Having arrived at our designated meeting place a little early, I took the extra few minutes I had before Grand Master Tan got there to wonder what he would look like. In my mind, he was a shrunken, little old man with beady eyes and a long, white beard.

I turned out to be wrong – dead wrong. Instead, a middle-aged man with a strong build, salt and pepper hair, and a smart jacquard suit turned up to greet me with a firm handshake and a warm smile.

After a sheepish introduction (while I was internally kicking myself for giving in to assumptions), we set off on a brisk walk around Robinsons as Grand Master Tan asked me a few questions about when I was born.

I felt a little burst of excitement at the prospect of learning something new and going on a little celestial adventure so it’s safe to say that I had a good feeling about this shopping trip…

“You need to wear more green and blue,” says Grand Master Tan. “But why? I thought my lucky colour was orange because tigers are orange in colour,” I countered.

With a shake of the head, Grand Master Tan explained that while orange and red is usually an auspicious colour for those born in the Year of the Tiger, people born in 1986 were an exception.

“You are a fire tiger and the upcoming year will be the Year of the Fire Rooster,” he says. “Too much fire means you’ll have plenty of arguments. Not good for your husband!”

Sceptical but intrigued, I pressed him for more details. “What colours are good for me then?” I asked. “I like bright colours.”

Another shake of the head here. “No, you should stick to soft pastel colours. Not too bright as it will make the fire in you burn too strongly,” he says. “Feng Shui is all about balance. You need all the elements to be in harmony to thrive.”

At this point, I spot a blue handbag that catches my eye. I hold it up to Grand Master to seek his approval and he nods with enthusiasm. “Blue is good for you,” he explains. “Green and blue are associated with the water element and this will help to keep your fire in check.”

As far as I know fire isn’t exactly a bad thing. Consider this: When man discovered fire back in the day, they were finally able to make steak and steak is good. I put this thought to my Feng Shui expert and he laughs.

“Fire is a good thing, too, in Feng Shui. It’s a symbol of productivity so the Year of the Rooster is a good opportunity to make more money,” says the Grand Master. “But too much fire is chaos. It burns things to the ground.”

We then move on to the fun part of actually picking out clothes for me to wear. I would soon learn that this was not an easy process. Out of about 10 outfit choices, Grand Master Tan rejected at least eight but finally, he approved of four in total. Curious to see what he chose?

With elements of both blue and green, this dress and bomber jacket combo got a big YES from Grand Master Tan.

“You need to keep the fire burning to induce wealth and happiness in the Year of the Rooster,” he says. “Tiger is actually an Earth sign, which isn’t that good as it diminishes the strength of fire. Water, in contrast, keeps the fire intact but simmers it down a bit so wearing blue or green is good.”

Jacket, $189, dress, $229, both from d.d Collective.
Heels, $590, from Loeffler Randall.
Bag, $299, from Rebecca Minkoff.

While this jumpsuit has smatterings of orange in it, its punchiness is broken up by both two shades of blue and plenty of white. Additionally, the white shirt underneath helps to add a crisp freshness to the whole look while the black collar is auspicious too.

“Everyone should wear blue or black as they are the lucky colours for all the signs in the Year of the Rooster,” says Grand Master Tan. “You don’t have to wear it from head-to-toe but a little bit of these as an accessory to your outfit is good enough.”

Jumpsuit, $69.90, from Yacht 21.
Shirt, $409, from Tela.
Bag, $450, from Kenzo.
Shoes, $69.50 from Aldo.

More blue, this time in the form of a Kimono-style dress. “The Fire Tiger is sometimes hot-tempered so blue, green, and ideally turquoise, will control your emotions so you can have calm relationships with the people in your life,” says the Grand Master.

He adds that The Year of the Rooster is also a Peach Blossom Year, which is associated with love and romance. “You should buy some green pajamas if you’re thinking of having children,” he advises jokingly.

Dress, $805, from Joseph.
Necklace, $39, from Core Pieces.
Bag, $375, from Rebecca Minkoff.
Shoes, $279, from Senso.

The final outfit that got the green-light from my Feng Shui expert was this top and shorts duo in a complimentary colourway featuring mostly blue hues. And while I did like my lucky colours, it left me a bit worried at the amount I would have to spend to overhaul my existing wardrobe.

“You don’t have to wear your lucky colours every day for the rest of year,” says Grand Master Tan who quickly quelled my fears. “Just wear them on important days when you need to impress people, finalise that sales deal or are meeting difficult clients.”

Top, $329, shorts, $379, both from LIE.
Bracelet, $48, from Skeda.
Bag, $170, from Gianni Chiarini.
Shoes, $585, from Chiara Ferragni.

Special thanks to:
Grand Master Tan Khoon Yong
Way Feng Shui Consultancy
Robinsons The Heeran

Fashion Direction:
Janice Pidduck, Assisted by Kylie Tan