Housing and Development Board Singapore: Back to the future

First of all, my deepest apologies to the photographer of the gorgeous pictures of this post, Norman of Above Norm. We shot this in June, and I am half a year late in posting this. However, I thought the timing is perfect, as I struggled to write a decent post that will do these pictures justice. God forbids I only found my  inspiration 6 months later!

A lot had happened in 6 months. The biggest change for this blog is we have said goodbye to sunny Singapore and embarked on an exciting fashion journey to Edinburgh Scotland. The new year will feature a lot more about Edinburgh and Scotland but for now, I want to pay a little tribute to Singapore.

Some do not know but I have lived an exact 10 years each in Vietnam and Singapore. While I never really consider myself a true blue Singaporean because I am not, I owe Singapore my family, stellar education records, my bestest of friends and my faith. This nation may be young, and like any teenager or young adult, is facing the toughest problems of its young life without much experience, but it sure is trying hard to succeed. And for that, it should be celebrated.

I visited one of the oldest housing estates in Singapore called Tiong Bahru back in June. The HDB (what the locals call public housing) here are vastly different from anywhere else, as they are some of the first housing estates to be built. While housing renovation is a constant in Singapore, this place has weathered the changes and stood to witness radical transformations that Singapore has undergone since 1964.

Some of the city state’s best and oldest eateries stand side by side spanking new Western and Korean-style coffee shops that have engulfed the society as the latest property trend. Once a poor area, Tiong Bahru now poses as one of the poshest and most expensive area to live in due to its amazing wet market, convenience mixed with old colonial style shophouses and general trendiness.

For this shoot, I have paid tribute to the 1960s when Singapore was founded and HDB started, but kept the styling and make-up modern by using today colours. Both Norman and I were extremely happy with the contrast between vibrant orange and the pale blue colours of Tiong Bahru HDB, an excellent pictorial metaphor for the bright future of Singapore shining against the paler and fading colours of its murky history.

Thank you for reading and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

See you in 2015!

Photography by Norman @ AboveNorm

Christine x

Dress: Zara (similar here)

Shoes: DMK (similar here)

Necklace: Primark (similar here)

Earrings: Aldo (similar here)

Headband: Primark (similar here)