KRash Course by KR’s Fashionistas: What to wear to school other than your HONUS

It’s yet the end of another tiring week of school and you just want to head out and celebrate with your friends. However, it seems like all your friends are busy going out on dates or whatever, and then there’s you. It's nearing Valentine's Day and yet you wonder why you’re still single… Bestie, maybe it’s because of how ratchet you look every morning with those panda eyes and sloppy clothes.

If you’re the kind of person that wakes up 10 minutes before class starts and has no choice but to head to class in your HONUS shirt or even your pajamas, well shame on you. Maybe that’s the reason why you don't have a date yet - because you haven't been dressing up for lessons. This is a sign for you to start dressing up for faculty and get hitched by the end of sem 😻

1. The Sandwich Method

Our first piece of advice is from B Block’s top lawyer, whose only personality trait is dressing up! According to E-wen, the easiest way to make your outfit look cohesive is to match whatever’s on top with whatever’s on the bottom. Sounds confusing? I’ll explain in a bit.

Here's how it works: You choose a color to act as your "bread," the overarching foundation of your look. Then, choose an item to be an extra color. That's your "filling". Like most sandwiches, the filling should be somewhere between the bread slices. It could be anything from a shirt worn underneath a jacket to a striking belt that helps break up a monochromatic outfit. Take a look at this picture: E-wen’s “filling” is his black pants, along with a black tote bag, which helps break up his all-white ensemble for a fun look with dimension. Very vogue indeed.

If you’re wondering more about accessorizing, it’ll definitely be good to start simple if you’re a beginner and slowly add larger pieces after/layer them. For guys, necklaces and rings are definitely easier to pull off!

Must-haves: white sneakers, casual button-down shirt

Where to shop: Online stores (use keywords: Korean Style)

2. Back to Basics

Our next tip is from one of KR’s top chais, Jean! She usually gets most of her inspo by following fashion models and celebrities, but she also tries to experiment with her clothes to find fits that she likes.

Her go-to outfit: a basic, plain cropped tank with high-waisted, wide-leg bottoms (super comfortable and makes her feel good about herself!) - and she owns several variations of this fit! She has a few pairs of pants from Pomelo that give her the silhouette of a snatched waist and legs for days. What’s more, they are versatile and super easy to pair with any neutral top (pro tip: neutrals are the simplest and most practical colours to work with!). If not, you could follow the 3 colour rule or go with the classic black & white fit.

One of Jean’s classic looks! 😍

What makes a good outfit great is a statement piece that highlights and expresses your personal style from an otherwise basic fit (e.g. shoes/accessories).

Here are some ways Jean likes to switch up her outfits!

• Footwear: ditching chic heeled sandals for edgy platform Converse hightops (above) can instantly change the vibe of your fit.

• Earrings: minimalistic gold or silver designs - simplicity is the ultimate sophistication!

• Necklaces: Jean has a silver one that she wears with everything, but for dressier fits she layers it with thin chains or an elegant pearl necklace!

TLDR: Investing in one simple yet classy necklace and an everyday pair of earrings can make a world of a difference, plus you’ll look more put together!

Must-haves: A really flattering pair of plain black pants, statement pieces

Where to shop: Pomelo (she lowkey sounds like a promoter for Pomelo but she just really thinks they have a lot of decent options HAHA), Online

3. Find your Trademark

Next up, we have Amy - she believes that fashion is all about having fun and wearing what makes you happy! To her, finding a style you like and wearing the “death out of it” is the way to go. But sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to switch it up once in a while to surprise people and keep things fun!

For those of you who have the privilege (or not) of attending in-person classes in air-conditioned rooms, layering is always a good option. Adding layers may seem like a simple addition to an outfit but it’s honestly a smart way to dress as you can kill two birds with one stone - you have a trendy, effortless look without having to lug a heavy jacket around.

Amy’s OOTD:

A comfy black sweater with a preppy skirt

Just look at her trademark tennis skirts. Bestie over here is such a huge fan of tennis skirts, she owns 4 or 5 sets of these skirts 😰 Amy gravitates more towards preppy chic, so tennis skirts are a must-have wardrobe essential for her. Her fits tend to comprise more of schoolgirls clothes and light/dark academia-themed outfits, which she wears extremely well! If you haven’t got a fixed style in mind, take your time to slowly figure out what pieces or styles you like and gravitate towards. Pinterest or Instagram is always a good place to start.

An accessories tip she has is to own staples as even the simplest of things can add more depth to an outfit. For makeup, having a simple routine works (eg. just brows, concealer, blush) but no need to feel pressured to wear makeup if you’re lazy or you don’t feel comfortable to!

Must-haves: A trusty pair of basic white sneakers (eg. Fila - which ppl shit on her for owning but she loves them so that’s all that matters xd), some basic tops/camisoles (white, black, beige) that can be worn under tops/outerwear, black pants for more formal looks

Where to shop: Shopee (lots of affordable finds!), or go thrifting to find hidden gems and because it’s a good experience!

4. Colour Balance

When Gerald dresses, it's based on mood. So when he does dress, you know it's good! Just take a look at his OOTD below.

He prefers the classics, so he normally wears a black/white top and matches his bottoms accordingly (as seen above). For those who are keen on exploiting all the colors in this world, do follow the colour chart by matching warm and cool colours. For example, making sure your shoes contrast with your bottoms can help you stand out (“I'm pretty small myself ah bopes”). High white socks and sneakers normally do the trick for him!

When accessorizing, he usually wears a watch and rings that will match what he wears (he recommends black and silver accessories). To break it down, dark-coloured tops will be matched with black rings while light-colored tops will be matched with silver rings. For those with piercings, dangling earrings (crosses, etc) are a good option, especially if you’re going for that e-boy look. For more posh vibes, crystal ear studs will suit the look. Hairstyling is heavily dependent on hair length. For short hair, wax is definitely useful but for long hair, a messy look (just wash, blow then dry) is easier to do!

Where to shop:

Clothes: Zara, Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein (if he feels like balling)

Shoes: Adidas, FILA (PSA for our vertically challenged friends: FILA shoes give you a height boost)

Watches: Daniel Wellington (“simple aesthetic style, cheap”)

Earrings: Chrome Hearts

Writer’s note: Honest opinions Gerald, all of your options are expensive LOL so girls if you want a sugar daddy you know who to hit up 😉

5. Get Inspiration

Want to look like a kpop star? Fret not, because unnie En Jia is here to guide you! Getting her inspiration from Korean fashion, her clothes mostly consist of simple, plain colours that she pieces together for a cool look. En Jia believes that Korean fashion is very casual, which makes it suitable for school as it is more on the minimalistic side.

In terms of footwear, her go-to are slides as they “go well with anything”. It’s definitely something different from the usual choice of white sneakers, but it helps by dressing down outfits when needed so you don’t end up looking too overdressed for classes. Rather than accessorizing, En Jia suggests getting your nails done instead for a seamless overall look. Plain colours are always a top choice due to its versatility as it matches everything. It’s also more affordable especially if you’re running a little tight on budget. Just head over to Bugis Street for a quick mani - there’s a whole stretch of nail salons at the top floor where you can get your nails done for under $20!

Must haves: Plain black and white shirts, plain black and white bottoms (so you can match them with any other colours and fewer people will notice if you repeat ur outfits 😄) - strategic of En Jia I must say!

Where to shop: Young Hungry Free (smh.. another promoter: “shoutout to yhf LOL i think 80% of the clothes i wear to school are from yhf 😄”)

6. Complete the Look

Lastly, let’s learn to be a basketball baddie with Layla! Layla’s style is extremely versatile - she can pull off an Insta baddie look or be your girl next door 😉 Her main tip is to make sure the outfits fit you well and flatters your body!

Here are some examples of what you can wear to achieve both looks!

Baddie (to scare those class part sluts away): Oversized tee/crop top + High Rise Jeans and accessorize with a chain necklace + hoop earrings

If you only have oversized tees/flannels, they can become crop tops when you tie a knot or use rubber bands!! #howtosavemoney101

Girl Next Door (to sway the prof into giving you full marks for class part 👉🏼👈🏼): Floral dress + cardigan, sandals and top it off with a simple necklace and pair of earrings

If you want to spice up your look, you can make use of a claw clip (super trendy right now) to create an effortless yet classy hairstyle! High ponytails, buns, or even pigtails work really well. Just switch up the styles a little so that you look different every other day!

Image Credits: Pinterest

Lastly, once you’ve secured your 10/10 outfit, you can opt to complete the look with a touch of makeup. Even if you are lazy, a little goes a long way! Layla recommends not leaving the face completely bare - a little bit of foundation or concealer often can help make you look more alive. Top it off with some setting spray to make your makeup last ($3 for a mini bottle on Shein).

Layla feels that foundation can help even out your skin tone and make it look #flawless. Filling your brows in helps frame your face and give it more definition. For a no-makeup makeup look, sweep brown eyeshadow under the eyes to subtly enlarge them (this is especially good for monolids!) A fresh coat of some lip tint or matte lipstick will help complete the look, and you can double it up as blush too! (For beginners, there's a lot of inspirations from Tiktok and Instagram - or you could take a look at a guide that Layla has kindly provided when learning how to use foundation!)

Writer’s note: I personally learnt a lot from Michelle Phan and James Charles!

Where to shop: Forever 21, online stores like Shopee, Shein or anything you find suitable

All jokes aside, dressing up for class isn’t gonna score you a date, but it can sure make a difference in terms of how you feel for class that day! Gerald himself dresses up based on how awake he is (“If it’s morning class I don’t really bother cause I’m usually too tired”). If this guide inspires you to up your fashion game, we hope you have fun doing it! At the end of the day, what really matters is feeling comfortable in your own skin - if you feel good, you’ll look good! :-)