no .5 - the cheongsam diary

navy, matte on one side with a subtle sheen on the other

some lemon drop pop

a classic cut with piping accents

teal framed party at the back

Have you met ohjujubee?

I first noticed her eye for cheongsam collars in 2014, when Sam posted a photo of them together with her donning a cheongsam collar that I immediately wanted. It was classic, clean and framed her features like a dream (although I now realised that it could also be because she’s beautiful with porcelain complexion!).

No i'm not a creep. Just slightly kaypoh with a passion for some beautiful collars.

Marrying Mark aside, the engagement meant I could finally and legitimately splurge on pretty clothing – something I rarely do because I generally dress like a slob and enjoy re-wearing my/ hand-me-down clothes until the fabric fray beyond repair.

The pursuit of the perfect cheongsam was however slightly arduous. Understandably so when it entailed squeezing a very unglamorous Val into a cultural dress meant to exude class and elegance.

bitch pls, have you seen my scars?? Unglam and Clumsy are actually my first and second names

& so the conundrum began

After multiple visits to a local designer who I had obsessed with for the longest of time, I had to accept the reality that her cuts neither fitted me nor served the purpose for which I needed the cheongsam for. I also sought to allay everyone’s fears that I would appear underdressed in a knee-length-workplace-appropriate-cheongsam by trying a cheongsam gown at another local tailor. Much like the wedding gown conundrum, the lace, flowers and overall grandness just deviated too far from, well, me - I just looked terribly out of place instead.

With this, I finally contacted and met ohjujubee.

The thing about weddings is that the occasion and potential impressions/ talk that could be generated from them can drive you mad. These fears/ concerns led to a lot of hesitation on my part and some brief inclination to pursue a red cheongsam instead – despite me rarely wearing red because it clashes gloriously with my yellow warm skin lined with green veins.

& perhaps this is where ohjujubee really pulled through for me – committed, assured & assuring, and the one time she deviated from the brief – it made me love the cheongsam more than ever (it was the height of the collar).

Although we didn’t know each other prior, it felt like she made a concerted effort to know me as an individual and that she was genuinely determined to make a cheongsam comfortable for and befitting of non-lacewearing-clumsy-and-forever-in-activewear Val.

I don't think she intended to either but hey! here's Val again in blue - idk how she figured it out but I have a serious soft spot for this stupid colour.

What emerged was this weighted navy ankle length cheongsam.

Classic at the front.

Angles at the back.

Panels by the side.

All pulled together with the subtlest of piping details and a collar which complimented my features perfectly.

I loved it. I squealed from the first time I wore it and went back more times than I should have to totter around in it because April felt too far away.

I was so excited I also trawled the internet for the perfect heels and earrings to match the teal of the chiffon and this led to handmade earrings from a US etsy store and S$45 heels from newlook via ASOS. All these purchases (and my Choo Yilin guodali jewellery) also made their way to inpersonam as I continued to prance around Julianne's floor space in this gloriously weighted piece that did not crinkle.

so far in this cheongsam, I -

- Knelt and cried through a 1.5 hours tea ceremony (during which we only served a grand total of 25 sets of red date tea – seriously, cannot comprehend what happened there) as my amazing bridal party fanned me, fought with the hotel staff over the spoilt air conditioner and summoned all the tissue paper the hotel had to offer

- Excitedly made my first walk-in with the second bridal bouquet that Mark surprised me with and pranced around the ballroom celebrating my guests birthdays and catching up with friends with too many bear hugs

- Hunted for my drunken friends who had happily wandered off around Sofitel Sentosa (they were found in my room)

- Walked around Bellagio, Italy in the drizzle after hiding from the hail (in Spring) with Selene

- & wandered Capri and thereafter lunched under a lemon grove

I count myself exceedingly blessed to have met Julianne (who for the longest time was known to me as ohjujubee) and to have been a recipient of her love and insights. From her, I also learnt to appreciate the art behind the collar I was drawn to and understand the construction of a cultural dress I had never appreciated before or felt looked good on me.

In fact, she was one of many godsends on the whole journey and I'm so so excited to see what's in store for her as inpersonam grows and wear this cheongsam a million times over like we envisioned because it truly feels like one made just for me.

Cue: Photo spam