FMT Style Me!

Gillian makes her day!

2006-10-19T00:37:00.000+08:00

For those who remember, Nikky is our little sweet volunteer who is a self-professed "sneakers and denims" girl. Amongst the retro-chic looks we created for her, she also wanted a "sweet taiwanese girl" look.

Heh, so we set our nifty hands working her hair into loose curls with an iron curler. Always curls hair in sections - left and right, within each side, top, upper middle, lower middle and bottom layers of hair. After the hair has "cooled", rub a little bit of hair wax between your palms and use your fingers to comb thro' the curls for an au naturale look. For Nikky, we combed all her hair to one side and fasten it with bobby pins - this gives an interesting twist to the usual curly dolly hair look. At the same time, this has the effect of "slimming" the face down. To complete the hair style, we added a sweet tiffany and white striped hairband, one of the must-have hair accessories...popularized by Taiwan "Cutie Princess" Raine Yang!

For make-up, we used silverish white eye-liner to brighten her eyes. Psst, pearl and shine based eye-liners are more mod than your traditional blacks and browns. To compliment her outfit, we used metallic green shades for her eyes and blend it just slightly beyond her eyelid and on the lower lid as well. Nikky is blessed with nice dimples and a pouty lips, so a cherry shade blush gives a rosy complexion and colorless gloss gives the finishing touch!

The outfit - Nikky picked Gillian from our Buttons and Such collection, commenting on its lovely lace and ribbon frills as "Sweeeeeet!" We paired Gillian with her black three-quarters and cinched it at the hips with a metallic toned wide belt. We told Nikky, her high-cut sneakers would bring her out for a shopping trip, while boots would bring her to more glamourous occasions and locations.

Her verdict - "I Loveeee it! It's my favorite look out of the 3." That makes both of us girl, we love it, too! Whoever said Singaporean girls are not as sweet or well dressed as the others? Nikky's new look is living proof heh. Cheers to that!

Viewed from the right, we see the accentuates with her hair swept to one side - the anchor earring (worn only on this side) and the shiny belt buckle. This side makes the loud and sweeping statement.

Viewed from the left, we see the sweet little lolita - the ribbon from the hairband, her curls bunched together. If you like, you may wear a diamante stud earring on the ear on this side!

Up-closed and up-front, we see the overall combined look. Sweeeet, isn't it? =))

Close-up on the earring - it's one of the hottest, latest accessory type from Korea...The anchor and spoke combination makes for an interesting combination. Wear one for an attitude statement, or both to complete the picture!

Here's a side note to all Find My Top readers out there - if you have a top you'd like us to make-over for you, or if you have a certain look you'd like us to help you acheive, do feel free to drop us a note at style[at]findmytop[dot]com! It's with compliments! =))

Layering & Leggings

2006-10-15T01:11:00.000+08:00

Layering as mentioned is one of the "must-have" looks this season. In the sweltering heat of sunny island Singapore - it's kinda hard to acheive the look without melting into a ball of crumpled clothes. Layering, when not careful, can turn intended mod chic into "ba4 chang3" (dumpling).

Leggings - an absolute shocking 70s comeback to the fashion industry. Many people were asking, "what the h*** were they thinking?" when these stretchy thingys that wrap your thighs and make them look like pork knuckles parade down the runways in a myraid of colors. Sometimes we wonder if the designers secretly convene before each fashion show and conspire on how to make us commoners look ridiculous - remember those pineapple, strawberry and cabbage (CABBAGE???) prints people were wearing and carrying last year?

But hey, on hindsight, these things are not that hideous afterall. In fact, when tastefully matched, can add a fashionable twist to your usual skirt and top get-up. In this entry, we show you how to use layering and leggings to your advantage.

We used...

Teal from the Sweet Tanks Collection

This series of tank tops are of a loose-fitting cut, making them perfect for layering because they do not hug your body and bulge at the taboo areas. We love the turquoise color - dark tones give a slimmer silhouette, and it's pairable with any basic black, white, grey, blue halter/racer-back...you get the idea.

Nikky

Our resident volunteer model - the sweetest thing you'd ever meet, too! =) She's one self professed tank top, denims and sneakers girl. "Leggings are so not me!" We showed her how she can make her usual get-up more interesting... All you need is a sense of adventure and imagination!

The Outfit

Here's the entire deal - Teal, Nikky's own black spag, Nikky's own black skirt, leggings and black pumps provided by us!

The Look

There! Nice, isn't it? We love the entire retro feel to the look...plus Nikky's bubbly personality - it's like taiwanese ke3 ai4 (cuteness) meets runway chic! Try your own mix-and-matching and show 'em to us, too! *winkz*

Jazzing it up with Ooi!

2006-10-07T21:56:00.000+08:00

Camisoles, we all know, are staples of the female wardrobe, especially in the sweltering heat of Singapore. We all love their "convenience" of sorts - slap them on with a pair of denims and we are ready to go Orchard for shopping, City Hall for tea, Zouk for partyin' etc. But after a while, it does get boring...what else do we girls wear? How else can we wear these lovely things?

In this entry, we show you how our camisoles from Ooi!, described as "versatile...bringing you from 9 to 5...and 5 to 9" etc. etc. can be tastefully matched to break out from the monotonous routine.

From 9...

Pair cool colored camisoles with pure white blazer suits, warm colored ones with black, and pastels with grey or cream suits. In the above example, we paired Tiffany with a white blazer pant suit. Because the suit is pure white, the blue lace hemmed along the bust line makes a nice and sexy contrast against your blazer when buttoned up for work. The prints and small ribbon diamante also give the entire office get-up interesting detail.

...to 5

For those in the advertisng or media industry...or students on a Friday, this "retro meets chic" is the perfect get-up. We teamed Plume up with a long white tunic, black leggings and a black wide belt. Always layer a light colored tunic with a dark-toned camisole and vice versa. Match the leggings and belt accordingly, but remember to contrast their color against your tunic. This is the hottest look this (and the coming) season, so do step out of your comfort zone and experiment a bit! =) The belt, if cinched nicely can create a flattering silhouette for you, and the tunic "lengthens the body", too. Because all these are "bold" and "solid" pieces, a lacy and feminine camisole will soften the entire look and make "modernize" your retro efforts. The one we have chosen is soft brown-toned with feminine prints in lilac. The pastel yellow lace hemmings and ribbons add subtle detail that completes the entire look.

Weekend R&R

When the weekend arrives, the camisole plays an even more important part in our rest & relax dressing. The mood may be "laxed"...your style shouldn't. Camisoles may be more colorful and loud. Play with short pieces and accessories - afterall, you only have 2 days in a week to be fun in your dressing! For the set above, we teamed Hearts with pink shorts, a white belt, pink retro hairband and white havanas (not shown). This should carry you to town for coffee or shopping, and the beach, too! Use the theory of "balance" in fashion - long with short, dark with light. This long camisole was paired with short short shorts, and the overall color combination gives a sweet, kawaii-ish feel to your get-up. The "busy" prints on the camisole is perfectly paired with solid colored shorts and solid colored belt. The ribbon diamante on the camisole is complemented with the diamante belt. Accessories must match and be up to date. Try one of those nautical anchor and spoke ones (as shown) or be creative and make your own one sided hooped earrings!

Camisoles are meant to be versatile and fun pieces in the wardrobe. A little bit of thought in the choice of camisole, mixing & matching with bottoms/layers and accessories can make your camisole work better for you. Solid colored ones make good staples for anyday wear, but prints and details say a whole lot more for (and of) you, too. Most importantly, wear your clothes with your style, not let the clothes wear you into a certain style! =))

Belting it Up with Sapphire!

2006-09-28T14:59:00.000+08:00

Since we are on the subjects of belts, we thought we might share a related tip we recently picked up from one of the places that produce some of the best dressed people in town - Mediacorp Wardrobe department! =) See one of us, VaL, is also a freelance artiste and has done several short films and gigs for both Mediacorp and independent film producers. The day she reported to Wardrobe, the dear "aunties" there had 2 problems - 1) They have to make this 1.5m tall girl look comparable to Felicia Chin on camera, 2) They have to make her look trendy.

Well No.2 isn't that hard, you think...it's Mediacorp Wardrobe department we are looking at afterall. But if you have to find trendy clothes that fit the petite size yet create an illusion of height...*gulpz* Unfazed, the auntie said, "Change into this, tuck it into the skirt and come back to look me when you're done." *eyebrows raised* She had passed VaL a brown pseudo-layered off-shoulder top, an olive green hipster pleat skirt, both looking awfully big for her. And they were. The top was wa-ay too long, and the skirt was barely hanging on the hips..."auntie, help!"

"Tuck in tuck in!" Now who on earth tucks a blouse into a mini-skirt??? *eyebrows raised* Oh well, the top was too long anyway. *Top tucked in* "Nah, you do this!" And magic happened. We're very tempted to say the auntie made VaL performed some secret ritual sign and she immediately grew into 1.7m, the clothes fitted her perfectly and the auntie accomplished goals 1 & 2 as per above...lolx. But no, she "belted" VaL up. That's it? That's...all? A belt's all it took to turn an (almost fugly), oversized set of clothes into the perfect get-up...and make a person look taller? Wah, that's why we say never underestimate the fashion sense of "aunties", especially not the ones on Caldecott Hill!

Now we know it's sounds a tad trivia to make such a fuss out of. But hey, trust us - many petite babes out there would appreciate this tip! Ask them - how many times have they loved a top oh so much, "if not for the fact that it's too long" *poutz* We know, 'cos VaL's one of them, and she loves Ooi! to bits. But we admit, these lovely camisoles are a tad long for the average babe out there. So hey, let VaL reconjure the magic she experienced in Caldecott Hill, you need 3 things - 1) Your favorite Ooi! top, 2) A hipster mini-skirt, 3) The Belt (preferably wide, in a contrasting color to your get-up).

For purpose of demonstration, we used Sapphire from Ooi!, a white pleated hipster skirt, a dark metallic tone wide belt and 1.5m VaL:

Now remember the top must be tucked into your skirt, no matter how morbid this may sound to you at first. Wear the belt just at the hip, with the buckle at the side for a trendier feel. Then pull a bit of the camisole out, such that it barely touched the belt. Here's the sideview:

Nice, isn't it? Another perk is that you get to hide your lil' tummy (c'mon, only supermodels or super rich girls who can afford not to eat or liposuction have completely flat tums!) because the belt rests on your hips and your top looks "flattened" into the skirt. Here're some close-ups:

We love the bright blue of Sapphire contrasting against the white skirt...with the dark colored belt adding the "final touch". We also love the way the straps of Sapphire are adjustable. That way, you can wear the top as low (and long) as you like; just layer it with a racer or tube inside for this season's "layered" look! The white chest area is also designed to accentuate one's feminine curves, and the laced hem and little ribbons-details only up the allure and charm factors! With this little belt tip, I guess we can expect VaL to start wearing her Ooi! collection a lot more lolx... Go on, try it...better yet, take a snapshot of yourself in this get-up and email us at findmytop@gmail.com. We'd love to hear from you! =)

Of Beth and Belts

2006-09-28T01:49:00.000+08:00

Belts are the accessory for Fall 2006 fashion. The ones to have are the wide soft leather, shiny PVC and even satin-ribbon ones. The way to wear them - cinched at the waist, right below your bustline. With what? With Find My Top's Beth under the Buttons and Such collection -

We took off the black beaded embellishment from Beth and replaced it with a fire-red wide soft PVC belt instead. Team it with your fave denims, equally red hot peep-toe sandals and this week's Fall look's yours to keep. Here's a close-up:

We love the way the belt cinches the waist, creating a flattering female silhouette for its wearer. Always cinch loose clothes at the waist, never tight-fitting ones...for it makes the belt appear "extra". The belt came into the picture because loose fitting and big-cut tunics are in. Below are a few more ways to wear this must-have accessory:

Dress - Accentuate the middle portion of a mute colored dress with a bright colored belt; acheive figure and contrast at the same time.
Tunics & Leggings - Wear an oversized tunic or cardigan and paired it with opaque leggings. Top off with a shiny wide belt to instant chic-ness.
Frills - Wear a frilly blouse with an equally frilly skirt; mute the "over-ness" of it with a wide dark colored belt.
Pencil Skirt - What's The Skirt of Fall doing without The Belt of Fall? Worn with the shirt tucked in, please.
Long Shorts - Top in, belt up and wedges to go.

With that many ways to wear one item, there really isn't any reason why your wardrobe should not contain at least one of these darlings. The red one featured with Beth was bought from Far East Plaza at a mere S$15. And you can do some pretty neat things with it, too - the lady in the shop taught us how to wear it as 1) a ribbon (as shown with Beth), 2) a rose (by twisting it round the buckle and tucking the last bit in it) and 3) as it is with the end folded and tucked to one side. So run along now, go get "belted"!

FMT Style Me!

2006-09-28T00:00:00.000+08:00

We won't beat about the bush with regards to the existence of this column. This is the place where we try to "show" you what we have been telling you all along - "How To Wear the Latest Trend". Some of you receive our exclusive launch emailers that comes along with a brief description of how the tops in that particular collection may be paired with certain bottoms. Some of you remember the short write-ups that accompany certain tops. Some of you remember our replies to your email queries on how to wear a certain top. Some of you remember our MSN conversations on what a particular top should be worn with.

This is the place where we re-create all of that in the one way that says it all - pictures! Why not show it in our usual photoshoots in the first place, you say. W-ell, we'd be frank about it: 1) We couldn't find the right match of get-up at the time of the shoot; some of our clothes come in so early, no where else in Singapore sells the right bottom, accessories etc. to go with them 2) It's our fault; with limited resources like ours, there's only that many "perfect" outfits we can create during our photoshoots 3) the most important reason of all - the photos are meant to focus on the Tops themselves! =)

Hey at least we bother to make it up to you! Here's what you can expect from this column:

Tips on how you can mix n match Find My Top apparel to create THE Look
Well-dressed people we've caught on the streets and a tip or two from them!
Discussions of some of the runway scoops we've combed from you...
and anything style related The Team @ Find My Top finds worth sharing!

Well pictures paint a thousand (and a whole lot more words), so let's stop talking a while and move on to our very first entry shall we? On to Fall 2006 Fashion!

Entries This Month:

The Find My Top Card

2006-09-01T13:00:00.000+08:00

Front View

Back View

Terms & Conditions of the Find My Top Card

Waiver of Delivery Charges:

Waiver of Delivery Charges is only applicable upon the first presentation of the Find My Top Card, and is only applicable for purchases of SGD30.00 and above. Owner of the Find My Top Card must indicate in his/her order that they have the card, and would like to use it for the waiver.

FMT Stamps:

FMT Stamps are given by Find My Top's delivery personnel after the delivery transaction. One FMT Stamp is given per order, and each order has to be SGD30.00 and above, non-inclusive of Delivery Charges. Owner of the Find My Top Card must inidicate in his/her order that they have the card, and would like to use it for redemption of the FMT Stamp (if applicable).

10% Discount:

The 10% discount is only redeemable after all 10 FMT Stamps have been collected on the Find My Top Card. No minimum purchase is required for the redemption of the 10% discount. Owner of the fully stamped Find My Top Card must indicate in his/her order that they have the card, and would like to use it for the redemption of the 10% discount (if applicable).

Who may enjoy the privleges of the Find My Top Card:

All existing and new customers of Find My Top will receive the Find My Top Card on their next purchase. Anyone else who recieved the Find My Top Card at any other promotions may present the card upon delivery of their first purchase for waiver of Delivery Charges.

Others:

Find My Top reserves the right to amend Terms & Conditions of the Find My Top Card at their sole discretion; and to remove/add in privileges & clauses to the Find My Top Card. The Find My Top Card must be presented at time of delivery for all above mentioned privileges.

FMT Friends

2006-09-01T01:00:00.000+08:00

Over the past year, Find My Top has grown from 1 small blogstore to an entire network of FMT friends. On this page, we pay tributes to kind souls who have in one way or another, helped FMT grow. Fom The Team @ Find My Top to you - Thank You.

Blogs:

Metrosexual Me is owned by Chu Wen. We love him for his self-declaration of metrosexuality - after all, they are some of the best dressed men in town. His acute sense of fashion can be seen in some of his writings, and his blog makes an enjoyable read with quirky (but useful) musings like "What's your cut?" What's more he loves us, too - "Because I simply adore how Find My Top's clothing breaks away from the monotonous fashion landscape that has sadly plagued our island." Click here to read what Chu Wen said about Find My Top.

Websites:

Kevin is one of the dearest friends The Team @ Find My Top have. Don't be fooled by his humble demeanor, this is one guy whose photographic skills are to be reckon with. A perfectionist in all his work, you can expect nothing but the very best from him. We thank Kevin for his generosity in sharing his experise with us, his professionalism in working with us and most importantly, for the friend he is to us. All the very best dude, with talent and attitude like yours, you'll go very far! P.S. Kevin freelances at Cover Looks, too! Check out Kevin and his works here.

eMALL.SG is a website that aims to aggregate Singapore's online stores into one big portal for the convenience of all shoppers. It has a wide variety of shopping categories such as fashion, food, health etc., and even accomodates for blogstores, which we thought was rather cool. Find My Top can be found here at eMALL.SG, do take time to check it out. =)