Treasure

The last time we met Lin Tong (here), she wasn’t dressed in her usual style. Today, however, we’re lucky that she decided to put on one of her grandmother’s old cheongsams, which she tailored to her fit. She often spends her free time sewing and bringing old treasures back to life, although she wishes she had more self-discipline to sew on the weekends. “I have a couple of vintage acquisitions waiting to be altered, including this lovely ‘60s navy shift with pearl-accented sleeves that needs taking in,” she says. If it seems that Lin Tong is stuck in a different era, that’s exactly what she’d like you to think. Plus, it has helped to helm her style as well. “Everything seems better compared to the ‘80s, but Singaporeans were very stylish in the 1950s and 60s. Make it a look, they aren’t just clothes,” she says. “Have a couple of outfits you look good in; these will hold you in good stead when you need a confidence boost on a bad day, are going for a big presentation or when you just have no idea or time to think of what to wear.”  And although Lin Tong loves her vintage fashion, she’s pretty happy where she is. “In another life and era, maybe I would have worked in wardrobe instead — I do adore Edith Head — but there is something to be said for being a cog in the machine when it is rather important for said machine to function,” she says. “The mechanics are fascinating.” We love how Lin Tong doesn’t think too much about what other people think of her, and is filled with a zest and passion that is encapsulated in her favourite colour — red. “You know how people tend to have a default colour when they choose their personal effects? My default colour is red, so the inside of my bag looks insane,” she says. “This is probably because I was named after the sunset.”