UOB Cards x Vivienne Tam: Which partner fared better at the couple style-off?
mis à jour le 3 May 2019 à 13:50To shake things up a little, this time we put 3 couples to the test of styling two outfits around the limited edition Vivienne Tam bag. The big question is, did the guys do a good job picking an outfit for their partner?
We know you loved our 5-Minute Style Challenge featuring Angie Chen, Rachel Lim, Chanel Lyn, so it’s time to take another trip down Fashion Challenge lane! This time with fashionable couples, to see if they know their partner well enough in the style department.
We got together with the founders of Elementary & Co., Charmaine Seah-Ong and Derek Ong, creative Aarika Lee and her musician husband Kevin Lester, and online personality Nellie Lim and her analyst boyfriend Ong Zhe Han.
The challenge was simple – to create two outfits with the limited edition Vivienne Tam tote bag by UOB Cards. The couples got to pick their OOTDs from the racks of stunning designer clothes and accessories at Shopthemag’s quaint showroom.
The ladies matched their chosen outfits with their chosen Vivienne Tam bag rather easily. But when it was the men’s turn - the challenge wasn’t so simple after all! From nervously pacing around the showroom to sifting through many potential combinations, the men showed us that styling someone you love isn’t that easy (though entertaining for us). Let’s see how well these guys fared!
Charmaine Seah-Ong & Derek Ong
(L-R): Charmaine’s outfit, Derek’s outfit for Charmaine
After deciding on the gold version of the spiffy limited edition bag, Charmaine didn’t hesitate when it came to pulling together a stunning outfit. Swiftly and surely, she immediately chose this gorgeous cobalt blue number by Malaysian designer, Khoon Hooi. “I’m in a festive and party mood so I wanted to pick a deep, jeweled tone – since I love this blue and the embellishments are beautiful, I knew I had picked my outfit. It’s definitely something that I could wear out at night,” said Charmaine. She added the tote bag is ideal for a festive party and is just the right size to carry her daughter’s necessities when she’s with her.
When we moved on to Derek – boy, was he a man on a mission! After immediately picking the gold bag, he knew he wanted to go with a work outfit for his wife. After deliberating on which pair of pants to get, he finally landed on a pair Alice McCall pants and a Keepsake top, noting, “It’s more practical for her and the bag itself is roomy enough for work.” Derek sure knows Charmaine well, because she gave his outfit full marks, gleefully saying that she would wear it out instantly if she could. How’s that for knowing your partner’s style?
Aarika Lee & Kevin Lester
(L-R): Aarika's outfit, Kevin's outfit for Aarika
Known for her quirky and fun style, Aarika is no stranger to experimenting with different looks. She describes her style as “eclectic and colourful” – there’s always one bright item in the mix.
After picking the edgy black and silver tote with bold pink lining, Aarika was all revved up to unearth her ideal look. Through the process of elimination, Aarika systematically grabbed her favourites from each rack before narrowing down her choices. Needless to say, her style discipline paid off! She looked beautiful in her classy yet fun attire – a navy blue dress by Khoon Hooi paired with a boxy C/MEO vest, and accented with neon orange sandals, her trademark splash of colour. Aarika loved how the Vivienne Tam bag completed her ensemble, adding that it would be a great addition to her day-to-day style. As a busy working mother of two, the roomy bag combined form and function – allowing her to fit in her laptop or iPad, and essentials for her kids.
Kevin, on the other hand, was less confident and took more time selecting an outfit for Aarika. “I wanted to make sure that what I picked would match the bag and her character. I think the top I picked did just that. Once I got that, I thought it would be easy to pick everything else but little did I know that when it comes to picking out an outfit for your partner, you would stress out a lot,” said Kevin. Nonetheless, the Singaporean musician rose to the occasion and settled on a Yii top and Alice McCall crochet pants. Aarika was all smiles and gave Kevin the ultimate top score – her stamp of approval.
Nellie Lim & Ong Zhe Han
(L-R): Nellie’s outfit, Zhe Han’s outfit for Nellie
It’s no secret that Nellie Lim boasts an impeccable style sense, and she definitely knows more than just a thing or two about fashion. We couldn’t wait to see what she would whip up!
Upon the reveal of the bag, the duo decided to go with the striking black as that suited Nellie’s personality and style best – bold and beautiful! Nellie was raring to go and narrowed her choices one rack at a time. When it came to finally deciding which outfit or occasion to go with, she threw us off-guard by picking out both a tube top and a romper from Australian label, Keepsake to pair with the sleek bag. While we were wondering how the final outfit would look, she declared, “It’s reflective of my style because I like to layer a lot.”
After Nellie, Zhe Han took the stylist stage. He didn’t waste any time selecting the outfit – after a quick browse, he settled on a black one-shoulder dress with a mesh neckline and a long white vest. “She likes clothes that are less form-fitting, hence the dress that came with a mesh-like top. I know she likes layers so I wanted to pick something that would go above it and that’s why I chose the white vest.”
Unfortunately though, Nellie said she wouldn’t wear his outfit out, stating, “I would wear the vest out but not the dress. I will layer the vest over something more form fitting.” But all hope was not lost as Nellie still loved the vest and would definitely pair it with the bag!
Both Nellie’s and Zhe Han’s outfit were smart choices as they created a striking contrast with the black bag. Whether it was through Nellie’s light-coloured ensemble or Zhe Han’s addition of the white vest, the bag definitely became the statement piece in the two different looks. Now these are looks we’re yearning to copy!
Photos: Glenn Taubenfeld
Venue: Shopthemag showroom, 71A Hillcrest Road, Open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 7pm
Shopthemag is currently having a Christmas sale with pieces up to 70% off. Most of the designers on sale are from Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
This post was sponsored by UOB Cards. For more information on the limited edition tote bags and redemption, click here.
