The Perils of the Petite on the MRT

Pek chek!

I live in boonlay & travel to paya lebar for work everyday. You can imagine the substantial amount of time i spend on the MRT everyday. Everyday i have to confront a MRT cabin full of people packed butt to butt (hardly sexy). Given my small stature, i often end up smelling armpits on the crowded train! Brrrrr!

Totally concur with the view that Singapore is way too crowded. It wasn't so crowded a few yrs back.

Besides poor ventilation these are the problems i face when taking the MRT train:

Given my height, I usually try to hold on to the holding poles rather than the handrails. It is very tiring to extend your arm all the way from boon lay to paya lebar. When the train is crowded, inconsiderate people (tall, burly men included!) hold on to the hand rails, leaving me with nothing to grab (don't think dirty). I wish I can reach the handbars overhead!

The holding poles are problematic too. This is especially so because of my height. Let me explain, I instinctively hold on to the pole at a position which also happens to be the average height where men's butt are. Somehow, some people often like to lean their big fat & flat lazy butts on the poles. Maciam your butt very comfy against my hand lah? Nice cushion lah? Super disgusting, I feel like slapping them. Can't even scream molest since it is my hand on their butts. Have to aim somewhere higher around their necks where there's a tiny gap for me to grab on to the pole.

The next big hazard... Foreign workers. Maciam treat this like their own country liddat. Just because I'm small doesn't mean they can shove me around. I ever had this bangladesh shove me on the train at City Hall. Any by shove, i didn't mean just push, he wrapped his whole bloody hand around my waist and pulled me out of the way. I felt so violated!I just hit his hand away and pointed at him... "Stop, don't push."

They don't just push to get on trains. They also push to get on Escalators (esp. around jurong point). It is so dangerous! So I've learnt to walk with my elbows at 90 degrees. and I make sure that my intention to elbow them if they push me is plain to see. Sometimes i don't know if they are rushing for time; they are used to doing so; or they are trying to molest me.

Once, this bangla placed his hand on my hand while on the escalator. I had my hand happily on the escalator handrails, he was one step behind me and he had to reach all the way infront to place his hand on my hand?! I just lost it after being molested for the 3rd time in Jurong Point that day. I slapped his hand away. turned and in full view of everyone said "No touching. You understand? Don't touch me. Don't ever touch me." I was so hot, my sister had to stop me and she gave that bangla a cold hard stare. After that we quickly walked home, mobile in hand, in case that guy stalked us.

Totally understand how the folks in Serangoon are reacting to the hostel thingy. U want to be nice and say be nice to foreign workers, be tolerant... but sometimes, you really can't tell if they are just like that because of their cultural background or they are trying to take advantage of you. Most likely, a mixture of both. And if somebody is trying to take advantage of you, how can you react nicely to him?

I understand that their streets are daily moshpits, but please don't bring your cultural practices to my country. I can share my air, suffer lower pay (in the name of better economic allocation as the gahmen would have me believe), put up with the mess they leave around boonlay station, SAVE, living with their constant infringment on my personal space! DON'T PUSH ME! Grrr.

They aren't the only pissy people i encounter daily on the train...

On monday... i encountered three giggly foreign language students (2 PRCs & 1 burmese/viet). Sweet young things they are. First, they cut my queue while i was waiting for the train. They rushed in (literally) and scrambled for seats. They could only chope a joint two seater... so happily all three of them crammed into the two seats, spilling out here and there into other people's spaces. Then they proceeded to giggle and practice their English lesson for the whole cabin to hear. Those who could be bothered glared at them the entire way.

Where do these people come from?! Mars?

K... I digressed.... back to my point:

The public transport isn't friendly anymore... just going home feels like a stressful event.
And I worry constantly of getting molested. If I elbow people who 'bump against me' or glare at people who mosh me on escalators, i worry about being labelled a racist bitch.

Why can't they give us more train spaces? More frequent trains? Lower handrails? I know this won't solve the problem. Habits are hard to break but at least with more train spaces there's air to breathe (untainted by smelly breaths & B.O. & horrible armpits). There's space to escape...

And don't ask me to drive... I don't want to get started on THAT.

Where is my Fav Haunt?

I've been getting some emails asking me for directions to Catherine's shop at Bugis Village.

Here are the directions:

From Bugis Junction, cross the traffic towards bugis village.

Once you enter bugis village, don't get distracted by the shops and human traffic!

Go straight until you see this shop selling 'adult toys' with lots of flashing red light bulbs.

There's a small alleyway on your left.

Turn in and walk straight.

Look out for the shop "Zimple" that's on your left.

You can check out my review of Zimple at this post.

Continue heading straight a few shops down and you'll see a no signboard shop. It is quite easy to miss it because the shop is rather cramped and subdivided into two.

However you can tell that it is the right shop from the others because of the clothes they carry. Usually office skirts and smart casual jackets.

Price range for office skirts are usually $30-$35.

I bought this smart casual jacket from them for $28 (after bargaining).
Again, my photography skills could have been better! =)


Here's a close up view of the details:
Let me know if you still can't find it!
I'll try to take pictures the next time i go there.

I made... Spaghetti!

Iora Sales at Hougang Mall!

There's an Iora Sales going on at Hougang Mall right now. The sales is at level1.

I found a beige XS size A-line skirt that fitted very well. Costs $29. The design was very simple so I didn't buy it but the cut was good.

Also saw XS size suits for those who are still suit-hunting...

The rest of the clothes are too big for me. All the S sizes were snapped up already. = (

How to lose weight while doing household chores...

My friends usually wanna kill me when I say I want to slim down...

What they don't understand is that for shorties like me, it is the worst fate possible to put on extra flabs. If I'm short and a bit more fleshy...

I'll be totally like a big fat dumpling! Sio Bak Chang!


Anway to cut the story short, if you are short, you look doubly wide with a few extra kilos. That means, it will be harder to find clothes that will fit and flatter you. You might just end up wearing all the auntie-clothes altered to fit your height. Or, if you are rich, you can tailor something nice, but you'll still look doubly wide.

Anyway, I found an interesting article that says that doing household chores can burn quite a lot of calories! Here's something to motivate you to clean your pad!

From dailyMail.co.uk:

My Fav Secret Haunt =)

I've finally gotten the namecard of my favorite shopping place for XS office wear and I'll share it! Believe it or not, it is at the humble but amazing Bugis Village:

3 New Bugis Street Unit No. CCP05
Email me for their contact number

Let me tempt you with a very flattering pencil skirt that I just bought from them. My photography doesn't do it justice. But the material is actually satin. It is creamy beige--> very easy to match clothes when you are late for work in the morning.

Check out the detail on the bottom of the skirt. The skirt is double-lined too and the quality of the cloth is good.

Best of all, it fits perfectly without alteration because... this shop actually stocks XS! When i was there i saw quite a few petite gals checking out items.

The price... $30! If you'd bought something like this from the malls, it would have cost $49.90 at least. I'm so happy.

The store owner, Catherine is very nice. She also taught me how to take care of the satin material. Basically, you have to iron on LOW HEAT because satin burns easily.

Also don't iron on the shiny surface directly because ironing directly will make it lose its sheen. Turn it inside out or use a towel as a buffer before you iron it.

Skinny Jeans =(

I was hunting for skinny jeans for a really long time.

Finally found one at Miss Selfridge in Marina from the Petite Range.

It costs $109. Way above my budget... so sad. Shall wait for the sale!

Some how the topshop petite range doesn't seem to fit me.

Miss Selfridge Petite range fits much better. They also have an interesting navy blue dress which can pass off as smart casual (for the office).

how to zhng your oversized shoes

In my younger and more ignorant and more impulsive days of wild shopping, I've bought a lot of pretty shoes that are too BIG for me!

So sad. After you buy them, can't wear. super sayang. But i found these!

Leather Liners so you can cushion the back of your shoes and make it more comfy.

BUT~ usually that's not enough shoe still too big cos my feet too small and a bit skinny. So much also get insoles to make it fit lah!


The SAs always give me extra cushions when I buy shoes because sure too big. Now I'm more discipline, if i need cushions, I'll say bye bye to the pair of shoes no matter how cinderella they are. *sob. By the way, the cushions they give are quite useless. Always drop out and after you wear it for some time, the cushions will sink in! I ever walk walk walk and the whole cushion became so thin & sunken in, it dropped out into the street. Super paiseh heh.


Anyway, you can get these insoles and cut them to size. My feet are so small, i can cut 2 out of 1. very worth it! Haha! the privileges of being small.

When you cut them, make sure you check the depth of your shoes, sometimes too thick then the shoes will lack 'grip' and it will fall out. For those 'thin' shoes, I'll only cut a small round shape so that it covers the top half of my foot where the toes are. Then you put the heel liners at the back and viola! you are nicely cushioned.

Some of my friends suggested using tissues... please don't k... if you use tissue on those covered heels right... it will be damn gross. Some more it is all soaked with your sweat. super disgusting.

I bought this rubber type one from watsons'. scholls as well, it is for heels. Cushions the ball of your feet. everytime after i use it, can wash and re-use. very nice! Used it for like... 3 years liao still good. so these things are really worth the investmen. by the way, heard it is cheaper in malaysia. dunnoe, i'll go check out and publish prices if I go jb.

Cinderella find me size 3 heels!

Ever since ballet flats were the rage 2-3 years ago, I've been having problems finding shoes that fit well because i wear size 3 aka size 34 shoes.

Usually can only find shoes in BKK and KL.
Malaysia's Bata carries size 3/4 that fits quite well =)
If i'm really desperate for covered shoes for work, i just drive over to JB with parents loh. Search for Bata and get one. If you have time to shop though, Voir is GREAT! Somehow malaysia has more size 3-4s available. Also they have very nice designs! best of all! it is CHEAP CHEAP! Whee! When I go KL, i'll head to Sungei Wang! Lots of shoes, shop till you drop. They also have fantastic Ramly burger around there. So you can tempt your SO into going there with the Ramly. While they pig out on the Ramly, you shop like mad lah!

If not can try Vinnci, they are cheaper in Malaysia! But i'm not a vinnci fan, they remind me too much of Charles and Keith. Charles & Keith has really nice designs but their shoes hurt! (my opinion that is) Also, they don't stock my size.

If not, thailand should have plenty of choices. Just need to head down to MBK! LOVERLY! shoes and heels galore. most of them cost 13+ only and the quality is not back! Not as good as my favorite tangerine lah but much better than your mondo.

Assess the fit of your suits

For small thingies like us... it is absolutely important to fit your suit. But that's pretty much impossible. So... you probably have to tailor.

I was working around orchard area just yesterday and saw a lot of tailors. The prices are like... $160 and over for a very basic tailored suit. There's some in far east plaza, orchard towers near cuppage area etc.

I think that's the base price. No frills bottoms etc. too steep for me lah!

If you have just started working and can afford only the ready to wear pieces than bo pian loh... you have to fit your suits.

When I wore my first suit, it felt very uncomfy.

Felt like it it was very bulky but my mum and sis kept saying it is supposed to be liddat one...

Then I was thinking... how come other people loook so pro, I look like this kid trying to fill the suit?

So here you go: Six tips to make sure you fill your suits properly!

1) The shoulders should fit properly

2) The lapel lays nicely on both side of the chest area.

3) Try buttoning up --> it should not be too tight anywhere --> make sure there aren't any stretch marks. Also, if you are buying suits from Osmose do beware, their jackets tend to shrink after 1-2 washes.

4) Check your back profile in the mirror. Make sure there aren't any bulges (don't think of notti stuff!)

5) SLEEVES! I always need to alter them. So how long should your sleeves be? They fit right at the top of your hand. I've mentioned in my previous post it should costs around $6-8 to alter jacket sleeves. Iora is doing it for $6 the last time I checked.

6)Try moving around and make sure it feels comfy!

I found this really good video on how to ensure a good fit for your suit, except that the lady keeps repeating some words... a bit funny. Good entertainment can watch!

How to alter your suits!

find a damn good tailor. a damn good tailor is usually:



a) Female, cos i can't stand men measuring my vital stats (other more sensitive preferences apply)
b) very patient --> she'll listen to you whine and then step back and give you her take on how to alter the clothing
c) charges cheap cheap!
d) offers solution and lets you know alternative
e) does good work... i.e. she really knows her stuff one lah...

Very tough to find one rite?

I found one! at Jurong East near Yuhua village. (email me for the address)

Previously went to someone near jurong west extension. Sucks!

Instead of giving me her assessment of how to fix the clothes she started telling me how difficult it is to alter clothing with lining etc. etc. so she has to charge XX amount ($6 more than what my trusty tailor is charging me!*@#$*)

Point of the post:

When you go to a tailor. Ask the tailor to tell you exactly how he/she will alter the clothes. A good tailor will focus on that before quoting a price. She must be able to tell you what's the end result like and how she's going to do and then u can proceed to negotiate for the best price.

Where to find office wear for small gals

I went ploughing through the forums in cozycot and flowerpod and made a list of all the shops selling clothes for petites. Quite useful if you are just keen on getting good deals during GSS. Just go Orchard and go to all the shops in one afternoon. I really dislike pushing past everyone during the sales only to find that most stuff doesn't fit me at all.



1. Osmose

One of my favorites, it sells formal wear in size 1 & 2! I usually wear 1. For suits I take size 2 as the material shrinks slightly after wash, so do keep this in mind when you buy your suits there. The clothes there can be slightly dressy and more towards the hong kong / Taiwanese fashion style. But they do have pieces that are stylish and good for the office. The pencil skirts there are also well cut to fit petites. The price range for a jacket is often aroun $40+, the tops around $20+ so i think the price is pretty okay. Decent for the quality and the fit that I get.
www.osmose.com.sg


2. Iora
Iora sometimes carry XS. But sometimes their XS is still too big for me. So it really depends on their cutting. I still visit them for a try or two sometimes, you never know what you can find. I don't really like the style they are carrying now. the colors are sometimes a bit too loud for me and the clothes can look quite mature so I can't really carry them off. But I'll still visit them cos they carry XS!
www.iora.com.sg

3. Tangs! Tangerine

They carry good value, quality shoes for the size 3 feet and their designs are so nice and comfy. I bought this pair of shoes from them during the sales for like... $16.90 and saw URS selling the exact at $23+ (i think) after discount! SO regret not buying more. I always make a pilgrimage to Tangs during sales to stock up on shoes. They have formal heels for work and dressy heels for parties.

Some of the designs can be found at Mondo. They look quite similar. but I think the Tangs shoes are more lasting. my mondo shoes give up after 3-4 months. So i've learnt my lesson, pay a little more for better quality. more comfort and less effort sourcing for shoes overall!

4. Le'Range
You find this in most Isetan outlets and BHG outlets. I go there for the simple lycra tops. They have nicer designs compared to U2, Bossini & Giordano and most important, they fit! I can never fit into Giordano's top. The tops are usually $13, cheap and affordable and easy to match. Wake up just grab one top and then head off to work. They also have very sweet dresses but I don't buy those. Too girly for work and besides I can get cheaper girl dresses from Far East or Bugis street or Chatuchek market in Thailand, Wheee!

5. FashionLab!
I LURVE their clothes and designs. But they can be more steep then Osmose. Also, they don't usually carry XS sizes BUT their clothes are usually slim cut and very flattering if they fit well. I do wish they cater for shorter people though. Their clothes seemed to be designed for the tall and slim. *sob So far, havn't been able to buy too many pieces from them.
www.fashionlaboratory.com

5. Zimple (Far East Plaza)
You can find them at the basement level of FEP just right opposite RED at the entrance to FEP. They sell very nice satin pencil skirts ($49) for office and very dainty office wear for ladies. They minus point: they are pricier compared to a shop i found in Bugis street selling exactly the same clothes!

6. Popteen apparel (Far East Plaza)
You can find them at the basement of FEP alone the Nova shoe shop lane. Sell similar clothes to Zimple but is slightly cheaper. The designs are not as polished (my opinion, check it out yourself) but still very nice and stylish for office wear!


7.HoneyBee (Far East Plaza)
There's a shop on the 2nd or 3rd floor of FEP. You can't miss it, it is the first shop when you step out of the escalator, they sell very nice working tops but for the quality it can be a bit pricey. If you are all for designs then you'll be very happy with this shop they have very nice stripy working tops and wrap arounds and skirts and blouse-jackets for work. Just that most of the stuff needs to be ironed and i'm a lazy bummer. Wanna just grab, wear and go!

8.Paragon Metro
Believe it or not... Some of the kids nowadays are bigger than me! i went to metro paragon and found some pretty sun dresses for kids that are bigger than me! Wheeeee! Also checked out their zara kids range... but nothing good so far.



Wahhhh! very tired liao... more to come! stay tune...

p/s: do let me know if you have any other lobangs!

GSS! bought suits for my small frame! =)

I managed to fit into a size 3 G2000 suit from the Isetan sale:


Really lucky, they had this in slim cutting. Usually I can't fit into suits in G2000. And guess how much it costs! Just $32 bucks!

I like the the belt around the waist. When you are short and small, it helps to have a belt --> the belt sort of wraps your jacket about giving you more shape. Otherwise everything sort of looks like it hangs all over you --> makes you look like a stocky rectangle. very sponge bob and unimpressive for office wear purposes.

It also comes with a matching skirt. I bought a brown G2000 top to go with the beige suit and my total damage for jacket + skirt + matching top is $81 only!

That's the price of a suit in Iora! Love the GSS. I try to buy my big ticket items like suits during GSS when everything is on sale. Also helps when you are not in the 'normal' range because they are just dying to clear stocks. This suit has quite a 'classic' look so I don't really mind if it is old stock. can fit mah hiam liao lah.

A normal suit from G2000 retails like @$130+ loh... now i get three pieces for $81, good deal for me. Whee!

Aside from that, I still need alterations for the jacket and the skirt = (

If you don't buy it during sales, G2000 usually gives free alterations for sleeves. So now I have to search for alteration services =(

Market Buzzzz

In my previous job, I was a market researcher. So of course, the first thing i did was to check out people like me!

So I started surfing the usual forums for help and found many with the same problem! Felt so happy that I’m not alone. Petite woman with problems finding formal wear, suits, formal shoes sizes 3 and below! Whee!

Flowerpod Forums:

http://www.flowerpod.com.sg/forums/index.php?showtopic=29162

Cozy Cot Forums:

Corporate look for petite girls: http://forums.cozycot.com/showthread.php?t=4822

Shoes for the small footed:

http://www.cozycot.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11971

A closet affair!

On the morning of my last day at work in “ex-company”. The big boss summoned me to his office for his farewell speech…

Being the suave charmer that he is, he started by telling me all my good points… smart, intelligent, fast, efficient, analytic (sometimes more so than your superiors, pity we couldn’t keep you, wahahah) but he ended with … you just need to work on your self-presentation. i.e. my 1.52, 37-40 Kg frame and somewhat ill-fitting clothes, slightly hunched posture doesn’t make an impact on clients.

And he’s right. Usually, when you are small, young, female you tend to be relegated to the back seat. Psychologically, you feel small too! So while my boss is out presenting the reports that I’ve painstakingly put together, I’ve been dismissed as her mere ‘runner’.

I’m fine with that since i’m young. Can watch her present mah… then learn how to have ‘more presence’. But it rankles sometimes to know that you have something better inside just that you can’t present it? Geddit? And part of the reason for this: you look 18, small and school girlish.

Rather than blaming my small boss, who is very fair about such things, I’ve decided to work on my ‘presence’… and the easiest and more pleasurable way of doing this is: Changing my wardrobe! =) (great excuse huh? ya lah… now i can justify my shopping expenditure as good investments for my career progression).

Whenever I whine about not being about to find clothes of my size … people will go… “but my daughter is even slimmer than you, she can find clothes why can’t you?” etc.

It really makes me wanna slap them hard. Yah lah… you daughter is what… 17 years old… She needs to wear suits meh? All she wears are teeny bopper shit and Far East Plaza is full of those cute little thingys. You find me a size 1-2 suit in G2000 first lah… The last i checked, the smallest one they have is size 3 and costs a whopping $129 for just the blazer… sigh.

Or the nicer ones will try to cheer me up by saying “Good! Can go buy clothes from the kids’ section. Good and cheap.” In my mind i’ll be thinking: Yah lah… but kids’ pants all super straight cut type, makes my butt look funny. Some more, most of the kids clothes are pink… I mean… CANDY PINK… not even funky fuschia… how can I meet clients like that? At the very least i need a good jacket right? sigh…