About two years ago, image consultant Elaine Heng sent her latest picture to a newsletter to promote her grooming course.
But the page designer rejected it.
'He was like, 'How can you send me Lin Chiling's photo? You have no copyright! Do you want to be sued?'
'He was very angry,' recalled Ms Heng with a laugh.
But since she took that photo, Ms Heng, 31, has often been compared to Taiwan's supermodel-turned-actress Chiling, who shot to fame in Asia in 2004.
Two weeks ago, the Singaporean made headlines in the Chinese papers for being 'Lion City Lin Chiling', after being crowned Miss Singapore International World 2008.
Curious to see just how striking the resemblance is in real life, The New Paper met Ms Heng over lunch last week.
Our first impression? The woman sitting in front of us was pretty and vivacious, but she didn't look like Chiling at all.
The resemblance is only fleeting - when she turns her face slightly and smiles.
Ms Heng, who used to model part-time, is also several sizes smaller.
She stands at 1.65m and weighs 41kg, while Chiling towers above most girls at 1.74m and weighs 52kg.
Still, Ms Heng said she has been hearing lots of comments like 'Has anyone told you that you look like Lin Chiling?'
A bridal shop in Malaysia even got her to hawk their new gowns after spotting the resemblance.
FLATTERED BY COMPLIMENTS
'I'm flattered of course. She is Taiwan's No 1 beauty, so it's a compliment (to be compared to her)...
'Even my husband calls me mini Lin Chiling,' she added with a laugh.
Ms Heng married army lieutenant Jordan Lim, 26, two years ago.
But that didn't stop her from joining - and winning - her first pageant, the Miss Singapore International World 2008.
The annual contest is open to all women aged 26 and above, and is not restricted to singles.
Ms Heng said she signed up to gain pageant experience so she can do a better job as the official deportment trainer and choreographer for the recent Miss Singapore Universe 2008 contest.
More importantly, she wanted to be a good role model for other women.
'I've realised that a lot of ladies my age don't know what they want in life, they have no direction and no focus,' she said.
'I wanted to show them that even though they've reached a certain age, they can still look good and confident.'
Ms Heng started her consulting firm two years ago.
She specialises in personal and corporate image management and has conducted courses for both private companies and government agencies, including Hewlett Packard, StarHub, Singapore Tourism Board and Inland Revenue Authority Of Singapore.
Individual clients pay her $250 an hour to go shopping with them for a new wardrobe.
You may also have seen her on TV, offering grooming advice on variety shows like Channel U's Wardrobe SOS and Channel 8's Her Sense.
For someone who grew up an ugly duckling, Ms Heng has certainly mastered the art of looking good.
Back in the now demolished Belvedere Primary School, she said she lacked confidence as she had a big gap between her two front teeth and was wearing glasses.
Despite being teased by friends, she didn't think of fixing her teeth until her mum forced her to get braces when she got into Raffles Girls' School, and then, National Junior College.
'It didn't really matter to me, but my mother was quite affected (that friends were teasing her).
'I considered myself a smart student, got brains, no need to have looks,' she added with a laugh.
Mind you, she was a straight As student who graduated from the National University Of Singapore with a second-upper honours.
But something changed when she was in university.
She learnt how to doll up, traded her glasses for contact lenses and even started to model part-time.
It was also in university that Ms Heng started dating, and she claimed that she was once caught among three good friends and they fell out fighting over her.
The man who finally won her heart and put a ring on her finger is Lieutenant Lim, who is five years younger than her.
He wooed her by turning up religiously at the nail salon that she opened with a friend in Chinatown four years ago.
BONDING OVER MANICURES
They bonded over manicure sessions - he is perhaps the only army officer with buffed and shiny nails - and got married in 2006.
Despite their age gap, Ms Heng said her husband is mature for his age and actually looks older than her, partly because 'I behave like a little girl'.
He also encouraged her to join the Ms Singapore International World pageant. Now that she has won, she is expected to go to the US in August next year to compete for the international title.
She said: 'He's very supportive. He accompanied me to all the rehearsals and he said he can be my nanny, bodyguard and chauffeur.'
