(EGOIST bag, Esperanza boots, Massimo Dutti knit top, Forever 21 collared top, Topshop bodycon skirt, Yhansy necklace, Watch Factory watch, olive + piper bracelets) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Since I’ve been posting a lot of red, white and black for this series of MOFW, I figured I should just continue with it and not force myself to wear something I don’t want to wear, just because all my recent posts have been looking quite similar. Maybe because it’s almost Chinese New Year (or Valentines?) that I’ve been bringing out all the reds out of my closet, or maybe it’s only another one of my strange color accent phases. Wear one color every day for a week. I think I’m one of the very few who can live with this. Shows how passionate I can be for something!

But anyway, it’s not really the red that I want to emphasize here, but my bag, which is one of my most favorite purchases during my trip to Japan! It’s from the brand EGOIST, which you might find familiar if you’re an avid reader of JELLY and SCawaii. They sell quite a lot of black and white clothes, but what sets the brand apart from other MODE brands like EMODA and MURUA is that they offer more mature and feminine silhouettes, and sexy-meets-edgy pieces. Not only do they sell clothes but also accessories, shoes and bags which are all very stylish and up-to-date with trends.

Speaking of trends, studs have been all the rage for the past couple of months, and EGOIST was there when it all started. This bag was only one of the many bags that made use of studs in their designs, but this bag was *the* winner. Don’t you think it’s genius to just put the studs on one side, and make the opposite side plain? It’s like having 2 different bags! <3  I can show the plain part of the bag if my outfit is intricate, and the studded part if my outfit is super simple.

(dazzlin skirt, Choies top, Mango blazer, EMODA earrings, Esperanza boots, Romwe bag) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Sorry guys, my bag isn’t Laguna Moon but it sure looks like it. It was sold out when I went to the actual Laguna Moon store in Japan, but thanks to Romwe I managed to get myself the exact same design. Thanks to ViVi and a close-to-iconic photo of Lena Fuji holding the same bag, I went all cat crazy for the nth time. Lucky for me last F/W, high street had a lot of these feline furries.

For the 4th day of MOFW, I’m wearing a gold skirt from dazzlin and a pair boots from Esperanza. First things first, Esperanza is on the top of my list when it comes to the best shoe brands I’ve ever tried in my life. I have another pair of boots from them, a black platform pair with a higher heel height, that I’ve worn on my Lookbook a number of times already. They are still in almost-mint condition after wearing it pretty much everywhere. Most of the time I pack at least one pair of heeled shoes when I travel, and that particular pair is always my first choice. I never get blisters and I can wear them for hours, without hurting! What is this sorcery, Japan?!

Anyhow, after a good experience with the Esperanza shoe brand, I got myself another one back in Fukuoka. This time I chose a shorter heel height which is ideal for traveling in both comfort and style. There’s a slight cushion inside that makes it even more comfortable! Plus it makes you feel like you got your money’s worth lol. I also chose it for the two-toned design which was all the rage in Japan during my short visit. :D

On the other hand, this fabulous gold skirt is from the popular Japanese brand, dazzlin. I know them primarily because they present regularly in the touchMe presentations along with EMODA, MURUA, and the other brands from Mark Styler (a fashion group that manages a roster of brands that I all coincidentally love). They recently got Jennifer Eyemere, editor-in-chief of France’s JaLouse magazine, to style the recent dazzlin presentation, which I think is quite genius for them to do, since it presents a different kind of Japanese fashion to people from all over the world. Not the popular notion of it always having to look like cosplay, lolita, decora, etc. I’ve already lost count of all the times when I’ve gotten strange looks from people who ask me about my ultimate fashion influences. When I say Japanese fashion, I guess most people expect me to dress up like Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Girls. Story of my life. Huu, it doesn’t always have to be wild and colorful! T_T

(2% x miffy top, Zara shorts, Esperanza boots, Dazzled Bags satchel, SM Accessories necklace and earrings, Bayo glasses) Hype this look on Lookbook here. Photos by RG.

2% x miffy collection for day 3 of My Own Fashion Week Hong Kong! 2% is one of the uniquely “Hong Kong” brands that I never fail to visit - they have a wonderful selection of brands that cater to different tastes, but you can also mix and match all their items to create interesting coordinates that perfectly reflect 2%’s classic but playful personality.

2% has been getting Lena Fuji to model for them for quite a while now (I think the first time I saw her pictures in the store was about 2007 or 2008). Being such a huge fan of her, I wanted a 2% x miffy top of my own! The brand came out with a series of photos of her wearing giant miffy ears, and super adorable short shorts with a giant ball of fluff (resembling a bunny tail) attached to it. Who wouldn’t say no to that? Anything that Lena models is sure to be a huge hit, I’m sure. This 2% x miffy collaboration was no exception. 

The search for the perfect 2% x miffy item was on. I scoured the racks for something that explicitly showed miffy, but also something that didn’t look too much like a normal graphic tee. And voila, this one popped right up once I set my mind on finding the safest choice - black and white… aka MY COMFORT ZONE. This particular piece of cuteness came in the form of a flattering loose-fit shoulder-slit top with a print that was just so me.

So I paired it with a classy pair of gold sequin shorts, one of my favorite purchases from my Kuala Lumpur trip last 2011. Thanks to Bobo for wearing the exact same design during our short (no pun intended) date back then - I was completely sold. She wore it with a sheer black top and a classic black blazer. Nothing like a little sparkle to put a little magic into an outfit, yeah? Paired the shorts with a gold satchel to keep the whole “casual with a glam twist” look on a roll. 

My boyfriend and I instantly fell in love with the quality of the sun the time we took these pictures. MAGIC HOUR.

It’s been such a refreshing change to have him help me take my outfit photos recently, and to pretty much just have outdoor shots that I honestly prefer more than my normal self-taken studio shots. It feels quite nostalgic since I used to take a lot of outdoor outfit shots when I first started this blog. Wish I could have him around all the time so I can regularly post beautiful quality photos like these on my blog! You might want to visit his personal blog to see more of the stuff he likes, other than me TROLOLOLOLOL

Stay tuned for my next MOFW post tomorrow! Also, advanced happy 20th birthday to my baby brother Calel! 

(Luscious Closet lace top, Topshop tank top, My Cup of Tea shorts, from Japan eyeglasses, Esperanza boots) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Such a laid-back look for a change. Found my inner hipster roots in the middle of the crazy Manila heat. Somehow it feels refreshing to just go out in something as simple as this. But definitely not as refreshing than a nice glass of iced lemonade on a hot summer’s day! 

The school year is over and a lot of people have recently graduated! It’s Holy Week soon and I’m sure a lot of you guys are going out on vacation with your families. That, or the usual church visits! Care to share your plans for the long weekend? :)