Chinese New Year: an updated take on Jade jewellery

One of the (many!!!!) things I love about living in Asia is how traditions are carried on from one generation to another.

Take Chinese New Year for example. Despite a largely westernized lifestyle in a city like Singapore, people still celebrate it massively and families gather for a traditional meals and exchange of Ang Pows on the night.

It’s the same with fashion. Instead of starting from scratch, a lot of the upcoming designers have been re-interpreting traditional clothes and jewellery to make them more relevant to their generation and lifestyle without losing their charm and identity.

While in clothes it is mainly cheongsams, in jewellery it has to be jade! Specifically Choo Yilin, a Singaporean designer who is updating staples like the solid jade bangle, ring and Bi (jade disc) to fit into our modern wardrobes.

A Singaporean Chinese New Year from Tong Tong

Ever since I’ve experienced my first Chinese New Year in Hong Kong a few years ago, it has firmly become one of my favourite holidays.

How can I not love it when it’s all about being with family, buying colourful –mainly red- new clothes, eating till you can’t breathe, and most importantly getting (or in my case now giving) those Ang Pows (Red Packets)!!!

And while a lot of people’s favourite part of CNY is the food, naturally mine has to be the colourful new clothes, especially Cheongsams.

I don’t think there is anything as elegant and feminine as a well-tailored and fitted cheongsam. But while the traditional ones can be slightly too dressy and restrictive for our modern day lifestyle, other options are available – namely a more modern and smart casual take on the cheongsam from quirky Singapore label Tong Tong.

Love the elegant Tong Tong A-line cheongsam which is perfect for CNY!