WEBVTT - Do Singaporean men have no sense of style and personal grooming? 0:00:00.000 --> 0:00:02.719 Welcome back to another episode of Men explain Thanks for 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:05.490 joining us today. I got a handsome man in our midst. 0:00:05.519 --> 0:00:08.629 All our men that join us are handsome just for 0:00:08.630 --> 0:00:11.330 the record, but we have extra handsome one here today. 0:00:19.170 --> 0:00:21.080 It's Aiden, Welcome 0:00:21.090 --> 0:00:22.780 thanks for the warm welcome. I'm very happy to be 0:00:22.780 --> 0:00:24.100 here at man explain 0:00:24.110 --> 0:00:26.630 Finally, Finally, I think we've been talking about this for 0:00:26.640 --> 0:00:26.960 a 0:00:26.970 --> 0:00:28.060 long time. 0:00:28.110 --> 0:00:30.920 The record confronted me and he was like, how come? 0:00:30.920 --> 0:00:33.010 I'm not on an episode explained yet 0:00:33.020 --> 0:00:36.720 on the record I've watched, I've listened to all the diff. 0:00:36.745 --> 0:00:37.525 Thank 0:00:37.525 --> 0:00:40.214 you, appreciate it. Um I think we couldn't have found 0:00:40.215 --> 0:00:43.145 a more perfect guest for today's topic because we're talking 0:00:43.145 --> 0:00:47.275 about dressing up. Do men dress up enough and then 0:00:47.275 --> 0:00:50.325 we're also going to touch on personal grooming and I'll 0:00:50.325 --> 0:00:52.285 share a couple of horror stories, you know, just a 0:00:52.284 --> 0:00:56.585 casual weekday. So before we begin, maybe you can share 0:00:56.585 --> 0:00:58.475 a little bit about yourself with our audience. 0:00:58.485 --> 0:01:02.235 So my name is Aiden and I'm an actor. I 0:01:02.235 --> 0:01:03.290 was a host 0:01:03.530 --> 0:01:08.720 at the same time. I'm very interested in fashion and 0:01:08.730 --> 0:01:12.199 fragrances and grooming, right? 0:01:12.209 --> 0:01:16.490 And you're also not shy or embarrassed to admit like, hey, 0:01:16.490 --> 0:01:19.240 you know, I do skincare. I of course in our 0:01:19.240 --> 0:01:21.640 line also makeup is kind of a normal thing for us. 0:01:21.650 --> 0:01:22.890 You do that too. Right? 0:01:22.900 --> 0:01:25.890 Well I think it's very important for more guys to 0:01:25.900 --> 0:01:29.890 kind of like step up and own this part of 0:01:29.900 --> 0:01:32.150 you know, wanting to look good 0:01:32.170 --> 0:01:34.540 for yourself for the people around you and for more 0:01:34.540 --> 0:01:38.290 people to be advocates of, you know, personal grooming. 0:01:38.300 --> 0:01:41.680 Never thought that advocates of personal grooming, it sounds like 0:01:41.680 --> 0:01:42.850 you should come naturally. 0:01:42.860 --> 0:01:47.930 There's always a stigma about guys who want to look good. Yes. Right? Yes. 0:01:47.940 --> 0:01:52.170 So beyond your buying an expensive watch, like a Rolex 0:01:52.170 --> 0:01:55.630 or like a pp beyond your buying a, like a 0:01:55.640 --> 0:01:58.890 very nice car. There are other ways of presenting yourself 0:01:58.900 --> 0:02:00.790 actually a lot cheaper 0:02:00.810 --> 0:02:02.520 then a sports car 0:02:02.530 --> 0:02:04.390 go on much longer way. 0:02:04.390 --> 0:02:07.910 Yes, Yes, I do agree. But unfortunately, the thing is 0:02:07.920 --> 0:02:11.600 when a guy comes across too conscious of like, oh 0:02:11.600 --> 0:02:14.490 my skincare routine or like my hair needs to be perfect, 0:02:14.490 --> 0:02:16.419 you know, and a little bit vain and so to speak, 0:02:16.430 --> 0:02:19.109 people kind of stereotype them or like box them up, like, oh, 0:02:19.110 --> 0:02:21.810 you must be fabulous or you're so vain or you 0:02:21.810 --> 0:02:24.590 must be in this industry, they put them into these boxes, right? 0:02:24.600 --> 0:02:26.460 Yeah, I mean, I feel like I get a free 0:02:26.460 --> 0:02:29.300 pass because you're an artist 0:02:29.600 --> 0:02:33.400 Actor. So it makes perfect sense for me to understand 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:35.760 how to do makeup out of the like 10 mil artists, 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:37.970 I know probably 8.5 of them know how to apply 0:02:37.970 --> 0:02:39.340 at least basic, 0:02:39.350 --> 0:02:40.420 make sure 0:02:40.430 --> 0:02:43.260 because that's part of our job. But outside of this 0:02:43.260 --> 0:02:46.340 industry then people, I was actually talking to a friend recently, 0:02:46.350 --> 0:02:47.980 he was asking me for makeup tips, 0:02:48.030 --> 0:02:50.620 like a normal person, like regular in 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:53.810 the industry and then I was sharing him, okay, you 0:02:53.810 --> 0:02:56.340 can use concealer in this way. And then I stopped 0:02:56.350 --> 0:02:58.090 in my tracks and asked him, 0:02:58.250 --> 0:03:01.230 you know, if you apply makeup with people think that 0:03:01.240 --> 0:03:05.130 you are too feminine or you're too vain. Like as 0:03:05.130 --> 0:03:07.910 a guy, I'm asking him whether or not that is 0:03:07.910 --> 0:03:11.650 a consideration that he should have. So I feel like 0:03:11.660 --> 0:03:15.609 even for me, I also have certain notions about what 0:03:15.620 --> 0:03:19.510 people would perceive as, whether it's a feminine behavior or 0:03:19.510 --> 0:03:22.210 whether it's behavior that is not considered masculine. 0:03:22.220 --> 0:03:23.960 Right? But does that matter to you? 0:03:23.960 --> 0:03:25.960 It doesn't matter to me because like it's something that 0:03:25.960 --> 0:03:26.980 I do and I hope that more 0:03:26.995 --> 0:03:28.475 people can, 0:03:28.485 --> 0:03:29.385 there are a few 0:03:29.385 --> 0:03:32.785 basic steps that every guy can take to make themselves 0:03:32.785 --> 0:03:35.075 look much better. Yes. Right. So if you have like 0:03:35.085 --> 0:03:37.435 acne prone skin, you just put some concealer look a 0:03:37.435 --> 0:03:39.195 lot better than going out with a face full of 0:03:39.195 --> 0:03:39.955 like red marks. 0:03:39.965 --> 0:03:42.275 It's just about being more presentable. 0:03:42.285 --> 0:03:43.130 But 0:03:43.470 --> 0:03:45.770 I was also thinking with your colleagues because he works 0:03:45.770 --> 0:03:47.920 in the corporate setting, right? Like your colleagues think that 0:03:47.920 --> 0:03:49.050 you are too, 0:03:49.060 --> 0:03:49.760 Why are you 0:03:49.760 --> 0:03:51.680 wearing makeup? Why is a guy wearing 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:52.750 makeup? So 0:03:52.750 --> 0:03:54.140 actually this is a question for you. 0:03:54.150 --> 0:03:55.140 Yes. Yes. I 0:03:55.150 --> 0:03:58.110 don't know whether you have friends around you because you're 0:03:58.110 --> 0:04:00.710 doing this? You're very used to guys dressing up for sure. 0:04:00.720 --> 0:04:03.690 100%. I feel less pretty when I'm around you guys. 0:04:03.700 --> 0:04:04.220 But 0:04:04.220 --> 0:04:05.320 what are your girlfriends? 0:04:05.330 --> 0:04:06.619 My girlfriends, 0:04:06.636 --> 0:04:08.796 they think like if any of them are like ol 0:04:08.806 --> 0:04:10.656 like they work in a corporate setting. If they see 0:04:10.656 --> 0:04:14.436 a guy in the office with makeup on, what would 0:04:14.436 --> 0:04:14.906 they think? 0:04:14.906 --> 0:04:18.585 So, you know, that's an interesting question because for for me, 0:04:18.586 --> 0:04:22.806 like I helped my boyfriend put some concealer before, sorry, 0:04:23.266 --> 0:04:28.236 this reaction this entire seriously, this entire series, I've altered 0:04:28.236 --> 0:04:29.476 him like so many times. He's going to 0:04:30.142 --> 0:04:33.972 yeah, I know. Right? So no, but he asked me 0:04:33.972 --> 0:04:36.811 for help because he was going to film something like 0:04:36.812 --> 0:04:39.222 for corporate video or something like that and they didn't 0:04:39.222 --> 0:04:41.222 have time to, he didn't time to go down and 0:04:41.222 --> 0:04:44.502 actually get proper hand makeup and it's not really necessary 0:04:44.502 --> 0:04:47.112 right to him. He's like, my girlfriend is everything okay 0:04:47.112 --> 0:04:49.752 aside from the fact that I'm several shades lighter than you, 0:04:49.762 --> 0:04:51.772 I don't have the right consider tone for you. But 0:04:51.772 --> 0:04:53.772 let me see what I can do. So I did 0:04:53.772 --> 0:04:55.292 help him out. He said, you know what, I actually 0:04:55.291 --> 0:04:56.352 look so much fresher 0:04:56.710 --> 0:05:00.229 and you know what it is. As easy as just 0:05:00.230 --> 0:05:03.609 doing under eye concealer, correct. It doesn't even mean like, 0:05:03.610 --> 0:05:06.730 oh I have to do foundation contour powder, blush whatever. 0:05:06.730 --> 0:05:09.270 Like you don't even have to do that just covering 0:05:09.270 --> 0:05:12.480 up some eye bags. Makes all the difference 0:05:12.680 --> 0:05:13.270 marks 0:05:13.295 --> 0:05:14.085 or 0:05:14.085 --> 0:05:16.665 even some redness around this area of the chin. 0:05:16.665 --> 0:05:18.594 Maybe some pencil, 0:05:18.714 --> 0:05:22.015 Okay, we're adding one more, well not part after the 0:05:22.015 --> 0:05:24.515 other as for my friends. I mean most of them 0:05:24.525 --> 0:05:28.815 are in media industry as well. That's loosely related also 0:05:28.815 --> 0:05:31.315 to the media industry. So I think them also being 0:05:31.315 --> 0:05:34.404 so exposed to K pop. It's so normal. Right to 0:05:34.404 --> 0:05:36.835 see all these men on screen also having a full 0:05:36.845 --> 0:05:39.875 face of makeup, even colored contacts and stuff like that. 0:05:40.080 --> 0:05:43.380 But will it be strange if one of our guy 0:05:43.380 --> 0:05:46.020 friends shows up one day he has never touched makeup 0:05:46.020 --> 0:05:47.730 before he shows up with makeup, 0:05:47.920 --> 0:05:50.570 then perhaps we might find it a little bit interesting. 0:05:50.580 --> 0:05:54.109 But will he be able to have the skills that 0:05:54.120 --> 0:05:55.969 we won't be able to see the makeup on his face? 0:05:55.980 --> 0:05:58.690 I'm also not sure for you. You probably have picked 0:05:58.690 --> 0:05:59.450 up some of that 0:05:59.460 --> 0:06:01.920 actually a lot of it is very easy to easy 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:04.240 to pick up. But my point is, I feel like 0:06:04.240 --> 0:06:07.719 we should normalize guys looking good. Yes. If they want 0:06:07.720 --> 0:06:09.560 to look good and if makeup can help them do 0:06:09.560 --> 0:06:10.710 that then why not 0:06:10.720 --> 0:06:13.060 then how do we change the public perception? There is 0:06:13.060 --> 0:06:13.270 some 0:06:13.279 --> 0:06:17.200 thing that is frowned upon because it is viewed as 0:06:17.210 --> 0:06:18.710 non masculine. 0:06:18.720 --> 0:06:21.729 I think it's slowly changing and I noticed with, you know, 0:06:21.730 --> 0:06:24.150 even brands like Chanel, they have like a line of 0:06:24.150 --> 0:06:26.960 makeup from national. Yes, exactly. So, and you know that 0:06:26.960 --> 0:06:32.760 you're familiar, but anyway, so, so I think it's starting 0:06:32.760 --> 0:06:35.870 to become a little bit more normalized in that sense. 0:06:35.870 --> 0:06:37.190 And then now do you notice that a lot of 0:06:37.190 --> 0:06:38.630 guys are getting manicures too? 0:06:39.200 --> 0:06:41.630 And pedicures? Yeah, you 0:06:41.630 --> 0:06:43.400 have nice feet, don't you? I'm very sure you have nice. 0:06:43.430 --> 0:06:47.039 I haven't gone to that level 0:06:47.050 --> 0:06:50.620 yet. Okay. Not yet. But I think, you know, with 0:06:50.630 --> 0:06:52.860 the big movers in the industry, like the big brands, 0:06:52.860 --> 0:06:55.099 once they start rolling that out, yeah, there might be 0:06:55.100 --> 0:06:57.520 some resistance at first. But do you think people will 0:06:57.520 --> 0:07:00.260 just slowly follow and think that, hey, it's okay if 0:07:00.260 --> 0:07:02.720 I walk into a store and find my shade or some? 0:07:02.745 --> 0:07:05.784 I think then that's what people like us are here 0:07:05.785 --> 0:07:06.855 for 0:07:07.005 --> 0:07:08.215 looking too. 0:07:08.225 --> 0:07:14.135 We need more people to advocate for guys to pursue 0:07:14.145 --> 0:07:17.715 beauty in that sense. Um looking good comes in many 0:07:17.715 --> 0:07:21.855 different forms of expressions I think for the standard, like 0:07:21.865 --> 0:07:24.489 heterosexual guy in the Singapore setting. 0:07:24.980 --> 0:07:28.540 It's always about like I said, just now watches and 0:07:28.550 --> 0:07:30.370 maybe like credit card and mouse 0:07:30.370 --> 0:07:31.630 and they don't care about anything else 0:07:31.630 --> 0:07:35.430 and cars. Whereas like if you venture, if you branch 0:07:35.430 --> 0:07:38.160 out more, then it goes down into like what you're wearing, 0:07:38.170 --> 0:07:41.390 what perfume you're using, whether your skin care is good, 0:07:41.390 --> 0:07:42.500 whether or not you're putting some makeup, 0:07:42.515 --> 0:07:44.935 if your skin isn't very, it's not in a very 0:07:44.935 --> 0:07:48.225 good condition. Like all these help to complete the entire 0:07:48.225 --> 0:07:52.125 presentation of who you are as a package. 0:07:52.135 --> 0:07:54.195 So, you know, you brought up a very good point 0:07:54.195 --> 0:07:58.055 and I think it's particularly useful, Let's say first impressions 0:07:58.055 --> 0:08:01.135 drop interview stuff like that. Right? But I have a 0:08:01.135 --> 0:08:04.785 question also in regards to that because every time we 0:08:04.795 --> 0:08:07.260 talk to our guy friends or even our partners or whatever, 0:08:07.460 --> 0:08:09.550 they always say like, oh you girls take like an 0:08:09.560 --> 0:08:11.910 hour to get ready. But us guys, we only take 0:08:11.910 --> 0:08:13.810 like what 5, 10 minutes. All I need to do 0:08:13.810 --> 0:08:16.670 is wax my hair a little bit out. How long 0:08:16.670 --> 0:08:18.290 do you take to get ready Aiden? 0:08:18.490 --> 0:08:21.940 Well I'm not lying about this, but I can get 0:08:21.950 --> 0:08:24.190 a full face makeup done plus my hair probably in 0:08:24.190 --> 0:08:24.720 20 minutes. 0:08:24.730 --> 0:08:27.280 Okay 20 minutes. That's, that's not, that's not too bad. 0:08:27.310 --> 0:08:28.350 Like 15, 20 minutes 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:31.560 when you say full face makeup, what consistent 0:08:31.600 --> 0:08:34.540 with like your skin care routine and then your primary 0:08:34.540 --> 0:08:38.050 foundation concealer, basically everything that a girl would do other 0:08:38.050 --> 0:08:39.130 than eye makeup. 0:08:39.140 --> 0:08:40.510 You can do it. 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:43.200 So for example, I go filming most of the time, right? 0:08:43.200 --> 0:08:45.370 And actually do my hair and makeup by myself. 0:08:45.380 --> 0:08:48.630 Oh, a lot of the days. So I can wake up, 0:08:48.640 --> 0:08:50.600 do my hair makeup at home and then drive to 0:08:50.600 --> 0:08:51.650 location and 0:08:51.690 --> 0:08:53.340 waste 0:08:53.340 --> 0:08:55.480 time like traveling to a makeup artist wherever he or 0:08:55.480 --> 0:09:00.530 she is. So if my film is at eight o'clock, right? 0:09:00.540 --> 0:09:02.120 I just need to make sure that I wake up 0:09:02.120 --> 0:09:05.030 by seven, you know quickly, like 0:09:05.179 --> 0:09:06.310 you can make it 0:09:06.460 --> 0:09:09.000 really can make it, it takes a guy like maybe 0:09:09.000 --> 0:09:11.660 10 minutes like wash up max, you brush your teeth, 0:09:11.660 --> 0:09:12.260 wash your face 0:09:12.270 --> 0:09:14.420 Shower or whatever and then after 20 minutes of your 0:09:14.420 --> 0:09:16.640 hair makeup and you have 30 minutes to like drive 0:09:16.640 --> 0:09:18.559 to location. So, and it works 0:09:18.570 --> 0:09:20.920 and it works. That's impressive man. 0:09:20.929 --> 0:09:24.500 So it's about efficiency and skill and I believe anybody can, 0:09:24.510 --> 0:09:27.560 you need to sleep like more, you need to sleep 0:09:27.570 --> 0:09:29.200 every minute counts every minute. 0:09:29.210 --> 0:09:31.790 Who likes to call time that starts at like 6 0:09:31.790 --> 0:09:33.730 37 or 7:30 a.m. You 0:09:33.730 --> 0:09:35.239 know, this is real life for me every day. I 0:09:35.240 --> 0:09:37.230 start work at six a.m. So no one gets to 0:09:37.230 --> 0:09:39.150 talk to me about early call times 0:09:39.700 --> 0:09:43.370 anyway, so aside from hair makeup, skincare and all that, 0:09:43.380 --> 0:09:46.430 I wanted to touch on dressing as well. So there's 0:09:46.429 --> 0:09:48.939 some memes that float around, you know, the internet. Have 0:09:48.940 --> 0:09:52.410 you seen those? Like about singaporean men? Like their standard wardrobe, 0:09:52.410 --> 0:09:55.880 their standard looks and stuff when they go out and 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:58.099 when they're at home. And there was this one meme, 0:09:58.100 --> 0:09:59.449 I think we can flash it up on the screen 0:09:59.450 --> 0:10:01.620 if you're watching the podcast on youtube as well. 0:10:01.820 --> 0:10:05.620 Um the yellow one is for going out and then 0:10:05.620 --> 0:10:08.850 the army shirt is army shirt is like the work 0:10:08.850 --> 0:10:11.500 from home or staying at home thing. Do you agree 0:10:11.500 --> 0:10:13.950 with this? Is that what Singaporean men wear most of 0:10:13.950 --> 0:10:16.080 the time. You notice, 0:10:16.090 --> 0:10:18.170 I think there's some truth to that 0:10:18.195 --> 0:10:18.845 they're not going to like 0:10:19.385 --> 0:10:21.835 when you go outside, where do you, even if you 0:10:21.835 --> 0:10:24.535 go to like orchard road and maybe not so much. 0:10:24.545 --> 0:10:26.745 You walk along orchard road, you will definitely see people 0:10:26.745 --> 0:10:31.515 wearing that like t shirts. It's just one color and 0:10:31.515 --> 0:10:35.035 maybe a pair of shorts and definitely fine with it. 0:10:35.045 --> 0:10:37.905 Um Again, I think 0:10:38.250 --> 0:10:42.190 dressing is your personal freedom. You can wear whatever makes 0:10:42.190 --> 0:10:47.170 you feel comfortable. It's just that overall as because we 0:10:47.170 --> 0:10:48.689 are in the fashion industry kind 0:10:48.690 --> 0:10:49.790 of. Yes. Yes. 0:10:49.800 --> 0:10:52.900 So we also think about like things from a macro level, 0:10:52.910 --> 0:10:55.709 like when people think of Singapore, they probably don't regard 0:10:55.710 --> 0:10:56.700 it as like a 0:10:56.710 --> 0:10:58.660 fashionable city city. Yes. Yes, I 0:10:58.660 --> 0:10:59.309 agree. 0:10:59.510 --> 0:11:02.750 And a lot of it comes from the fact that 0:11:02.760 --> 0:11:06.219 so called like the fabric of our society is is 0:11:06.220 --> 0:11:09.910 used to dressing down and dressing as casually as possible. 0:11:09.920 --> 0:11:11.510 And I think a lot of people also use the 0:11:11.510 --> 0:11:13.960 excuse of, oh, it's so hot, what else would I 0:11:13.960 --> 0:11:17.010 wear Except for a T shirt shorts and flip flops. 0:11:17.020 --> 0:11:18.750 But I do think that there is a lot of, 0:11:18.760 --> 0:11:23.300 it's the this call causation is quite strong here. 0:11:23.323 --> 0:11:26.402 I study in the States for a few years and 0:11:26.413 --> 0:11:28.912 whether it's your session and sweat pants, that would be 0:11:28.913 --> 0:11:31.113 the equivalent of our T shirt and shorts, but there 0:11:31.113 --> 0:11:32.872 can still be some styling to be done because there 0:11:32.873 --> 0:11:36.073 is layering that's involved. So as the seasons change, you 0:11:36.073 --> 0:11:38.263 are encouraged to to change 0:11:38.263 --> 0:11:39.293 your look. But 0:11:39.293 --> 0:11:40.243 here there's 0:11:40.243 --> 0:11:41.303 Only one season, 1 0:11:41.303 --> 0:11:44.193 season and therefore people don't have a need to buy 0:11:44.193 --> 0:11:45.463 clothes frequently. 0:11:45.463 --> 0:11:47.112 No motivation. 0:11:47.136 --> 0:11:47.616 Right? 0:11:47.616 --> 0:11:49.726 And you want to just in a way that so 0:11:49.726 --> 0:11:53.736 like layer dressing for guys is very, very important because 0:11:53.736 --> 0:11:54.876 we don't have so many 0:11:54.886 --> 0:11:56.956 see that? Yeah. 0:11:56.966 --> 0:11:59.526 We don't have something different types of clothing. Like 0:12:00.106 --> 0:12:00.836 Yes. 0:12:00.846 --> 0:12:03.336 How many types of skirts are there many? How many 0:12:03.336 --> 0:12:07.016 types of tops are there many? And jewelry accessories? 0:12:07.026 --> 0:12:09.616 Like my, you know, my my friends and my boyfriend 0:12:09.616 --> 0:12:10.950 sometimes they can't figure it out there. Like 0:12:11.080 --> 0:12:13.150 where does the arm go for this top? Like where 0:12:13.150 --> 0:12:14.689 does this go? Like there's so many things to play 0:12:14.690 --> 0:12:15.070 around 0:12:15.580 --> 0:12:19.880 with guys. It's always just about dressing in Singapore addressing 0:12:19.880 --> 0:12:21.980 means that it's going to get hot. So do you, 0:12:22.059 --> 0:12:26.170 are you going to sacrifice your comfort for beauty? Well, 0:12:26.170 --> 0:12:28.939 most guys don't even get to that point because I 0:12:28.940 --> 0:12:30.820 would rather just not think about it. Yeah. 0:12:30.830 --> 0:12:31.760 Like why? 0:12:31.770 --> 0:12:32.470 I think two 0:12:32.470 --> 0:12:33.820 minutes to pick out 0:12:33.960 --> 0:12:35.780 the same t shirt that I wear every day that 0:12:35.780 --> 0:12:36.970 I know so many colors. 0:12:36.980 --> 0:12:39.190 I know so many guys who have that, they do that. 0:12:39.200 --> 0:12:41.800 They believe in that kind of routine, like one T 0:12:41.800 --> 0:12:42.910 shirt by like 0:12:42.910 --> 0:12:45.120 six whatever colors available, 0:12:45.130 --> 0:12:46.730 it might be something that's expensive. You 0:12:46.730 --> 0:12:48.660 know. Oh yeah, for sure. I know guys like this 0:12:48.660 --> 0:12:48.800 can 0:12:48.800 --> 0:12:49.780 go to like, 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:51.590 okay, 0:12:51.700 --> 0:12:55.740 $1, and then just like by 10 of it, I'm 0:12:55.740 --> 0:12:57.490 going to wear this on Monday Tuesday 0:12:57.500 --> 0:13:00.320 my shopping for the year, I'm done, I'm done for 0:13:00.320 --> 0:13:01.120 the year. 0:13:01.130 --> 0:13:06.960 I think the whole climate becomes kind of um 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:11.500 it's just tough for fashion to become a thing in Singapore, 0:13:11.510 --> 0:13:14.820 but that's what we're also seeing change nowadays. A lot 0:13:14.820 --> 0:13:16.690 of the youngsters, I don't think it's an issue of 0:13:16.690 --> 0:13:19.330 being materialistic is an issue of like 0:13:19.470 --> 0:13:22.349 they're just focused more on self expression and that comes 0:13:22.350 --> 0:13:26.179 with being more fashionable and dressing up a lot more 0:13:26.190 --> 0:13:27.490 and following trends. 0:13:27.500 --> 0:13:29.859 I agree. I mean, I think it was quite evident 0:13:29.860 --> 0:13:33.350 in our generation, you know, the millennials, the gen z's 0:13:33.360 --> 0:13:36.059 we care a little bit more about how we dress 0:13:36.070 --> 0:13:37.710 or how we look for example, I don't know whether 0:13:37.780 --> 0:13:40.890 the fact that we're exposed to more content online or 0:13:40.890 --> 0:13:43.860 more celebrities that you know, lead the way in terms 0:13:43.860 --> 0:13:46.980 of trends, but since you brought up the fact that 0:13:46.980 --> 0:13:49.130 here in Singapore, we care less because of the climate. 0:13:49.280 --> 0:13:52.120 Do you then notice because you travel as well, you know, 0:13:52.120 --> 0:13:54.540 for work or in your previous travels you go to 0:13:54.540 --> 0:13:59.170 places like, I don't know, Tokyo us Korea the men there, 0:13:59.170 --> 0:14:00.820 they put in more effort though. Right? 0:14:01.640 --> 0:14:02.690 Do they? 0:14:03.240 --> 0:14:09.309 It will be a generalization, but my observation would be yes, right. 0:14:09.320 --> 0:14:12.040 But then then then again, they have a much larger population. 0:14:12.050 --> 0:14:14.450 So the population of people who are more fashionable also, 0:14:14.460 --> 0:14:16.020 maybe it's relative is 0:14:16.020 --> 0:14:18.650 right, I think Singapore just needs to with any of 0:14:18.650 --> 0:14:22.590 these huge cities like metropolitan cities but in Tokyo in 0:14:22.590 --> 0:14:25.000 new york city they have a lot of history there 0:14:25.010 --> 0:14:27.760 and they have their own culture, right? So what is 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:30.650 Singapore's culture and how do we harness it into something 0:14:30.650 --> 0:14:33.030 that makes sense 0:14:33.330 --> 0:14:36.540 beyond just t shirts and shorts or 0:14:36.540 --> 0:14:38.430 your orientation? T shirt from 0:14:38.430 --> 0:14:39.380 camp, 0:14:40.570 --> 0:14:44.230 there was this it wasn't this incident of the of 0:14:44.240 --> 0:14:48.360 the Mr Singapore or whatever who carried a Singapore flag 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:51.020 and what the army shorts with boots 0:14:51.030 --> 0:14:53.430 was it? Oh my God really? I forgot about that. 0:14:53.440 --> 0:14:55.430 So that happened quite recently and that's his way of 0:14:55.430 --> 0:14:57.220 representing what Singapore fashion is about. 0:14:57.230 --> 0:14:58.150 That that's it 0:14:58.160 --> 0:15:01.360 every every other country representative for something that is culturally 0:15:01.360 --> 0:15:04.820 unique to the country, right? And then he, I mean 0:15:04.820 --> 0:15:06.810 he was this poor boy was kind of bashed online 0:15:06.810 --> 0:15:07.109 because 0:15:07.110 --> 0:15:07.410 like 0:15:07.425 --> 0:15:08.145 like 0:15:08.155 --> 0:15:11.615 that is not just what profession is, you know? But 0:15:11.615 --> 0:15:13.505 when people think about it this way then then the 0:15:13.505 --> 0:15:17.265 question should be what is what is the part of 0:15:17.265 --> 0:15:20.065 our culture that we can harness into something that makes 0:15:20.065 --> 0:15:23.335 sense on a regional or even a global stage when 0:15:23.335 --> 0:15:24.595 it comes to fashion. So 0:15:24.595 --> 0:15:27.965 so how have you done that then as Aiden as yourself? 0:15:27.965 --> 0:15:31.595 Like how have you incorporated that blended that in and 0:15:31.595 --> 0:15:34.275 still keeping yourself your personality. 0:15:34.830 --> 0:15:37.550 I think for me because like I'm very interested in 0:15:37.550 --> 0:15:41.150 fashion to begin with. So it's more about like identifying 0:15:41.150 --> 0:15:45.090 what your personal style is. There are some brands that, 0:15:45.090 --> 0:15:46.910 I mean I work with a lot of friends, but 0:15:46.920 --> 0:15:49.140 some brands that I resonate with a lot just 0:15:49.340 --> 0:15:51.910 fashionista, by the way, just letting you know, okay, if 0:15:51.910 --> 0:15:55.210 you haven't already seen his instagram page, you should for 0:15:55.210 --> 0:15:55.920 some inspo 0:15:55.930 --> 0:16:01.210 well, thanks for that. But it becomes more of like, 0:16:01.220 --> 0:16:04.340 do you go on the personal journey to figure out 0:16:04.340 --> 0:16:06.670 what works for you and what doesn't, you know, something 0:16:06.670 --> 0:16:08.040 I like about Sonia, 0:16:08.050 --> 0:16:09.010 She's 0:16:09.010 --> 0:16:13.390 very versatile, she's always trying out things with hair. I mean, 0:16:13.400 --> 0:16:15.350 number of like hair extensions and wigs that she's done 0:16:15.350 --> 0:16:17.020 in the past six months. It's just crazy, 0:16:17.030 --> 0:16:17.560 you 0:16:17.560 --> 0:16:20.330 know, you should see my house, it's just like hair 0:16:20.330 --> 0:16:22.840 lying around everywhere. No one remembers what my hair length 0:16:22.840 --> 0:16:24.670 is anymore to be honest. But 0:16:24.670 --> 0:16:26.760 but the whole thing about self expression is that you 0:16:26.760 --> 0:16:30.770 want to be as experimental as possible because you don't 0:16:30.770 --> 0:16:33.860 know what you can possibly look like until you give 0:16:33.860 --> 0:16:36.370 it a go, right? And that's something that I feel 0:16:36.370 --> 0:16:38.120 like a lot of singaporeans wouldn't, 0:16:38.380 --> 0:16:40.800 they wouldn't venture to that point because they care a 0:16:40.800 --> 0:16:42.810 lot more about comfort or they just care a lot 0:16:42.810 --> 0:16:47.080 about being in within that zone. Yes, that they're very 0:16:47.080 --> 0:16:47.860 comfortable with. 0:16:47.870 --> 0:16:51.609