You stalk them on Instagram, but have you ever wondered what the lives of the young and Instafamous are really like? Sophie Hong spends an afternoon with squad mates Calista Cuaca and Sabrina Ho to find out.
You stalk them on Instagram, but have you ever wondered what the lives of the young and Instafamous are really like? Sophie Hong spends an afternoon with squad mates Calista Cuaca and Sabrina Ho to find out.
Since the beginning of time, we’ve been obsessed with It Girls like Edie Sedgwick, Jane Birkin and Chloë Sevigny. These days, they hold court on Instagram, reigning supreme with the sheer volume of likes they receive with every carefully-filtered update. Just look at the likes of Olivia Palermo, Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid.
But just what is it about them that makes us want to have whatever they’re having too? Be it bags, clothes or a certain shade of lipstick, they carry everything with a certain je ne sais quoi. Which prompts the question: what makes an It Girl?
I met up with Calista and Sabrina, fully expecting to feel like the Jenny Humphrey to their Blair and Serena as they gave me a little glimpse into their world. But some time between lunch and our manicure appointment, I slowly realised that – gasp – hanging out with them actually doesn’t feel any different from hanging out with my own friends (though you’re more likely to find us in a Topshop or H&M instead of Christian Dada).
Which left me wondering – despite their elevated social status and perfectly-polished appearances, are they really just like us? I’d certainly like to think so...
12pm Hair appointments
Kim Robinson
“I’ve been going to Miki Gao for three to four years now,” says Calista. She goes to the salon to get her roots touched up every month, and to get her hair done before events.
1pm Lunch
Lawry’s The Prime Rib
Calista is not exaggerating when she says she loves this place – most of her birthday dinners are spent here, and the wait staff recognise her and even have her usual order committed to memory. “I really do come here a lot!” says Calista with a laugh.
2pm Shopping
Surrender and Christian Dada
“Streetwear is usually pretty casual, right? But even though it’s a streetwear brand, Christian Dada has stuff that I can wear to events or dinners, yet still looks quite edgy,” says Calista. “I also like going to Topshop and H&M for their basics,” adds Sabrina. “My everyday clothes are mostly from streetwear brands, and I’ll go to high-end designer brands for some statement pieces. I like to wear a mix of things.” When I asked her why, her answer was surprisingly candid and relateable: “Imagine accidentally staining a Chanel or something. It’s so expensive – sure cry one.”
3:30pm Manicures
The Nail Artistry
Calista has been entrusting her cuticles to Steffi from The Nail Artistry (@thenailartistry) for more than two years now. She likes to stick to nude colours and minimal nail art. “I used to go to her house to do my nails before she set up the physical stores. She’s a very nice person and is very good at what she does!”
5pm Drinks
Jekyll & Hyde
Nothing like unwinding at the end of the day with some pre-dinner drinks, right? Sabrina’s bar pick is Jekyll & Hyde for their unique drinks. Her favourite cocktail there is Mr Bean, which is made using kaya and tau huey freshly bought from Maxwell food market every day, and served in a porcelain bowl.
Text Sophie Hong Additional Text Cheryl Lim.
