12 quintessential fashion accessories for the 1990s S'pore Ah Bengs

See what see? Poke you with my sharp comb then you know.

Tan Xing Qi| October 31, 04:59 PM

Back in the 90s, every guy aspired to look like Ekin Cheng from the Young and Dangerous series. You know, the one with the long hair, dragon tattoos and the hot Ah Lian girlfriend.

But now the Jean Paul Gaultier wallet toting Ah Bengs are almost extinct in Singapore (well, probably one or two remain at Sim Lim Square). Nobody can explain their demise and why they were so popular then.

We try to look for some answers with these 12 fashion accessories for Ah Bengs.

 

1. Sharp comb

A must-have in every self-respecting ah beng's back pocket, the sharp comb provided relief during windy days and gang fights, and added presence to the beng's aura.

sharpcombs

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2. Motorola Memo Jazz

Back in an era when 51213143344 actually meant more than just numbers, the Motorola Memo Jazz was the most popular pager around. Usually used for booty calls.

memo_jazz_front

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Or at the very least, the beng must have this clipped onto the side pocket:

pager chain

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3. Jean Paul Gaultier stuff

Often seen sandwiching the sharp comb, the long wallet was a classic piece of Ah Beng couture.

jpg wallet

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Mothership.sg asked around but nobody could explain why Ah Bengs used to carry this around.

jpg pouch

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4. Branded jeans

Brands were a big part of the Ah Beng universe. Naturally, the bigger the logo, the better. Loud was key to an Ah Lian's heart.

versace jeans

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valentino jeans

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trussardi jeans

 

5. Rocco Barocco cologne

Because of catchy name. And because it looks like a Zippo.

roccobarocco

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6. Caps that cover the face

Once a common sight in arcades for Ah Bengs to hide from enemies, the cap has since been known as an accessory for terrorists, as shown in the SMRT safety video.

ah beng cap

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7. Converse sandals

Before Birkenstock, Converse sandals ruled the day. It had so much street cred that if you left it outside your flat, it would be gone before you could say: "You from where one? See what see?"

converse sandals

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8. Good Look Hair Gel

Without this, the next item would never have existed.

hair gel good look

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9. Centre parting

No gel no curry pok.

centre parting

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10. Ang kong (tattoos)

Preferably dragons or tigers, so that they could look the part:

young and dangerous

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11. Long fingernails

Excellent for nose/ear digging, long fingernails have stood the test of time and are still useful now.

finger nails

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12. The 360 walk

Finally, apply items one to 11 with this:

sa-pa-lak

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Top photo from here

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