Love Chic

Giordano chambray button-down shirt and shorts, Forever21 Run DMC cropped tank top, SM Accessories bangle and ring, Nine West shoulder bag, Call It Spring platforms.

Hype this on Lookbook here, Chictopia here.

Titled because Run D.M.C. is a hip-hop group from Queens, and because my best friend Lester lives there. This outfit is inspired by the street photos he sends me every day of stylish people and interesting scenes he comes across. It’s part-torture and part-motivation; before this year ends, I aim to finally see New York in person.

Giordano released a line of colorful shorts for the summer and I picked out this light blue. It can Iook denim, cotton or chambray, depending on the piece it’s paired with.

Got this button-down from Giordano in Hong Kong just because it was on sale when we went, but I think the Manila stores also have it.

Thought I’d throw in a couple of non-poses. Haha. My mom continued clicking the shutter while I was taking off the button-down.

Yes. On some days there’s many an awkward stance and last-minute clothes-fixing before arriving at a fairly decent shot.

I’d love to know how you’d style this look differently. Maybe with sneakers instead of platforms, change the hair, choose another color button-down? Or we could just chat about whatever. How was your Labor Day holiday? Have you ever been to NYC? Do you like Run D.M.C.? Why is it so hot? Drop me a line here or leave a comment below :)

Candies sundress, Quirkypedia headband, SM Accessories necklace, Janilyn wedges. My third and last outfit idea for CloseUp Summer Solstice.

Hype this on Lookbook here, Chictopia here. 

As you may or may have not noticed in the first and second, there’s an undercurrent of green in this trilogy. I took it upon myself to work with three musts. First, the outfits must be from pieces I already own (you’ll see this dress in a future post; I wore it on the HK/Macau holiday).  Second, the outfits must call to mind words like summer, fresh, carefree, happy and young. And third, I must not take more than three hours from styling, to makeup and hair, to shooting everything. I like playing little games like that. Haha.

I was able to put together and shoot all three in one afternoon, and my awesome photographer (Hi Mama!) did an amazing job as usual. It was quick and so much fun!

Don’t let the height of these lace-wrapped wedges fool you. They’re quite easy to walk in! I tried dancing in them as well and I think with a little more practice, they’re a good enough compromise for the vertically challenged who don’t want to wear flats to the festival.

Let me know what you have in mind for your Summer Solstice outfit, or ask me style-related questions, here! Oh, and which one’s your favorite among the three? :)

As I write this, the A/C and fan are on full throttle and bright sunlight gashes through the window despite the blinds being drawn. Seems like summer doesn’t just want its presence felt; it wants us to be looking it in the eye. Lol.

No complaints there, though. It’s the best time to be donning breezy outfits, few accessories and barely-there makeup. Forever21 dress, SM Accessories, Parisian shoes.

Hype this on Lookbook here and Chictopia here.

Coinciding with the coming of summer is the coming here of one of today’s hottest actors, “Hunger Games” star and newest Bench endorser Liam Hemsworth. This is what I wore his lunch tête-à-tête with the media a few weeks back. 

Here’s what went down with the hottie from Down Under as he talked “Hunger Games,” action films, beating up Thor and men’s fashion.

   
Shot with my DSLR on my right hand while my left hand was shooting with my iPhone (just to be sure). Haha! Just think of the shakiness and un-enhanced audio as your way of feeling like you were actually in the room—it was utter and enjoyable chaos.

Read More

A Rachel Zane-inspired outfit. Memo button-down shirt, Miss Sixty skirt, Asian Vogue pumps, SM Accessories clutch bag, necklace and bangles. Hype this on Lookbook here and Chictopia here.

I’ve loved “Suits” from the moment I watched the plug for its pilot episode. I’ve seen each episode at least eight times! Haha. I grew up with lawyers in the family, and I’ve been into law series for years but “Suits” is the first time I could relate to each character: their good side inspires me to do better, their bad side inspires me to learn from mistakes and do better. I’m especially enamored with the women on the show: not just because of the way they power-dress, but more because of their strength and beauty.

I rarely do work wear as my jobs don’t require it, but lately I’ve been playing dress up with my little sister’s wardrobe, pretending I’m Rachel or any of those girls on “Suits.” Sure, they’re just TV characters, but I’d love to be like them (and okay, get to meet someone like Harvey Specter) in real life. How they constantly push themselves and strive to be the best in what they do, and how they display grace under pressure and maintain their sense of humor even under duress.

And speaking of Suits, Mike Ross himself has taped a video greeting for my upcoming birthday, which is pretty awesome:
   

Many thanks to my dear friend Joanne Pecson for this!

Wearing summer’s bright jewel tones. Blind Clothing one-shoulder dress, SM Accessories bag and bracelet, Asian Vogue peep-toe heels, My Gilded Nest earrrings, Dickies sunnies.

Hype this on Lookbook here, and Chictopia here. I prefer to just wear a few items at a time these days, instead of having on so many layers. Part of my aim to simplify life, perhaps.

Best thing about this season? You can wear your favorite hues and pretty much get away with it. I just love color!

This is what I wore to a casual meeting today. Since it was a hot afternoon, I thought I’d go all summery chic, wear a lot of brights and bare a little skin.

Speaking of bare, I didn’t have the time or patience to do full-on makeup, so I just brushed on a little blush, put on some red lipstick and left the rest of my face alone. There’s a lot going on in my outfit already, plus sunnies make great concealers anyway. Haha.

Pulled my hair into a messy bun because it’s the easiest lazy hair style to pull off, especially when your hair is the naturally wavy type that doesn’t like to be combed.

I was never a fan of sunny days, but I noticed that a lot of the things I used to like and not like have been evolving. Lately, I’ve been thinking of the sun as something to look forward to.

Read More

Style meets casual comfort. Green tiered top from tiangge, Miss Sixty skinny jeans, Anne Klein shoulder bag, Call It Spring booties, SM Accessories ombré necklace and cuff bracelet.

Hype this on Lookbook here and Chictopia here.

A breezy top with jeans and boots is pretty much a manifestation of how I feel about the current transitional season. It won’t be long before temperatures start rising again in time for the summer, but I’ve always been a cold-weather girl so I wanted to hold on to whatever few and fleeting chilly spells we can still enjoy.

Hot or not, I love how the bright colors of spring/summer can perk up any outfit and give it that carefree, casual feel. Check out this ombré orange necklace! It’s not really my favorite shade, but I’ve been wearing this piece a lot because it just seems to make my outfits happier somehow.

Yellow and green are a different story—two colors I love wearing. Especially yellow. I got this bag from my aunt exactly a year ago during my birthday trip to the US and I’ve been wearing it to death every chance I get… I tend to do that with gifts from loved ones.

If you’ve been a longtime reader of this blog (and I sure hope you are!) then you’ve also seen these boots a lot. Because really, what can’t you wear with a nice pair of brown boots?

I seldom wear jeans anymore and usually go for shorts or dresses, but I’m glad I went with my gut that afternoon. As with most of my outfits, I put this together at the last minute to go and attend the Philippine launch of American Eagle Outfitters. Maybe because I’ve been a fan of the brand since college, my chosen neon-and-jeans ensemble was spot on with AEO’s Light and Bright Spring Collection.

Read More

Hi guys! Hope you all had lovely Valentine celebrations yesterday. Just because February 14th is over, though, doesn’t mean the love season is!

Our Forever21 Valentine’s Lookbook contest is still on-going!

The contest is open to all fashionable couples who want to show off their unique sense of paired-up style in Forever21 outfits.

We’ve posted a few samples already to help get you inspired. The winning couple gets to win a P10,000 shopping spree.

Read More

Calling all couples! Get ready for our sweetest giveaway yet. Pose a la Love Chic in your most stylish outfits for a chance to win a P10,000 shopping spree from Forever21.

Just a few samples to give you ideas. It doesn’t matter if you take your photo on the streets or in a studio, as long as it showcases your sweet style.

Contest mechanics here:
   

Read More

Much as we’d love to, it’s ridiculous to wear fall’s layers outdoors on this side of the planet. So instead, we took the season’s staple somberness and combined it with the bright prints and more wearable pieces of often-summery Manila.

Simply Felice sequined top, printed skirt and necklace; Ferretti peep-toe wedges, Promod fingerless lace gloves, SM Accessories headband. hype this on Lookbook here.

Dansen button-down shirt; Giordano shorts; Sperry Topsiders; SM Accessories shades, watch and wristlets. Hype this on Lookbook here. 
 

Read More

Style steals from Divisoria. Polka dotted dress for P80…

…and a pair of distressed denim jeans for P350.
   

Read More

Hot pink and purple against high-contrast zebra stripes…

And green with tribal graphics with a black and white jeans-and-tee ensemble.
  

Read More

Read More

You know how much we love the Korean aesthetic of effortless adorability—be it fashion, beauty or interiors, it’s simple and charming and gets the job done in a way that makes you go, “That’s basic yet functional and pretty… why haven’t I tried that before?”

Neither of us have ever been to Seoul (at least physically)—but in the meantime, we’ve been on the lookout for little pockets of Korea wherever we are.

We found a couple of them when we visited Cebu: a hair and nail salon called Secret B, and this café called Sunday 2PM.

According to the owners, it’s called Sunday 2PM because it’s that time of the week when things are most relaxed and chill for most people. They gave the café this name to evoke that cozy feeling of being at home.

We just had to film the cutest stuff in Sunday 2PM for another video diary!
  

Read More

Don’t say you haven’t been warned—following these outfit photos are scrumptious shots of what we had for dinner at Torch with friends. Hence the garterized skirt to make room at the tummy area. Haha!

Read More

In navy and maroon shades during our fashion blogging workshop for Myth boutique a few weeks ago, where we busted some myths (pun unintended) on blogging and bloggers.

Read More