tricia will go places

Bayo: Little Miss Mode

Thu, 31 May 2012 21:17:15 +0800

(Bayo top, skirt and bag, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue wedges, Trendphile earrings, Forever 21 headband) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

If you’re wondering what MODE-kei/MODE-style is, it’s a sub-genre of Japanese fashion that focuses mainly on creating clean, mature, and “high-fashion” silhouettes with interesting lines and cuts. Well, I wouldn’t really say “high-fashion”, but for a sub-genre of gyaru fashion, this is definitely a step up from the usual cutesy material that we see. ViVi, JJ, Happie Nuts, SCawaii and Jelly are only some of the many Japanese magazines that are following this new style! As of this writing, some MODE elements consist of black, white, denim, metallics and tasteful floral prints in sophisticated colors like wine red and mustard. What I love the most about MODE is that it plays a lot with proportions, and it is very, very wearable compared to other styles like mori, hime, etc.

I personally think it takes a lot of its roots from high street Western fashion and Western bloggers (think Rumi Neely, Carolina Engman, Chiara Ferragni, etc.), except there are actual MODE brands that somehow dictate which exact styles are popular. Two of the most popular ones would be MURUA, produced by Momoko Ogihara, and EMODA, produced by Ena Matsumoto. Just click on the links if you’d like to see examples! I found out about them as I was researching on what gyarus evolve into when they’re not teenagers anymore. They can’t wear cutesy things forever, so they created a grown up style of their own. I’m not an expert on Japanese fashion, but I do try to follow recent styles if there are any that I like.

With this trend as an inspiration, I managed to come up with this kind of look without having to depend so much on getting pieces from the two MODE brands I mentioned earlier. As long as you get some key items right, you can achieve this sophisticated, work-safe style with only the use of items from local stores!

I didn’t have to fly to Japan to pull this off. Bayo has always been around to supply everyone with the nicest black and white basics that you can use if you find yourself wanting to try this style out. I’m super obsessed with this loose white top that has the most flattering silhouette ever. I’m totally heading to Bayo again soon so I can get it in other colors. <3

Sponsored post.

Tutorial: Big Droopy Gyaru-Inspired Eyes

Wed, 30 May 2012 23:37:00 +0800

It’s been 7 months since my last make-up tutorial, and my technique has changed so much since then! I can’t wait to show you guys how to do this kind of eye make-up because it’s really fun to do and it creates such a unique look.

Not quite sure if this is universally flattering as I don’t personally know anyone else who does this kind of make up, but I do think you have to have a certain eye shape to begin with so you can pull this kind of make-up off. If you have tapered eyelids or monolids, you have to invest in eyelid glue or eyelid tape for this to work. I already have somewhat parallel eyelids, as you can see below, but I still don’t think it’s enough for this style. Thus the eyelid tape in the first photo and the “after” photo right after this paragraph. I get mine from The Face Shop or Etude House, fyi. They’re really easy to use once you get the hang of it.

Before and after. Haha, my left eyebrow in the bottom picture has a life of its own. Also the first time to show my no make-up eyes, I think. This is to show you the magic of make-up! Even false lashes make all the difference in the world. I’m also using Kumicky’s Girly Chip Soy Latte Brown lenses (thanks to Japanese Candy) to create an innocent look since my favorite light gray ones tend to create a more mature look.

Interested to try this style out? Here are the steps to achieve big, droopy, gyaru-inspired eyes:

Step 1: Apply eye primer! I ran out of Urban Decay Primer Potion recently so I got a dupe at Etude House. Primer prevents your eye make-up from creasing or smearing and makes your eyeshadow color appear brighter.

Step 2: Apply eyeshadow. I’m using the green one from my tokidoki x Sephora Sandy in the City palette. You can actually use any color since the magic of this make-up style doesn’t rely heavily on eyeshadow.

Step 3: This is where the magic begins. I’m using Dolly Wink’s liquid eyeliner to create a thin, defined line. You have to wing your eyeliner DOWNWARDS. You can extend it even further if you want your eyes droopier.

I know it sounds silly to make your eyes appear droopier, but there’s something about it that makes you look more doll-like!

Step 4: Apply mascara on your top lashes. I’m using my favorite Dolly Wink volume mascara. This part is optional since you’ll be putting false lashes anyway. I just like to do this step because I feel better with mascara on (lol)

Step 5: This step is super important! After you’ve done your droopy wing and it’s finally time to apply falsies, you have to follow that downwards wing instead of your natural lash line.

It might feel and look weird at first, but I swear it works like a charm! I’m using Decorative Eyelash falsies I got from Fukuoka last December.

Step 6: Time to apply lower lashes! I’m using Crayon lower lashes I got from Watsons (Eastwood) some time ago. YES, WE HAVE LOWER LASHES AVAILABLE LOCALLY! And they’re pretty affordable too, compared to Dolly Wink which is a little too overpriced. I can’t wait for a future where they decide to bring Diamond Lash and all the Japanese lash brands in here. /cry

Anyhow, this is the last of the 3 most important steps in this tutorial. Don’t follow your natural lower lash line. Instead, use the downwards wing as a point of reference and connect the top and lower lashes there. It’s hard to explain but I put a green line so it’s easier to understand.

And that’s it! I put purple and green lines to illustrate the effect of doing your make-up this way. The purple line is the “before” while the green line is the “after”. I hope this proves to be useful to those who want to make their eyes bigger by just using eyeliner and false eyelashes. No complicated eyeshadow blending and yet it’s possible to create an illusion of a totally different eye shape.

If you have any questions and tutorial requests, feel free to comment on this entry. I can’t really do complicated ones with lots of colors and blending, but I’m all for ulzzang and gyaru-inspired ones. If anyone gets inspired by this, take a picture and let me see! Hope this tutorial helps. <3

P.S. I’m wearing extensions in the first photo to give my hair more volume. Thanks Cotton Candy Hair Extensions!

MIFW: Melium Gala

Tue, 29 May 2012 22:14:34 +0800

Pucci, YSL and all of Farah Khan’s labels were presented at the Medium Gala last November. Heard a lot of people liked this show the best during the Malaysia International Fashion Week. I wouldn’t be surprised! As I was taking pictures silently on my seat, I noticed a lot of girls spazzing about some of their runway favorites from the show! Talk about being super effective.

The show opened with Emilio Pucci, with his signature prints all over the collection. Yves Saint Laurent followed after with some of the loveliest jewel tones I’ve ever seen in my life. The bags got a few “ooh”s and “ahh”s from the audience - definitely some of the nicest accessories to complement even the simplest of outfits.

Then Farah Khan debuted her jersey collection, FK. Love how they emphasized that you don’t have to iron them. Basically, this collection = most perfect travel companions! Convenient for women who want to be chic but at the same time practical.

Finally, it was Farah Khan’s main label turn under the spotlight. Suddenly, there were these glittery dresses with statements printed on them! I love all the messages that she chose to be printed in big, black, bold letters. You guys know I’m always for positivity! The collection made such a huge impact that you could actually hear the audience reading the statements out loud as the models came out from backstage.

My favorite would have to be the one that she wore herself. CELEBRATE LIFE! <3

MIFW: Kronenbourg Who's Next + Afternoon Tete-a-Tete

Fri, 25 May 2012 01:30:41 +0800

I was reminded by all the Philippine Fashion Week tweets to post some of my pending Malaysia International Fashion Week photos. Here are some of my favorites from the early afternoon shows last November 25th.

Met for the second time with my friend, Tongue in Chic Associate Editor Karen Wong, who introduced me to fashion writer Lydia Kwan from Female Magazine. The two of us ended up having dinner together before the Melium Gala, one of the highlights and most-awaited nights of the whole MIFW. More pictures soon!

Just G: Retro Weekend

Wed, 23 May 2012 20:43:00 +0800

(Self-portraits; Just G button-down top, printed tee and skirt, Keds sneakers, 1721 hair extensions - love the extra volume and length that distracts people from my dark roots) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

One of the rare times I am seen wearing sneakers. I got the privilege of getting my free pair of Keds some time ago, so I got these really cute pointy ones in a sea of classic round toe sneakers. Apparently, this pointy Keds silhouette last came out in the 1960s, and they only decided to bring it back recently! I always knew I had an affinity with retro styles! This pair was available in another color, but I liked how the blue kinda reminded me of some of my light-colored denim clothes and a lot of the blues and greens in my closet.

Here’s another one of my cool-colored summer ensembles that is quite reminiscent of the kind of fashion I sported back in university. Plaid button-downs were my occasional alternative for cardigans, while printed tees layered underneath my button-downs were my quirky alternative to my collection of plain, loose tops in all the colors you can imagine.

Oh, did you notice that my nails match my outfit too?

Light as a Feather

Mon, 21 May 2012 20:47:20 +0800

(Clothes for the Goddess top, Chickflick shorts, Tonic platforms) Hype on Lookbook here.

You know it’s time to bring out the lightest colors in your closet when you feel extra girly and it also happens to be 34 degrees outside. Thin, light fabric never fails to keep me feeling fresh all day long - no buckets of sweat trickling down my back and making the ugliest marks on my clothes. But then again, I was never really the type to sweat a lot… which I think is a bad thing too!

All The Rage

Sun, 20 May 2012 20:53:18 +0800

(All The Rage “Rue” skirt thanks to Tin Iglesias, Freedom heels, Gold Dot clutch, Mauve necklace, 1721 hair extensions for that extra length and volume) Hype on Lookbook here.

Just when I was about to get tired of high-low, asymmetrical skirts… this one arrives on my doorstep, thanks to one of my good friends and favorite bloggers, Tin. These kinds of skirts are everywhere now, but this particular design is super special since it looks nothing like the usual chiffon ones that are sold commercially in different mall stores and online shops. Such a breath of fresh air to receive an original design from one of the people I’ve always found so much potential in. Thanks again, Tin!

Aztec print is something I never thought I could wear since my general style isn’t too bold, but who could resist this glorious (and classic!) combination of deep red, black and off white? I certainly couldn’t.

Pastel Fairy

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:09:45 +0800

(Topshop top, Clothes for the Goddess high-low skirt, Forever 21 bag, Comfit heels, Cheap Fashion Finds accessories, Elle Poupee flower headband) Hype on Lookbook here.

Finally posting the look that launched a thousand hair-related questions. First of all, this ombre isn’t real, okay? :) Secondly, I really wish I did have pink hair, or pink streaks at least. The most I can do now is cheat and Photoshop it in different colors since I still don’t know if there are any good local salons with pastel pink dye! Sponsor me please! (Obviously, there is no such thing as shame when it comes to my hair, lol)

What made me do it in the first place? Just check out my Comfit chunky color block heels! The bottom part has this really cute shade of pink that reminds me so much of cotton candy. I replicated the effect by just lasso-ing my curls in Photoshop and hue/color-ing a gradient over it.

One of my friends asked me on Instagram, “How do you wear mullet skirts? I have no idea what to pair it with!” Personally, I love wearing them with loose tops instead of going through the usual pair-it-with-a-corset route. I’m a super casual girl and loose tops make mullet skirts a little less dressy and a bit more relaxed!

Denim and Leather

Thu, 17 May 2012 18:48:00 +0800

(HEIR top, Topshop top, Romwe shorts, Comfit heels, Forever 21 headband) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

A little EMODA-inspired outfit that I wore last week, on a busy errands day. No time to fix my hair properly so I just left it straight and unstyled. I’ve always wanted to get my hands on the actual EMODA top ever since I saw it being worn and styled in different ways by Kinoshita Yukina and Matsumoto Ena in the pages of ViVi magazine, but I just got back from Fukuoka when this was released. Don’t you just love the semi-transparent sleeves? Coincidentally, just as I was about to give up trying to find one, this online store sent me a similar top as a gift for taking photos of their catalog. Talk about destiny! In true Ena fashion, I even paired it with a simple top with a cute cat print and my favorite leatherette shorts. The brand just opened their online store last week, so that’s good news to all you MODE lovers!

Chunky heels are the way if you still want that added height even if you’re always on the go. Think of them as alternatives to comfortable wedges. Thanks Comfit for these adorable shoes! My style is still super predictable - I can never get over injecting hints of yellow whenever I’m wearing black and white. I blame this on my blonde hair that matches yellow so perfectly.

Cambodia March 2012

Tue, 15 May 2012 21:16:00 +0800

Finally got to sort my Cambodia photos out!

I headed straight to Siem Reap from Ho Chi Minh since it was just an hour away. Honestly, from the beginning, I couldn’t wait to get here since I’ve always been such a fan of Angkor Wat ever since I saw it in my history books back in high school. Not only is it the biggest Hindu temple complex in the world, but it’s pretty much the symbol of Cambodia!

I stayed at this nice resort hotel that was situated in the center of the city! Actually, hotels were EVERYWHERE because of the huge amount of tourists who fly to their country just to see Angkor Wat and immerse themselves in Cambodian culture. The city of Siam Reap alone gets about 3 million visitors every year. I wasn’t surprised at all when I heard this, because this place is absolutely breathtaking.

Some of these places might look familiar if you’ve watched Tomb Raider before!

This is the south gate of Angkor Throm, the old (and not to mention last!) capital city of the Khmer empire.

It’s near the Siem Reap River, which is super clean and ethereal! The locals did a wonderful job maintaining a lot of their natural resources. Just look at all those trees too!

The first structure you’ll see when you enter the gate. It doesn’t look too big in this picture, but it’s really complex inside, and tourists are free to go up to the top to take pictures, etc.

So I did. Watch out for all the cheesy tourist-y poses I’ll be doing in this entry! Decided to wear comfy, fuss-free clothes because we were out under the sun almost the whole day. Wearing a loose Topshop top and mint Zara pants! And my Suelas pink flats which kinda died after this trip, haha fml

Apparently it was an immensely busy day at Angkor Thom because we saw a lot of crew cleaning, restoring, constructing and maintaining a lot of the structures that we saw. Later you’ll see that even the Angkor Wat was being fixed so I couldn’t really take the best pictures.

More amazing details! Just makes you wonder how long it took them to create these structures considering the tools and limited technology they had during that time.

Tourists were also free to ride these giant elephants if they suddenly found themselves unable to stand or walk properly under 38 C weather.

Temple Run is real.

Complete with monkeys!

I spent some time inside this complex… because it was just too hot when I got here. I was afraid I would just melt away and not materialize in time for my next road trip to Angkor Wat, lol

Was able to talk to some tourists from other countries who were also waiting for the weather to be a bit better. Most of them were surprised that a “little girl” like me carried a Canon 5D Mk II and a 24-70L lens.

All for the sake of pretty, professional-looking pictures, I don’t really mind carrying something that weighs like a baby! ;)

The Elephant Terraces!

This place where the trees’ roots growing out of the ruins is called Ta Phrom. A place you shouldn’t miss besides Angkor Wat.

These trees are the most distinctive feature of this 12th century temple. They’ve been around for a long time, so you could just imagine how tall and thick all these trees are!

ANGKOR WAT. This is best place to take a picture of it, since you could also include its reflection in the water. Unfortunately, some parts were being restored… and the main facade was covered in these bright green scaffoldings :(

Near the temple was this old, deserted, mini graveyard of sorts, where you could see how ornate their tombstones looked like in the past.

The interiors of Angkor Wat were HUGE! Included myself in these pictures so you can see how incredibly gigantic this place was.

Forgive me for the cheesy tourist pose that screams “HELLO!!! THIS IS CAMBODIA!!!”

One of my favorite parts of the complex. Reminds me of white and milk chocolate.

Found some performers resting in a corner. I love their traditional costumes!

The monkeys were so cute. But they kept stealing people’s food, haha

One of the entrance gates to Angkor Wat. By this time, people started going to a different temple.

Which was on top of a hill, where the view was unreal!

We had to line up because the temple could only accomodate a certain number of people. Good thing we arrived there just in time!

Hundreds of tourists spent the last leg of their temple tours in this place.

Couple shirts!

Random photo of this Korean girl with the most glorious hair ever.

Hot air balloon surrounded by birds. Vast grassland. Pretty, but people went to this temple not for this view. :)

They went for this one. One of the most surreal sunsets I’ve seen in my entire life.

Bumblebee

Mon, 14 May 2012 22:50:00 +0800

(My Glamour Place dress used as top, Yesstyle faux leather skirt, Gurly Glam Shoppe sunglasses, Sugarfree Shoes heels, Yhansy and Ferreted necklaces) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Say hello to my new ombre hair! Or not. Last week, I managed to fool a lot of people into thinking I finally got to fulfill my Jem and the Holograms / My Little Pony / Lisa Frank dream hair. Little did they know that this is all just Photoshop! It’s really easy to edit your hair when it’s blonde, so do expect more of these in the future, just for fun!

Here’s another one of my black and yellow outfits. Really a classic combination that can never do any wrong. This was inspired by bees, obviously! Complete with the big bug eyes in the form of giant Lady Gaga-ish sunnies!

In other news, I’m totally hooked on this new anime called Kids On The Slope. Must watch!

Capes Aren't Just For Superheroes

Sat, 12 May 2012 02:16:00 +0800

(Freedom heels, Clothes for the Goddess cape dress, Ferreted necklace, Forever 21 belt, Gifts Ahoy ring) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Wish the world had more of these to save the day.

Cinched the dress with a belt to give it a bit of shape, but from the back it really looks like I’m wearing a cape. Love the flowy fabric that sways with my every move. I managed to wear this as a lame fashion tribute to the Avengers movie since Thor is one of my favorites! We all know he has this long red cape (that matches his godly, silky “Thoreal” locks), and I figured that it’s totally the right time to bring my own cape out of my closet!

Now all I have to do is to pray that I may one day have Scarlett Johansson’s curves to pull off a tight-fitting bodysuit!

Anyhow, my body clock is still screwed up ever since I got back from Europe… thus the whole blogging at the most obscure hours thing. :P

Purple Shmurple

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:19:00 +0800

(Depaige Manila top, Freedom shorts, Yhansy necklace, Sugarfree heels, Accessorize clutch) Hype this look on Lookbook here. Need to cut my bangs!

I look quite different here! I found love in a lipstick called Frivolous Pink, by YSL, and it’s been giving me this summer tan which I really love! Got it a discounted price back in Changi Airport last week, just after my grueling 13-hour flight from Paris. I swear Singapore has one the best airports EVER. It’s one of my happy places! So efficient.

Anyhow, outfit-wise, this top is super interesting since it’s not your ordinary button down with the usual shoulder cut-outs. Don’t you think it’s a good innovation for summer? Something that can be both conservative and daring? I tried wearing this with black skinny pants too, and it can totally work as a sophisticated top despite the arm exposure!

Matched my purple necklace with my purple heels, because I’m predictable that way. This is something already quite different from what I normally wear, but I couldn’t help but inject a certain kind of “Tricia”-ness to it. That’s why it’s called “personal style”, right? :)

Lemon Vanilla

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:16:00 +0800

(Snidel sweater and shorts from Minkyshop, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue heels, Muji thick socks, One Spo collar necklace, Forever 21 flower hairpin, San Sue clutch) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Inspired by my recent obsession on MACARONS! These are the colors of the vanilla and lemon ones I got to try in different macaron stores in Paris.

I could live in this sweater. So warm and fuzzy and perfect for chilly days that are not only limited to winter. While it might seem weird that I’m wearing knits during summer, it’s not a totally off idea to wear them when you have to stay in an airconditioned room the whole day. How’s that for utilizing every single item in your closet without being enslaved by seasons!

Ahh, my roots are already showing! :(

Anyhow, these are actually shorts, so I definitely did not flash anyone in this outfit! Still in love with these kinds of bottoms, which I pair with pretty much anything under the sun - loose tees, button-downs, and sweaters.

To finish it all off, what’s a lace outfit entry without my favorite flower accent and socks-with-heels combination? I really missed dressing up like this after so many MODE and Momoko-inspired days when all I wore were black and white, leather and denim.

Forever 21: Pretty in Pink

Sat, 05 May 2012 11:07:00 +0800

(All from Forever 21) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Super late post, but here’s what I wore to the Forever 21 SM City The Block launch last April 18. This is probably one of my favorite all-Forever 21 outfits to date, since it’s so incredibly me and my personal style.

Such a comfortable outfit too - loose and light just the way I like it. I don’t think I can ever outgrow oversized knits!

I swear I spazzed when I saw this skirt on the racks! I didn’t think I could find the most perfect mullet/high-low skirt for myself until I saw this white and pink floral-printed one that’s just the right amount of sexy and cute.

The shoes are a really good find too! P1995 for Jeffrey Campbell-looking platform boots. What a steal. I guess it was my lucky shopping day!

Below are a few photos of myself and the other Forever 21 brand ambassadors during the opening:

Me, standing awkwardly on stage. I can’t function properly in front of a lot of people. It’s a good photo of how my outfit looks from the side/back though! :)

Stacy (1/2 of The Plump Pinay), me, David and Lissa (whose face you can’t see in this photo!)

So here’s a better photo so you can all marvel at her pretty face and wonderful, sophisticated sense of style! We both had a conversation backstage about our past experiences as Forever 21 brand ambassadors, how she, David and I are the only ones left from the original group, and how much we miss everyone else who shared the same journey at one point of our lives. Can’t believe it’s already been two years since it all happened!

And the Forever 21 craze still lives. So thankful.

Speaking of Forever 21, everyone reading this post should totally head to the Megamall branch right now for the 50% off sale! It’s only until tomorrow, so be sure to find some time to visit since you can most probably find your favorite styles at discounted prices. BDO cardholders can avail of 5% rebate with a minimum purchase of P5,000 for all 3 days, while F21 Mastercard holders can get 10% off on regular items, with a minimum purchase of P5,000, starting May 4 12 nn onwards until May 18.

i love koi x Tricia Gosingtian: Slumberdoll

Tue, 01 May 2012 05:04:00 +0800

(Photographed by Tricia Gosingtian. Make-up and hair by Marj Sia. Model: Julz Savard)

This is the second out of the two collaborations I did with the brand, i love koi. Personally my more preferred one since it’s a more timeless design that’s super flattering for all shapes and sizes without compromising your innocence (lol)

I have the weirdest swimwear insecurity - I can never bring myself to wear bikinis. I can only really wear high-waist two-piece ones and one-pieces, mostly because I can’t bear the fact that it’s possible to expose the same amount of skin if I’m wearing lingerie or underwear. I’m also the type who doesn’t want to get bothered being all conscious and stuff while swimming! It’s amazing how a lot of my friends have already mastered the art of not flashing their body parts randomly while at the beach.

And so this swimsuit design came to life. If I had to make the most ideal swimsuit for myself, this would be it! It’s my modern twist to vintage swimsuits which are so hard to find commercially nowadays. It covers enough, but also reveals enough. It’s totally swimmable, if you’re like me who can get a bit conscious with revealing too much skin. You can get these at the i love koi main page or Facebook page once they’re posted online. It comes in a wide variety of color combinations and fabric patterns, so be sure to tune in the website every now and then. I own two variations myself - a gold + black one that I also used as a top during the fashion show last 19th of April, and another red strips + blue one that that’s super cutesy-nautical. Here’s a photo of actress Maja Salvador wearing it as a top as well.

If you’re interested in seeing them first before buying them, you can visit Complex Lifestyle Store in Eastwood Mall now.

Ho Chi Minh March 2012

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:28:31 +0800

Late last month, I was able to take some time off work to go visit Vietnam and Cambodia. I haven’t been to these places before but I’ve always been very interested in them for a long time now.

Ho Chi Minh was an absolutely wonderful place to be in! All the restaurants I tried all served the tastiest food, and it was also fairly easy to go to around the city since a lot of people understand and speak English. Everything was very tourist-friendly, and one could easily feel how immensely proud they are of their own culture and history just by the way they casually describe the must-see places in their country. It’s really inspiring!

I’ll be blogging about Cambodia some other time, but here are my Vietnam pictures for now. :)

The view from my hotel room.

In front of Saigon Opera House is a park where people gather and pretty much cool themselves off on hot summer days.

Near the Opera House is this Louis Vuitton store that looks beautiful at night.

The Saigon Opera House or Ho Chi Minh Municipal Theater. Definitely one of the city’s iconic landmarks. The French initially built this building to host their opera shows, but now the Vietnamese locals get to showcase traditional and musical talent here.

Saigon at night. I had such a delightful time taking pictures in a buffet cruise ship on the first night I was there.

City of motorcycles. It’s amazing how they can totally dominate a whole road or a whole lane during certain parts of the day.

Giant langka!

At the Cu Chi Tunnels War Memorial Park, people can try going into some of these camouflaged hideouts that the Vietnamese used during the war against Americans.

Random photo of myself in the middle of the park. It was about 37 C that day so I took a break after walking quite a long distance! And that was when this photo was taken.

An example of one of the many entrances to a series of underground tunnels.

Sandals made out of old tires.

Just because! Normally insects freak me out, but this one looked as if it were waiting for me to take a photo of it.

Some of the tunnel entrances are free for tourists to try! There are many entrances and exits depending on your preferred distance. Some give up after 5 minutes, while some enjoy the thrill of going through these little spaces that were a huge part of Vietnamese history. During the war, there were even babies who were born in these tunnels because their parents couldn’t go out in the sun in fear of getting bombed or killed.

Had lunch at this beautiful place! They had wifi too, haha.

One of the temples I went to!

Office ladies praying.

In front of the war remnants museum were these giant tanks. Wasn’t able to take pictures but there were helicopters and other other aircrafts too!

Example of the things you can see in this museum. Skipped posting some of the more iconic war photos since I’d rather encourage everyone to see the prints for yourself! My photos of the photos don’t really do any justice, really!

My experience in this museum was very much like my experience last December at Nagasaki’s own atomic bomb museum. War photos break my heart every single time. Doesn’t really matter about the location since the involved parties ended up victims all the same.

While the contents of this museum might seem like propaganda against their aggressors, they really aren’t. They’re presented like this to remind everyone that war should never happen again.

After all the depressing stuff in the museum, I took pictures of random people outside the bus window. They actually try to pair their helmets and face masks with their clothes or their motorcycles.

Confirmed. It’s possible to ride the motorcycle in heels.

…and a sexy, revealing top!

The pretty Saigon Central Post Office that was built by the French during the early 20th century.

Inside. On the ground floor are some shops that sell tourist-y things.

The Saigon Notre-Dame basilica, situated right across the post office.

Lights at Marina Seafood restaurant. One of the best places I was able to go to for dinner! Must try: fire coconut prawns.

I figured I should post this even if it’s quite useless since mirror-camwhoring shots have started to become a staple in almost all my travel entries!

The reunification palace where the President stayed during the Vietnam War.

Vintage telephones! I’d love a pink one in my room!

Ending this post with some yummy photos of food. I can’t explain enough how surprisingly good Vietnamese cuisine is. I used to just overlook them before, but once I got to taste authentic Vietnamese cooking, I feel like I could live eating these kinds of food often.

More travel photos from Cambodia coming soon! I’ll just have to sort and post-process all the glorious temple photos first, as soon as I come home from Paris. Prepare yourselves for *the* Angkor Wat and a lot of places that can remind you of Temple Run!

Mini and Maxi

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 05:02:55 +0800

(Stylebook MNL top, ARF skirt, Paris Dreams wedges, Suy Bags satchel) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

It’s not always about baring skin this summer. It’s still possible to cover up and be a little conservative without having to compromise comfort. Skirts like the one I’m wearing here are built for exactly this, I think.

A mini and a maxi in one - how completely convenient can you get? My love for these kinds of skirts can equal my love for mullet skirts nowadays. Countries with tropical weather like ours benefit the most with these innovations, really! <3

Hope everyone’s been enjoying their week so far. By the time this gets posted, I’m probably freezing my butt off somewhere in London where the weather’s been predicted to be quite horrible these days…

Purp and Yellow

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:06:17 +0800

(Chicwish top and clutch, Romwe shorts, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue heels, Topman necklace) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Still, there’s nothing quite like a collared button down to instantly make you look more polished than usual. This particular one I love because it came in my most favorite shade of lavender. Plus the sleeves are so interesting, but not too overwhelmingly loud for my taste.

And envelope clutches! Oh, where do I start with these? Sometimes they can really pass off as the kind that you bring to school and such, but I guess that’s exactly the charm?

P.S. I’m in London now. Queued some posts while I was still in Manila. :)

Iloilo March 2012

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:02:04 +0800

One of my resolutions this year is to plan local trips and to try to share the beauty of the Philippines to the world. I mean, I’ve so many travel entries on different countries… so don’t you think it’s a little odd that I don’t have any ones that promote the Philippines? My own country?

I managed to visit Iloilo for a few days last March, thanks to an Operation Smile medical mission I somewhat helped out in (more on that when I get back from London and Paris). It’s embarrassing to say this, but it was my first time to go somewhere local that’s not your typical resort or vacation place like Tagaytay, Baguio, Palawan, Boracay or Cebu.

Boy, was I in for a surprise. It’s a totally different environment compared to Manila. The air is fresh and the skies are really blue and clear. Everyone follows traffic rules, and people don’t jaywalk. Everything is a lot less expensive, and everyone is extra friendly and polite!

Or I guess there’s just something about the Ilonggo language that makes people feel like it. One of my good friends is Ilonggo and I remember enjoying hearing her speak whenever she would talk to her parents on the phone. It’s very malambing, and they somewhat sound like they’re singing if you’re like me who doesn’t understand a thing from the language.

After the medical missions at the hospital, I would have some free time to go around the city and take a few pictures. These aren’t a lot, but I hope they’ll do justice to Iloilo.

Had Sunday mass at Molo Church! This place has been around since 1831, can you believe? It’s wonderful to see that it’s been managed well by the locals even after all this time.

Here’s what the inside of Molo Church looks like. Loving the fact that it’s quite a feminist church. All the saints that you see on the pillars on the side are women saints.

Outside the church is a plaza of sorts where people gather and pretty much just hang out. A huge part of it was under construction when I went there, so I guess they’re putting in more effort to prettify the surroundings of the church.

As if it wasn’t beautiful enough already.

No travel post would be complete without food shots! Here’s some halo halo I had at the hotel lobby. They ran out of ube ice cream, so I had vanilla instead!

And no Iloilo post would be complete without La Paz Batchoy. If you’re not familiar with this dish, according to Wikipedia, it’s a noodle soup made with pork organs, crushed pork cracklings, chicken stock, beef loin and round noodles.

For P65.00 you can taste all this goodness! I think I ate La Paz Batchoy everyday while I was there.

Before sunset at Jaro Cathedral. Just across is this beautiful bell tower. Interestingly, it’s not located right beside the church. Not the usual set up that we’re accustomed to, definitely.

Jaro Cathedral’s been here since 1874! What a beauty.

After touring all the churches, I explored a bit more. Wasn’t looking for anything particular by this time, but it was quite cathartic to be able to enjoy this sort of luxury.

Sunset clouds. The sky in Iloilo is extra photogenic, eh?

A new place near SM City Iloilo. Reminds me a bit of a more epic The Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill. Some of the restaurants were already open, but most of them were full so I just ended up eating at Mang Inasal back at SM. (Woot!)

Last photo. A huge space right behind the previous photo. Some people were dancing to zumba… which was pretty cool to watch!

I hope you guys can visit this place soon. I personally wasn’t able to really immerse myself in the tourist spots there, with the little time I had, but I could just imagine how much more pretty pictures I could take if I were able to do so.