Anthony Tan is a Singaporean theatre costume designer, fashion designer and senior lecturer with a Masters degree from the London College of Fashion in Costume Design for Performance. Over the years he has also worked on projects for the Singapore National Day Parade, Cirque Du Soleil, Singapore Arts Festival, Drama Box, The Toy Factory etc.
This is his first (hopefully of many) guest post about how to be a plus sized yet stylish man in Asia.
Enjoy!
My Current Obsession by Anthony Tan
Being plus sized in Asia takes a lot more effort to look and feel fashionable when you see all these nice clothes in the shops that are meant for the stick man. As a male fashion consumer, I can easily get plain and boring apparel in large sizes but what is life without fabulosity and making one feel good about oneself?
I am one of the lucky few working in the creative industry and have the knowledge to go about creating fabulous clothes for my body type.
I do not like wearing T-shirts out because I like looking smart and not have the fabric cling to my body when I perspire. I have been wearing shirts (both long & short sleeved) since when I was in my mid-20s.
My current obsessions are printed shirts. I started collecting printed cotton fabric whenever I travel since long ago. Some people buy souvenirs when they travel, I buy fabrics. Most are not expensive (Between SGD$4 to $12 per meter) but there are some that are slightly pricier (between SGD$28 – $38 per meter). The cities with the best selections are Tokyo, Kyoto, Paris and London.
I have also managed to find some good printed fabric suppliers online but nothing beats the hands on experience of touching and feeling the actual fabric before making any purchasing decision.
I have shirts made with Japanese Kimono inspired print, modern vintage illustration drawings from the 50s, prints in scientific camouflage, confetti, vintage wallpaper, Hawaiian…etc I can just go on & on.
Don’t be afraid of prints. Let them reflect your personality. You can always start with smaller print or a subtle print first and build on it. Try something different for a start, maybe with a colour that you have never worn before or have not dared to try. You will never know, it might be life changing.
Anthony will be conducting a beginner’s talk on 9 June 2013 called Costume Design for Theatre 101. Esplanade Rehearsal Studio. 2-4pm. Tickets available at SISTIC. $15.
Photos by R(A)
An Exercise In Trivial Pursuits 
when u use T-shirt maintain your self as your wear OR change T-shirt as per weight