Sartorial construction; longevity over excess

Gone are the days of cringing when I spot somebody on the street decked out in the same dress I am wearing. It is a bitch growing old, with expanding waistlines and knowing that youth isn’t your best beauty secret anymore, but there are certainly perks to it – affording well-tailored, one-of-a-kind clothing that looks chic, stylish, unique and simply me.

Joining the ranks of up and coming local designers (perhaps this may be well of a series of posts?) is Ong Shunmugam - heck even the name spells something different – contemporary womenswear label designed to cut to fit and accentuate your best womanly assets. I shall let the pictures speak for themselves, as I put forth a few of my personal favourites from the Orientalism 2011 collection:

Kamala skirt
- cut to the waist, with waist detail to accentuate narrow waist and curvy hips. Chic and oriental.

Lee Ping dress
- from workwear to cocktails, all I need is a blazer to go with this. And patent leather black heels. Mmm!

Poh Sim jumpsuit
- screams sexy, classy, contemporary. I loved how the silk blouse moves but the rest of the jumpsuit fits the body, unlike the flare jumpsuits we are so used to these days.

Clemente dress
- my ultimate favourite, being a fan of black. Using a combination of Lycra and and lace, the flattering cut hugs your body and balances proportions, you look subtle-sexy (now that’s what we want to wear to work without looking too slutty).

And she does a lovely contemporary remake of the cheongsam. One piece but fashioned as a blouse and a pencil skirt. Oh till I can fit into a cheongsam….

The collection is available at http://shop.ongshunmugam.com, or via Facebook. What I love about tailored wear is the exclusive attention they give you, advice on what looks best on your body, what material fits and what I can’t wear – good ol’ honest advice that I appreciate. Simply write to them and pay a visit.