SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore
Shopping for clothes here-totally frustrating!
- intellectualsmuse
- Chatter
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 2:32 am
Shopping for clothes here-totally frustrating!
I've had the most terrible time trying to shop for clothes here! You really need to be a carpenter's dream to fit into anything.
I've been told I'd have a better time if I shopped at Marks and Spencer. Any other suggestions from expats would be helpful! Thanks.
I've been told I'd have a better time if I shopped at Marks and Spencer. Any other suggestions from expats would be helpful! Thanks.
For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
Re: Shopping for clothes here-totally frustrating!
Hi, if you don't have the shape of a 12 year old girl, you may be most satisfied with the europoean / US-brands like Marks & Spencers, Esprit, Mango, Zara, Guess or GAP. But even this is a bit disappointing sometimes. 2 weeks ago I tried on a dress at Esprit, which didn't fit. The sales girl looked at me and told me: "Yes, I believe you it doesn't fit, as you have a very big body." I wear size 38, which isn't too big I think. She couldn't even understand why I lost the mood of trying on something else and left the shop. I won't go back there too soon....
- intellectualsmuse
- Chatter
- Posts: 333
- Joined: Sun, 20 Dec 2009 2:32 am
I just figured out that as and when I do manage to find a job and need a new wardrobe, it would actually work out cheaper for me to fly to India and pick up the best brands than to try and put it all together here! Not to mention that I'd be happier with the fit.
@Steff 77: Tell me about it-my birthday's coming up and I was like really excited about shopping here-but the shopping experience left me pissed to say the least and totally messed my day up. I'm not going back for sure. I think Singapore is a great place to buy electronics and other such, but when it comes to clothes I'd advise people to get their stuff from home.
@Steff 77: Tell me about it-my birthday's coming up and I was like really excited about shopping here-but the shopping experience left me pissed to say the least and totally messed my day up. I'm not going back for sure. I think Singapore is a great place to buy electronics and other such, but when it comes to clothes I'd advise people to get their stuff from home.
For those who fight for it, life has a flavor the sheltered will never know.
Re: Shopping for clothes here-totally frustrating!
M&S is always a safe bet in any country, regardless of whether you're in the UK, Malta or Poland. Can't go wrong with them.intellectualsmuse wrote:I've had the most terrible time trying to shop for clothes here! You really need to be a carpenter's dream to fit into anything.
I've been told I'd have a better time if I shopped at Marks and Spencer. Any other suggestions from expats would be helpful! Thanks.

You might also want to give some of the other department stores a look, like John Little or Robinsons.
I know my lady also likes to dig through the stuff at This Fashion, presumably a local brand.
Western fit
Monsoon at Metro in the Paragon has UK sizes up to 18 I believe. It is annoying though. Another thing is that a lot of brands (in particular sporty ones like Lacoste) cut their clothes to "Asian fit" (sic) - doesn't allow for the slightest curve.
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 40013
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Re: Western fit
Good example of this is Levi's!missis wrote:Monsoon at Metro in the Paragon has UK sizes up to 18 I believe. It is annoying though. Another thing is that a lot of brands (in particular sporty ones like Lacoste) cut their clothes to "Asian fit" (sic) - doesn't allow for the slightest curve.

Almost all the Levi's in the Levi's shops here are made in China or the Philippines and they are cut for the Asian body build. They seem to forget that western & Indian girls at least have "butts" and the mens' Jeans are all cut like cheap hotels!

So, I buy all my 501 Levi's from American Jeans online for the equivalent SGD$67~$77 per pair (including shipping!) Here in Singers, they have limited sizes AND are cut too small. If you are a woman here and are over 5'7" you will also have a problem if you are one of the lucky girls with long legs that go from the floor all the way to heaven!

SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers
Re: Western fit
Yeah, I found that out when they had a good promo for polo shirts, I tried on the biggest size they carry and it was still way too tight. After that I didn't even bother trying on any jeans...sundaymorningstaple wrote:Almost all the Levi's in the Levi's shops here are made in China or the Philippines and they are cut for the Asian body build.

- Du-scheißt-nie-mehr
- Newbie
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sun, 11 Apr 2010 2:49 pm
Re: Shopping for clothes here-totally frustrating!
I feel your pain m'dear. I'm a US size 10, and most of the ladies' clothes here are meant for a size 0 - size 6 lady. But you can't go wrong with M&S. My family and I are all Caucasian-built, so we have trouble finding clothes. M&S does the job though, ohne Zweifel.intellectualsmuse wrote:I've had the most terrible time trying to shop for clothes here! You really need to be a carpenter's dream to fit into anything.
I've been told I'd have a better time if I shopped at Marks and Spencer. Any other suggestions from expats would be helpful! Thanks.
I shop at M&S, Dorothy Perkins, Monsoon (when they've got a sale on!) and occasionally New Look if they've got anything in that's not made for a 15 year old
The Per Una range in M&S is OK, not as frumpy as some of the other stuff - if they've got a sale on they're worth checking out. Weelock Place and Centrepoint seem to be the stores which have the best sale clothes, but I reckon they ship them over here to sell because I've seen stuff here that was in the UK a few years ago.
If you're smaller than a UK 14 you should be able to shop at Warehouse too.
I'm not sure where big people here do their shopping because I've seen some women out in the heartlands with jeans that would fit two of me in (and I'm not a small person!)
Oh, and they've got Principals in Robinsons at Centrepoint too - a small range but their clothes are sometimes quite nice.
OG is worth having a look in too, loads of different collections in there, some frumpy, some not so bad and lots of their swimwear is cheaper than the Aussie specialist shops.

The Per Una range in M&S is OK, not as frumpy as some of the other stuff - if they've got a sale on they're worth checking out. Weelock Place and Centrepoint seem to be the stores which have the best sale clothes, but I reckon they ship them over here to sell because I've seen stuff here that was in the UK a few years ago.
If you're smaller than a UK 14 you should be able to shop at Warehouse too.
I'm not sure where big people here do their shopping because I've seen some women out in the heartlands with jeans that would fit two of me in (and I'm not a small person!)
Oh, and they've got Principals in Robinsons at Centrepoint too - a small range but their clothes are sometimes quite nice.
OG is worth having a look in too, loads of different collections in there, some frumpy, some not so bad and lots of their swimwear is cheaper than the Aussie specialist shops.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 5 Replies
- 4671 Views
-
Last post by joeyy
Wed, 23 Oct 2019 2:48 pm
-
-
Looking to buy baby clothes in Singapore
by abbby » Tue, 29 Jun 2021 12:31 pm » in General Discussions - 1 Replies
- 1922 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Thu, 29 Jul 2021 2:48 pm
-
-
- 11 Replies
- 3236 Views
-
Last post by Lisafuller
Tue, 24 May 2022 12:15 am
-
- 1 Replies
- 3968 Views
-
Last post by yuri1987
Thu, 16 Aug 2018 9:40 pm
-
- 1 Replies
- 1546 Views
-
Last post by bgd
Tue, 21 May 2019 3:28 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests