Where to find the cheapest outfits in Singapore
Craving for new additions to your wardrobe?
For Singapore residents, such a craving would mean a wallet-breaking trip in a retail store or valiant efforts searching for the right clothes on online shopping site Taobao.com.
But it is possible to peruse shelves at retail stores and put together an outfit without feeling that guilty about your bank account.
The New Paper reporters Christabel Chiang and Max Pasakorn spent a day around Singapore, searching for reasonably fashionable outfits that were as cheap as we could get - female outfits to fit S-sized Christabel for under S$10, and male outfits to complement Max's stockier frame for under S$20.
Their journey started at a newly-opened sports megastore that was rumoured to contain the cheapest basic clothes and sportsgear.
1. Decathlon Store at Bedok
The store was gigantic.
While it housed mostly equipment for a variety of different sports, there were also sections that had clothes on display.
However, fitnesswear seemed unattractive to fashion-sensitive Christabel.
"You want to get something basic, but not something so basic that you need an outer piece of clothing to go with it," she said.
Max, on the other hand, felt that it was probably one of the best places to grab a simple, cost-effective T-shirt. The cheapest ones were going for $3.50, and came in four colours: black, white, grey and dark teal.
Most other garments in the store had decent price tags attached to them too. The cheapest pair of sports shorts were $7. Small, colored bags went for $3.90. Track pants were about $11.
The pair left the store with a $3.50 black T-shirt for Max.
Decathlon Store (Bedok)
Address: 750A Chai Chee Technopark, #01-01
Directions: From Bedok MRT station, exit through Exit A and take buses 2, 24, 28, 31 or 67 for two stops. Cross the road to get to the store.
Affordability: 4/5
Fashion: 2/5
Variety: 1/5
2. City Plaza
Christabel squealed with excitement when she heard of City Plaza's reputation as the congregator for clothes sold by blogshops.
The old three-storey mall was reminiscent of Lucky Plaza and Far East Plaza in Orchard Road.
Contrary to its rundown nature, the mall offered clothes that made Christabel hop happily from shop to shop.
Her biggest find was a striped dress ($8) and a white top ($6) on the first floor of the plaza. After a bit of haggling, which was allowed at the shop, she bought both pieces for $13.
However, it proved tough for Max to find a bargain here.
Most of the men's shirts start from $20 up. In one shop, he was quoted $45 for a short-sleeved shirt.
In the end, Max's only buy was fried chicken from Arnold's on the second floor.
City Plaza
Address: 810 Geylang Road
Directions: From Paya Lebar MRT Exit D, walk south until you reach a traffic junction. Turn left, cross the traffic junction, turn right and cross the traffic junction again. Walk to eastward until you see City Plaza.
Affordability: 4/5 (Female Clothes), 2/5 (Male Clothes)
Fashion: 3/5
Variety: 4/5
3. Anchorpoint Mall
A 15-minute walk from Queenstown MRT station proved to be worth it when we saw the words "Sale" plastered on the windows at Anchorpoint Mall.
The mall, situated opposite IKEA Alexandra, houses factory outlets for familiar brands, including Giordano, Charles & Keith, Billabong, Typo, and the one for clothes of crazy value... Cotton On.
Items in Cotton On were on sale, with the cheapest being female tops for $5.
The moment we entered the store was when the frenzy started. Christabel sieved through mounds of fabrics, while Max swiped across racks of $10 shirts.
In there, Max found many good pairs of pants that he could fit into and were going for $10 to $15.
Christabel went gaga over the shoes section, where she found comfortable sneakers being sold at $5 per pair.
We spent about 1 1/2 hours in this Cotton On outlet, most of it waiting outside the changing rooms.
Max bought a long-sleeved navy green shirt ($10) and a pair of denim jeans ($15). Christabel bought a grey skater skirt ($5) and a pair of white heels ($5).
The Cotton On outlet was probably the best place for really cheap bargains.
However, factory outlets for other brands did not meet our budgetary requirements, with most of the clothes in Giordanno and Billabong being around $15 to $20.
Anchorpoint Mall
Address: 370 Alexandra Road
Directions: After alighting at Queenstown station, head to Exit A, Make a U-Turn at the exit and continue west until you reach a traffic junction. Then, turn right and walk south. Walk down for about 10 minutes to reach Anchorpoint Mall.
Affordability: 4/5
Fashion: 4/5
Variety: 2/5
The results
What started off as a simple challenge turned out to be a nightmare for Max.
It was pretty much impossible for him to fit into an outfit that was under $10.
Instead, he decided to put all the clothes he bought into a single outfit, costing a total of $28.50.
Christabel's shopping spree landed her two full outfits.
The pairing of the grey skater skirt and the white top gave her a clean and cute look. The outfit cost $10.
Combining her striped dress and her heels proved to give her a classy and chic look. This outfit cost $13.
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