Today’s outfits: his for pull-outs and gym, hers for a couple of client calls. Photos by Richard Romero and post-processing by Love Chic.
Memo cardigan, Topman shirt, Bench jeans, Sperry topsiders, Chemistry camera pendant, SM Accessories eyeglasses and bag. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Memo dress, Chemistry men’s blazer, Asian Vogue pumps, SM Accessories bangles. Hype this on Lookbook here.
We are now on Chictopia too :) Go to our ChicBlog here.
The last of eight layouts we shot for Call It Spring last February (i.e. when the temperature still permitted the wearing of socks, closed shoes and long garments). We went for a nature-inspired palette: blue, white, brown and floral.
CPS Chaps top, flea market chiffon skirt, Aldo socks, Call It Spring wedges, SM Accessories belt. It’s the same style of shoes I wore in this layout except in a different color. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Barette and men’s eyeglasses from SM Accessories. Red bangs, black roots and blonde tips. Ayayay. Clearly, the ombré hair needs retouching.
Metal with petal. Connector ring and studded clutch from SM Accessories. With just a rose ring and a beige bag, this look would be too sweet and feminine for my style. I like how all the hardware adds toughness to the whole look.
F&X collared long-sleeved shirt, Bench jeans, Dickies socks, Call It Spring shoes. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Eyeglasses from SM Accessories. I just love wearing these even if my eyesight is thankfully healthy. Just like shoes, wearing eyeglasses seems to make even a small difference to an outfit.
One of my favorites from Call It Spring. I like to fold the cuffs down to show the colored socks. When they’re pulled up, the boots look different without the fluffy white trimming. It’s a versatile pair of sneakers-slash-boots.
Happy Sunday, everyone! If you haven’t joined our Etude House and Mandaue Foam giveaways, now would be a good time to. Click on the links to find out how.
Outfits from the Topman/Topshop event paired with Call It Spring boots, what we wore to the Etude Playhouse Fair last Sunday at The Block SM North Edsa. We’re giving away our Etude House goodie bags to two of our followers—read on for how to win :)
Upon registration, participants are given colored markers to express their love for Etude House on this wall.
Top view. They really went big with the playhouse/fair concept.
Seph spinning the wheel for a prize
Throw the velcro balls to win the beauty booty of your choice
Janine playing buds-ketball
Photobooth with the cutest backdrop
Sweet treats from Tous Les Jours
Cotton candy!
Real-life ballerina music box
Penguin, seal and panda mascots. Hiiiii
There was also this incredibly cute pink Beetle with the false eyelashes and lipstick which Shai wanted to drive home.
It wasn’t just all fun and games though. There were also educational talks on beauty, fashion, and skin care.
There was a long line to get inside the beauty area, where princes and princesses (what they call Etude House customers) are treated to a free makeover and beauty crash course.
People we spotted: Janeena Chan, and Love Chic reader Clair Ching whom we remember for always taking the time to post comments or tweet us on our blog entries. It’s readers like her who make us want to give back, which is why we hold blog giveaways from time to time. We wouldn’t be here without you guys, so the least we could do is share the love!
What we’re giving away: two (2) Etude House goody bags containing Dress Room Lovely Look shower cologne, Milk Talk Oh Choco body wash and Missing U Hand Cream #2: Honey Bee Story. Open to Love Chic followers. We’ll check!
Just like our Mandaue Foam giveaway, all you have to do post this on Twitter and tag two friends: “I want to win an Etude House goodie bag from @sephshai! http://lovechic.com.ph @friend1 @friend2”
Deadline for tweets is next Friday, May 4 at midnight. We’ll choose two winners using Randomizer and announce them via Twitter on Saturday morning. Stay sweet and playful!
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UPDATE 05/05/12: WE HAVE WINNERS!
Congratulations to @bebelycah and @harranicks. Email lovechicmail@gmail.com with your full name, shipping address and contact numbers. Thanks for joining, everyone! We’re already cooking up another beauty booty giveaway so keep posted :)
…And it’s because of these shades. Ba dum tsss.
Celio top, Bench jeans, Aldo socks, Call It Spring shoes, SM Accessories shades. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Self-mocking aside, we tried to do something edgier for this layout, since all of our other Call It Spring shoots were in our usual fun-fun mode.
These shoes aren’t my usual style, since I’m more of a sneakers and boots kind of guy. But every now and then, we come out of our comfort zones when it comes to fashion to explore other options. You never know how it will turn out until you try, right? These aren’t bad-looking at all.
Kashieca chiffon tiered dress, Call It Spring shoes and accessories, YRYS fishnet stockings. Hype this on Lookbook here.
If the shoes aren’t Seph’s style, in my case it’s the dress. It’s floral, in white, and in tiers of chiffon. Plus the wedges are in floral, too. I opted to edge it up with metals, animal print shades and this.
Enough said. Hahaha.
What about you? Share naman diyan! We’re always the ones posting pictures or telling you random stories and we really appreciate it when we hear back. What look would you consider to be your comfort zone? Which fashion pieces do you usually stay away from?
Facelifts, that is. Last Friday, Topman/Topshop SM Mall of Asia invited the press for a preview of its summer collection and recently refashioned store.
Our fellow bloggers Vern, Lissa, Bjorn, Verniece and Ira. We ogled a lot at the items so we weren’t able to take photos of everyone before they left, except for these two cuties.
Bjorn’s turquoise sneakers matched with nudes and florals is a bold choice for menswear, but he pulls it off and how.
Fresh-faced Vern looks effortlessly cute with the dress and bag. Her penchant for simplicity is perfect for the summer.
In celebration of the season, the store has a couple of ongoing promos. Check them out on Facebook for details.
Meanwhile, some of our favorites from the collection. This season, Topman and Topshop are big on colorful graphic prints, tribal-inspired patterns, sweet pastels and playful styles, each piece exuding their trademark carefree rock-chic vibe.
For lunch, we mall-hopped to SM Megamall to satisfy our craving for katsu.
If you follow us on Twitter or Instagram, you could probably tell from the amount of Yabu photos we post how much we love this place. Good food, good service and good vibes. Our only complaint was the long wait for a table, especially during peak hours. Not anymore!
Originally, this was all of Yabu. If you wanted to get a good seat, you’d have to be there early or late, avoiding lunch and dinner hours.
Sometime in late March, Yabu was temporarily closed for renovations and expanded to the space right beside them. Now, the seating capacity is twice as big!
If you haven’t tried it out, you might be wondering what the hype is all about. First, being “Yabu, House of Katsu,” it goes without saying that this is their specialty. And you know how we Pinoys love our deep-fried comfort food.
Second, the bento meals. For a very reasonable price, the big portions ensure that you get busog. Shai’s pick: 90 g Rosu a.k.a. Pork. The meals come with rice, unlimited cabbage, miso soup, and fresh fruit slices for dessert. You can choose from 90, 120 and 180 grams of meat to suit your level of hunger.
Seph’s pick: 120 g Cream Dory Fish Fillet.
Third, the sauces. Oh, those sauces.
You’re given sesame seeds to grind…
…and then you pour the sweet katsu sauce on it and mix together. Dip your katsu slice and taste the awesomeness.
And then there’s the mixture of Japanese mayo and sesame for the cabbage side dish.
This you really have got to taste. We’ve reached a point where the Yabu staff keep coming by our table to make sure our plates never run out of cabbage.
Yup. That was one full-filling day.
Matchy in mismatched outfits, a tribute to the equally kooky weather we’ve been having. There are just days that have you sweating buckets and taking the heat, and days when you’re all wet and washed up.
When you think about it, that’s basically how you could describe life’s not-so-pleasant moments too, eh? Which is why rain or shine, we try our best to keep a sunny disposition and just go with whatever’s thrown our way.
CPS Chaps top and skirt, SM Department Store socks, SM Accessories ring, Call It Spring feather hairclip, and clutch with feather. Hype this on Lookbook here.
This feather hairclip is so pretty, but the way my hair is naturally messy like that, I’m thinking it would probably stand out better on straight hair. Still, I’m a sucker for feather accessories and I just love this.
When it comes to accessories, I like to work with a certain subtle theme. Sort of like an inside joke with myself. In this case, a ring leaf because my bag is green.
Gold shoes are quite hard to pull off for a casual look, simply because gold is associated with glamour. But when it’s a pair of flats in a simple enough design that’s comfy to walk around in, gold makes for fun footwear.
CPS Chaps shirt, Celio polo and shorts, Aldo socks, Call It Spring sneakers. Hype this on Lookbook here.
I haven’t been out of the country much, just Bangkok and Hong Kong. Hawaii is just one of the places I would like to see when I get the chance. It must be great to try out surfing and other water sports there.
When I’m not going crazy for boots or brightly colored shoes, I’m gawking at crisp white sneakers. There’s just something about statement shoes that I get a kick out of. Perhaps because it’s one of those things that can totally change a look—like if I wore flip-flops with this outfit instead. It would look too at-home, wouldn’t it?
Speaking of being at-home, we’ve got a nice giveaway for homebodies out there who would love to sit back, put their feet up and enjoy a nice book or DVD. If you have been missing out on the fun, click here to join!
Tonight’s date outfits. The chic yellow cardigan on Seph and the beige button-down on Shai are from Memo. The clothing brand is more popularly known for their crisp corporate attires and smart casual finds, but with a little bit of tweaking, the items in Memo are actually stylish enough to be worn with other pieces to create whatever look you fancy. Check out their summer collection on their Facebook and Twitter.
Memo cardigan, Forever 21 shirt, Herbench (yes, it’s my mom’s) jeans, Call It Spring boots, and SM Accessories bag, necklace and glasses. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Shai got me these contact lenses from an online shop called Japanese Candy and I thought they’d look great with these uber-cool transparent glasses from SM.
Three things my wardrobe always has: cardigans, V-neck shirts and metal necklaces.
The beads are a gift, while I got the Timex from SM’s Privado luxury accessories sale for cheap.
MSense is a brand under SM Accessories that has unique bags for guys that you can’t find just anywhere. If you’re into man-purses like me, you should check this brand out.
I always check out Call It Spring in Greenbelt. I saw these new arrivals on one of my visits and I just knew I had to have them.
Memo collared button-down, Love Chic x Chemistry shorts, Puma socks, Schu brogues, Anne Klein bag, and SM Accessories headband, necklace and rings. Hype this on Lookbook here.
Beauty notes. Face: Etude House Baby Skin base, Revlon Photoready Airbrush and Powder, Mary Kay sheer mineral pressed powder, Etude House Lovely Cookie blush in #3 Orange. Lips: Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo. Eyes: The Face Shop eyebrow filler, Nichido liquid eyeliner and eyelash curler, Maybelline Volum’ Express Cat Eyes mascara, Benefit Decked Out Dandelion eyeshadow palette, and Bambi Sesame Gray 15mm contact lenses from Japanese Candy. The ones I got for Seph are Bambi Chocolate 15mm. Unlike him with a perfect vision, I’m severely nearsighted, so prescription contact lenses are a necessity. Glad there’s a stylish way to deal with it!
We received a question on Dear Love Chic about how to wear necklaces with collared tops. I’d like to believe there are no rules to how you should wear accessories with certain pieces of clothing, but personally, I prefer statement necklaces like these multi-tiered chains from SM, worn under the collar instead of over it.
Continuing the chain reaction with this burst-of-sunshine yellow Anne Klein purse. I love the color, plus the chain strap could be pulled longer to make it into a shoulder bag.
When I saw these rings at SM, I thought of bubble gum and butter balls. Yum!
How gorgeous are these blue and white brogues from Schu? In lieu of the usually flat, usually neutral-colored and usually laced-up styles, this pretty pair is a breath of fresh air. Slipping it on (and keeping it on) is no problem—it’s as comfy as your comfiest pair of flats. Get Schu updates via their Facebook, Twitter, blog and online shop.
Goofing around after today’s quick shoot. Follow us on Instagram @sephcham and @shailagarde for more Love Chic silliness. Have a great Friday (the 13th) night, everyone!
k
Clouds are one of the most beautiful everyday things we see yet seldom take a look at. With our busy schedules, we’re always looking at the road ahead of us: things we have to do, places we have to go, people we have to interact with. But if we’d look up every so often, we’d find these cottony, feathery wisps of white so hard to ignore.
We saw these while driving to work this afternoon and just had to pull over quickly to take a few Instagram photos. We returned to the daily grind with a goofy smile on our faces, talking about how as kids, we thought you could touch the clouds when you ride on an airplane.
We may not be able to touch the sky but we sure can wear them. A simple look for a sweltering summer day: CPS Chaps shirt, F&X shorts, Call It Spring shoes, Timex watch and SM Accessories glasses. Hype this on Lookbook here.
I like that these shoes are made of fabric which makes them comfy and cool enough for summer, but doesn’t get scrunchy or slouchy which can be a hassle when walking. The interesting texture also makes it stand out despite having a simple neutral color.
Gray and white embellishments reminiscent of Cirrus nimbus clouds (or so we say, hehe). Kashieca top, CPS Chaps skirt, Call It Spring sandals and clutch, SM Accessories headband, glasses and bangle. Hype this on Lookbook here.
I seldom wear sandals because they’re either too flat (having a tall boyfriend has its inconveniences) or too strappy (I’m a brisk walker and straps end up hurting my feet or snapping after a while). But these aren’t just sturdy enough; they also have cute kitten heels! Perfect shade of brown for the summer too.
What about you? What mundane things do you find breathtaking? If you haven’t stopped and smelled the proverbial roses in a long while, this season would be the best time to. Beauty can be found in the simplest of things—all we have to do is look. :)
It was my first time to see these trees in person! Cherry blossoms are called sakura in Japanese and I didn’t expect to see them in Sacramento (which prompted me to make a Sakura-mento joke that I shall spare you from). I thought I’d dress up in their honor.
Hype this look (and be my fan, hehe) on Lookbook here.
My cousins were saying our trip to Sacramento was perfect timing—a few days earlier or later and we would’ve missed the cherry blossoms.
As with my San Diego, Long Beach and San Francisco photo diaries, I won’t be able to share the entirety of my travel photos without inundating everyone’s feeds but here’s another set from one of the many places we visited: the state capitol.
The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, a walking distance from the capitol. It’s where the city got its name from.
The Sacramento Capitol, built in the image of the Washington State Capitol. In the interest of full disclosure, let me admit that I wasn’t aware that the capital of California was in fact not Los Angeles,but Sacramento. Let me know if you didn’t know either—let’s be embarrassing together! Haha!
We went on a guided tour that day but 477 fully-captioned photos with encyclopedic information about California would be overkill. Instead, trivia.
The dome is gilded with goldleaf—gold that has been melted and hammered and molded for decorative purposes. Unlike painted gold, goldleaf doesn’t need to be polished or repainted, and shines like new for decades and decades.
The Senate or Upper House, and State Assembly or Lower House. Apparently, this form of government was influenced by the British government’s House of Lords (for the noble and upper class) and House of Commons (for regular folks like you and me).
Governor Brown’s office. When Arnold Schwarzenegger was governor, the capitol was always full of tourists hoping to get a glimpse of the Terminator at work. He did leave a remembrance for all visitors, though.
Meet Bacteria Bear. Arnold got him in an auction for a huge amount of money and brought him to the office because he was one of the state symbols. But when it was time to leave, he left the bear here because it was too heavy. The bear got its name from all the kids visiting the capitol kissing it and smearing it with snot. And yes, my mom’s hand is in Bacteria Bear’s mouth.
We had great fun and it wouldn’t have been possible without my family. It’s my birthday on the 20th, but they’ve made me feel like my birthday all the days I was in Sacramento :)
Indeed and how. After a week in San Diego, we drove to Long Beach to stay with our relatives on my dad’s side. With all the touring and family bonding, it’s taken me a week to properly go through hundreds of photos and sort them out per city, let alone choose just enough photos to share on the blog without turning it into a highschool-project diary or a jetsetter-wannabe journal (neither of which is an entirely bad thing mind you, except that it’s not what we do here). So here we go, Long Beach highlights!
My outfit for the sunny yet chilly weather here: SM Department Store top, The Ramp skirt, Topshop tights, grey Keds, necklace from Bangkok, knitted cardigan from my aunt’s closet and SM Accessories shades. Hype this on Lookbook here! This was taken at noon, as you can probably guess from the shadow. But even with the sun high up, it was cold enough to make me regret not wearing pants instead.
Digging the worn-out, lived-in look of this cardigan though. I actually just got it from my aunt’s closet here, and she told me she was the one who sewed on those sequins and beads. Pretty neat.
My trusty Keds, one of only three shoes I bought for this month-long trip, because bringing an entire shoe collection along on a trip abroad is just a tad too glamorous (read: tedious) for this here gung-ho blogger.
One of the places we dropped by was the shoreline village, a combination of a tourist spot, park, food court, port area, and quaint small-town recreation center.
This ship is the RMS Queen Mary, a former ocean liner that sailed in the Atlantic from the ’30s to the ’60s. It’s now a tourist attraction featuring a number of restaurants, a museum, and a hotel. How awesome must it be to be staying in a hotel next to the Scorpion, that Soviet B-427 submarine pictured above.
Nautical nonsense: Papa as Captain Jack Sbarro and Mama as hipster-pirate Ariel
Another place I enjoyed seeing was my cousin Santiago’s newly bought house in an affluent area in Longbeach. Took this shot from across the street for a general idea of how it looks from the opposite side.
This side. Although the neighbor’s house is much bigger (as you can see by that car), it’s Santiago’s house I’m so inspired by because of its backstory. My cousin’s parents weren’t well off, hailing from a small town called Dueñas in Iloilo. There were no inheritances, no privileged lifestyles, no trust funds to “cheat” with. Through sheer hard work and strong family values, they were able to raise my cousins into goal-driven, humble and successful individuals who were able to pursue and achieve their dreams. One of Santiago’s was to be able to afford a house in this area someday (let’s just say one house here could buy you thirty houses in Manila) and now he has!
His lovely and kind wife Belinda, an interior designer and dedicated mom to handsome boy Elijah and precocious baby Hunter. Santiago works as a CPA for a gas company, while Belinda’s been staying at home for a few months now taking care of the children and attending to the ongoing house renovations.
The den.
The dining area leading to the huge kitchen.
The stair carpeting is still covered in plastic, and official house guard Angel makes sure it stays that way until construction is completed.
The kitchen’s corner booth. I took photos of every room in every floor, but from just these, one can imagine how beautiful it’s going to look when it all finally comes together.
Took too many photos of Elijah because he’s just so kind and adorable, not just for a toddler but for a guy of any age. And that says a lot, because I’m not like Seph who finds all children adorable. I love it when a kid is so smart you don’t have to simplify your words or do baby talk, and yet so nice they defy the phrase “toddler tantrums.”
This trip feels like child’s play, and it keeps getting better. Not only because it’s my first time outside Asia, or because of all the tourist attractions we get to see—millions of people get to experience those each day, and you can Google photos of those things any second you want to see them. For me, it’s being able to spend time with family, discover things about them on a deeper level and appreciate their stories better. So it wasn’t just word play: by the sea or on land, fun is a sure thing here in Long Beach!
Next: San Francisco
Seph here! While Shai is in the US this month and I’m getting back on track with work, we’ll be trying to keep blogging separately. She from California, me from Manila. First off, I wanted to post these scans I made of magazine issues featuring her and her write-ups.
Candy Magazine “Style Crush” for March. Main photo: From Bangkok dress, Topshop hat and tights, Janilyn wedges. Thanks to Sam Potenciano!
ZENHealth February-April issue, featuring her article and photos on “Fun Date Outfits.” Outfit credits here. Thanks to Aencille Santos!
Lastly, this well-written Metro story on the most memorable Oscars attires. I know Shai worked so hard and had so much fun researching on this assignment. It turned out awesome. Get a copy so you can read and enjoy it too. Thanks to Geolette Esguerra!
Taken with Instagram @sephcham
“Forever alone” describes the past week for me. Haha! Since we started dating, this one month is the longest time we’ve ever been apart.
Taken with Instagram @shailagarde
It also happens to be Shai’s birthday on the 20th, so we’ll have to celebrate in different time zones. It may only be one month but it’s still a taste of what it’s like to be in a serious relationship over a long distance. All I can say is, can’t wait for her homecoming :D
We had no plans of weighing in on the recent controversy involving FHM Philippines’ March issue, but while uploading these photos for just another fashion post, we were reminded of it by word association. Colored background, black and white… It might’ve been in the back of our heads all this time, as an issue that’s close to home for us both. So what the heck, let’s throw Lookbook captioning out the window for a moment and throw in our two cents.
Unless you’ve been in hibernation, you probably know that the magazine’s original cover this month featured British-Filipina actress Bela Padilla posing for the camera in a swimsuit, surrounded by five dark-skinned Filipinas in blackface who are either looking down despondently or looking up in awe at this fair-skinned beauty who is “Stepping out of the shadows” (the caption). Guess we don’t need to elaborate on the message this cover clearly sends out. Following a slew of comments from offended netizens, the men’s magazine has recalled the cover and released one with the photo and caption replaced.
All should be well and good now, except it quite isn’t. Because this isn’t the first time we Filipinos have displayed ignorance and insensitivity regarding this, and it probably won’t be the last. Not while the people involved admit outright that they see nothing wrong with blackface, and do not regret having participated in it. Not while again and again, TV shows portray characters in blackface who would be maltreated, ridiculed and hated just for being dark, while becoming lighter-skinned would bring them a better life. Not while we’re okay with how newspapers and magazines continue to paint non-black models black for the sake of art or advocacy without realizing or considering the impact the photos would have, regardless of the accompanying text’s intentions. Not to mention the comments on blog posts about the issue that go along the lines of, “Things are blown out of proportion. What’s so racist about that cover? What’s wrong with painting them black?”
What makes it ultimately tragic is the irony of it all—how we as a people have been victims of white supremacy and racial discrimination for centuries, and yet we ourselves have been participating in it, knowingly, willingly and unabashedly.
Look at Charice. Immense talent, charm, dedication, but with looks that don’t fit the bill as far as Filipino audiences are concerned. She’s been trying to make it in the local music industry but nobody here would give her a break, preferring the mestizos and mestizas with less than stellar vocal pipes. But when Ellen Degeneres gave her a break and the western world embraced her, “Oh, she’s world-famous now, I’m so proud to be Pinoy!”
Seph: In my work, I’ve always been aware of the preference for fair-skinned, foreign or half-foreign models over moreno Pinoys. Whenever I book a project, they would tell me to avoid getting dark or risk getting replaced. In go-sees I attend, we often don’t stand a chance once Caucasians come in. Just watch a random TV commercial, attend a fashion show, or flip any magazine and you’d notice the trend yourself, if you haven’t already.
I used to work with an actor-model when he was starting out and he used to say, “Gagawin ko lahat para maibalik sa Pinoy ang trabaho.” (I will do everything to bring Pinoy models back our work opportunities). He worked hard, kept fit, honed his craft and went on to become one of today’s most popular mainstream stars. It’s just one little success story, but I took it to heart. Today, I see everything I do as an opportunity to make it and be able to say, “You don’t have to be of a certain descent or skin color to get to where you want.”
Shai: When I was younger, I auditioned for a TV project. After my turn, I was told flat out by the casting panel, “You’re really good and we want to get you, but the audiences will want something else.” They ended up casting a pretty Caucasian who couldn’t act or memorize lines. The project eventually bombed. Rejection is part of the industry I work in, and it would’ve been fine each time it was because I screwed up or wasn’t right for the part. But what stung was each time that it was because I’m not the typical Pinoy standard of beauty: porcelain skin, aquiline nose, bright-colored eyes.
So when I got to work for a teen magazine and then as producer for TV shows, I made the most of the opportunity: since everyone else was already pitching the standards, I made sure Pinay models and local talent weren’t ignored—those who weren’t just book-worthy because of a foreign-sounding last name or paper-white complexion, but models who actually knew how to pose and project, whose faces were actually for modeling. Talents who actually had talent other than smiling about their easy-earned stardom.
We get to talk often with teens and young adults about their personal issues, and colonial mentality and the insecurities it brings is one that affects us most. We’re happy to notice the changes for the better: morenos and morenas taking the international fashion world by storm, global artists of Pinoy descent proud of their roots, among others. But with something as recent as the cover photo brouhaha, it’s obvious we have a long way to go. We’ll just have to keep doing the little things we can until we get there.
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On Seph: Zara button-down shirt, from Bangkok leather jacket, Bench jeans, Skechers shoes, SM Accessories eyeglasses. Hype on Lookbook here
On Shai: Zara button-down shirt, SM Department Store cropped blazer, The Ramp skirt, Aldo mens socks, Skechers wedges. Hype on Lookbook here
Photos: Jeru Czar | Hair and makeup: Ariel Barrios
@Sparklingmag @Megmagazine @Previewmag and @Chalkmagazine this month! From wardrobe wisdom to fab features, they’ve definitely got you covered (‘scuse the pun).
Sparkling’s Winter 2012 issue is chock-full of K-pop goodies for both guys and girls, along with this neat Street Beat (try saying that five times!) feature on us and some of our favorite bloggers.
Meg’s February 2012 issue is all about love (just call us Captain Obvious)—but not just the cheesy romantic type. While there’s that, as seen in this omnibus feature on stylish couples, the mag also dishes out tips on loving yourself: from moving on to enjoying single life to fashion and beauty must-haves you deserve to treat yourself with. Oh, and this nifty bit about online faves: Love Chic, the new Yahoo Philippines and Miss-match.com.ph :) Thank you, guys!
We’ve probably read Preview’s January-February issue from cover to cover about seven times now—even brought it with us on our Hong Kong trip! Their first issue for the year boasts of a feature no other local magazine has done so far: QR codes. Yes, the kind you scan with your smartphone’s QR reader. With an even stronger tie-up with their web platform, Stylebible.ph, Preview’s first Multi-Media issue is bound to amuse techy fashionistas—scan any QR code you spot in the mag and it leads you to lots of cool additional content. Also, thanks to the wonderful ladies of Stylebible for including Shai in their nominees for Top Fashion Blogger for 2011. To be lined up with such names is flattering in itself :)
Chalk’s February 2012 issue is big—figuratively and literally. The cover actually has big bold yellow letters that scream “Dream Guy” right below Mario Maurer’s name, but it couldn’t fit our scanner and we had to crop! What’s inside? A feature on seven sporty couples (us being the least sporty, although we do try to be more so!) and lots of useful style and beauty tips to tide you through the Valentines season and beyond.
So head to your nearest bookstores now! Our moms have bought copies. And they bought lots. LOL but no seriously, check ‘em out :)
Special thanks: Gigi Yia of Sparkling, Grace Libero, Ekai Magtoto and Elisa Aquino of Meg, the editors of Preview and Stylebible, Nana Caragay and Sara Aunario of Chalk. Y’all are awesome.
This fashion show featured the collections of two Hong Kong-based designers: Indonesian-born Ika Butoni and Meiyi Chung. Here are just a few of our favorite looks from that night.
Ika’s designs present a combination of influences: from the rich colors and patterns inspired by Indonesia’s culture to the structured, minimalist sensibilities inspired by the modern working woman she creates clothes for. She is a senior member of the Hong Kong Fashion Designers’ Association and the founder and chairman of the International Bali Fashion Week. Ika has boutiques in Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Korea, UAE, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Canada, South Africa and USA. For Ika, “Beauty and the Beast” is as a juxtaposition of the elegant, classy and charming with the brute, savage and villainous.
Meiyi Chung’s “Elements of Women” reflects on the playful, fun-loving and colorful personalities of the young and stylish. At the same time, the collection shows Meiyi’s penchant for creating wearable art. “Fashion is a piece of art. The fabric use, the workmanship and style that forms a composition able to bring aesthetic pleasure to people is the most valuable part of a piece.”
Special thanks to Miss Vivienne Chee and Chloe Kiosk of the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council for inviting us to be Overseas Journalists.
Next: Hong Kong Fashion Extravaganza
Hong Kong Fashion Week showcased all the best the region has to offer and more. Literally thousands of fashion merchandise and designer pieces from all over the world were on display in a combination of runway shows, fashion on parades and trade exhibits. Our itineraries were filled in with events scheduled at the same time, and we were left to choose which shows to see. We thought the Chenghai fashion on parade would be interesting because this district in Guangdong, China is known for its toy and handicrafts industries. The parade was held on a small stage in the middle of one of the exhibit halls, featuring wovens and layered knits.
Special thanks to Miss Vivienne Chee and Chloe Kiosk of the Hong Kong Trade and Development Council for inviting us to be Overseas Journalists.
Next: International Fashion Designers Show—”Beauty & The Beast” by Ika and Whosthat
