How To Dress for National Day (Singaporean Version)

How to Dress for National Day without Looking Like a Candy Cane

The primary colours of the Singapore National Flag are Red and White. I am hesitant when dressing for National Day as the combination of Red and White might make you look like a candy cane. Hence in this post, I will be sharing with you 3 Tips on How To Dress for National Day without looking like a Candy Cane.

Fashion Disaster – The Candy Cane
Photo Credit: Pinterest

Fun Fact: It used to be an offense to incorporate or wear the Singapore flag into any attire / costume. This rule has been relaxed in 2007 and it allows the National Flag to be displayed on costumes and personal attire during the period with the requirement only that the Flag be treated with dignity & respect at all times.

(Reference: http://www.nhb.gov.sg/resources/national-symbols/national-flag)

3 Tips on How to Dress for National Day

Tip 1: Pick the Right shade of Red

The red used in our national flag is Pantone 032. It is in a bright shade of red that flatters those with pale skin tone.

To digress a little, the logo design for our National Day Parade 2016 consists of 4 shades of red which represent our diversity, the different races and religions in Singapore living together in harmony.

Thinking along the same line, we also have different skin tones and hence it is vital for us to determine which shades of red flatter our skin tone better.

NDP Theme & Logo 2016
Reference: https://www.ndp.org.sg/about-ndp/logo-and-theme/

Warm Skin Tone: Yellow Undertone, Olive / Greenish Veins

Cool Skin Tone: Pinkish Undertone, Blue Veins

By the way, I found a super helpful video uploaded by fellow blogger – Jalisa to explain this concept:

Different Shades of Red
Credit: http://ingridsundberg.com/

Different Shades of Red
Credit: http://flourhoneyandmilk.tumblr.com/

Those with cool skin tones go well with blue-based reds (i.e. Burgundy, Crimson, Berry etc). On the other hand, warm skin tones suit orange-based reds (i.e. Cinnamon, Copper, Vermilion).

Neutral undertones look good with most shades of red.

A quick hack will be draping the different shades of red fabric over yourself in front of a mirror.

Colour Draping Exercise
Credit: http://cardiganempire.com/

You should be able to spot which shades of red complement your skin tone better.

Tip 2: Colour Coordinate with your Accessories

The main colours of the National Day outfit should be Red and White. However you may include some tiny accessories of other colours to spice up the look.

You might want to watch the colour coordination video below for an idea:

Remember to dress to the theme! I am trying so hard to avoid adding too much blues to my outfit because it might change my theme to America’s Independence Day (4th July) instead!

Oh yes, always bear in mind that less is always more. Try not to go overboard with your reds and whites in order not to look like a walking candy cane!

Tip 3: Makeup – A pop of Colour

For makeup, you can go bold by adding a pop of colour to either your eyes or lips to complete your look.

I personally love wearing a bright lip colour to make myself look less lethargic at times.

Also, you might want to consider the situation before you decide on your overall look. For instance, if you foresee yourself to be watching the National Day Parade outdoors with the crowd, it would be wise to dress casually and wear light makeup for the humid weather at the stadium.

Credit: https://www.ndp.org.sg/

My National Day Outfit

I chose to make my red striped cotton tee as the main focus for the National Day theme because it has alternating bright red and white stripes that complement my warm skin tone.

As the stripes are pretty thin and closely spaced to one another (like a candy cane), it would be distracting if I were to match it against a printed bottom. Hence I chose to match it with a pair of high-waisted shorts in camel to give it a playful cowgirl look.

Bright & Cheery

I chose solid coloured accessories which match my clothes – black, camel, red and rose gold.

I then proceeded and added a black velvet choker to accentuate my neckline to complete the entire look.

As my look is pretty casual, I would prefer to spice it up with magenta lips to liven up the look even more.

Keen to see my National Day lookbook? Stay tuned – more visuals will be up in my next post!

I do hope that my tips will give you some insights on how to dress for National Day. In the meantime, have fun experimenting with your National Day outfit ideas!