Nancy wears Marni jacket, Emporia Armani blouse, Dries Van Noten skirt, Stuart Weitzman heels and Papally earrings, all Nancy's own; crystal ear cuff by Fendi
Cover Nancy wears Marni jacket, Emporia Armani blouse, Dries Van Noten skirt, Stuart Weitzman heels and Papally earrings, all Nancy's own; crystal ear cuff by Fendi
We trace socialite Nancy Ong’s fashion evolution with her daughter Sonia Ong

From a mono-brand lover to a master of classic dressing, society stalwart Nancy Ong is always turned out in one elegant ensemble after another. Her daughter Sonia, founder of Singapore Wellness Association, shares her mother's style secrets: 

SHE IS EXPERIMENTAL WITH FASHION

“I feel somewhat responsible for cultivating my mum’s love for fashion. When she first started using the internet years back, I introduced her to luxury fashion news portal, style.com. Even when I stopped visiting the website, she stayed on to keep herself updated on the latest trends and the hottest designers, and she would change her look accordingly.

(Related: Steal Her Style: Nancy Ong

Tatler Asia
Above Nancy, with her daughter Sonia who speaks to us here about her stylish mother
Tatler Asia
Above The April 2019 cover

YET SHE KEEPS IT SIMPLE 

"These days, her style has evolved. She enjoys looking at the effortless dressing of French women, and emulating their preference for simple silhouettes without the need for too many accessories. It’s like how Nicolas Ghesquière used to design for Balenciaga, Phoebe Philo for Céline and Alber Elbaz for Lanvin.

One good thing about my mum is that she’s not a hoarder; she’s almost like the Marie Kondo of fashion. Some of us, myself included, think that fashion trends will come back. But to her, if it’s old and passe, it’s out." 

Tatler Asia
Above Nancy in Louis Vuitton and Burberry at the Tatler Ball 2018

"When she found out that she was receiving the Most Stylish Woman award, she couldn’t believe it. She said to me, ‘There are many other ladies in society who dress better than I do, with their beautiful dresses, sparkling jewellery and outstanding accessories. I, on the other hand, am the quiet one who prefers simplicity in my outfits.’"

Tatler Asia
Nancy wears polyurethane jacket with leather pockets, kappa leather skirt, crystal ear cuff and Freedom technical mesh sandals, all by Fendi; blouse, Nancy's own
Above Nancy wears polyurethane jacket with leather pockets, kappa leather skirt, crystal ear cuff and Freedom technical mesh sandals, all by Fendi; blouse, Nancy's own
Tatler Asia
Nancy wears Marni jacket, Emporia Armani blouse, Dries Van Noten skirt, Stuart Weitzman heels and Papally earrings, all Nancy's own; crystal ear cuff by Fendi
Above Nancy wears polyurethane jacket with leather pockets, nappa leather skirt, crystal ear cuff and FFreedom technical mesh sandals

ALWAYS 'PROPORTIONISING'

But I know she’s honoured to receive the accolade, and she always puts in a lot of effort whenever she dresses up. She tells me that getting the proportions right is paramount. The person has to wear the clothes, not let the clothes wear them. Regardless of body size or shape, so long as you get the fit and proportions right, everyone can look good. That’s probably the best piece of fashion advice that I got from her.”

Tatler Asia

Topics