Blinkers & Flowers, Geylang Serai, 231006

"I am going to give away the headpiece after midnight. Yes, I made it myself. There are no ladies in the stall, as you can see."

Where does one go on the eve of Hari Raya? Geylang Serai, of course. That is where I met this seller of plastic flower arrangements with the most amazing head gear. He has two bicycle blinkers in his pièce de résistance. (See if you can spot them.) I didn't manage to catch the man's name as one blinker flew across the stall in the middle of our conversation and I was too busy laughing and searching for the lost blinker after that to remember to ask for his details.

Posting from Far Away, 221006

quick notes

The bad news is that TCP will not be updated over this weekend as I will be heading overseas for a short trip.

The good news is that TCP will be featured in an article in NYLON, this December. I have submitted photos of those who agreed to have their shots used in the magazine. So do keep a look out.

Bugis, 141006

Annabelle (23)

"Do you want a bite of the watermelon? I get my things from all over the place. The vest is from Australia, the skirt (worn as a dress) is from KL... I have a cow bag with an udder and I loved it. When I saw another girl carrying the exact same bag, I was so mad!"

Long ago, before TCP and when I was still in NUS, I used to notice Annabelle frequently. I did not know her personally, but in my mind, she was the girl with outrageously colourful outfits (which made her stand out in the well-dressed Arts crowd) and more often than not, carrying the cow bag she mentioned. I can still remember its very pink and noticeable udder till today. It was that memorable.





Jasmine (23)

"I got these shoes from Thailand. They were so cheap!"

I like how she threw on a vest to deviate from the dress and belt combination common on the streets nowadays. That and the fact that she is wearing canary yellow, which is an unusual choice of colour for a dress here.



Shaiful (21)

"People can stare, I don't care. I am wearing a scarf as I have a flu. And I have a long neck, so I thought it would make a nice accessory. I am not quite sure why there are more people wearings scarves now or when the trend started, but I started wearing scarves last year."

Two things made Shaiful special. First, I spotted him in This Fashion, a shop selling womenswear, browsing through the pants section. Second, for a country that experiences summer almost all year round, scarves are a rare sight. That said, I have been noticing a sudden increase in people wearing scarves similar to Shairful's in Singapore. Would someone happen to know why? Not that I am complaining. I think it is one of the more wearable Fall accessory in a No Winter Land.

Haze & Girls, Town, 071006

How has the haze affected you, my fellow countrymen?

Personally, it makes wandering around the island rather unappealing at the moment. There is the smell and then there is the irritation to the respiratory system. That said, I managed to venture out briefly over the weekend and here are a couple of shots taken during the trip.




Jessica

"I am fine with the air."

The encounter occurred under an overhead bridge. She flicked her lighter, lit her cigarette and took a long drag. I was somehow reminded of Fiona Apple's "Sullen Girl". I have no idea why either.





Wendy (20)

"I come up with ideas for my hair cut and tell my hair dresser what I want. I get my inspirations from foreign and local magazines. I used to get into trouble at school for my hair, but now that I prefer more natural shades and have stopped going for 'drama' styles and colours, it's alright now."

I usually try to limit 2 shots per individual. When I first saw Wendy, I couldn't stop staring at her shoes. And then I noticed her hair. And then when she was tilting her head to write down her details, I suddenly noticed a Little Green Man peering at me.

Openstage 6 @ Timbre, 310906

Henry

"I have had no problems with my hair. Maybe it's because I work in the entertainment industry. I do lighting, mainly in clubs."

I was a little awed when I saw his hair. It reminded me greatly of The Lady (and her Hair). Henry's friend in the background is awesome as well. I didn't manage to capture it very well, but peeking under his shirt is what appears to be a giant gold ankh.





Cher (19)

"This is actually my first time here at the club. I am waiting for a friend here."

I thought the badges at the belt was a nice touch. It added that extra detail that personalised her belt.





Sahril (70s)

"My favourite band? It would have to be my now defunct band... no lah! The Great Spy Experiment and Valium are both quite good and we're here to check them out."

Ami (26)

"Sahril's vest was handmade. The fabric was bought at Spotlight. As for mine, I can only wait for cold days like today to wear it out."

Yes, Sahril is in his 70s. Whether he meant that mentally or sartorially when he wrote that down on my note book, you'll have to decide for yourself. It was also great bumping into Ami again. (The last time was at Baybeats 2006.) A fur vest being worn in Singapore, where it's almost Summer everyday, is definitely interesting.

Offnote, if you are into Singaporean bands, do check out The Great Spy Experiment. I had to leave their performance halfway, but from what I heard, I think I will be keeping tabs on the band in the future.