What does personal style mean to you? To many, it’s more than just the clothes off their backs — it’s the freedom to express who they are on the inside before even saying a word. While we all have a personal sense of style, no two individuals are exactly the same when it comes to the way they dress. In this column I Want Her Style, we speak to the stylish individuals of Singapore, and find out what makes their minds tick when it comes to fashion, and the people who inspire them.
Visual artist, illustrator and designer Hafizah Jainal is unflinchingly bold. In fact, you can sense her plucky attitude in her work and personal life, which the 34–year-old occasionally shares about through her brutally honest but humorous illustrations.
Hafizah, also known as Hafi, is also creative director of local independent food title Seasonings Magazine, has been vocal about her challenges living life as a woman of a minority race. Not only did she harbour an imposter syndrome, which she still struggles with today, this was compounded by the fact that she felt she had to prove herself, given she was a minority in the industry.
“I was always thinking I was never enough as a creative person… I always felt that I have to work twice or thrice as hard as my peers to get to where I want to be,” says Hafi.
Thankfully, she has since come to terms with her identity – in fact, she embraces it, and it’s evident in her work. Last year, she collaborated with the Malay Heritage Centre (MHC) to create “Fesyen Forward”, a reimagining of Malay fashion magazine covers from the 1950s and 1960s.
Hafi’s illustration style is cheeky, whimsical and fun much like her personal style. Asked how she would describe her personal style, she quips: “If a bright yellow zucchini and a tomato had a baby in a lush green forest, with cats!”
Hafi says she gets her inspiration from her mum, whom she describes as her muse.
“I love looking at old photos of my mother when she was the same age as me. She has a very sophisticated style that is not over the top,” she shares. “I take some style cues from her, especially her love for wearing oversized buttoned-up shirts with a relaxed pair of slacks, and her hair is always short, in a bob. We basically have the same hairstyle.”
One of her favourite fashion brands is Baju by Oniatta, a local label that is reinventing traditional Batik clothing into contemporary designs.
“Oniatta Effendi is great at balancing traditional wear with contemporary sensibilities –she does this very tastefully. I appreciate that she’s elevating batik, baju kurung and the kebaya, making it accessible and not forgotten to generations to come.”
Another would be the works of London-based artist and designer Michaela Stark, known for her corsets and lingerie that accentuate fuller bodies. “She uses the art of corsetry to contort and morph the body into exaggerated forms, turning the human body into something sculptural. I love that she has renewed the way we look at our own bodies, something that I struggled and took so long to accept.”
Here, she tells us more about her personal style philosophy and favourite fashion pieces.
The best thing about fashion today is…
The blurred lines when it comes to clothing. I love that people are allowed to wear whatever they want, regardless of gender.
A brand I really love is…
Australian label Gorman. I have three statement skirts and two statement dresses which I have worn too many times. I am trying to buy lesser clothes this year and am revisiting my wardrobe to see how I can style these pieces differently.
My go-to, fuss-free outfit for both work and off-work days is…
An oversized men’s shirt paired with wide-legged pants. It’s slouchy yet chic, and it’s definitely a combination that I fall back on.
When purchasing a new piece of clothing or accessory, it’s important for me to…
See if the fit is right. This applies especially for pants – even in its largest size, I still have trouble fitting into them because I’m curvy. What I find annoying about shopping here is that not all clothes are made for women with curves, despite local fashion brands promoting size inclusivity.
Some questions I ask myself when I buy something are…
Does the piece go with the rest of my wardrobe? Will I be broke after this purchase? Can I financially recover from this?
An outfit is not complete without…
A terracotta-coloured lipstick and a resting bitch face.
My most flamboyant fashion item is…
A pair of red patent leather David Bowie-esque platform heels, which I begged my mum to get me when I was 10. I remember people making fun of me when I wore them, but I never cared about what they thought of me.
When I paint or illustrate, I…
Stick to the same colour palette and these colours somehow reflect the clothes that I wear. I have people saying that my style of illustration embodies me and that I do look like my illustrations. It’s a case of art imitating life, or the reverse.
Trailblazers to follow:
Hafizah shares her thoughts on fashion icons who have made an indelible impact on the industry.