FEMALE People Cam: May 2024
A special "beauty cam" edition of our monthly compendium showcasing true Singaporean style as captured on the streets
By By Pang Jia Wei & Paige Boon,
It seems that Singaporeans never leave home without a lip product in their bags, as per our informal survey conducted during our FEMALE People Cam series for May. The subject of essential beauty items is just one of several beauty-related questions we posed to the individuals featured in our street style column, aligning with the theme of our May print edition, scheduled for release on May 10. While we await its arrival, keep scrolling for more beauty banter and style inspiration.
Name: Hee Kerru
Age: 19
Occupation: Freelance artist and fine arts student
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: "The dress is a Loewe piece which features a print inspired by Spanish surrealist painter Maruja Mallo’s Living Nature series. I DIYed my bag from plastic packaging and recycled canvas. For my accessories, they are either handmade or bought from miscellaneous places. My shoes are beat-up leather boots from FitFlop I’ve had for the last six years that are hand-painted by me. I wear them daily, so they fall apart constantly, making an endless cycle of mending and fixing because I refuse to throw them away. I was going to wear silver Tabi shoes from Maison Margiela, but alas, I had to do work today."
Her advice for those looking to express themselves through fashion: "Stop caring what people think – it is your life and your body. Personally, I adhere to English philosopher John Stuart Mill's harm principle (which says people should be free to act however they wish unless their actions cause harm to somebody else) when deciding what to wear. Also, Singapore's weather is unforgiving. Many mornings, I wake up feeling like Faustus being dragged into hell, with the relentless heat. Look for fabrics that breathe, and you won’t lose half your body weight in sweat."
A beauty item she always carries: "A knife, great for applying eyeliner in a straight line. I typically carry vintage pocket knives that fold into decorative sheaths as they look so pretty when folded up. Besides pocket knives, I also carry lip balm."
Her current beauty obsession: "Dark liner under the eyes. It has become my go-to makeup, especially when in a rush."
Name: Jacob Ng
Age: 19
Occupation: Marketing director and business owner
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
His fit: "The turtleneck is from Uniqlo, and the trousers are from Stakeout. My bag is from Celine, and the shoes are Hermes. For accessories, I got my brooch from Deja Vu Vintage, bracelet from my mother, and watch from Rolex. My rings are from a mix of pieces from Alexandria Maison (Museum Art & Co) and my mother’s collection. My bag charms are a mix of pieces I got from Deja Vu Vintage, Alexandria Maison (Museum Art & Co), Hermes, and my own."
The most precious item in his bag collection: "A Birkin 35 in white toile canvas and leather with palladium hardware. It was taken from my mum, of course."
A beauty item he always carries: "Unfortunately, I don't use beauty products at all, so I don't carry around any beauty items."
One beauty tip: "For those with sensitive skin like mine, I recommend using soap and water to avoid any chance of flare-ups."
Name: Zheng Jialei
Age: 23
Occupation: Fine arts student
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: “The mesh dress I’m wearing is from Ottolinger, and the pants are thrifted. The blue mesh top is from Taobao. My shoes and bag are from a store called Hijacked. For my accessories, I am wearing antique silver bangles and a ring that are from the Hmong tribe (who reside primarily in Southwest China).”
Her personal style: “I believe my culture has the most influence on my style. I enjoy collecting vintage and handmade items, as well as incorporating interesting prints. Visually, I find that prints and layers add depth to an outfit, so I enjoy experimenting with creating different effects.”
A beauty item she always carries: "Lipstick."
Her current beauty obsession: "Colour changing gel blushes."
Name: She prefers to go by just Dyan
Age: 23
Occupation: Fine arts student
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: “My entire outfit is thrifted from stores in Lucky Plaza and Value Village in Toronto, Canada.”
Her personal style: "I feel like I resemble a cross between a goblin and a fairy from a Studio Ghibli film. Yes, I love the fairycore or goblincore trend. I adore being surrounded by greenery, as green is my favourite colour, and I enjoy wearing earthy tones. Incorporating green into my personal style is so important to me that it practically reflects my personality."
Her current beauty obsession: "I love accentuating the moles on my face with eyeliner. I saw someone doing it in a GRWM video, and I don't think I can ever stop."
One beauty tip: "I often apply a thin layer of Laneige's lip sleeping mask before doing my lip makeup."
Name: Aqil Zulanan
Age: 20
Occupation: National serviceman
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
His fit: "My cardigan is from Izzue, and my pants are thrifted and altered by me. The shoes are from (Korean label) Josepht, and my necklace is from a closed second-hand store at Millenia Walk. The bag I’m carrying is a vintage Gucci piece that was gifted to me by a friend."
His outfit inspiration: "I was inspired by the habit of girlfriends wearing their boyfriends' oversized clothes to get that lazy slouchy vibe."
His personal style: "I'm almost always in black, with a touch of goth (though it depends on the outfit) and a hint of subversion – ensuring there's an ever so slightly jarring aspect to each outfit."
His favourite fashion purchase: "I enjoy ‘appropriating’ fashion items from friends and family far more than actually purchasing them. My favourite items would probably be a vintage Aigner bag I got from my grandma, a dark blue cardigan from my brother, and a Burberry tote bag given to me by my partner. If I had to pick my favourite item that I purchased, it would be a pair of black leather boots I got from Syro."
Name: Sarah Noorhimli
Age: 23
Occupation: Fine arts student
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: “The top is from Monki and the skirt is a hand-me-down from my sister. My shoes are Teva and my necklace is custom-made by @fieldtested_ on Instagram.”
On the importance of colour coordination in her personal style: "I'm particularly picky about it when it comes to purple – my glasses, phone, and headphones are purple, so there are days when I wear my purple accessories with them. I consider purple to be an important colour to me."
Her current beauty obsession: "My go-to is a simple winged liquid or pencil eyeliner look."
One beauty tip: "Discover a colour that alters the way you perceive the world."
Name: Nuhayd Naufal
Age: 23
Occupation: Fine arts student
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
His fit: “All the clothing pieces in this outfit are thrifted, either from Carousell or thrift stores in Singapore and abroad. The shoes are my dad’s old office shoes. I got my rings from accessory shops in Bali and Japan, and my watch is from Youths in Balaclava.”
His style inspiration: "I draw inspiration from the spirit and vision of Swedish rapper and singer-songwriter Yung Lean."
His fashion tip for those seeking to express themselves through fashion: "There's no need to spend excessively and buy new clothes frequently just to make a statement. I believe it's beneficial to gradually build a cohesive collection of garments and accessories that you can mix and match."
Name: Eva Mansor
Age: 23
Occupation: Artist
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Their fit: “The top is from @clons.co, my shoes are from Asos and the bag is from Uniqlo. I also got fishnets from Shopee and DIY-ed the fishnet underlayer seen in my outfit.”
Their outfit inspiration: "I'm a huge fan of the Dune book series, and by extension, the new films. In the books, green is the symbolic colour of death among the Fremen, foreshadowing the challenges they would face as they fulfil the prophecy of transforming the desert into a lush landscape under Paul's leadership. I'm deeply fascinated by Dune, particularly the concept of prescience as depicted through (protagonist) Paul's experiences. The sensation of the future narrowing and darkening over time is something he grapples with as a seer, and I wanted to convey that sentiment in this outfit."
Their current beauty obsession: "Keeping it simple and affordable. I spent so much money on acne products as a teenager that I've completely abandoned skincare routines other than using a facial wash and moisturiser."
One beauty tip: "Just embrace your true self."
Name: Tan Hui Ru
Age: 24
Occupation: Mural painter
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: “The overalls I’m wearing is a gift from my mother and my shoes are Timberland. The rest of my outfit is probably gifted to me as well.”
Her favourite fashion icon: "(South Korean-born artist, rapper, and fashion designer) MLMA (@melovemealot on Instagram). "
Her current beauty obsession: "Using shimmery eyeshadow generously."
One beauty tip: "Apply sunscreen to your face every day."
Name: Abegail Loreno Arendayen
Age: 25
Occupation: Freelance film art department crew member and knitwear Artist
Spotted at: Lasalle College of the Arts (Winstedt Campus)
Her fit: : "The clothing I'm wearing today consists of second-hand pieces from Carousell. I thrifted my bag in Bangkok, and my necklace is also from a store there. The shoes are from H&M, and I'm holding my Jellycat stuffed toy."
Her style inspiration: "Right now, I’m trying to embrace darker colours. I've noticed that over the past year, I've been wearing a lot of bright and loud colours. Therefore, this year, I wanted to switch things up and experiment with darker, witchier tones. I also find inspiration in outfits from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and movies like The Craft."
Her current beauty obsession: "I’ve been loving placing two gems by the inner corners of my eyes, resembling a nose bridge piercing."
One beauty tip: "If you're in a rush, simply use a cream blush as lipstick, blush, and eyeshadow!"
Name: Nada Hasna Nazahah
Age: 25
Occupation: Creative multimedia student
Spotted at: Haji Lane
Her fit: "Both the top and skirt are from the Indonesian label lolica_studio. The shoes and bag are from ngs.studio and noste.idn, respectively, both of which are also from Indonesia."
On her recent love for the coquette style: "Yes, most of my friends have embraced everything about the coquette style, and I got swept up in it. I used to be a simple-casual girl, with a plain style and no accessories at all. I believe that whatever you wear, if you feel comfortable and confident in it, whether with or without accessories, you should just go for it, because many people do nowadays."
A beauty item she always carries: "Sunscreen and a matte lip product."
One beauty tip: "Exfoliate at least once a week."
Name: She prefers to go by just Shira
Age: 24
Occupation: Senior account executive in an ad agency
Spotted at: Haji Lane
Her fit: "The top is from Shopee, the jeans are Marithe Francois Girbaud, which I found on Carousell. The shoes are the viral Ganni Buckle Ballerina flats, also found on Carousell, and the bag is from Baggu."
Her outfit inspiration: “I had an important meeting and really wanted to wear my favourite flats for luck. Since I needed to dress a bit more ‘adult’ and elegant, but not too much, I decided to try something new and channel the Scandinavian minimalism style.”
A beauty item she always carries: "Lip glazes. They are not as sticky as lip gloss but have more colour than tinted lip balms. The lip glaze I always carry is Flortte's Lip Glaze in #06."
Her current beauty obsession: "Igari and Douyin makeup looks. My best friend inspired me to start trying out this style of makeup. They love makeup and have encouraged me to experiment with new styles. We also watched a YouTube channel, Dear Peachie, to figure out what works best for our faces."
Name: Aiko Hotta
Age: 21
Occupation: Barista
Spotted at: Haji Lane
Her fit: "The top is from Re. drmg – a store at Haji Lane. The skirt is from Shein, and the shoes are from Taobao. The bag was gifted, and my accessories are all from Shopee and various stores in Bugis Street."
Her favourite way to accessorise her outfits: "I love accessorising with bracelets so that my arms don’t look 'empty'. I have lots of bracelets for different styles, and I enjoy stacking bracelets with a similar design and vibe based on whatever looks nice to me. Lately, I've also been stacking necklaces too."
Her current beauty obsession: "Lip products. I have way too many lipsticks in the same shade but different brands. My current lip product obsession is definitely Tarte's Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in the shade, Honeysuckle."
One beauty tip: "Set your face before applying foundation for a creaseless base that is also long-lasting."
Name: Alya Qistina
Age: 20
Occupation: Government worker
Spotted at: Haji Lane
Her fit: “The full fit is thrifted and the shoes are @luwa_storesg.”
The inspiration for her fit: "I find it all on Pinterest. I'm constantly seeking outfit inspiration and am inspired by what I come across there."
Her current beauty obsession: "I'm still hooked on lip gloss. Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb is my top favourite."
One beauty tip: "Stay hydrated at all times."