Fashion trends in Singapore

We interviewed Loletta Michelle a while ago and then we caught up with her recently to check up on what was going on in her life and in Singapore.  Here are excerpts from the interview.   

MYNIPPON: Have you seen any major influence of Japan on life in Singapore recently, for instance on fashion, romance, etc.?

Loletta: Fashion, yes.  You know how each culture/society has its own sort of punks.  In Singapore, a multi racial society, we have the rebels called the bengs and lians.  If one were to dress like a Japanese aka J-pop star, he or she will be first branded as Lian.  Somehow the masses spoil the market.  At one time, J-pop, Japanese babes and singers - practically anything Japanese - was seen as cool and beautiful.  Beng is the male version of a young reckless punk/hooligan and Lian is the female version.  It's what we locals name young, reckless, troublemaking youths who sprout nothing but tasteless dialects all day - young people who dress in expensive designer clothes flamboyantly.  They are something like the ganguro in Japan.

MYNIPPON:  Would you or your boyfriend be considered as belonging to this group?

Loletta: Ironically no youth in Singapore would want to be seen or called a Beng or a Lian even though their dressing style, actions and speech betrays them - again a reflection of the society that does not accept any rebels.

MYNIPPON:  What about hair color?  In Japan right now all women including middle-aged obasans are coloring their hair - women no longer have simple dark hair - it is either brown or blonde or something in between.  We have been told that in South Korea, even young kids are coloring their hair since it is not cool to have dark hair. 

Loletta:  Well, I do like this trend.  I myself have golden brown hair - it complements my look.  In fact I think that colored hair looks good on any woman. I noticed something - if you are tanned - Namie Amuro style rich golden sun kissed tan - whether you are a guy or a girl, blond or brownish golden hair looks good on you.  On the other hand, fair skinned people, especially girls, would look better in jet-black typical Asian hair with their rosy pink cheeks.  I know it would be unusual but I am convinced that the contrast would be terrific. Since I'm not born powder fair - just the normal in-between color - I thought it'd be better for me to go tanning often and achieve the Namie Amuro look than to spend tons of dollars on skin whitening products just to look like Snow White.

MYNIPPON:  Are there any special clothes that go with this look in Asia?  In Japan, this look goes with a bolder style of dressing.

Loletta:  It’s all about how your dress.  I notice too the downward trend nowadays in dresses.  Halter tops and hot pants look tarty and very social escort-like in Asia even though they might be popular in Japan.  I don't see any style and taste in that kind of dressing.  There does not seem to be much in-thing to wear these days.  Just exactly a year ago, dark blue denim and red skirts were the rage but I can’t think of an overriding trend now.   

MYNIPPON:  So what is your look these days?

Loletta:  As for my current look, it is not so much of the Namie look either.  It’s more of the in-between Hitomi and new-Namie look - no more long straight hair, just a nice short layered fringe with wavy long brown hair.   

MYNIPPON:  Would it be fair to say that Asia is different in some ways from Japan?  Not every trend in Japan is religiously followed in other parts of Asia.

Loletta:  One reason being that countries like Singapore, Malaysia, and those near the equator are just too warm.  I mean can you imagine how hot it is to don a thick sweatshirt with thick wooly socks or open-toe mules with leg warmers.  Wearing boots alone here can make your feet wet with sweat and worse of all, smelly.  The reason Japanese girls can dress so well and look more beautiful and stylish is that due to the country's four changing seasons.  They have more dressing variety since they can have at least four dressing styles in a year while we are stuck with the same season all year round.

MYNIPPON:  What else are you seeing in terms of Japanese impact on Asia?

Loletta:  Let me start off by saying that the current dance craze after the Macarena is the Para Para.  It's sweeping Asia like mad.  Para Para was a craze in Japan a year back.  Now due to a Hong Kong movie based on Para Para it seems like everyone wants to learn this dance – and you know how fast Japan trends catch up in Asia and even Australia.

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