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

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.

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

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?

i would look like this.

see? my belt matches my shoes. and although traditionally black and brown shouldn’t be mixed, i made it work by breaking it using the neutral gray. signature skinny pants and a slung to the back carryon tote. tyra would be so proud, fierce!

what do you prefer, this one or this one?

thanks to giles for the style site.

ps. i need to have my hair dyed if i want to have that hair. i have a natural brownish tint in my hair.

key looks for spring:

listening to:
American Idol 5 – Mandisa: I Don’t Hurt Anymore

custom lv damier azure backpack, made for kanye west. good luck with the honey comb straps.

listening to:
The Devil Wears Prada – Moby : Beautiful

from the lot i like this the best. the tailoring is still immaculate, undeniably gucci; though most fashion houses like lanvin and hermes have this voluminous/pajama look for spring, the gucci man is still stylish, lean and cut throat fierce. he is not shy with the play of colors for this season with colored and printed jeans, jackets and suits. the lush of tropical flora and fauna all over the gucci man. at first it may seem tacky and uninspiring but as we all know, it’s all about the execution. even the bags and shoes have a splash of color and a playful detail print of hibiscus (that’s gumamela for you pinoys), parrots and other exotic birds and flower. and speaking of accessories, for me, this collection’s strength is on the accessory. the aquamarine crocodile tote is perfection so is the electric blue bag satchel.

here are my top picks:

the complete spring/summer 2009 collection:

images by men.stye.com

listening to:
Waiting For My Rocket To Come – Jason Mraz : No Stopping Us

below are my personal picks:

here is the complete spring/summer 2009 collection:

images courtesy of men.style.com

listening to:
Involver – Sasha Feat. Shpongle : Dorset Perception

and those available men’s clutches are boring for my taste. the shape is unflattering bordering to blah and it’s too bulky to carry it under my arm. the color is always either black or brown and not the nice hue of brown. it’s dull and doesn’t add anything. accessories, bags included, should compliment what you are wearing and your personality. it is an extension of yourself, your clothes, your style. this actually takes back against style and will set you back years even decades fashion wise. this style reminds me of old men in cheap cologne and pomade.

thankfully designers have found a better alternative to your usual clutch. i give you…

the envelope clutch! it’s shaped like an envelope with the cover flap cleverly tucked. it’s incredibly flat, thus the envelope shape, and can fit your credit cards and bills. it’s small enough for you to hold in your hand and snugly fit under your arm. it doesn’t hold that much but if you are lugging that much stuff then i recommend a tote instead of a clutch. the color alone is something to drool over; vibrant, bright colors is what the spring/summer look is about-brightens your otherwise plain wardrobe. the shape is classic and will stand the fickle trend of today’s fashion. and the crocodile skin adds that touch of class that only exotics can bring. i know this is pushing the envelope too far for manila men’s fashion, but hey, what’s a nudge forward?

just a friendly advise, if you’re using brightly colored accessories, it is best to keep your clothes to plain neutral colors to serve as a canvas. but you can always spruce it up, it really depends on the look you are going and your confidence sporting it.

nothing but good ol’ shopping to revive you from your near death experience.

listening to:
All Saints – All Saints: If You Want To Party (I Found Lovin’)

went to laguna for our tower’s offsite, otherwise known as outing. i actually begged off from the event however i was to be a ‘judge’ in the evening’s program. judge in so much i’ll tear them down to pieces and sure that they know how much they screw up but am not the one who decides who won. think american idol. the performances were not halff bad, in fact they were entertaining but i was told to be mean so why not, it’s fun that way. and the end of the night, they all hated me, job well done. though i did not spend the night, went home late that evening and had really, really late dinner with friends me wearing my board shorts and tank top at greenbelt 3.

finally watched sex and the city with dahon and cindy-pot saturday night. there were a quite a handful of men. kuddos for braving the cinema to be with your girlfriends. the movie is so much into the tv series that it could be actually done as a tv movie. there was no jump from the small screen to the big screen, this is actually good for the die hard sex and city fans (moi included) as it provides the continuity of the series but one one is left asking if the movie version was necessary. i love, love, LOVE patricia field, her vision is such a breath of fresh air but she could have done better. in the one of the opening scenes (spring/summer), carrie and charlotte were wearing florals. in the words of the legendary miranda priestly, which she dressed, florals?, in spring?, groundbreaking! although the givenchy studded belt is so HUGE (not  literally) and having it on the waist of carrie would even make it as an IT fashion accessory, but do i have it to see it n times? though the contrast of delicate vintage floral dior and the studded leather belt is indeed a refreshing twist. i was expecting something similar to devil wears prada, specially the scene where miranda was throwing bags after bags at the desk of andy, no 2 items were alike, no 2 items were of the same brand! but get a hint here ladies, curves and belts are back. no more boho fashion, show ‘em your humps, it’s all about silhouettes. overall, the movie delivered its promise; it’s not all fashion and clothes, it’s about the lives of 4 extraordinary new york women wearing the most expensive, luxe, designer and couture clothes as they drudge over their day to day lives.

i sooo love this jacket. it looked so tailored (i know for a fact that they shop retail and have limited time to do couture), totally frames his built and cute face. reminds me of galliano’s earlier collection for dior inspired by the dr. pepper album. the make is impeccable and the button details finishes the jacket nicely and needs no more embellishments and accessory. he looks so much a rock star without trying hard. his confidence and sense of self really shines here as not everybody can wear a jacket like this one. kudos to the stylist of american idol.

this military inspired jacket, that i really, really like and will search the internet hi and lo to own one, for me is the is the height of his becoming a star. the details, cleverly positioned pockets, slightly large collar with straps, carefully chosen muted color so as not to distract from the details. this is not an accident, looking good maybe, but styling is a patient and tedious craft that only a few will be able to do really do good at. of course they have tons of help in finding the right clothes but it’s up to the artist if he’ll wear it. just look at archuleta, it’s the finals and he decided to wear tees under his sports coat.

for me, david cook is the most fashionable american idol to date. though i love, love, LOVE carrie underwood, but what she wore in the results show was a mess. what’s with the sleeves?

images courtesy of www.americanidol.com

since i am already in the topic of gym, i am happy to say that i have gained almost 20lbs, 18lbs to be exact. i now weigh 145lbs, targeting 150, thanks to my personal trainor. unlike most people, i have a different dilemma; i loose weight when i don’t go to the gym. yep, it’s kinda strange but going to the gym is the only reason why i don’t get blown away during typhoons and strong winds. like i said, i’m targeting 150lbs, i think that weight with my height of 5’7″ would be a perfect pair when i’m being asked about my weight and height. people notice me bulking up since i joined the gym. i was in hiatus for more than a year from the gym mostly because i travel for work and that i lost interest in taking care of myself, but 2008 is about me so i’m back. i’m quite happy with my proportions; legs and torso seems to be matched. i have to say since a lot of the gym nuts are johnny bravos-heavy on the torso, limp on the legs-or chicken legs. i’m so mean!

however, me bulking up posed a serious problem for me, and my viktors.

to date, i have 29 viktors. these are investments, clothes are always an investment. it is how you present yourself to the world and of course you always want to wrap yourself with the finest thai silk, mother of pearls, de beers diamonds and put your best foot forward. almost half of them are skinny jeans-really fitting, seam busting, 2nd skin like skinny jeans-that i can no longer wear. simply because it won’t fit me anymore. my legs grew 2 inches in diameter each, how i wish it grew vertically. it won’t fit me and goes only up to my thighs. it’s such a sappy, sappy day when i found out. happy that i gained weight but sad that my ultimate viktor vp#1 is now just in my closet. these jeans hanging on my rack are the only ones that i can wear, some of them after 10 minutes of pulling. looking fierce is such a fierce job.

if you are a vip viktor citizen, we are having a launching sale with the lord viktor line paired with selvedge japanese premium denim for LV#1. sale ends on may 5 so phone your denim specialist now! don’t forget to bring your viktor pasaporte.

listening to:
The Dutchess – Fergie: London Bridge

the viktor denim bag (in the middle) was a gift from viktor jeans. it’s quite large and very handy for those days you just need to put everything in and forget about it, like laundry day. i use it for the gym during weekdays where i bring a ton of stuff to the gym. i go to the gym before going to the office during work days so i need to carry my work clothes and gym clothes and other stuff to the gym quite a handy bag if you ask me. i bought the black tote bag at carbon after passing at the store. it has been a while since i last visited their store at greenbelt 3 and that brand has always been a source of quality and stylish leather goods. i have been eyeing this bag for a while now but i find the price tag quite expensive for a local brand. but fuck it, why go cheap on a local brand? if i can drop us$1,200.00 for a canvass vuitton, why not on a good leather tote? it maybe a local brand but it’s as good as the luxury brand and it’s way cheaper, only us$350.00.

the dr. marten wine red boots is a different story. listen up people, after starting the trend of skinny jeans, i can confidently say that the new fashion is skinny jeans and boots. you heard me, military boots with skinny jeans will rule not only the runway but the streets for those style savvy people. although skinny jeans is slowly becoming a thing of the past, it will always be in style as long as you have the legs and attitude to wear it. think punk rock, think london chic; big boots will be the new trend, trust me on this . so grab a boot at your nearest shoe shop, this will be huge i tell you. attitude, attitude, attitude.

listening to:
As I Am – Kristin Chenoweth: Taylor, the Latte Boy

richard sent a message saturday evening, dinner at serendra with his current beau jake. i was in training at viktor in trinoma, helping out people in dire need of styling and guidance in dressing up. i replied asking where to next since i won’t get off until 10.00pm. i went home shortly after and killed time watching memoirs of a geisha at hbo. i so love the dance piece of ziyi zhang, so full of emotions noh? 11.30pm, i called richard to find out they were still at bonifacio high street, at fully booked. i set a 12.00 midnight rendezvous at our hangout, cafe adriatico, called arman who’s in malabon. 12.30, i was in my lonesome at starbucks waiting from them freaking people. richard decided not to show up and arman was late as always. without jake and richard, arman and i went to sonata to kill time over booze, i need time to spend with my friend armand will all the drama in his life. catching up with our lives and occasional boy watching, my attention was caught by a group of not so hip youngsters. typical fashion, skinny jeans, printed top, but the real crime here is the scarf. the overflowing abundance of scarves everywhere. when i was in cincinnati and it was, say 39 farenheit/4 celsius i still go out with just a light jacket.

i don’t get it. since when scarves of the south became a fashion trend in a city whose average temperature is 77 farenheit/25 celsius? i am a big fan of fashion and accessories but it isn’t always fashion just for the sake of being fashionable. it’s about making it work and owning it. if you’re going for the one of a kind look, be sure you can pull it off and not stick in a crowd like a sore thumb full of scabs after the fashion police mauled you for your getup. not to mention that they have with them digital cameras that they took turns taking pictures in the bustling alley as if they are in a park on a sunny day. to each his own they say, but this one, it’s really their own and they should keep it that way.

-oOo- i am in viktor at trinoma every saturday afternoon until closing. i am a stylist and helps out customers in picking out their custom jeans. please drop by anytime for your 1 of a kind jeans, and if you need my help, i’m there on saturdays.

listening to:
As I Am – Kristin Chenoweth: Taylor, the Latte Boy

my new lego watch!

just like your classic lego, it’s detachable and sorta build your own watch. the links (watch strap) is fully detachable that you can actually style it the way you want. it’s so cute and child like that i fell in love as soon as i saw it. the action figure is of course detachable and the watch is waterproof. but who cares, it’s so cute and that’s all matters.