I learnt my lesson from my last shopping spree. There is a time to be frugal, and a time to shop. If you may never go to a nice store for another year, then perhaps you should splurge a bit more for those cute shoes and form-fitting jeans.

With that in mind, I'm incredible happy with the pieces I got from Uniqlo and H&M. A month ago, I made a Weekend Wishlist here detailing the many basics I lacked. Focusing on what you need, rather than what you want, is the easiest way to spend your money wisely.

So here are the basic staples I got in Singapore!

There are some things in the world I am good at, but posing is not one of them. I will never learn how to pose for outfits. I swear. My mother and sister keep pointing out my legs are not well-positioned, nor do I look remotely comfortable. Both statements are accurate, shown in Exhibit A.

Last Sunday, Armada Properties and The Collective collaborated to host a creative arts festival. It was to support of local businesses and the arts. Because what Brunei lacks in giant chain stores like H&M, Forever 21, or Target, we make up in local businesses.

Local businesses are a dime a dozen here. Someone is a clothing retailer, someone is a baker, someone is an artist. The easiest way to commercialize is through social media. What Instagram is to Brunei, is what Etsy is to everywhere else. Online shops thrive on social media like Instagram and Facebook to sell their work.

Because of that, many of these vendors don't have physical shops. In the endless ocean of local businesses, it might be difficult to gain attraction. So the Collective Arts Festival stepped in to highlight all these great vendors.