• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

What to buy in South East Asia?

Florian Gray

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
182
Reaction score
0
Whenever I travel I tend to buy a few things whether they be functional or simply to remember my adventures. Since I'm going to SE Asia in a month, I was wondering what fellow members have bought on their trips (e.g. Cobra Whiskey, MTM shirt, Opium Pipe). Eager to hear from you guys!
 

ter1413

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
22,101
Reaction score
6,033
young girls!
 

Florian Gray

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2008
Messages
182
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by ter1413
young girls!
Aside from the obvious...
facepalm.gif
 

ter1413

Stylish Dinosaur
Joined
Dec 3, 2009
Messages
22,101
Reaction score
6,033
Originally Posted by Florian Gray
Aside from the obvious...
facepalm.gif


ladyboys if that's ur thing..
 

changy

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
561
Reaction score
1
Where in SE asia? Myanmar is quite different from Singapore.
 

PeterMetro

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 9, 2002
Messages
781
Reaction score
2
In my opinion, there is not much to buy in these places. Can you find cheap tailoring and tourist souvenirs? Yes - particularly in Thailand and Vietnam. Do you actually want these things? I didn't, but there's no accounting for taste.

In my opinion, the best things to bring back from these countries are photographs (that you take yourself). You may be able to find some crafts (I still have a carved wood frog I bought in Siem Reap, that I like), but for the most part the stuff is of poor quality. They are, however, exceedingly beautiful places, and provide great opportunities for pictures.

If you're in Bangkok or Saigon, there are some young artists doing some cool stuff, and you may find something unique that you like.

My last recommendation is interesting food stuffs that are hard to find outside that country. I have a particular fondness for hot sauce, and in each of those places you can find small jars of it for a song.
 

wetnose

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2009
Messages
996
Reaction score
6
Thailand - thai silk of course. Jim Thompson makes some really nice silk shirts. Or just look for some silk brocade for display - some nice ones can be found in Vietnam as well. Also look around for Thai farmer's pants - really cool in the summer.

Be sure to bargain HARD - vendors are merciless with their foreigner premium.

If you're in Vietnam, go to Hoi An - avoid the tailors of course. But at 5'ish....it's a real treat seeing all the teen schoolgirls bicycling home in their white ao dais. Like a procession of brides.

Still regret not taking a px when I saw that.
 

changy

Senior Member
Joined
May 9, 2008
Messages
561
Reaction score
1
Originally Posted by wetnose
Thailand - thai silk of course. Jim Thompson makes some really nice silk shirts. Or just look for some silk brocade for display - some nice ones can be found in Vietnam as well. Also look around for Thai farmer's pants - really cool in the summer.

Be sure to bargain HARD - vendors are merciless with their foreigner premium.

If you're in Vietnam, go to Hoi An - avoid the tailors of course. But at 5'ish....it's a real treat seeing all the teen schoolgirls bicycling home in their white ao dais. Like a procession of brides.

Still regret not taking a px when I saw that.


PedoBear_colpisce_ancora_by_Matal80.jpg
 

medtech_expat

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Messages
1,084
Reaction score
218
Originally Posted by PeterMetro
If you're in Bangkok or Saigon, there are some young artists doing some cool stuff, and you may find something unique that you like.

+1

Was in Thailand and Vietnam over the holidays. I've long given up on shopping in south Asia, but on this last trip dedicated a few half days to visit a number of galleries and found a few interesting paintings.
 

gwolf

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
282
Reaction score
1
thailand- silk boxers? i bought a lot of cheap clothes that fit really well when i was there. chaktuchak? market is awesome for cheap finds.

i would be interested in art as well but be careful with buying the mass produced stuff. they do look good but i think some of them even rub off. i'm sure medtech e went to a proper gallery though.
 

matstyleku

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
155
Reaction score
0
One of the nicer things I brought back from Cambodia are called Kam-ma's, basically traditional Cambodian scarfs. These scarfs are used everywhere from bathing, to wrapping babies and basically used in their everyday life. The basic pattern is pretty recognizable, I bought a few that are the length and width of scarfs and gave them out as gifts and use one myself, probably one of the better buys. If you are interested in other gifts, a lot of NGOs run projects that teach homeless kids or disabled folk basic artisan skills, you can buy their paintings, sculptures and other various things, albeit at a much higher price than you'd find in a normal market.
img_29511-203x152.jpg
 

dw5678

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
If you are going to HCMC, I can recommend a decent tailor. He is much cheaper than your typical Bangkok tailors but the fabric selections in Vietnam are not very good, so you are better off bringing your own fabric. Unless you are just getting cotton shirts done up, then you can find adequate fabric in Vietnam. The only problem with the tailor in HCMC is that he doesn't do the 48 hour turn around. He will measure then have you come back in about 2 or 3 days and then check the suit on you, then finish it for pickup the next day. If you are interested, I can PM you the name of the tailor.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,161
Messages
10,578,996
Members
223,882
Latest member
anykadaimeni
Top