monday dose of drool: Seychelles Scallop Heel

This suede heel from Urban Outfitters is pretty beyond words. The scallop cutout detail gives it a sophisticated aquatic flair. I love the lace-closure at the ankle and the contrast metallic trim. I am itching to have this!

gearing up for cyber monday

The adrenaline rush of in-store shopping will always be matchless. I'm sure you know how it feels when you see that perfect shoes glowing among the others and in that very second you're sure that's the "one" (reminds me of Rebecca Bloomwood). I don't know with you but as I try out "that" shoes and it perfectly fits, it's euphoria. Well tomorrow it's not gonna be that kind of shopping. What you need is a comfortable chair (and computer), instead of comfortable outfit, because it's cyber monday!

I am a big online shopper. There's a good and bad side of shopping online but I just love the fact that I can browse every item without killing my feet and I can buy as much or as big as I want without having to carry it the whole shopping time. Talk about convenience. Anyways, to those who are going online shopping tomorrow, these links might help:

http://www.cybermonday.net/

http://www.cybermonday.com/

http://www.bestcybermondaysales.com/

http://www.cybermonday.fm/

And since we are at it. Here's my fave online stores. I'm gonna visit them tomorrow for sure.

Lulu's

Go Jane

C28

Wet Seal

American Apparel

Charlotte Russe

Urban Planet

Hot Topic

Forever21

Moda Express

Delia's

Hot Miami Styles

Beverly Lane

La Vintage

Uniqlo

Top Shop

Madewell

Free People

Gilt

What's your fave online store? I would love to know other great e-stores, especially vintage. Have a wonderful cyber monday shopping! Till then... on your mouse, ready, click, go!

totally black friday

How was your black friday everyone? Was it a shopping heaven or mayhem? Well, we worked the entire year to spend on this one crazy day. We deserve it. But congratulate me, I didn't go shopping. Yeah, today was a total bum. I was too lazy to go out head to head with all those out of control shoppers. You know how it is here in New York. I can't stand struggling my way in to try that perfect shade of  YSL's ROUGE VOLUPTÉ Silky Sensual Radiant Lipstick SPF 15 for an hour and wait another two hours in line just to have it, you know what I mean. It's like a race with a touch of wrestling. On the brighter side, it would have done good with what I gobbled up last dinner. 

Oh well, I tried to be productive today by tweaking my blog layout, how thrilling. I am really surprised with myself today. I don't have the urge to shop regardless of the great deals out there right now. There must be something wrong with me. Or maybe I'm just a little too scared getting my eyes poked with a Manolo Blahnik stiletto. Seriously this one's to die for. But anyways, I wish you guys had a great day! If you spent black friday not shopping let me know. It's good to know someone's with me.

street wise: plaid, purple and birthday

My not-so favorite part in NYC is Times Square. I hate how crowded it could get that I can barely take a step without hitting somebody. And with all those people coming over you from every direction, it's like all hell broken loose. It's crazy! But still I find myself there once in a while. It's the perfect corner whenever I wanna get lost and just drown amidst the gaggle. Having said that, I am not sure if I will ever get lost with my plaid jacket and purple pants. :)

Look at those people, not the New Moon ad. Okay, that too.

And oh yeah, it's my brother's birthday. He may not look like one but he just turned 14.

He's big, right? But anways, this was a family night. My mom and dad are somewhere looking for something. Oh I think they bought ice cream that time. So basically, what I did while they were doing there thing was sit. I was thrilled. Really, observing people never fails to amaze me.

downtown cowgirl

Howdy everyone! I was inspired by Carrie Underwood's Cowboy Casanova and thought of pulling out this outfit. That happens a lot to me since I am not the most musically-inclined person on earth. I vent out music through what I wear.

Anyways, I went to an unconventional translation of the tough and rugged (in a really attractive and hot way) cowboy to a girly and sweet city rancher.

I was surprised when I found this forsaken lacy brown skirt  with a Caribbean green lining (from FANG) at the back of my closet. It's totally cute with the cognac brown cowboy boots. The scarf made the loud sound in this muted yet sugary outfit. Just another proof that scarves can really make quite a cool statement. But really, it's so much fun wearing this. That's the important part of fashion, having fun.

So, buckle up and ride 'em cowgirl!

Shakespeare in lace

Call me old-fashioned but I am such a big fan of poetry. And I am madly in love with William Shakespeare's works. Sonnet 116 is my favorite and I memorize it by heart. I have always dreamed of living in Elizabethan era for a week and experience wearing corsets and ball gowns as daily wear. Yes, just for a week. I am not sure if I can survive more than a week without computers. And I sure will miss wearing trousers.

Well, to make that dream close to reality, I put on this outfit and brought the era into a modern world.

I have to confess that lace is in my lovin'-it list this season. It is a great way to indulge my feminine side. The jacket's structure, button details, and slightly puffy shoulders remind of me of doublets. And as you can read in my previous post, I love mixing he and she elements.

a playful afternoon with the girls

As a grown woman (or trying to be) I sometimes find myself wishing to be a little girl again and just play. Being in a place where I spend most of my Sundays when I was young injected a big dose of nostalgia. Memories of scraped knees and exciting slides bring me back to the days when my tears could easily be stopped by a red lollipop that can turn my tongue pink. But what can I say? Things are different now. That is why some days, getting serious is not in my to do list. This is one of those days.

When I was having my vacation back in the Philippines last spring (or summer there), I had a great and fun time with my girls having a photoshoot. It was crazy!  Here's a snapshot of the entire afternoon of laughter, style, and friendship.

We call our clique, Indian Pana Girls (a.k.a IPG). Wondering why we're called that way? Trust me, knowing that will change your life. Whether in a good or bad way, of that I'm not sure. Originally, there's twelve of us but some didn't make it that afternoon while some came a little late. I love these girls so much! Being an IPG is one of the things I am ever proud of.

IPG UPCLOSE

A frisky wrap around dress and pink hi-top chuck taylors shows that we are never too old to have fun.

When I see this photo there are two words that come to my mind: innocence and purity. The black sneakers added edge to it. It gives the twist of danger. That what makes a woman interesting.

This is such a charm. What could be more gorgeous than a little black dress accessorized with a sweet smile?

I can almost hear her laughing. But with her simple cordovan dress with a sexy tiny strap that emphasize the oh la la shoulders, this outfit is va va voom! Now, who's laughing?

I loooove the pattern of the dress. It's so cool. You can't help but look. Not to mention the adorable bangles.

Don't we just love floral sundress in summer and miss it in winter? But I'm confused, is it the sun scorching... or is it her?

Me in my empire spring blouse. One of my faves.

I love this candid shot. The little girl sure worked it. But we can't ignore the glamour of the shiny spaghetti-strapped dress as opposed to the laid-back low top converse shoes. It's the best of both worlds.

(We are in no relation to these children. They happened to be in the park and were curious with what we were doing. You know how children are.)

But what I love best about this afternoon? The reminder that no matter what will happen and no matter where we will be, we are always beside each other and are always willing to walk the extra mile with no strings attached.

***Photographs taken by Marielle Udarbe and Dominic Saraum. Used with permission.***

Survival of the Fiercest

Mediocrity has no place in the savage world of fashion. It's a live or die sphere. It's a wild jungle out there, don't get eaten. Animal prints are big this winter, particularly leopard. But I just can't forget about Marty (Alex the lion's good friend from Central Park Zoo. If it doesn't ring a bell, maybe Madagascar will). I adore the erratic pattern of the zebra. What's fun about this outfit is the skirt, which is actually a scarf I got from the street fair. I want to have a primitive kind of look with the skirt to pull off a free spirited approach to elegance. This ensemble hollers "I will survive!" HUnt for your own stylish animal print pieces--it shows that you're not just an ordinary girl but a force to be reckoned with.

i am Chuck

I've always wanted to have a hi-top Chuck Taylor All Star that's really me but I can't seem to find it. Until one day just out of the blue, I stumbled at Converse's website. Then there it is, the make-your-own Converse shoes. It was a moment of euphoria. I was like "Finally! After a lifetime search..."

That happened months ago, but until now I still have that thrill whenever I wear my very own Chucks. One thing I really love about it is the hot pink heel stripe and the pink stitches. It's a subtle representation of the girly me. The typical hot pink hi-top they have didn't fascinate me enough. It's too pink. But having the chance to design my very own shoes gives me the power to be who I am. It sets me apart from a world of people wearing Chucks.

And oh, there's this option of having a personal ID on your shoes either on the outside low rear or the heel stripe. I have mine on the outside low rear. I thought it's just small enough not to draw attention that's why I decided to put my whole name and color it pink in contrast to the black canvas. But when I got it, it's huge! I think you can read it as far as 10 meters, more or less. I was so devastated at first because, unfortunately, I can't return it. So I wore my thinking cap and bing! I got the best idea ever. I colored it black to mask it. It turned out to be really great. It looks embossed and subdued. Love it!

Go and design your perfect Chucks. But a word of caution here: it might take your entire afternoon. It's so fun you won't notice the clock ticking. And by the way, I would love to meet your Chuck.

More love,

when two worlds collide

We've heard it, men are from Mars and women are from Venus. But isn't it cool how women can wear what's from Mars but they can't wear what's from Venus? Even cooler? We sure wear it better!

The gray boyfriend cardigan under the dark brown leather blazer plus the boots exude that robust masculine bite. Then I added the ultra feminine piece--the ski hat with a twist of girly details--and viola! Instant chic. Yes, just that... and the glass pendant to connect the entire outfit. Mixing both worlds create that  à la mode contrast effortlessly.

all in a day's work

Working hard? Or hardly working? Either way, your outfit should work it with a little fun and a bunch of sophistication. I am not a big fan of weekdays, let alone workdays. But what can I do? I can't go back in time and convince the one who made the calendar, whoever he is, to forget about the days that don't start with S. But if you're like me, a not-a-weekday-lover, there must be something we can do, right? Lo and behold, there is. Why not spice up your work getup with a little color and pattern? The pearl earrings and necklace displays distinct sophistication. And yeah, arriving with a knitted gatsby hat and classic sunglasses adds a suave charm. Don't worry, weekend's coming.

funk to punk

I love the transformation of this DKNY sequined top from glit and glamour disco gal (check my previous blog) to edgy rock and roll chic. Kudos to my custom-made hi-top Chuck Taylor All Star for making most of the 'conversion'. And that perfectly tailored off-white Ralph Lauren vest contributed a humungous rage. With the mystery brought by the fedora plus the chain necklace and silver cuff, no other word best fit to describe this outfit but hardcore.

city of lights

Bringing the disco era back from 70s to the streets with a kick of chic and urban panache. The glitter of this sequined DKNY tank top carries me to a place of music and dancing. I intentionally bought it two size larger for me to play with it. By wearing a bold black belt, the loudness is somehow toned down. And instantly it's dressed up. I love love love how versatile it could get. The white tank top underneath gives more oomph to it. Talk about standing out in a subtle and good way. Get those groove on!

back to nature

Living in the city that never sleeps, sometimes I just wanna catch Zs surrounded with lovely trees and serenaded by the waves of the ocean. Waking up with the golden sunrise that touches the horizon is beauty like no other. This outfit is inspired by the vibrant colors nature bring--the combination of earth, water, and a little fire. Experience the relaxed feel of the outskirts brimming with color, texture, and pattern.

Rain, rain, go away

Another rainy day. But if you are like me who never let the weather stop you from going out and having fun, days like this will just be another moment to shower the world with style. When the sun dozes off, you don't have to. Sprinkle lots of color to your gloomy day and drive all the boredom away!

Welcome to my armoire

If you want to know a woman, look inside her closet. Two reasons: first, because you wanna make sure there is no skeleton hiding in there (even though skeletons are never in fashion, you'll never know); and second, because there lies the complete biography of who she was, who she is, and who she wanna become.

For these very reasons, I am making my armoire open for anyone who wanna take a peek to see style in different eyes. My inspiration is life--plain and simple. Everyone is welcome for a little chit chat about fashion, style, shopping, beauty, and basically about anything in a woman's world. I would love to take a fun peek in your closets too!

Love lots,