Let’s start with something simple. You’ve got a new jumpsuit and instead of reaching for the regular pair of heels you sport for work, opt for sneakers like Jeanette Aw. Not just any design but clean, white kicks. These can be worn with not only solid colours but also prints, patterns and florals. This styling principle applies for dresses too.

For some, wearing red on CNY was as quick and easy as a simple red T-shirt or top, like what Huang Biren is wearing here. However, we challenge you to drop those jeans and tailored trousers and pick up a printed skirt to accompany the red top instead. You can start small with neutral tones, like the plaid skirt here, or go bold with a bright coloured pleated skirt, for example.

Another way to jazz up your red tops is to opt for white trousers – an often overlooked colour choice in favour of practical blacks and deeper neutrals. Look at Rebecca Lim here. She sports a red printed crop top and matched it with white high-waisted wide-legged trousers. This combination elongates her stature and it is an easy way to incorporate white trousers into your routine. Worrying about getting white dirty? Here is a go-to guide to getting stains off white.

Once you’ve mastered the previous two, take it a step further with Diana Ser. Her printed top is juxtaposed against a bright turquoise high-waisted trousers complete with an oversized, waist-cinching buckle. The key is to keep the colours to a minimum to prevent clashing. In this ensemble, she sports four colours – red and white (top), turquoise (bottom) and black (watch).

The flowy dress is great and all on its own. But if you’re looking to switch things up, Yvonne Lim’s outfit has a style lesson to teach: play it up with a good ol’ leather biker jacket complete with studs. The idea is to juxtapose silhouettes.

Leather jackets sound a little too warm for Singapore’s weather for you? Then follow Bonnie Loo and pick a blazer instead. Pick one made of cotton and wear it unbuttoned so some ventilation remains. Finally, finish with a pair of sneakers for a more sporty, casual look. 

For those who are looking to ace the monochromatic look, Fann Wong has a tip for you. She is wearing a long-sleeved striped shirt that contrasts against the solid coloured mini skirt. When layering tonal hues upon each other, consider playing up factors such as texture, length, pattern and the intensity of the colour (i.e. how light or dark). If you have a lot of red outfits from CNY, this is a nifty trick to try.

We had previously written about dresses that help conceal any festive food baby you might have gotten and among them are oversized, A-line and empire waist dresses. The issue with these, especially oversized shirt dresses are that they might have a tendency to look a little too casual for work. The solution, as you can see on Pan Lingling, is to opt for a belt to cinch the dress to a more body-flattering shape. Generally, a belt with a thicker width is preferred as compared to a thinner counterpart.

With a feminine floral dress, such as the one Paige Chua is wearing, many might opt for a pair of nude heels or pumps to play up the girly vibes. However, we love how Chua detracts from the norm and went with chunky boots instead, giving the outfit a grungy and edgy juxtaposition. Start with low cut boots and chukkas before working your way up with shoes of higher rise.

Don’t want the Chinese New Year to end? You can keep up the auspicious energy dressed in red and gold. Joanne Peh complemented her red jumpsuit with gold heels but you can also consider yellow gold jewellery too.

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Text: Ho Guo Xiong