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Easy do’s and don’ts for nailing your Chinese New Year outfit

SINGAPORE — If you are feeling a little uninspired about what to wear for Chinese New Year, well, the bad news is you do not have a lot of time to shop for, shortlist, and snap up those brand new outfits brimming with symbolic good luck.

SINGAPORE — If you are feeling a little uninspired about what to wear for Chinese New Year, well, the bad news is you do not have a lot of time to shop for, shortlist, and snap up those brand new outfits brimming with symbolic good luck.

The good news is that we are here to help. For the clueless and the curious, we have put together a list of dos and don’ts for getting dressed this Chinese New Year. And we have not done it alone, either — we have solicited the expert advice of celebrity stylist Keith Png, who can tell you all about what’s hot, what’s not, and what outfits just might help you get bigger hongbaos this season.

And boys, there are tips for you, too. “A lot of guys, including myself and especially those who are not adventurous, would rather just wear undergarments in a festive colour,” Png chuckled. “I will go out to buy red underwear for Chinese New Year, and then realise it is always sold out!” Well, this year, take the plunge and let your festive spirit show on the outside, too — Png will show you how.

While he is at it, he also answers the questions that are probably in your head, such as, “Should I leave my qipao in the closet this year?”, “How can a guy look like he actually put some effort into his Chinese New Year outfit?” and “Would it be cute or crass to incorporate year-of-the-rooster touches into my outfit?”

The only question he cannot answer is how to smuggle pineapple tarts home with you if your dress has no pockets — you will have to figure that one out on your own.

DO: SPLASH OUT IN PINK

Surprise, surprise: Pink is the latest “in” colour, judging by the fashion runways. “One of the more noticeable spring-summer trends is pink — all shades of pink — which is also very relevant for Chinese New Year,” Png said. “Girls afraid of wearing red for Chinese New Year and looking like a hongbao can go for pink — and it’s perceived as a more youthful colour, too. For example, pink lipstick makes you look younger than red lipstick.”

Because pink can be an overwhelming colour to wear, consider breaking it up in your outfit. If you are wearing a beige dress, Png suggests a pink belt or heels; and if your dress is of, say, a French rose or magenta shade, you can tone it down with a black cardigan.

The colour works well on guys, too. “Most guys look good in baby pink,” Png asserted. “Even guys who are not concerned about how they look somehow look more dressed-up in a well-fitted pink shirt, as opposed to a white or blue shirt, because it shows that this guy actually made the effort — to buy a pink shirt!”

If you are a guy who is afraid of the shade, Png suggests wearing a denim jacket or shirt over a pink tee, or even a polo shirt with subtle pink accents. “Once you start wearing pink and receiving compliments, I think you’ll get used to it,” he said.

DO: PLAY UP YOUR SLEEVES

Another trend that is very current, Png said, is sleeves that feature detailling such as embellishments, puffs or cutouts. “Instead of having details on the collar or chest, designers are paying more attention to the sleeves,” he said.

So when you are shopping for that new outfit for Chinese New Year, seek out clothes with sleeves that say, “Look at me”.

DO: CHICKEN OUT

It is the year of the rooster — why should we not have fun with that? Wearing a feather boa might be a tad over-the-top for us mere mortals, but poultry-themed accessories can help turn you into poetry in motion.

“Trendy stores sell small pins and decorative badges with interesting designs. If you’re lucky, you might find one of a rooster to add onto your jacket or T-shirt,” Png said. Girls can also look for themed accessories that have to do with the bird du jour. Just don’t go overboard on the pineapple tarts and bak kwa, or you might end up with a turkey wattle.

DON’T: GO TOO FESTIVE

“There’s nothing wrong with wearing a cheongsam during Chinese New Year, and for those of us who are younger, this is probably the only occasion on which you feel it’s legit to wear one,” Png said. But the trick to looking classy and chic is to go the Oriental route in either colour or style, not both — in other words, wear either a qipao or something red, and not a red qipao, for instance.

Furthermore, updated qipao designs are easily accessible now, so you do not have to look like a waitress in a Chinese restaurant, Png said. “If you have a fatter pocket, you can invest in an Ong Shunmugam dress — she is known for her modern interpretations of Asian designs. Local designer Peter Kor has launched a Chinese New Year collection that features modern interpretations of the cheongsam. And I have realised that many international mass market brands such as Zara and H&M have come up with clothes that have mandarin collars or frog buttons.”

For a more subtle touch of Chinoiserie, Png suggests using floral printed accessories. For example, “You could show up in a plain, neutral beige dress and a clutch with an Oriental floral print. It would look modern and have traditional influences at the same time — that way, you won’t look tacky.”

DON’T: BE TOO MATCHY-MATCHY

Chinese New Year outfits that fall into the “disturbing” category are those that consist of the same colour from head to toe — Png has seen “not just red, but even purple or pink,” he said. Yes, pink might be an on-trend colour right now, but, as with all things, he cautioned, “use it in moderation”. “Head-to-toe pink — pink dress, pink bag, pink pumps — is obviously a no-no,” he stressed.

Also, do not match your lip colour with the colour of your outfit. “It makes you look too coordinated and a bit comical,” he said. Instead, if you are wearing a shocking pink or fuchsia dress, keep it simple with a nude lip. If you are wearing a top that is faintly baby pink, you can afford to play around with brighter colours, or add a little gloss for shine.

DON’T: GO TOO CASUAL

When getting dressed, there should always be a sense of occasion — and in the case of Chinese New Year, that means showing respect to older folks by not being sloppy.

“I wouldn’t advise guys to wear tank tops — I feel it’s not appropriate to wear a tank top when paying visits to senior members of the family,” Png said. “If you want to wear a tank top, you should always throw on a shirt over it.” Similarly, “soccer jerseys are a no-no for me — and shorts that are too tight or too short. There are some guys who wear really short, tight shorts. Put that in for girls, too — please don’t do that!”

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