The Store: J.Press at Isetan Scotts

I've been a fan of J.Press for a long, long time now (hell, I wrote about them already in '09). So imagine my excitement when I learned that they just opened shop here in Singapore! Located at Isetan Scotts, the brand's first and only outlet carries all the prepster signatures that made them famous - knit ties, oxford shirts, logo belts, tote bags, and a small selection of classic shoes. They even stocked those Ivy League school badges that could come in handy in your next big job interview. Poser move? Perhaps. But you just cannot deny the power of Take Ivy swag. 

J.Press joins the Singapore preppy party with Brooks Bros., Tommy, and Ralph Lauren. 

It wouldn't be real prep if they didn't bring the awesome silliness of those logo belts!

Fetching camo cargo shorts from the brand's more youthful Red Label collection

More shorts in whatever fuck-you color you want. I'm going with kelly green!

Dressed-up or dressed-down, caters to all expressions of would-be Ivy Leaguers. 

Can't forget about their extensive collection of topnotch silk knit ties too!

J.Press

Isetan Department Store, Level 3

Scotts Road, Singapore

T: +6568369498

The Item: Swatch Camo Wristwatch

I'm attracted to anything camo nowadays. Be it a bag, shirt, pants, hell even underwear, if it's sporting a camouflage print, it's getting a look from me. Same story when I saw this handsome wristwatch from Swatch in Takashimaya last week. Didn't matter that I was late for an important appointment, I was just quickly going to try it on anyways. Only, it wasn't quick at all. I stopped, stared and admired the beaute, hypnotized by the new life that the print gave to the otherwise minimalistic offering. Sweet deal at just S$89. Being late to my meeting? Definitely worth it.

Love that they did not neglect giving the face the camo treatment too!

The Item: Jetsam Wallets

More often than not, recycled fashion can look like, well, trash. Not this new brand I discovered, though. It's called Jetsam and they had this simple yet bright idea of getting discarded materials like end-run materials, cast-off clothing and vintage textiles and turning them into sweet patterned billfold wallets. Inspired by iconic menswear pieces, Jetsam's first collection features designs using vintage repp ties, plaids, and even some dashing herringbone tweed for good measure. In other words, a prepster's wallet dreams coming true. For the relatively inexpensive price, it's a great buy and just about right for materials that was probably being thrown out anyways.

A sampling of Jetsam's first foray. The repp tie wallets are tops.

How the inside looks. Minimalist, just how I like it.

The Guide: Casio Watches at Mustafa

For those who've been e-mailing me for months, asking where I got my gold Casio watch, this post is for you. Yes, all of you. You see, I only have one go-to place if I want to get my cheap-watch game on in Singapore and that's in the forever open Mustafa Mall right smack dab in the middle of Little India. Whether you prefer flashy gold-plated goodies or sleek black plastic pieces, you'll quickly see that all the Casio classics are all here for the picking! I just wouldn't advise going on a Sunday though. It's the only time when even these great finds really aren't worth it.

Cheap thrills at its finest! Thinking of getting more in the coming weeks!

The Item: Eastpak x K. Van Assche Backpack

One thing you should know about me is that I'm a value shopper. Yeah, I occasionally dabble in more expensive brands, but by and large, I'm a cheapskate at heart. That's why I was thrilled to see this backpack designed by Dior Homme Creative Director Kris Van Assche for Eastpak. For a fraction of the price of this handsome Dior Homme bag, I can now get a Van Assche piece that was made even better with the functionality of Eastpak. Plus, I'm getting tired lugging just totes around anyways. I think this purchase may just be what the doctor ordered. Yes, a justification.

What first attracted me to the bag was the rich caramel color

But then, the back - an interplay of parachute, canvas, and leather that sealed the deal.

Details like this detachable keychain are aplenty. It even has a detachable laptop case inside!

The Item: uniform experiment Watch Strap

You remember the J.Crew x Timex military watch I bought a few months back? What I loved most about it was the versatility it offered because of its changeable strap. Well, I just fulfilled its potential a tad bit with this new band I bought from Japanese brand uniform experiment. Originally intended for the brand's collaboration with Benrus, I think it looks just as dashing with my J.Crew version. The red, white, and blue stripes gives a sportier look than the olive one I had and at a sale price of only S$35, frankly, I'm quite tempted to take a close look at the other colors too.

Yes - red, white, and blue again. What can I say, my favorite color combination!

The Item: Andy Warhol x Incase Accessories

Of all the countries in the world, I don't think anyone can top Singapore when it comes to iPhone penetration. Kids, teens, working class folk, hell, even grandma's playing with one, making it hardly the spectacle here. That's why choosing the right accessory is crucial if you're looking to differentiate yours from all the rest. If I may suggest, do check out these Incase x Andy Warhol cases at A Curious Teepee. A far cry from your basic protective shells, these limited edition pieces feature two iconic works from one of the most celebrated artists of all time. Yet another collaborative gem from Incase which brings pop art and protection together in one product!

The window display at A Curious Teepee, the exclusive distributors of the cases

The pop art camo is my first choice. S$79 but well worth it in my estimation.

The banana's a sweet alternative too. I think it'll blend well with my white phone!

The Item: Cheap Woven Bracelets (Part 2)

Woven bracelets have grown even more popular since I first wrote about them. I tried getting more here in Singapore, but the ones I found were either insanely priced or suspect in quality. That's why on a recent trip to Manila, I decided to load up again at my favorite wrist accessory shop, the Bead Shop stall at Rockwell Power Plant. I was going to get more monochromatic ones like last time, but I was told of a new service they do - you could choose 3 colors of string and they'll weave it for you for no extra charge! Ever the sucker, I obliged by going for my fave red, white and blue trio and mixed it up with a green-black-yellow number for good measure. To be quite honest, it's simple (cheap) pleasures like this that make me miss Manila even more!

Both bracelets for just P150? Now that's a damn bargain!

The Item: New Watch Alerts (Timex + Casio)

If there's one aspect of my wardrobe that needs beefing up, it's most definitely the watch department. For the longest time, this amazing Timex Nylon Camper was the only option I had. As awesome as it was, it just couldn't hold the fort on its own anymore, especially when the outfit for the day was more earth-toned, rendering its all-black attack misplaced. So I went on a quest to find some fairly priced running buddies for it that would suffice for any and all color occasions.

Let Jay-Z have his Hublots and Rollies, I'm more than fine with these!

My first purchase was this all-gold Casio number. After resisting for so long to get one because of its massive popularity, I finally pulled the trigger and gave in to what I truly wanted since the very beginning. No calculators on the face here, folks, I'm in it for the interesting juxtaposition of all-gold decadence with a price point that pokes fun at the supposed extravagance of it all (S$30 / P1,000). Just like every classic Casio, value-for-money was the name of the game!

I got a good discount on it too! Bought it from a friend's shop here!

The second timepiece I got was something I thought was unattainable. As mentioned here, the only reason I bought the Timex Campers was because I couldn't get a Timex x J.Crew military field watch. Well, the stars aligned - I saved up enough and my cousin was arriving from the US - so I finally got it! No going wrong with this one right here - black, brown, whatever - it works. You can even change the strap up, making this already universal watch even more versatile!

The nylon strap's a bit long, so I just gave it that sweet tuck to remedy!

The Store: Supermama on Seah St.

What I love about Singapore is that there's no limit to the shopping surprises they have here. All you have to do is look, explore, and submit yourself to getting lost. Yup, because that's exactly how I found this lovely store called Supermama. I was just aimlessly walking around the Raffles Hotel area one night and I saw this sign pointing to an upstairs retail store. Intrigued, I went up to have my mind blown a few steps after. Tucked away in this old building along Seah St. was an-all Japanese goods store that would make every design lover's heart melt.

They had shirts, school supplies (brass pencil cases!), and even cutlery, but what stood out most to me were the bags. For one, they're the only store in Singapore to carry the Siwa bags designed by Naoto Fukasawa for paper company Onao. Imagine this: your tote, backpack, and laptop sleeve having an exterior made up of a brown paper bag, only it's tear-resistant and approximately 100 times more awesome. Clearly, these alone make the trip to the store worth it, but for a store as well-curated as this, every item whole-heartedly deserves your go-see!

This camel Siwa hold-all is my fave item from the store. Oh, those crumples!

The Siwa bag also comes in a white backpack model and red laptop sleeve!

My kind of school supplies. Those wooden rulers are the shiznit!

What the store lacks in size, it more than makes up for in offerings!

The Item: Cheap Woven Bracelets

My bracelet collection has been growing uncontrollably in recent months. I even shared a checkpoint post with you guys at one point to show how crowded it's turning out to be, and despite that, it's expanded even more. I think I know why too. It's 'cause I always get attracted to these cheap ass bracelets you can get from any random tiangge stall. I seem to like how they juxtaposition with the more tailored pieces I often wear, giving me that little figurative fray. Unsure of where I'll get it here in Singapore, I loaded up before I left from a stall I found in PowerPlant. From the stack below, I picked the red and navy blue numbers which have become mainstays on my wrists since then. Not bad for P40 a piece! I think I'll grab some more when I come home!

When choosing your own cheapo bracelet, I suggest you go for solid colors first

Oh, will you look at that. Yeezy's got 'em on too, at the CFDA too, no less!

Photo courtesy of GQ

The Item: Repp Ties at Crazy Sundae

One of the cornerstones of the preppy look is a repp tie. These striped, colored, sometimes logoed ties made their debut in the late 1800s in England, where the aristocracy wanted to give a shout out the schools and clubs they were part of (yes, very Hogwarts, I know). In this day and age, though, you don't need to be part of high society to rock these bad boys. Crazy Sundae at the Collective has them in a multitude of colors, and you need not have the bank account of a blue-blood to afford one too. For just P500, you can take one and pair it with some fine oxford shirts, chinos, and penny loafers - yes, just as the preppy gods themselves intended!

The slimmer profile makes these ties look dapper, not daddy

The Happening: A Different Pocket Square

I was looking through Tommy Ton's street style shots on GQ the other day and was inspired to do something new. I wanted to do what all his subjects did so well - take a menswear staple and make it my own. That's when I had this idea about doing something with pocket squares. Because the warm weather here doesn't allow us to sport blazers regularly, I thought why not use pocket squares for another pocket entirely? Why not stuff it into my back pocket to add a pop of color to my basic outfit of khakis and an oxford shirt? Well, sirs, it turned out pretty well by me, so much so that I had to take a picture, my bum all up in your grill and all. (Powersnet users had the pleasure of seeing this Tommy Ton attempt first and, yes, my ass as a forced consolation.)

I wonder if my boy scout neckerchief would look equally as nice.

The Item: Hickok Caramel Braided Belt

Ever since I got my caramel Opening Ceremony loafers last year, I've always had a difficult time finding the right belt to pair it with. I tried wearing it with my dark brown and green canvas belts, but they just didn't feel right. I guess I'm old school in that I really want my shoes and belt to be perfectly cohesive. With this realization, I finally pulled the trigger on this slim caramel braided belt from Hickok that I've had my eye on for a while. While I initially only intended it for my OCs, I found that it also goes well with my other non-black/gray shoes too. Ah, another worthy buy from Robinson's Department Store at only P475! Man, I wonder what else they have for me!

I just love the rich caramel color. By itself, it can already become an outfit's highlight

I already have three Hickok belts (another like this in black). Great, great value!

The Item: Colored Ribbon Belts at Saizen

If you're like me, you can't get enough of ribbon belts. Every color, every stripe, I love these easily adjustable belts to bits. If you're like me too, you think that surely, there are cheaper options than those available in branded shops. They're just made of thin woven material and a little buckle after all! Well, here's Japanese bargain bin Saizen putting all those pricier ones to shame. For only P85 per piece, every single one's a winner. However, if you want to squeeze every penny out of that already small investment, go for that sweet military green number. Hell, get one or two or three or four or five, it's only P85 for crying out loud! (Oh, follow Styles I Love on Twitter!)

When choosing a buckle, choose the weathered ones for that perfect vintage feel.

Style I Love: My Wrist Accessory Lineup

While I preach minimalism when it comes to clothes, I go for the exact opposite when it comes to my accessories. This applies mostly to the ones I put on my wrist, which looks more and more crowded as the days go by. I guess it all started when I was in my hip-hop phase. I remember I used to wear a lot of Nike wristbands in different colors way back when and this eventual buildup - I suppose - is my grown-up interpretation of that. I love that I got different materials in there too: leather, steel, rope, and even wood. What can I say? Them wooden beads are back.

Watch (Tag Heuer), Leather + Rope Bracelet (Divisoria), Buddha Beads (Bazaar)

The Item: Striped Timex Nylon Watches

Don't know if you've noticed, but Timex changed their billboard in Guadalupe just recently. They went from pimping their super techie running watches to a showcase of their more casual pieces. The new 'board's layout was far from perfect, but hey, at least the Timex people finally got the point. Classics are the way to go, baby. And releasing similar watches to the one I considered to be my 2010 favorite is really a fine start to the new year. The stripes on the nylon straps are a splendid tweak, as they add a sportier feel without being overly trendy. Just like my favorite timepiece of the moment, they're comfy as hell and a light dent on the wallet too!

These three are but a taste, they've plenty more sweet colors to offer!

The Sale: The 5cm Post-Holiday Sale

Many of us are saddened with the passing of another holiday season. Vacation's over, work's back, early mornings are here again and with it, the increasingly dreadful traffic. Yeah, while I share everyone's sentiments, I also look forward to post-holidays as a time when stores madly slash prices off their wares. Case in point, 5cm's latest sale, which features an awesome selection of sneakers, blazers, and some mighty fine accessories. Head on over to their outlets at SM Megamall's Atrium and SM Mall of Asia to pick something up for yourself! Christmas may be over, but there's no better time than now to fulfill your resolution of dressing better in 2011!

Some handsome high-top sneakers for your consideration. You can't go wrong!

Blazers, cardigans, and coats perfect for the still chilly weather.

A clip-on bow tie's not that bad as long as it looks like this!

The Item: Daycraft "Deadly Ideas" Notebook

One of my top resolutions for 2011 is to write shit down. Coincidentally, I need a quality notebook to record that and other promises to better myself this year. I considered getting Moleskines, but I just can't stomach spending that much on a notebook. That's why I turned to Fully Booked to look for a relatively inexpensive alternative. That's where Hong Kong-based Daycraft notebooks come in. Hard-bound, perfectly small size, minimalistic designs, and a bookmark - I can hang with that! I chose this "Deadly Ideas" print mainly because it fit with all I have planned this year. For P235, it's not cheap, but it won't keep me up at night. I promised to sleep earlier in 2011, after all.

The Front Cover:The skull and pencil crossbones work for me!

My theme for 2011. Nothing but deadly ideas!

Style I Love: Awesome Wooden Watch!

My girlfriend and I were at the Facehunter book signing last night and while lining up to meet with Mr. Yvan Rodic, I spotted this gentleman's sweet timepiece that I couldn't stop staring at. This one was different, you guys. We've all had our fill of steel watches, but this one was made entirely of wood - of wood! I just had to have a picture. I was so intrigued that I googled "wooden watches" and found the site of the brand which crafts similar ones. It's a Canadian brand called Tense and aside from creating these unique timepieces, they sell them quite cheap too! At least it's a reason to visit Canadia. On second thought though, I think I'll just have it shipped.

Update: Dear reader Mr. Joel Trudel pointed me to the website of WeWOOD, the actual brand of the fine wooden timepiece I saw. While WeWOOD generally sports better design and website aesthetic, it needs to be said, however, that Tense may very well be the original (they've been making them since 1971!). Whatever brand you choose though, you can't go wrong. The world has enough steel watches, it's time to go back to nature and get you some wooden ones!

I'm really feeling the alternative wooden wristwatch aesthetic!

These Tense watches are real conversation starters. Loving the one on the left!

I slightly prefer the WeWOOD pieces though. Cleaner look and more contemporary.

Photos courtesy of Tense