Uniqlo @ Fahrenheit 88

I first encountered Uniqlo when I worked in Beijing. Curious about this huge boutique at Sanlitun, I walked in with doubts but walked out a true believer. I even complained about the damage it did to my wallet. In fact, my colleagues and I managed to squeeze one last shopping whirlwind through Uniqlo on the day we flew off! That was how addictive their fashion is. I've never been a brand loyalist before this but I've come to trust Uniqlo to have great looking and affordable apparel.

With that in mind, you can imagine my utter joy when I found out that Uniqlo was opening its largest store in South East Asia right in Fahrenheit 88, Bukit Bintang. Although I wasn't as fanatic as that dude who queued up the night before its opening, I did do a KL road trip last weekend with Uniqlo as a top priority.

Before I describe the clothes I bought, I'd like to address a common criticism I hear from the non-believers. Uniqlo KL has had immense success since its launch but this has been used against it. "I don't want to have fashion clashes - I see people wearing them everywhere," a friend says.

I can totally understand if he browsed around and decided that their look is not for him. But to hear about its success and then not giving it a fair chance with that lame excuse is strange. After all, how many of us walk around with exclusive clothes specially designed and tailored for us? So give Uniqlo a good look and you might just surprise yourself - like my friend S who didn't have high expectations but walked out with RM100 in merchandise anyway.

OK! Enough with the proselytizing - so what did I buy?

(Photos taken from Uniqlo Singapore's Product Search where possible)

Premium Down Light Vest - RM 169.90

I'm really surprised at how light this vest is! What's more shocking though is that they are big sellers. I wanted to get the proper jacket (with the sleeves and hood) but they were out of XL sizes. They run a bit small, so most people gravitate towards larger jackets. But to actually run out of XL? Is KL that cold?

Micro Sleeve Half-Zip Long Sleeve T Shirt - RM 59.90

Ever wondered what's it like to roll around naked on fluffy clouds? Wear this. I couldn't stop caressing it!

Dry Sports Waffle V Neck Long Sleeve T Shirt - RM 39.90

I bought this because it was on sale but it turned out to be a great purchase. It's very light and breathable, great as a first layer.

Heat Tech Strip Crew Long Sleeve Round Neck - RM 59.90

Heat Tech is a special kind of fabric formulated by Uniqlo that actually generates heat when it comes into contact with liquid (i.e. sweat). Hence the higher prices but if it works as advertised, totally worth the premium.

Heat Tech Check Long Johns - RM 59.90

Ahh... an essential of winter clothing. I bought another black one but they're a bit shorter while this one runs to the ankles. I'll wear the shorter one as an inner layer on cold days, while the full length tights will serve well as my pyjamas.

Dry Stretch Stripe Band Low Rise Boxer Briefs

Cotton Block Check Boxer Briefs

I got both together for RM 25 (ongoing promotion). They are of good quality and so RM 12.50 per boxer brief is cheap compared to other common brands.

As is obvious from my shopping basket, I'm stocking up on essential clothing for cooler climates. Which was just as well because they're only showcasing their fall/winter collection at the moment. The thicker, warmer clothing didn't seem to deter the enthusiastic hordes though! I expect an even bigger crowd when the spring/summer clothes come in, especially their UT Collection which is sorely missing during my visit.

Total damage = RM 474.30! That's the largest amount I've spent on clothes in a single receipt. On the bright side I got some freebies from Fahrenheit 88 for spending more than RM 300 and using my MasterCard.