AVID shopper Pris Yap knows she can count on her cousins Belinda Neo and Vanessa Wong for a frank opinion when it comes to splurging on something she has not budgeted for.

After all, they have been shopping together for a long time. Says Ms Yap, 27, a marketing executive: "Belinda, Vanessa and I share similar tastes in fashion and style. For starters, we love black, so most of our clothes are in that colour.

"And because we are very close, we can be very truthful with one another. We won't hesitate to point out that, for example, 'That dress is really ugly', or 'You look fat in this top'."

They shop together every fortnight and usually spend the entire day out.

To make it more productive, they decide beforehand on the "theme" of the trip, such as whether they will be shopping for shoes, clothes or bags. Their favourite malls include Far East Plaza and Bugis Junction - for the variety of merchandise and labels - although they especially like M)phosis for clothes, Charles & Keith for shoes and Guess for bags.

What makes their shopping trips more exciting and rewarding is also that they share some of their clothes, such as dinner gowns. So the trio, who are of similar build, can enjoy more wardrobe options without having to buy new pieces.

Sometimes, they end up getting the same design but in different colours. But they have their own quirks. Ms Yap, who describes her dressing as 'conservative', says she admires Ms Neo for her creativity in mixing and matching pieces, and Ms Wong for her panache to pull off bold and sexy outfits.

Ms Yap also has a soft spot for purple, which she admits often draws frowns from her cousins.

"The purple she  likes is the same shade as that of our secondary school uniform, which we thought was hideous," says Ms Wong, with a laugh.

Adds Ms Neo, 27, a contract manager: "Pris adores Levi's 593 jeans. She won't bat an eyelid splashing out on another pair if it comes in a new colour. But then again, I once bought a can-can skirt which she felt was really impractical!"

Still, there have been times that they had to correct their initial perception - like when Ms Wong, 22, a project coordinator, bought a tube dress, and both cousins said it made her look too mature.

"We had expected it to get banished to a dark corner of the cupboard. Turns out that she wore it for her 22nd birthday party and looked wonderful!" quips Ms Yap.

They say their shopping trips help them to appreciate one another more, and this has enhanced their relationship.

Says Ms Wong: "Our shopping trip is a time to catch up with one another. We share about what's happening in our lives. And we realise how each person has changed over the years through the clothes she buys.

"For instance, Pris is exploring different styles and brands these days, as she no longer has to stick to formal office suits, while Belinda thinks twice about getting very trendy clothes because she says she's getting older.

"For me, I go for more casual stuff as I work in the construction industry."

Ms Yap says: "Knowing each person's style allows us to exchange opinions and understand one another better during the process. This helps us to grow together yet remain close.

"More importantly, if she can tell me simply that I don't look good in an outfit, I think she can offer useful advice when it comes to other issues too."