coffee break

finally, new shoes!

this is my first pair, make that 2, of slip-ons. i find slip-ons a tad bit generic; i have an aversion to this kind of footwear. maybe it started when i was young, our house helps use to buy advan slip-ons that it stuck to my mind, NO SLIP-ONS. even the trendy ones with cool graphic patterns doesn’t appeal to me. but this pair by happy feet caught my eye, for obvious reasons. the one at the left side is in muted orange, perfect with my bunch of black and dark jeans. the yellow one is really an eye catcher, a bright canary. goes well with everything.

muted colors are perfect for men who wants to wear colors but is not that confident enough or dunno if they can get a way with it. this color hue is soft to the eye even in shade of outrageous colors (plum, cerulean, turquoise). a splash of color does magic to your outfit yet not attention grabbing nor a cause for sore eyes. color is your friend; knowing you basics witch palettes, matching, as well as contrasting, complimenting and clashing colors with breathe a new life to your style as well as your closet. bright colors usually draws attention so it should be worn with neutral or dark palettes; let the shoes stand on its own. a common misconception is that shoes should match your belt (for men) and bag (for women). news flash! it should compliment; matching is so 80’s. today’s fashion is about contrast, to standout without falling flat to fashion. my personal style is that contrast is basic, abundance of color and style. but not too much as if rainbow brite threw up on you.

here are some personal styling must that i can share to you.

1. don’t be afraid of colors, color is your friend. know your friend and foe, what colors works for you and your closet.
2. fit is key. know your body and how to hide your flaws and accent your features. experiment with different fits from skinny to voluminous, matching between these 2.
3. keep your closet in check, have your essentials first. basic black dress pants, white crisp shirt, decent black leather shoes and belt to match is a must. grow from there.
4. accessorize. accessories is not limited to necklaces, obi belts, earrings. a good hat, several belts in different basic colors, watch, shoes, eye glasses/shades, bags will give your outfit a fresh breath of air. scarf, and i repeat-scarf, should be worn in cold weathers not in the blistering manila heat.
5. there are no rules in fashion! as long as you feel good and it compliments your style, wear it. though i should warn you that there are a lot of eyes watching you.

onwards for fashion. shop, wear, pose, accessorize. repeat after me, there is no recession.

listening to:  
Show – Matchbox 20 : If Your Gone

after a long time of not posting, i have willed myself to write because of…the met gala hosted by american vogue aka anna wintour sponsored by marc jacobs. beside the drama, the opening of the event was successful as always as graced by supermodels, socialites, hollywood stars, designers and who’s who of the fashion industry.

these are my favorites:

i honestly love ashley’s style, specifically this one. call it a mumu dress, but only few can pull this silhouette and she does an amazing job. it’s backless, and plays with the shape of dress. she’s wearing her own label, the row. rihanna and her bold statement of androgyny. her puffed up shoulder/tuxedo and cropped pants is of course by the sexy duo dolce and gabanna. young star emma roberts is making a fashion statement that i believe will make her appealing to the eyes of designers and magazine editors. this number by atelier versace might seemed appropriate on the runway, but she pulled it off. thanks to her youth and panache. there are occasional mishaps but overall the costume institute opening at the met is celebrated with glamour rivaled only by the oscars.

pictures courtesy of jezebel.com.

no surprise aries won, woohoo. i was rooting for philipp but not surprised with aries winning. if you’ve watched the reality show, you’d know, and feel, that aries has the judges’ vote. especially  when he pulled out that unraveling of one garment into three. it was genius to say the least, but not original. i feel that the judges was impressed with the novelty of his clothes construction that they fail to see the whole picture.

to be honest, i was more impressed with veejay’s work. at the start (of the show), i really don’t think much of veejay; his style dramatic take on clothes and flair to show off was boring bordering to showoff. however his finale collection was very much different. he showed restraint and maturity for such a young age, a sense of elegance only one can have from years of experience and eye for beauty. clothes were well made and well thought of, very sensible and modern. though his twist challenge wasn’t received well by the judges; it’s very commercial, stylish and i can see myself wearing it. but i have to agree that it was unimaginative. i think what attracted me to his collection is that it’s an homage to minimalism. monochromatic palette and clean lines, makes good clothes.

overdone, that’s what everyone is saying about philipp’s collection. i agree but since when details been a problem? i think it was done tastefully  and was complimenting the clothes as a whole garment. supposedly the runway is to showcase your creativity. look at john galliano for dior  s/s 2007 origami inspired clothes; did anyone said it was overdone and over the top? there are few misses in the collection, but you got to appreciate his take on crochet cloth. who else can make a tacky table runner into high fashion? his pieces are opulent, even vulgarly rich and regal. as he described it, it’s a cruise collection, for the filthy rich i might add. his design and silhouette is all about the celebration and love of a woman and it shows.

the three finalist have showed what they are made of. their collections are very much different from each other but showcases the brilliance and eye for design. it’s done, finish. aries won, wonderful clothes made, friends forged, enemies harbored. good television. i’m looking forward to philipp’s career, though i can’t say that i’ll be having him tailor my suits.

photos courtesy of clickthecity.com.

listening to:
White Lilies Island – Natalie Imbruglia: Beauty On The Fire

provided, i have a kick-ass wardrobe. modesty aside, i have invested all my hard earned moolah to fill my closet with things i would like to wear or be seen wearing. case in point, if my calculations are right, i spent php198,000.00 on viktor alone. 35 pairs of jeans in 2 years, and i can only wear them in the office on casual fridays. i have a non-existent savings but i have a bag collection that my previous manager envies. it’s nothing in comparison to socialites and television and movie personalities but i’m proud of it; with my measly income i was able to come out with a really enviable closet.

so for conversations sake, i have a closet similar to this.

except the shoes, i have only 5 pairs of sneaks and 40 pairs of leather shoes. sneaks are comfy but i can’t wear them with a tailored gucci can i? of course i can, but you know what i mean . but the bag is fairly accurate, all totes with an occasional boston for traveling, overnight bags and laptop bags, and i don’t have those scarf! mine’s missoni and their fabulous during winter, and should only be worn during those times (or indoors, at the office if your office is as frozen as mine).

so with a closet like this, chocful of accessories, a lived-in hairstylist with all the product and hair coloring in the world, what will i look like?

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for spring 2009, domenico and stefano have traded the  high fashion couture look for a laid back, easy and casual getup. bring out the loafers and espadrilles, it’s to hit the market, or park whatever you feel. the look is very casual chic, very a-day-at-the-park yet still have that dolce and gabbana look, sexy fierce. i honestly don’t care much for their choice of accessories; the bags are humongous although the wing tip mules are so, unexpected.

key looks for spring:

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