax starts around $40, but you can get a considerable discount if you buy a package.

 -------

And some other favorites...

REASONABLY PRICED ESPRESSO

McDonald's McCafe

Multiple locations 

Yes, don't scoff! I was sceptical too, but their small cappuccinos cost only around $2 and are BETTER than other chains’! Just think, you'll never have to pay almost $6 for a tall S'bux cappuccino ever again! The joy, the sheer joy!

CROISSANTS

Paul

03-16/17 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road, 238872

For a delish mini croissant to go with your McCafe. (You'll have to eat it elsewhere though. For some reason Paul doesn't like it when you try to drink your McCappucino in his cafe. Paul can be so uptight...)

ELEGANT CAKES, LICKETY-SPLIT

Canele

Multiple locations.

www.canele.com.sg/

An easy stop for lovely cakes and macarons to take to that dinner party, even at last-minute, thanks to Canele’s many locations.

ORCHIDS

Hawaii Landscape

559 Thomson Rd, Tel: 6251 3963

http://hawaiilandscape.com.sg

While the orchid plants you find here will already be in full bloom, I've found they still last for weeks, and at $12 a stem, how could you not? Read more here.

 

Style: Laneway Hipster Love

St. Jerome's Laneway Festival on Saturday was a gathering of Singapore's hipsters if I ever saw one. And it was glorious, all...

...PRETTY GIRLS in perfect outfits for a hot, sunny indie festival on the grass—cutoffs, barefeet, and super shades...

...And sometimes a GORGEOUS LITTLE DRESS, perfectly hip and pretty at the same time...

 ...FEDORAS EVERYWHERE!

 ...were bested only by WAYFARERS...EVERYWHERE!

...With the occasional pair of quirky shades adding a little individuality in a sea of Ray Bans.

Hipsterific.

Oh, and the music was awesome too.

Watch this space

My dear, dear readers,

You may have read in the last post that the Arriviste is going on a bit of a hiatus.  This arriviste is about to arrive in yet another new--albeit temporary--location, far, far from tropical Singapore.  But we won't be gone forever, and hopefully not even for very long, so do check back in to see what's new from time to time. 

For now, I leave you with this--a not terribly good shot of a terribly good outfit.  Drapey jacket + drapey skirt + gladiator sandals = effortless hot-weather chic.  

 Sending you much love and gratitude for your support!  Singapore, you're awesome.

 

Style: Londoners make it look so easy

 
Do they not?

Style: Graphic + neutral

Photo courtesy of Doorstep Luxury

Another stunning look from the Natalie Dissel launch hosted by Doorstep Luxury and Gallery Reis last week.  I haven't been able to get this dress out of my head, or those Jimmy Choos--they're a subtle, unexpected complement to the bold geometric print of the dress.

Style: Seriously cool cut

Between the Matthew Williamson dress and the modern punk do, there is some serious cool going on here.

Style: Designer Natalie Dissel

 
Designer Natalie Dissel, pictured above, uses semi-precious gems and rare stones in her stunning line of jewelry to evoke organic, natural forms.  Each hand-made piece, like the necklace Natalie is wearing, is unique, ethically produced, and undeniably sophisticated.  Available at Doorstep Luxury starting next week.

Style: Short and stripey

  
Is this arriviste muse not, as they say, fierce?

Style: Chains and skulls

Style: The grey

When I first moved to Asia I was struck by how much grey Asian women wear.  And envious.  There is something so sophisticated about the colors of clouds on an overcast day or before an approaching thunderstorm.  This lovely does grey beautifully, and with such stylish accents, from her zebra sunglasses to her gladiator sandals.

Style

In honor of Mother's Day, a shot of the leather wraparound bracelets made by this styling gentleman's styling mother.

Style: Bali Hiatus II

Awesome hair.

Style: Bali Hiatus

 Rockabilly Bali

Style

 How stunning is this dress?  

 

Style

  

Great shades, great belt.

 

Style

 
 How awesome are these vintage sunglasses?

Style

 

My morning dose of caffeine and cool. Sharp lenses, sharp haircut.

Style

Great haircut, breezy neutrals. 

Style

 

Effortless cool: The lovely Lisa of Things I Like. Leopard, camel, and red works beautifully here.

Style

So cool, so stylish.  I adore the shorts and blazer, and the metal-tough feather necklace. 

Style

Hong Kong Hiatus II

 

Arriviste muse. Effortless cool in soft layers, a serious scarf, and Miu Miu rainboots to fend off the Hong Kong rain.

Style

 Hong Kong Hiatus

 Effortless cool: Textured jacket, killer boots, dots and a leather cuff.

Faux sneaks

B-Sided espadrilles at Hide and Seek

I'm not big on writing about shopping, I find it a bit snooze-inducing actually.  But I recently happened upon Hide and Seek, a quasi-hidden shopfront on Telok Ayer St, and these "artificial sneakers" by B-Sided totally stole my heart.  On first glance I thought, wow, the Topsider trend is really big in Singapore (which it is, endearingly).  And then I realized that they were only painted to look like boat shoes and sneakers, and were really canvas espadrilles--a triumph of trompe l'oeil!  These cuties, $69, are hand sewn in the Basque region of France.

Hide and Seek also carries gorgeous small-label perfumes, vintage sunglasses and fashion from local designers.  

Hide and Seek, 176 Telok Ayer St.

Style

 

Effortless cool

 

Style

 
 Effortless cool