By Vanessa Yeo • UrbanWire
email reporter • email story • printer friendly version

Fall is one of those challenging seasons for any trendsetter living in a 24/7 tropical climate to pull off without suffering a minor heat stroke first. Traditionally, Fall Fashions consist of woollen trench coats, leather boots, lots of tweed fabric in duller, subdued hues of browns, taupe and khaki.

This time round, to our relief, more flowy and lighter fabrics of silk and lace have taken the runway in a spectrum of prints and colours to make wearability more functional.

The UrbanWire has local weather-friendly solutions for getting Fall right.

The Face
On Top
Getting To The Bottom Of Things
Accessorise Right
Do’s and Don’t Evers!

The Face
The face of autumn is a combination of fierce or deepened eyes paired up with sheer glossy lips or pale champagne puckers. This look is hard to pull off on an Asian face due to the different features and skin types.
Freelance make-up artist John Lee, 21, recommends using shades of plum and sage to create a soft smoky-eyed look for the Chinese face. Black, pewter and gray can appear too harsh on fair Asian skin. He says, “the trick to getting Asian smoky eyes right is to apply a highlight eye shadow in shimmering peach or gold at the brow bone to create a deeper socket and more contrast.” If you have single eyelids, avoid going heavy on eyeliner.For eyes with more definition like Malay or Indian eye shapes, they can afford to go darker with ash tones or even deep golds for accentuation. Lavish lashes with generous coats of brown or copper mascara to give your eyes that something special.

The rule of thumb where cheek colour is concerned is to keep it simple. Remember the “less is more” rule and sweep on dusty rose or peach flushes to the apples of your cheek. Do not succumb to buying any blusher with shimmer in it because it will make the overall face look garish.

For lips, John suggests experimenting with different textures of lipsticks . “Frosted lipsticks are a staple this time round to make the lips paler without looking sick. Every girl should invest in a clear or slightly tinted gloss.”

On Top
Bear in mind that vintage is in and wear it with your own quirky style. Lasaelle-SIA College of the Arts Fashion Design student Angela Ho, 19, describes the key to Fall as “the vintage little lady with all her accessories, gone crazy.” Essentially, making a mess out of the old.

Floral and animal prints are in vogue. High-neck bow-tied styled blouses oozing with Victorian femininity and adorned with bloomed patterns should be a staple in the closet. Any big cat spots and stripes should be worn with a basic coloured bottom to avoid looking like George of the Jungle.

If you’re not too keen of spending extra cash on items that will make an impact for only a couple of months, pull out your olds cardigans, preferably in green – the new black, and throw it over a simple tank top or camisole.

Getting To The Bottom Of Things
Put away your trusty denims because you need either a great pair of pants or knee grazing skirts to complete your Fall transformation.

Cigeratte pants or skinny pants flatter any body shape as long as you purchase one in the right size. A good pant should sit at your hip and only taper off to a wider leg from mid-thigh onwards. Stick to foolproof shades of beige, white and brown.

Silk and satin skirts with lace details and trims are great for making a difference in your wardrobe. On top of looking good, knee-length skirts also do wonders for concealing chunky thighs while giving the illusion of length.

And of course how can you finish off without shoes? Moving away from pointy-toed mules, the latest in shoes have been round-tipped patent pumps and suede Mary-Janes slippers with lots of beaded detailing.

Accessorise Right
Borrow brooches and bead necklaces laden with mother-of-pearl and turquoise to complement your outfit. A few simple pieces attached to the front of you blouse or adorning the neck make a big difference.
An alternative to vintage jewellery is pearls, preferably in white or pale pink. A string of pearls around the neck or waist as a belt is the perfect way to jazz up any outfit. Pearls also have good mileage and can be worn for any season.

Ladies with longer hair can wear it in a loose bun or have their hair in a half ponytail and secured with a glittery hair clip. Evita Peroni has a wide selection of hair aids for any and every occasion. If you have shorter hair, wear it in a side part and fasten your fringe down with bobby pins.

Do’s and Don’t Evers!
-DO make an effort to pair a fancy bag with a plain outfit.
-DO carry an extra cardigan or shawl for instant cover-ups.
-DO alter the hems of your pants so that they reach the end of your shoe heel, touching the floor.
-DO get your eyebrows trimmed. They are the frames of your face.
-DON’T EVER waste good money on PVC skirts. They will NEVER look like leather.
-DON’T EVER clash different prints in the same outfit.
-DON’T EVER try to pull off knee-length boots if you are not above 1.6m in height.
-DON’T EVER slouch. That’s all it takes to un-beautify everything.