Bottoms – 101 Reasons

Discover your fashion style

If you’ve been wondering where you can get that jacket that the actress wore, look no further because help is at hand. Check out StyleCrush, which has just been rolled out in Singapore.

StyleCrush is a style discovery platform that uses AI technology to let you find clothes and fashion items, including shoes and bags, that caught your attention.

All you need to do is to upload an image or paste a link of the item that you’re looking for and the AI system will connect you to the relevant shopping malls where you can purchase the products conveniently.

You can also create a wish list of the fashion products discovered through the search and place them in an album. It’s like a curation of your tastes where you can come back to and browse at a later date.

The platform is developed by Korea’s Odd Concepts, which is collaborating with Suggesty and Sta1 of Korea, and Qoo10 of Singapore to provide you with a wide variety of fashion styles.

Suggesty is an online mall selling AI-curated Korean designer brands internationally and will share its database and apparels with StyleCrush. Sta1 has more than one million products from over 6,000 brands.

Odd Concepts will work with more fashion and apparel e-commerce partners in Singapore and ASEAN countries to provide consumers with access to a greater variety of fashion styles.

Do check out StyleCrush the next time a fashion item catches your eye.

What’s your size?

Size can be a highly sensitive topic if not presented correctly. XS or XL can mean different things to different people. For some, being extra small is nice but others may feel that it translates to tiny, bony or skinny. Likewise, the other end of the scale is another massive minefield.

One of the biggest problems with buying clothes is getting the size right. Each continent has its own standards. An S is Asia and translate to XS in the US or the UK. Even then, the same L in the UK and the US varies with the US version tending to be a size or two larger.

I have comfortably fitted into a US XS (Abercrombie and Fitch), UK S and Asia M.

When buying clothes online, it’s important to check out the size chart, and in some cases, provide a little variant because cuts can differ. I have bought same size tops from my favourite team’s store and they don’t always turn out the same. Cuts, material and design make the difference too.

Even when you’ve done all your due diligence, like checking the size chart, reading reviews and looking at the cuts, things could still go wrong. It happened to me with an order from a China site. I ordered a jacket according to my measurements and mapped it against the shop’s size chart.

When the order arrived, I was stunned. The jacket looks like the picture but it at least three sizes smaller!

So, sometimes, it’s better to buy from more familiar brands that you’ve already bought from and are comfortable with. Otherwise, ordering clothes online is a case of hit and miss.

Nice touch, Cotton On

Cotton On.jpg The order took a week to arrive — a little too long and a test of patience considering that this was a local order made on November 11 (Singles Day Sale).

However, when it did, the packaging managed to temper the disappointment a little. “Someone’s got good taste” sits really well with me, and I’m sure, with many others too.

Cotton On Drake Joggers Inside were three pairs of Customised Drake Joggers, the most comfortable pants that I’ve worn in a long time.

I bought them in three colours — street grey, brushed copper and washed dusty (faded blue) — to complement the few pairs that I already own.

My first encounter with this jogger pants was during a trip to Melbourne earlier this year. I wanted a comfortable pair of pants to wear on board the flight back.

After checking out various options, the joggers felt really cool and relaxed without looking too sloppy. It made the nearly eight-hour trip such a breeze. With its subtle drop crotch and elastic ankle cuffs, sitting and even moving around the plane was such a pleasure.

I’ve since worn it for many different occasions and it’s become my go-to pants whenever a pair of berms or shorts is not deemed suitable.

Why I like it:

Drop crotch cut: :Lots of space for movement.
Slim leg fit: Makes me look slimmer (definite plus).
Elastic angle cuffs: A sense of snugness without feeling too tightly bound.
Versatile usage: Can use for many ocassions
Elastic waist band: Room for growth (hopefully not needed but good to have the option).

If you’re keen, you may get it from Cotton On online or pop in to one of their many shops to try a pair on.