What I Bought in Boutiques Fair

This week I have plans to go to Boutiques Fair again. There are times I go and feel zero inspiration, and there are times when I want to buy everything. I suspect it has nothing to do with the brands or the collections. It mostly has to do with when I go, who do I go with, and how tired I am that day.

Boutiques is an exhausting affair, but it’s also a unique opportunity to see a lot of independent Singapore brands under one roof.

Besides Joo Chiat and Tanglin Mall, everything else tends to be a bit samey when it comes to shopping for clothes here. Some of the brands you see in Boutiques, Design Assembly or Glamorous Living, do not have their own shops and you only seem them in these fairs and pop-ups.

I really enjoy discovering new upcoming Singaporean brands. Creativity in this country has really evolved since I first moved here in 2007. I love supporting businesses that dare, innovate, show passion and commitment to their vision.

Now it’s time to charge my battery, cut down on other expenses in preparation for the damage, and hit the F1 Pit ready to do some treasure hunting. Last edition was a good one for me. Here it is. This is what I bought.

1- Good Addition

I bought both, the first white broderie cami midi dress and the third, the white gathered low waist maxi dress on the right. You can never go wrong with white cotton or linen in this weather. They both have pockets. The fabric is thick enough so there’s no risk of your Bridget Jones knickers showing. They are breathable and keep the shape well. I have used them both quite a bit.

Good Addition has a great collection of quality basics below S$200, but the Gardenia collection is more than basic. It’s classy.

Coming back to Singapore from a cold country I really needed to ramp up my tropical weather wardrobe (more about this coming soon) and these are solid timeless pieces with a twist. Now that the job is mostly done 30% of my clothes are second hand, and only those truly special unicorn blood finds get a slot in my closet.

Unfortunately they ran out of my size on the navy set in the middle last year. Also, if they had the gathered dress in navy I would have bought it too. Good Addition make quite limited collections, so if you see something you like, grab it.

Lucky for all of you, I saw on their website that they are relaunching the gathered dresses in green and blue at Boutiques this week. I’m secretly hoping they release the linen navy top with a fringe at the bottom too (Size 12 please!).

The Good Addition shop is in New Bahru if you want to have look in a more relaxed environment.

Check details here.

2- Mo Maya

I bought the terracotta red romper on third position and every time a wear it I get lots of compliments. I even had people stopping me in Orchard Rd asking for it. Several times.

It’s made of a light fabric while having full coverage. It has an elastic on the back that makes it very flattering. I love that it has four pockets in the front as well as the two on the back. Did I tell you I love pockets?

A romper is a great choice of clothing for a long day outdoors and for riding a bike. Everything stays in place and there’s a lot more ventilation happening than with shorts and a top.

The version in white and green is on my wish list this year. They also have some incredible floral prints in dusty berry pink (my favourite colour) in their new collection that are going to be hard to resist. I might have to start the spring cleaning in advance for this. I have a rule: when something new comes in, something old must come out.

Mo Maya as playful cuts and cotton block printed pieces with all sort of patterns. Their designs are very unique and they stand out from the crowd, in the best possible manner.

They have a showroom you can visit in Holland Village. By appointment only.

Check details here.

This is how Usha (Usha Joy) styled the Mo Maya romper for me in Indyx the digital wardrobe (INDEXED by Indyx)

3- Kyrra

This Indonesian brand really caught me by surprise. It’s very Marimekko, and I love a bit of Marimekko. I have this other habit: when I have a bad day I reach for the brightest happiest clothes in my wardrobe.

I bought the last dress for less than S$100. It’s got a great midi shirt dress cut, a scalloped collar and a large belt. It’s a very 70s geometrical print (another of my favourite things), and it creates volume where I need it. I’m at that age when your waistline disappears and you are more like a rectangle so this is much appreciated. It also has pockets. (Pockets!)

I was wearing a green dress and pink shoes that day at Boutiques and coincidently a lot of the things that caught my eye were green and pink. My friend and I had a great laugh about it. It made for a very fun evening so we are repeating this year.

The dress is made of a fabric I can only describe as quick-dry poplin. Like the material they use in some sports clothes but not the stretchy type. Very breathable and it keeps the shape.

I found it hard to justify buying the flower cardigan in the middle but it’s fantastic. The yellow and blue print set was hard to resist too. I can’t wait to see what they bring this year.

You can check Kyrra’s collection here.

4- A few things for the kids

It was impossible not to have in mind that shortly after Boutiques we were flying back home for Christmas. This time we had a day time flight so I bought a few pieces to entertain the kids with something new. I wrap them and keep them in their backpacks. They have to promise to only open them when we sit on the plane. This way they kind of behave better at the airport, but it’s not 100% reliable.

The Pocket Painter booklets are amazing. They come with a refillable water pencil/brush and every sheet has 9 watercolour circles. The paper is thick, the drawings are beautiful and the pen is very sturdy. Small enough to fit in their backpacks and to play on the foldable tray.

Finally, I bought this lovely little book: Galileo and Galilei. It’s the story of a girl that gets bullied for her looks and a boy who is very successful but suffers from the pressure of keeping up with expectations. Besides the very important message, I love the fact that is set in local Singaporean scenery. My kids get a bit confused when we go back home about where we live and where we are from, so I like to have a nice subtle reminder that we now live in Singapore and it’s amazing.

A few tips if you are panning to go to Boutiques:

• Going the opening night (the Thursday) is definitely recommendable, if you can get an invitation. It avoids the big crowds of the weekend. But go early, it does get busy in the end.

• Eat something consistent before you go. There’s snacks and drinks on stalls at the opening night and there’s also a whole F&B area, but I find it’s better to come ready from home and use your time there to browse.

• Bring a water bottle. You can refill it at the many stations they have along the way.

• Wear very comfortable, cushioned shoes. The floor is hard concrete and you feel it after a while.

• Bring long sleeves. The AC is on super cold mode.

• Have a look at the vendor list to make sure you don’t miss anything you might be interested in.

• Plan a little route when you enter a section so you don’t end up going around areas you have already seen.

• Take photos of stalls, brand signs, flyers, take business cards. If you get sensory overload you can always find things online later.

• Bring a big tote bag to carry your goodies back home.

  
  

That’s all for now! A few of my favourite brands are not coming this edition but I’m really looking forward to discovering new ones. That’s what makes the visit worthwhile.

See you there, maybe next time.

Until then.

XoXo.