Love Chic

Blind Clothing one-shoulder dress, CMG wedges, SM Accessories necklace, earrings and clutch bag, XOXO watch. Contacts from Japanese Candy.

Hype this on Lookbook here, Chictopia here.

Sometimes I get asked how I think of look titles or entry themes. It’s nothing serious or scientific, haha. While uploading the photos, I usually just look for a detail somewhere in the outfit and then try to connect it to the day’s story.

Like this dress with all its lines. Wore it to a dinner date with some awesome people. Lately I’ve been having a lot of these dinners, with old and new friends from diverse backgrounds and countries. Different folks with different strokes, yet somewhere along the conversation, we find intersecting interests. I’ve been learning a lot from them and loving it. I think the Universe is making up for a couple of years of incidental social constrainment. :)

On another note of gratitude, to everyone who’s been continually interacting with me through this blog, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and/or YouTube, thank you :) It’s still as kilig and inspiring as the first time, and so lots of exciting things are in the works. Here’s to a great week ahead!

Urban Goddess top, Cotton On skirt, Asian Vogue loafer pumps, SM Accessories clutch and bangle, Wanderlust bracelets. Hype this on Lookbook here and Chictopia here.

The day started with a migraine attack. Those who’ve seen me with one, know how bad it gets every time. All I see are blinding flashes of light for a half-hour, my limbs go numb, and unless I take meds, I throw up from the pain. Not a pretty sight, and definitely not a pleasant experience. Pretty traumatizing in fact that when I feel one coming on, I panic. But this time felt different—like nothing could stop me. I was excited to get to work!

Work meant going to the press junket for actress Troian Bellisario who plays Spencer Hastings on “Pretty Little Liars.” She was in town with her boyfriend, Patrick J. Adams, who plays Mike Ross on “Suits.” While I don’t follow “PLL” as religiously as “Suits,” I watch it for Troian. I find her beautiful, smart, independent and whole, a kind of girl I strive to be. Ever since I knew about them individually and as a couple, I’ve wanted to meet them.

So as soon as my vision returned, I drove as fast (and carefully) as I could from Pampanga to Quezon City, where my friend Abi joined me. She took over the wheel so I could do my makeup and try to fix my hair—in the end though, I just let it fall however it wanted. Haha.

My nails have been craving for servicing, too. I’d been practicing on the ukulele and I thought a manicure would be counter-productive. Heh. Just hoped the skirt, clutch and bracelets made up for it.

Thanks to a throbbing head and lack of prep, we arrived late at Marriott Hotel where the junket was being held. Now I admit, sometimes I can be a worrier and panic when things don’t go my way. But for some reason, the idea that I went through all that trouble and drove a hundred kilometers for nothing wasn’t bothering me one bit. Somehow, I felt like things were still going to be great.
     
And I was right. A few minutes later, I was taking Instagram photos with Troian and taking a video of Patrick saying hi to me.

Plus this awesome video of him greeting me on my birthday.
     

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This week’s cheap and chic finds. No matter the season, animal prints always seem to find their way to the top of trends lists. Our definite fave? Leopard. Men’s eyeglasses from SM Accessories. Taken with Instagram - @sephcham 

The back of our phones are now just as indicative of our personal styles as the accessories we wear. We love how today’s cases are both functional and fun. iPhone case from Mikeemarielluxe. Taken with Instagram - @shailagarde.

This week’s cheap finds for both guys and girls come in bright, bright red. SM Accessories bag, Quirkypedia eyeglasses, The Belle Soeurs bangles. All you really need to accessorize any simple outfit—probably best to avoid same-color clothes and shoes though.
Taken with Instagram - @shailagarde

SM Accessories shades and bracelets, Quirkypedia eyeglasses. It’s rare for me to find men’s accessories in red that aren’t too rugged or too loud, so whenever I find something casual and sleek, I make sure to grab it. Best worn with just shirt and jeans for an easy vibe.
Taken with Instagram - @sephcham 

Learn how to put on your freshest face with this tutorial, plus get to win this fabulous face primer and shine eliminator from SUESH. First, let’s continue last week’s tutorial.

Photo from my Instagram @shailagarde. This is my usual makeup: natural-looking, fresh and dewy. I take inspiration from Korean models and actresses who always look like they just woke up after eight hours of sleep filled with wonderful dreams! Haha. There’s one thing about it that I don’t quite agree with, however—that to achieve the natural look, you have to cover up your face with layers upon layers of (usually pricey) makeup. My approach to it is pretty simple and straightforward, and definitely won’t hurt your budget.

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Chemistry outfits, SM Accessories wristband and hairband, Digitalism iPhone cases. Photos by Shai’s mom. The three of us spent the rainy-sunny afternoon at our favorite Moon Leaf branch, drinking in conversations along with Hakka and Jasmine milk teas and playing games on our phones. Gotta love our matching cases! That they come in blue and pink and form a heart together just sealed the deal. ♥ We hope your weekend was just as wonderful!

We were happy to spend last weekend with people we look up to in the industry: Lissa Kahayon, David Guison, Rajo Laurel…

…and JC Buendia. We were gathered in Trinoma mall for a double dose of designer ready-to-wear, as Rajo and JC visited Bench and Kashieca respectively to dish out styling tips, as well as meet and greet their fans while promoting their individual collections for the brother-and-sister brands. More on these after our outfit details.

Seph: Hang Ten button-down shirt, Chemistry pants, Call It Spring boots, SM Accessories messenger bag and wristwatch. Hype this on Lookbook here, vote on Chictopia here.

This has got to be my favorite look to do: just something as simple as a button-down shirt with comfy pants, casual accessories and kickass boots. It takes no time and effort, but it looks put-together.

For guys with any style or grooming questions, feel free to ask me via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook private message, or Instagram comment.

Shai: Folio tailored blazer and Viz-A-Viz sleeveless top both at SM Department Store, Divisoria acid-washed denim shorts, Primadonna pumps, Nine West bag, True Fidelity handmade necklace, SM Accessories bangles and ring. Hype this on Lookbook here, vote on Chictopia here.

Everything I’m wearing here was a case of love at first sight, especially the pink blazer. I’ve been looking for something like it for so long, but the items I found were either great but grossly overpriced, or inexpensive but poorly made. I saw the blazer while personal-shopping for someone else, and I just knew I had to have it!

What do you think of this look? For any comments or questions, keep ‘em coming via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook private message, or Instagram comment.

Another cool blazer is that floral one on Aisa Ipac! Her shopping dates that day: blogger friends Ava Te, Ana Gonzales, Dani Barretto and Paul Chuapoco.

Rajo looking youthful as ever. We were beyond excited when he saw us and exclaimed, “Hey, you guys! I read your blog. I love your style. You kids keep me young!” Recalling that moment never fails to make us smile.

He showed us his favorite pieces in his collection.

We thought there were only gonna be the usuals, like skinny and straight-cut. But wait, there’s more! Hahaha. You’ll have to visit your nearest Bench store to check out which designs suit you best.

You also might want to test his Uno and Dos eau de toilet collection.

In the picture-taking frenzy of that afternoon, cameras were clicking away at the same time and we didn’t know where to look first, except for David. LOL

Kashieca was right across Bench, and the scene was pretty much the same as soon as JC Buendia arrived.

His collection consists of easy-breezy pieces, versatile enough to be worn to school, the office, a date, parties, and wherever-have-you.

He also has these cute baby tees!

We asked where he got his inspiration for the whimsical pieces, and JC told us the story of how his friends all know him to be a hopeless romantic. “I chose the frog as my emblem for this collection because I really like the frog prince. I like fairy tales.”

On the mannequin is JC’s brilliant five-way dress/pants/skirt/top/cover-up. Go ahead, drop by a Kashieca store, ask the saleslady to give you the how-to, and see if you won’t find it awesome.

Thanks to Lawrence Cua of Bench and Kashieca for inviting us, and thanks to these two for making our shopping date even more awesome just by being there! ♥

In TV (aka very thick) makeup for a video shoot we did in the University of Santo Tomas campus grounds yesterday. Good thing it was really thick, too, because it kind of served as sunblock for the face—as it turned out, we would be shooting all day under the sun.

Hang Ten shirt, Terranova pants and Skechers boots on Seph, Topshop dress and Schu flatforms on Shai. We can’t reveal yet what the shoot is for, but we’re hoping and praying that when it does come out, a lot of people would be able to watch it!

After the wrap. Would you look at that… The perfect lobster shade. Haha! It’s worth it though. Having a lot of friends in production and media, we always have fun in shoots, no matter how many hours it takes to wrap things up. Yesterday was no exception. Not only were we able to work with a global brand we believe in, we were also able to meet some Love Chic readers who came by to see us. Not bad for a Friday the 13th!
  
Taken with Instagram. Follow us @sephcham and @shailagarde :)

Hang Ten rose print dress, CMG strappy clogs, Divisoria accessories. Hype this on Lookbook here, favorite it on our joint Chictopia here.

Bows, bouquets, braids—pile on the sweetness, why not? Whenever I can’t help but do so, I usually have to inject some edge in it, hence the animal print on the shoes.

My mom took these photos outside our house in Pampanga last week while Seph had his own outfit shoot with his older sister in Tagaytay. My kid brother’s birthday falls on the same day as that of Seph’s mom’s, so of course, we spend it with our families. Even when we can’t be together for a shoot though, we share with each other what we plan to wear so that our outfit shots still make some sense when published.

Nothing too deliberate, really. We’re just lucky that we’re on the same wavelength about many things (and when we’re not, it’s usually because one has something to teach or learn from the other). See his version of this look here!

Colorblocking French tips by Nail It. Follow me on Instagram @shailagarde for everyday photos :)

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!