Ah Bengs were not alone in committing fashion faux pas. Their girlfriends, the ever colourful Ah Lians, were equally guilty of having one or two or 11 questionable fashion accessories.

1. Fendi hair accessories

Hair clip

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The bigger the Fs, the better. The sheer size of the letter enabled Ah Bengs to spot them from afar.

Hairband

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Short-haired Ah Lians swore by this, since they had no hair to clip.

2. Sonia Rykiel handbag

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The rich Ah Lians would carry this and walked down Orchard Road with the air of a peacock, even though it looked more like a cushion cover.

3. The Cockroach Feeler hairstyle

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Ok, it's something more like this:

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Probably used for detecting Ah Bengs in their vicinity, this pest of a hairstyle was adopted by many Ah Lians as it was kind of neat and acceptable for school. Thankfully, someone called the pest control.

4. Rebonded hair

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Hair as straight as arrows, everybody loved the Rachel look. Some cash-strapped Ah Lians probably used the trusty iron as it could be quite costly to rebond every month. Plus they still had to save up for chionging (archaic word for clubbing) at Sparks.

5. Platforms

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Noticed that most Ah Lians were quite tall? They were probably boosted by five-inch stilts platforms, popularised by the Spice Girls. Come to think about it, did David Beckham marry an Ah Lian?

6. Long socks

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These must be pulled up real high. Very attractive to their steads.

7. Page clips with bells

More often than not, Ah Lians were like walking chimes.

8. School blouse tucked in very tightly

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This required plenty of perseverance and determination. Blouses had to be tucked in real tight so as to accentuate their curves. It was a common sight to see Ah Lians pulling their blouse from underneath their skirts (unlike what normal people do as shown in the picture above) in schools. Sometimes, it got so tight, their backs were arched.

9. Outdoor backpack

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Preferably in neon colours. And preferably pulled up way high to the armpits, making the removal of said bag equivalent to a minor surgery.

10. Giordano Windbreaker

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No matter the weather conditions, it could be a windless day, the Giordano windbreaker had to be worn. It was almost like a staple for Ah Lians.

11. Lollipop

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Finally, the lollipop. It empowered Ah Lians in two ways: One, it gave the impression that the Ah Lian was smoking. Two: it sweetened the lips, making it very kissable for the Ah Bengs.

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Top photo from here.

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