STI: Xinyi says

April 17, 2009

Xinyi says

 

Q I'm mummy to a gorgeous two-month-old baby boy and I'm worried about what to wear when I return to work. My old clothes don't fit anymore and I want a new image as well. Any suggestions?

 

A Congratulations on the bouncing baby boy. Don't worry, precious few people besides Hollywood yummy mummies can afford the posse of nannies and personal trainers needed to whip a post-pregnancy body swiftly back into shape.

 

The good news is that maternity and nursing clothes now come in a wide variety of stylish options that can continue to work for you in the office with a few little tweaks.

 

This does not mean that you should opt for baggy clothes. Maggie Yeo, owner of maternity wear boutique 9mois, says it is best not to leave any room for people to guess if you are pregnant again, which can be demoralising for new mothers getting used to their post-pregnancy bodies.

 

Instead, cinch a chic maternity dress or blouse with a belt to make it work for the office. V-necks that flatter your decolletage are particularly great.

 

Also make use of those stretchy maternity trousers just a teensy bit longer, but smarten things up by pairing them with a crisp white blouse.

 

Check out the offerings at these stylish maternity and nursing wear boutiques: 9mois ($39 for a top to $129 for a dress, with an ongoing storewide sale till May 20), Maternity Exchange ($50 for a top to $300 for a dress) and Egg Maternity ($69 for a top to $130 for a dress).

 

 

Q I have been dyeing my greying hair for the past 30 years since I was 20 and I am getting tired of it. I have decided to go for the natural, all-white look. Where can I go to have all the dye removed without burning a hole in my pocket and how should I wear my hair?

 

Hairstylist William Chang, who works at Formula Cut salon in Far East Plaza, recommends a decolouring and toning process ($160 to $180) to achieve your desired effect.

 

First, your existing hair dye will be removed with L'Oreal Professionnel Platinium (a very gentle bleach that helps to loosen the colour pigments from your hair while still retaining moisture).

 

After that, an ultra-conditioning toning process will even out any colour difference between your white roots and your previously coloured hair.

 

As for the haircut, Chang recommends texture, movement and volume in your hairstyle, to counter the dullness and thinning that many older women tend to experience. This can easily be achieved by getting more layers and not growing your hair out past your shoulders.

 

You can also consider L'Oreal Professionnel's Serie Expert Density Expert treatment service ($85) which helps to rejuvenate hair or a product like Serie Expert Liss Ultime Shine Perfecting Serum ($36) which adds shine. These are available at Formula Cut. Call 6738-3113 for a list of other salons that carry these products.