Looks - Fashion 2001: What's in, what's out

February 16, 2001

What we knew to be cool in 2000 may not be so fantastic in 2001. Find out what you should keep and what to chuck.

By Carman Chan

(Click on pictures for larger image)

We're well into 2001, but many are still donning the fashions of last year. What is trendy this year, and what are the things that you should not wear out?

While we are saying goodbye to many of the items that we have been attached to, there are just some you'd be glad to have kept all these years as they're making a comeback in a big way.

Here are just a few things that fashion experts say every girl needs to have in her closet in 2001.

They've set the rules, but the most important thing in fashion is wearing whatever you feel comfortable in, whatever suits your style and most important of all, to have fun while doing it.

Tone Up And Bare Those Legs
They're telling us that minis are back in vogue, but we knew that the day would come when we'd have to show off our legs again.

I'm truly disappointed with this fad, simply because I just don't have the legs to wear short skirts anymore.

The long-time trend of knee-length skirts somehow made me lazy and toning the thighs just wasn't a priority anymore.

While it's still OK to wear the knee-lengths, to be ahead of fashion, you'll have to don tiny sheaths. Sorry, ladies, it's time to gain membership to California Fitness gym and tone up those thighs and calves.

Orientalise Your Wardrobe
While most of us have seen our grandmothers or even mothers wear the cheongsam and do not think anything about it, this year, the fashion trendsetters have managed to take our traditional dress to a different level.

The cheongsam has been altered to suit our fashion needs. We've got cropped Chinese tops that bare the tummies and even backless ones to fit last year's backless tops fad.

This year, the trend has not stopped at Chinese inspirations. Anything Oriental is seen as trendy.

This time, they've gone as far as extending the influences on fashion to Indian and even Japanese traditional costumes.

If you want to stay chic this year, opt for anything that's Asian. Take a stroll down Chinatown and you'll be sure to find some Chinese clothes suited for a clubbing night out or even an ensemble for a romantic dinner.

Pick carefully and think subtle. You don't want to look like someone who just came back from Beijing opera rehearsals.

Chinatown also has lots of Thai silk skirts and Indian-inspired tops and bottoms. Or take a trip to Little India for more variety.

Army Days
Fann Wong was way ahead of us last year at the Star Awards. Showing off her figure in an army-print dress, she was just incredibly chic.

That look is even appearing on the foreign runways. Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior are just some designers going for the trench-warfare look, going as far as copying old-style army uniform jackets and hats.

The aim is not to look like an NS Man, however (so don't raid your boyfriend's closet for his camouflage fatigues, please).

Going for a printed skirt, top or jacket will put you in the 'in' crowd, or, if you're a tad shy with fashion, just put on a plain army-green tee or camisole with simple pants or jeans.

The Bigger The Better
Forget minimalist and simple necklaces. The trend for jewellery now states that bigger is better.

If you've got cable TV at home, you just might have caught a CNN episode about oversized jewellery being the big thing in 2001. This trend is giving jewellers like Tiffany's a definite boom, something that hasn't happened since the 80s.

Chunky accessories are showing up everywhere; we saw a hint of that last year when Zoe Tay donned the Shooting Star necklace at the Star Awards.

Don't worry about looking like a tai-tai wannabe, though. You can get away with the big-jewellery look as long as you're still in your 20s and if you shop at places like Far East or Bugis, rather than Tiffany's and De Beers?

What's Out
Pashminas. Save the wraps for at home or in the office where the fashion police won't criticise you.

The huge wraps (and even their lighter cousins, the shawls) are a definitely a no-no in 2001, so if you want to keep warm in a cold restaurant or gala dinner, bring along a jacket.

It's another sad thing when we are told that something we Singaporeans love so much, is no longer trendy. Platform shoes are out of the question as far as fashion is concerned.

Replacing the brick shoes, which gave us that boost in height (and ego), are the flat-soled thongs and Audrey Hepburn-style flat ballet shoes. It's a depressing year for short people out there.

Saying all this however, doesn't mean that you have to throw out every thing that's out of fashion.

I kept a silver sequined miniskirt from 4 years ago, which was a replica of Elle McPhearson's and got a chance to wear it 1 night while clubbing.

So, think carefully when emptying your closets. Remember that fashion always recycles itself and makes its way to the catwalks again in time.

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