It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas

After 3 dreadful finals straight, a few sleepless nights and a 20 hour flight, I've made it back to the homeland. One of my first stops is an out-of-town trip with my friends and fellow stylish fascinator Deanne of course! It was definitely a much-needed trip after a very stressful week. There’s nothing like a road trip with friends to make everything ok again.

We headed to Tagaytay for dinner and dessert and we laughed all the way there. It was a very chill night filled with good food, good company and a good location with the perfect night breeze. Tagaytay will always have a special place in my heart - good and bad memories included.

Thank you friends for such a wonderful trip! We need to this more often. Kudos to Karen also for figuring out my camera and for such lovely photos. Lol

The Store You've Been Waiting For Your Whole Life

I have less than a week before I finish doing all my errands, study for finals and pack before I leave. With so little time, I try to maximize my days by doing as much as I can. This day was no exemption. Woke up early to get ready for my appointment down in Soho and while I was there, I discovered one of the cutest stores ever. No joke. I wish I could live there. In fact, I think it's even better than...well...Bloomingdales. Cue gasps.

I usually don't divulge my secret places in Soho. I like having things to myself but this store is too quaint not to share. Are you all ready? It's called C.Wonder and you can find it in Spring Street by Lafayette. I haven't been in Soho for quite a while now (a month) so when I got there early for my appointment, I decided to explore. Thank God I arrived early or else I wouldn't have found my new haven. I was instantly attracted to its bright apple green double doors and as I stepped inside, my preppy heart skipped a beat. The store has the same aesthetic as Tory Burch, Kate Spade and Lily Pulitzer mixed with its own chic whim. It’s kinda like J.Crew but think ladies who lunch or 50s/60s housewives. Does that make sense? I could gush on and on about this place and it still won't be enough to express how much I absolutely adore this place.

They offer a wide array of fashion apparel and lifestyle accessories that are way more affordable compared to the other brands that I mentioned. I had such a hard time shopping because I couldn’t get just one thing. I wanted everything in the store! I think I went around the store a total of 5 times before I decided on my purchase. I was running out of time as well so I decided to just get bracelets for my mom and sister and a belt for myself.

I really wanted to take pictures of the store but I didn’t know if I was allowed to take pictures at all. I went online however and I found some pictures from Yelp. I’m acknowledging now that I do not own these pictures so please don’t sue me. These pictures belong to the people who took them. Thank youuu!

P.S. Oh btw, I just found out that C.Wonder is started by Chris Burch. Yes. The ex-husband of Tory Burch. No wonder both stores have the same aesthetic. Don’t worry though, Tory. I still love you.

Eve With Clothes

Forever 21 maxi dress (from Katrine). Topshop fringed bag. Vintage feather earrings from Paris. Forever 21 necklace (used as a bracelet). Charles & Keith white sandals. 

The background makes me look like I'm in the Garden of Eden. Thus, I look like Eve except I have clothes on - thanks to fellow Stylish Fascinator blogger Katrine. But while looking at the photos, I realized that I also look like a mermaid because the dress elongated me! So yes, I'm a mermaid in a jungle. These photos were taken by Ale Rivera (again). Amazing, noh? He just used his camera and played with the natural light. 

Versace for H&M

Whenever I hear the name Versace, I am reminded of prints print and more prints, as well as, skin skin and more skin! Just look at the infamous J.Lo dress during the 42nd Grammy’s in 2000. Not to mention, Elizabeth Hurley’s black safety pin dress in 1994. Versace is very extravagant and sexy that for some can be seen as a little bit skanky. Yes. Skanky. I just had to say it but ever since Donatella took over the company, she has managed to tone down the party image of the company without losing its soul. They are now known for more than just their clothes and accessories. They have expanded the Versace brand into an empire that includes hotels and a home collection making them a household name. With that being said, it was only a matter of time before H&M cashes in the Versace mania and collaborating with them on a limited edition collection comprised of Women’s and Men’s clothes and accessories.

November 19th marked the release of the Collection here in the city and I simply could not wait to see for myself what the hype was all about. I, myself, am not really a fan of Versace simply because it’s just not my style. However, after seeing the pieces in person, I am very impressed. The collection manged to give consumers things that are very wearable and practical with prices that range from affordable to some questionable. When I got to the store, there were still a few pieces left that people could not wait to get their hands on. Fortunately, I was able to get a few pieces for my sister and myself that I am very happy about.

First thing that I got is this fabulous bracelet. Isn’t it just great? I can already imagine the different clothes I could wear it with. It’s almost as big as my watch which I absolutely love. The bigger the better is what I always say.

Next up are these skirt and leggings. The skirt is really for my sister but I would totally borrow it when I can. You can wear it as a high waist skirt with a wide belt and a plain white button down top for a chic look or a corset for a vavavoom look. The leggings I got because recently, I’ve been trying to be a little bit more adventurous when it comes to my style. I have always played it safe and what’s life without a few risks right? I tried them on and I couldn’t take them off! I can already see myself wearing them with sky high pumps and this slouchy grey top that I recently just got from Stylemint. Accessorize with gold necklaces and I’m all set!

As for my outfit of the day, I wore these pair of colored demin I got from Pacsun, Uniqlo thermal underneath my StyleMint shirt, and H&M scarf. Wore them with my Tory Burch flats and my coat from Zara.

P.S. I use my phone and my laptop to take pictures so I apologize for the crappy quality. It’s so hard to take pictures of yourself when you live by yourself. Le sigh.

P.P.S. How come the character for "and" isn't allowed in the post? Weird.

Walking On A Dream

Plain white vintage top. Trunkshow sheer maxi skirt. Beige heels from Charles and Keith. Gold necklace from H&M. Bangles from H&M. Marc by Marc Jacobs cross body bag. Chanel Rouge Coco red lipstick.

I am in awe with the outtakes of my photo shoot with Ale Rivera. I look like a spirit floating through the darkness. Believe it or not, this was just taken in his living room. Good photographers really do know how to work their magic and breathe life into their photos. For this set, he told me to just keep on posing because he was experimenting on something. Well, Ale, I guess your experiment turned out to be a smashing success. Congratulations!

Check out more of his amazing photos over here. 

Paris Nights/New York Mornings

Ray Ban wayfarers. Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick. Esprit watch. Vintage dress and trench coat. Zara clutch. Michael Kors sneaker heels. Sephora orange nail polish.

My rule of thumb: sleek, chic, and elegant is always the way to go. 

Thus the classic red lipstick, the minimalist style, and the mix of high and low brands. 

I had an enjoyable photo shoot with one of  my friends, Nico Gozos, during the break and this was one of my chosen outfits. I love how it's fuss-free and strong at the same time. It's something I would definitely wear if I were in New York or Paris. 

Nico is a great photographer. Check out his site over at Gozzy Photography. 

Take Me Away To SFO

Last month has been a roller-coaster ride for me. I was so overwhelmed with school, work, orgs and personal stuff that I really needed to just step back for a while and breathe. It was all too much for me so I decided to take a mini-vacation in the middle of the semester to recuperate and have some me-time. Fortunately at the weekend that I was thinking of going, my friend from California was also free so I bought my ticket and 2 weeks later, I was on my way.

I never really liked San Francisco/NorCal but after my trip, I have a new found appreciation for the place. It’s full of interesting things and it’s so easy to get around because of the bart and bus. My friend didn’t have a car so we made do with what we had which made my trip all the more interesting and fun. We got lost so many times but we eventually found our way to where we were suppose to go. From the airport, we made our way to the hotel we were staying overnight in San Francisco. Went around the city, met up with a friend then went to my friend’s place in Moraga. From Moraga, we went shopping in Walnut Creek then Palo Alto back to the airport to pick up her grandma, San Jose then back to Moraga.

My favorite day however was when we went to Berkeley. I’ve never been to Berkeley so it was my first time there and I love every single thing about it. If I don’t get in the summer program abroad that I want, I’m definitely considering taking summer class there instead. Berkeley has that collegiate campus vibe feel (for obvious reason) which I am obsessed with and it had a certain vibe to it that was reminiscent to the East Village in New York. It ended up raining there though so we decided to stay in a pub to stay warm and dry and watched the football game against Washington State which Berkeley ended up winning. YAY! I know a little bit about football because my friend patiently explained it to me. Lol

I wish I took more pictures but here are some of what I took. Even though I am now back to reality full of things to do, I am glad that I went on that trip. I feel so much better thus motivating me to do even better in school. Hopefully, that motivation will help me in writing my paper.....

Skin Routine

When I was in the seventh grade, I had the serious case of acne. I’m not exaggerating. I had pimples all over my face. It was bad enough that I had to go to the dermatologist and get special medicine. Fortunately as I grew up, my acne became less drastic but that experience definitely traumatized me. I vowed to take care of my skin better and so I have developed a skin care routine that seems to work.

I became very meticulous about my facial skin care and I make sure that I follow my routine everyday and every night wherever I am. Whenever I go out of town or even just sleepover my friends' houses, they always make fun of me for bringing lots of toiletries. I always pack way more than I need and they tease me that I bring my “whole bathroom” with me. I guess I got it from my mom too. If you go to my parent’s bathroom, my mom’s bathroom counter is full of products. She taught me to take care of my skin especially my face and slowly but surely my bathroom counter is starting to look like hers.

First up is my facial wash. I tried different kinds and brands but I think I’m sticking to Ponds Pure White for now on. Whenever I use it, I can feel all the dirt get sucked out of my skin because of the carbon infused in the facial foam. I use it whenever I don’t feel lazy to wash my face. Lol.

Next is toner and moisturizers. I’m currently using Mario Badescu for my toner ever since I started going to him for facials. I only use my toner every morning or after I wash my make up off because I learned that using toners often tends to dry up the skin. After I use my toner (or not), I use the Ultra Facial Moisturizer with SPF 15 from Keihl’s every morning and the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel every night to really seal in the moisture especially now that’s exceptionally cold in New York.

As for my eyes, I recently just started using Clarins Eye Contour Gel. I used to use something else but it didn’t seem to be working and so I decided to try this one. I don’t know what to think about this one yet. It hasn’t been a month so we’ll see. Hopefully it does what it’s supposed to do.

Lastly, as much as I want to eliminate my acne completely, I can’t. Mother Nature seems to be in control of that one so whenever they pop up (literally), I use Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 10 maximum strength. I found out about this through a friend and ever since then, I swear by this product. I put it on my pimple and overnight, my pimple dries up. I love it. It saves my life every single time.

In the end, you may take it against me or not, I take pride in my skin care routine. I’m not blessed with gorgeous skin so I need to take care of it all the more if I want to keep it clean and clear. It may seem like it’s a lot of work but it’s worth seeing how much my skin has improved since my seventh grade days. Besides, your skin is your first defense against anything else. Why not take care of it as much as it takes care of you?

K

P.S. Does that even make sense? Lol sorry. I'm sick. Boo. :(

Philippine Fashion Week: SLIM'S AT 50

Last Saturday night, I went to my second show for Philippine Fashion Week: SLIM'S at 50. This show paid tribute to the alumni of Slim's Fashion and Art School. The roster of designers was as follows: Cesar Gaupo, Chito Vijandre, Erika Adona, Ezra Santos, James Reyes, Joe Salazar, Joey Samson, Martin Bautista, Michael Cinco, and Riza Bulawan. All the collections honestly blew my mind and surprised me in a great way. I never knew that Filipino designers were this talented.

The line for this show was unbelievably long so my sister and I ended up standing. Thank God we had a great view - right in front of where the models stand and pose.

Loved the sequined bodice of this gown!

His collection was very theatrically Filipino.

His collection was dramatic, edgy, and glamorous all at the same time!

 I especially loved the white gown.

Amazing headpieces for an all black collection.

This collection made motorcycles girly - an unexpected combination, huh?

The designers took a final bow. Kudos to all of you!

I must say Filipino designers are starting to do really well in the industry. Their collections are becoming more sophisticated and creative. Some of the collections last night reminded me of pieces from Alexander Wang (such as the strong-shouldered dresses), Jason Wu (what with the laced face masks), and Miu Miu (they had a hot wheels theme, didn't they?). I'm not sure I can pick a favorite because many of the collections - if not all - deserved a standing ovation. But Michael Cinco's energy and confidence - he strutted like he was a model - stood out for me!

I watched with my sister and her friends. I wore a dress from Forever 21 and accessorized with a necklace from H&M and a clutch from Zara.

To top it all off, I had my picture taken with Bryan Boy and saw The Bag Hag with her sparkly Miu Miu shoes. Damn, I forgot to take a picture of those.