When I think of Singapore, three things come to mind: family-friendly entertainment, amazing food and SHOPPING! I am definitely a fan of all three–especially the last one, as I am forever on the lookout for great deals and one-of-a-kind pieces. I usually shop for clothing, accessories, bags and shoes, home decor and baby items. But since these days I don’t really have the budget to purchase high-end luxury items (unless they are on a crazy sale), well, I search for well-made things that are reasonably priced.

Thankfully, it is incredibly easy to find such items when I am in Singapore (that’s why I love doing my shopping here). There are many local designer brands here, as well as the big brands that we all know and love. The best part: you can find them all at one location–Orchard Road! This 2.2km shopping belt is absolutely the best place for retail therapy. In this strip you can find just about everything you are looking for, the iconic shopping malls that houses all the wonderful retail shops, trendy and cool restaurants to satisfy every craving, and luxurious hotels to kick back and relax after a long day of exploring (and yes, shopping).

I really couldn’t imagine Orchard Road being anything other than what it is today, so I Googled about its history. I was surprised to find out that it started out as a small lane lined with fruit orchards, nutmeg plantations and pepper farms (this was over 150 years ago). Can you imagine? Then, by the 1850s, things started to change as people moved in and with the progress came the outdoor hawker centers, wet markets, temples, cemeteries and even an open-air laundry basin. The first shop opened in 1903 and that was Singapore’s first supermarket (it is where The Centrepoint now stands). And in 1958, the first department was opened by local merchant C.K Tang in 1958 on a plot of land facing a cemetery. When it was demolished in 1982, it was replaced by the landmark Tang Plaza, which houses a local department store and hotel. In the 1970s, cinemas, a bowling alley and ever larger malls followed, and Orchard Road’s reputation as an entertainment hub grew.

It is amazing to find out all these things about Orchard Road. We take it for granted that it is a shopping and entertainment hub and don’t really think about its humble roots. That’s what makes me appreciate it all the more and makes me want to buy a ticket to Singapore right now and go there again just to shop hahaha. Seriously, it has it all: from designer brands, local labels, fast fashion, stylish homewear, baby clothes and things, and many more. I absolutely love Orchard Road!

One of my favorite local stores in Singapore is NAIISE. Here you can find a wide array of cool, stylish things from clothes, reusable bags, home decor, gifts and knick knacks. This is the best place to find unique items that you can only find in Singapore. Here’s more info about Naiise:

Naiise is a curated online destination for original, well-designed products and daily design inspiration. Based in Singapore and also ships internationally, Naiise is one of the fastest growing design retailers locally . We currently stock more than 15,000 products from 890+ emerging and established brands from Singapore and around the world.

Supporting and encouraging the creation of original design, food, and music, Naiise helps to bring Singapore design to bigger platforms, exposing these brands and design to more people, through social media and traditional media. Having seen many budding designers’ works (such as Lee Xin Li, WhenIwasfour, The Edible Co., LOVE SG) grow under Naiise’s wings, we are working harder to bring more opportunities to let designers and brands onboard with Naiise shine on Singapore and the international stage.

With 6 brick-and-mortar stores around Singapore, Naiise carefully designs each store to bring to you a different shopping experience, adding on to what it has to offer on its online store. Get to interact with well-designed products that you have been longing to own after first seeing them on our online stores. Our stores are currently located at Westgate, i12 Katong, Clarke Quay Central, Orchard Gateway, The Cathay and Suntec City. Stay tuned for upcoming stores!

Yup, you read that right. Naiise has an online store and they ship internationally. If you want to shop and cant go to Singapore at the moment, click on to their site: www.naiise.com.

And of course, there is UNIQLO. I’ve been buying most of my family’s clothes here (my husband loves their t-shirts, underwear and jeans and Tristan their shirts and joggers), and I pick up some of my closet basics here as well. They have the best clothing choices here–really well-made and fits so well. I always have to pass by a Uniqlo store when I see one, as different stores carry different products. The branch in Orchard Central is the largest in Southeast Asia and it has so many must-haves. I told my husband I was going in for five minutes to take a look and ended up staying for an hour with an armful of clothes to buy. It is always worth it though, because it is so affordable (one of the many things I love about the brand). And you get a tourist tax refund when you spend a certain amount!

My shopping partners! This is them at the end of the night, when all the stores have closed. Tired but happy inside! Tristan fell asleep soon after this photo was taken. Thank you for the awesome shopping experience, Singapore! You know I will be back for MORE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCZ3A5r2reY&feature=youtu.be