What clothes to bring? (Women's)

[donotexist]

I am moving to Singapore for school in a few months, and was wondering if the ladies on this forum could give me some packing advice. I live in the US and it seems the summers here are much like Singapore year-round, but I wonder if my clothes will be appropriate.

Do Singaporeans (and expats) generally wear more dressy or more casual outfits? Are shorts too sloppy-looking for the city? How about flip-flops?

My usual summer strategy is to wear as little as possible on top, but carry a light long-sleeved shirt around to put on when I'm inside and there's air conditioning. But how little can I get away with without looking skanky? Are halters ok? (backless) What about tube tops/dresses (strapless)?

How much does one dress up to go to restaurants or bars/clubs at night vs running errands during the day?

I am 27, about a size 4-6 American - will I have trouble finding clothes that fit? Just wondering what and how much to bring. Oh, and also, how brutal is the air conditioning in public places? I'm a wimp about cold so I wonder if I need a couple of sweaters for classrooms and public transit.

Thanks in advance!

[Asian_Geekette]

For weekend attire (going to the mall or resto), shorts and flipflops are ok. In fact, I tend to see a lot of local Singaporeans wearing flipflops during weekends. But flipflops are a no-no for the office. Halters/tube tops/strapless dresses should be ok for bar/clubs but not if you're going to do some sightseeing (mosques, temples, etc). And it can be quite cold inside the buildings. I sometimes joke that our office is not a typical office--it's like a data center! I love cold weather but I have to wear a jacket inside the office.

Good luck with the move!

[road.not.taken]

Shorts and flip flops are fine for running around, Singapore is generally very casual* - but air conditioning is definitely a force to be reckoned with so I usually wear capris or jeans and have a light cardigan or pashmina with me at all times. Movie theaters and restaurants can be downright frosty. Offices can be frigid too.

You should have no trouble finding clothes here, unless you are tall? Then it's a BIG problem. Everything here, even American brands are cut very petite.

Don't forget to bring some cold weather clothes for travel.

*the fashion tone is a bit uneven here. People can dress very casually (t-shirts & shorts) for religious ceremonies, live theatre, etc... and then wear a Chanel suit to the zoo. Many companies have uniforms (doctor's offices, store clerks) which both alleviates/exacerbates this problem.

[ching]

I don't usually see a lot of girls wearing halters or tube tops out shopping - maybe they do and I just don't notice? Spaghetti straps are pretty common though.

Lots of miniskirts and shorts too!

But as previous posters mentioned, airconditioning in malls, offices, and movie theaters can get VERY cold.

Good luck with your move planning

[rasserie]

to see how singaporeans generally dress, go to orchard road.

simply, u can dress anything u want.
singaporeans in general would not want to be in something sloppy in an area such as orchard road for fear of being ridiculed.

I am moving to Singapore for school in a few months, and was wondering if the ladies on this forum could give me some packing advice. I live in the US and it seems the summers here are much like Singapore year-round, but I wonder if my clothes will be appropriate.

Do Singaporeans (and expats) generally wear more dressy or more casual outfits? Are shorts too sloppy-looking for the city? How about flip-flops?

My usual summer strategy is to wear as little as possible on top, but carry a light long-sleeved shirt around to put on when I'm inside and there's air conditioning. But how little can I get away with without looking skanky? Are halters ok? (backless) What about tube tops/dresses (strapless)?

How much does one dress up to go to restaurants or bars/clubs at night vs running errands during the day?

I am 27, about a size 4-6 American - will I have trouble finding clothes that fit? Just wondering what and how much to bring. Oh, and also, how brutal is the air conditioning in public places? I'm a wimp about cold so I wonder if I need a couple of sweaters for classrooms and public transit.

Thanks in advance!