Star Style with Sonia Chew: Making waves off the air

It is safe to say that 987 DJ Sonia Chew has cemented her It Girl status.

The 25-year-old, who co-hosts 987's The Shock Circuit from 4pm to 8pm on weekdays, is adored for her wit on radio.

Off it, she is amassing serious TV credentials.

Chew hosts the award-winning Travel SSBD and 
has acted in series such as A Selfie's Tale and TGI... WTF on Toggle.

Outside of work, Chew's quirky but well-thought out sartorial choices has made her MediaCorp's queen of fashion.

She is shy about the title, though, saying: "I never saw myself as a leader in fashion, but thank you!"

While her style is constantly evolving, Chew said her "general vibe centres around edgy and bold - not just with clothes but with footwear, hair and make-up too".

Her love for fashion kicked in during her second year at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

FREEDOM

"Being in poly gave me so much freedom to explore my personal style, so I experimented with lots of things."

Fashion excites her.

"The fact that it can reflect your personality instantly, at a glance. Also, fashion is a language. You can make or break a first impression, form opinions, stun a crowd all with fashion."

Chew has considerable influence, especially on Instagram, where she has over 62,000 followers.

"I definitely do have a lot of girls between the ages of 18 and 28 following me on Instagram. I do want to stay as relatable and real as possible.

"I don't have the body of a model or the face of Jessica Alba, but I try my best to dress according to what's best for my petite body frame, and stay away from things that may shorten or shrink me even further."

Chew has her own heroes too.

"I love Kiko Mizuhara's attitude and style, Yoyo Cao's knack for putting a solid outfit together and Chriselle Lim for exuding elegance in every get-up."

TRUE SONIA

When asked to show an outfit that is true to her current style, Chew put a camisole over a turtleneck top, and paired it with a slim skirt.

"I don't wear a lot of colours and when I do, it's not too vibrant. It's all about layers and textures."

OUTRAGEOUS SONIA

Chew bought this Topshop dress because she was attracted to it, but never found the occasion to wear it.

To keep it interesting, she added a harness, which she bought from online retailer Nasty Gal.

The cap is from Brixton and her shoes are from Jimmy Choo, which she said she had to buy because they were on sale.

"I envisioned myself wearing this outfit on a night out."

That night has yet to materialise, but at least she got to show off the outfit for this shoot.

DAILY SONIA

Chew dresses up when it's required.

She said: "Most days, it's second nature to me, but I will put in extra effort when I'm working or attending an event!"

When she's off duty, she wears a Topshop jumper, a bralette from Victoria's Secret, Vans sneakers and 
a Shigga Shay cap, which is a gift from the rapper.

But Chew doesn't feel the pressure to dress up all the time.

"We all have our off days. Everyone at work has seen me in my most wretched state!"

SENTIMENTAL SONIA

One achievement that Chew is proud of is hosting the travel series Travel SSBD. When the show won Gold for the Online Entertainment Program category at the New York Festivals TV and Film Awards 2016, Chew wore this Nasty Gal top to celebrate, and it's special for her because it's a reminder of the international recognition the series received.

"I wore it when we threw this massive party for our clients and viewers to celebrate the second season."

Her outfit was very different when she was informed about the win.

"I was actually in home clothes in the 987 studio when I received a phone call from my producer at 7am."