It’s another season of cut-outs, and I am so in. Well, it’s been around for a long time, but I couldn’t really push myself to go completely out of my comfort zone with waist-baring, back-revealing ones that will compromise my usually-conservative style. I find that there are more options for cut-outs now, and my favorite kind would be the ones that show off the neck and shoulders. 

Here are three outfits that clearly show my growing obsession for cut-out details. They range from subtle to something more obvious, and I can’t wait to get my hands on more creative cut-out placements in the future.

Pardon the overuse of girly skater skirts for these looks. This formula has become some sort of uniform for me recently!

(iAnyWear top, JOA skirt, Balenciaga bag, heels and earrings from Japan) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

(Chicwish top, Ellysage skirt, Chicnova shoes, INGNI headband) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

(iAnywear top and skirt, Tracyeinny bag, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue heels, Gorgeouxshop accessories) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

(Romwe top, EMODA leggings, Asian Vogue heels, Lacoste L!VE bag) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Temporarily got my Japanese MODE fashion inspiration back with this look. Somehow a lot of fashion brands in Japan (or at least the ones I saw in Osaka and Kyoto) have been moving towards more Onee and mature styles, and I’m probably at that prime age where it’s all too appealing for me. So. Freaking. Appealing. You have no idea. That, or I’m simply getting old and looking for something to justify my current taste in fashion, lol. 

Since it’s spring/summer, I’m making a conscious effort to stay away from dark colors while shopping. Japanese brand rienda is probably my #1 inspiration right now because it’s a perfect merge of this sophisticated style that I’m going for, and that all-floral, feminine vibe that I’ve always had. More rienda-inspired looks in the next couple of weeks, for sure. Right now they have a lot of beige, nude, pink and blue in their color palette and I’m so discouraged to stay away from all black because of them! Next biggest inspiration would be SLY because they still use a lot black, but pair them with slightly more colorful stuff, like what I did with this outfit!

In the meantime, here’s one of my no-brainer coordinates. I often just throw in a pair of floral pants every time I’m lazy to think of what to wear (Note: I’ll be the saddest person if the day comes when all floral-print bottoms decide to disappear), and put on a loose or structured top that’s easy to move around in. 

The top I’m wearing here is one of my recent favorite acquisitions. It’s like it’s so confused if it wants to be a top or a dress, or it’s peplum or scalloped or what. Probably as confused as I am now as my head is all over the place, given the amount of work I have to cram before I leave the country again. More of these confused items in my closet, please, while I’m feeling a little bolder than usual!

(iAnyWear jacket, Mango top, Romp shorts, Gold Dot wedges, Romwe sunnies) Hype this look on Lookbook here. Thanks to my friend Tracy for helping me with these photos!

Another one of my cliche spring/summer combinations. Denim and floral prints are two separate spring/summer staples, and pairing them together create a very pleasant contrast between sweet and edgy. 

I’ve had these denim shorts since about 2007, and thank goodness they still fit me! TBH, I was quite afraid to try them on after so long, thinking that I may have gained weight since then. But genetics has been very kind to me and my siblings - most of our items from way, way back still fit us until now. Phew! Saves us a lot of time and effort buying bigger or smaller sizes. Thanks mom and dad! We’re all dreading that moment when gravity and age finally decide to take their toll on us! T_T

On a related note, I finally got a perfect-fitting floral bomber jacket! It’s not too thick so I can wear it often without sweating like mad. Fast forward to next week, please? Looking forward to spring weather in Japan!

(Sheinside top, EMODA bag, from Singapore Far East Plaza skirt, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue wedges) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

A must-have in every spring wardrobe is the floral print skirt! I’ve quite a few of them, in varying colors fit for both dark and light color schemes. This one is a confused don’t-know-if-winter-or-spring kind of skirt but I love it all the same, because it fits all the black things in my closet. 

Anyhoo, as you all know, black and white is a huge trend this coming season, and it’s the perfect time to stock up on these classic two-tone goodies that can last you even until after it’s over. Recently, I’ve been trying so hard to ban myself from shopping just so I can save enough to splurge in my upcoming Japan trip, but the force is weak with this one! Just can’t get enough.

Also, I’m in a love-hate relationship with my current hair. I have a very strong urge to cut it short because the last 4 or so inches are immensely damaged (don’t know if it’s obvious in these pictures) from a recent dye disaster, keeping me from going out with straight hair or even putting my hair down in general. So many people have been telling me to get the same length as the wig I’ve been sporting in my last posts because it looks more chic, but I’m a little scared because my hair has always been my security blanket…

(Sheinside sweater, Romwe pants, Sugarfree Shoes heels, Kate Spade bag, Forever 21 earrings, Junk Shop Manila necklace) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

I just want to fill my closet with sweaters. I’d also wear cozy oversized sweaters to sleep if only the weather in Manila permitted it. It’s been 4 years since I started documenting outfits, and I am still obsessed with these knits. Who can blame me for always choosing comfort and functionality over everything else? They serve as easy solutions to chilly but lazy-to-dress-up evenings, as well as perfect layering pieces for traveling in winter or spring. I get cold easily (I don’t exactly know why, but I’ve always been like this since I was a kid) so I can definitely live in sweaters and jackets all throughout the year, regardless of the season.

On a related note, I congratulate myself for the conscious effort to not wear black. Huzzah! I’m actually on a quest to give my other clothes a chance to shine. And giving our laundry person a break from washing the same black stuff over and over again because maybe it’s getting boring!

(The Orphan’s Arms sweatshirt, EMODA leggings, Moussy bag, Sugarfree heels, Forever 21 necklace) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Comfortable dressing at its best. I’m feeling quite the opposite of what’s written on my new sweatshirt, but I see it as a good conversation topic for someone like me who fails so bad at small talk and… well, talking to other people in general. I could already imagine it — “Why do you have woe written on your shirt?” / “I’m actually super happy right now because… (state random reasons here in an attempt to salvage the conversation and not make it throw itself off a cliff)” Yeah, I know that it’s lame, contrived things like these that never successfully push through. But it’s fun thinking about them anyway. 

Because my sweatshirt is so gloomy (but might I add that it’s my most comfortable one to date, as expected from The Orphan’s Arms), I made sure to wear happy printed bottoms and colorful shoes! Yay!

(Apartment 8 top and skirt, Sugarfree heels) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Blair is back! I couldn’t wait to show everyone a sneak peek of the upcoming holiday collection of Apartment 8, so here’s one of the blouses I got to keep after the photoshoot we did yesterday.

The studs on the collar make for a nice twist on the basic white button down shirt that we all love. I could see myself pairing this top with all the bottoms in my closet now. There is a certain elegance to it that is absolutely perfect for all the holiday festivities in the next couple of weeks!

In classic Apartment 8 fashion, I wore this top with a floral peplum skirt from one of their older collections. I was just talking to one of the marketing people in Apartment 8 yesterday about how they were able to successfully position themselves early on as one of the online stores (if not the only) that sell the best, most well-made peplum skirts. It has already somehow turned into their trademark, I think! So much that they decided to rework the classic peplum into more daring variations for their upcoming collection (which I’ll definitely be posting here). 

Watch out for my reunion shoot with Katy and Paris soon! XOXO

Follow their Facebook page here for more updates.

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(Forever New parka, Romwe embellished top, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue wedges, Fashion Republic leggings) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Day 5 of My Own Fashion Week features Forever New, or Ever New, as we know it here in Manila. I swear it is high up my charts now when it comes to go-to places for quality fashion, and I couldn’t be happier to know that we don’t need to travel all the way to Australia anymore if we wanted to get our hands on their lovely items.

Recently, I was invited to the opening of the Ever New store in Rockwell. Ask the salesladies in the store about a girl who spent a whole 20 minutes just deliberating on whether or not she was going to buy this parka. 

The hesitation came from whether or not it would be wise for me to buy this kind of outerwear, since we don’t really get all four seasons here. When I tried this parka on, I instantly fell in love with the design, as I don’t have anything similar in my wardrobe at the moment. 

In the end, after much thought, I gave in. I get cold easily, and airconditioning can get a rather crazy in malls anyway. SOLD! I regret nothing. The 20 minutes of my life spent deliberating about this parka? Worth every second. It was quite pricey but a good investment, if I should say so myself. The gold accents make it look so classy, and I can totally see myself wearing this over and over again in the next few years. I wish it came in black as well!

Watch out for the last two days of My Own Fashion Week Australia this weekend!

(Aje top, Tracyeinny skirt, Dazzled Bags satchel, CMG wedges) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Welcome to another round of My Own Fashion Week! This time, I’ll be having an Australian edition where I incorporate Australian brands and items from my recent Melbourne trip to my daily personal style entries.

It’s the first day and I’m cheating already, by posting an old look that I already posted on Lookbook! I know I am partly to blame, since I got quite sickly today and I decided to spend the whole afternoon resting in bed instead of going out for work and errands. No chance to dress up there!

But moving on, this top was recently sent to me by an HK-based store that sells different brands from all over the world. I was torn whether or not to include this look in my November Hong Kong MOFW instead, but I figured Aje deserves an entry and a spotlight of its own. 

Aje’s collections are totally lust-worthy, and I’m happy to be able to wear and style their The Patchwork Romantic Spring/Summer 2011-2012 Skotolo top in my own way. The oversized, puffy sleeves, with the off shoulder cotton, make for a wonderful, luxurious gypsy look. Think Esmeralda in Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, minus the sexy, plunging neckline.

And the back of this top! Where do I even start? I never wear anything that’s too revealing, but the unique gold, silver and white sequined cross over straps totally won me over. I take interest in the fact that from the front, my outfit looks incredibly girly and dainty, but from the back, the slight skin exposure makes the whole thing look a little bit more playful and less conservative.

Clearly, I am still not over spring in Melbourne with this floral outfit. While the rest of the world is enjoying the autumn foliage and preparing for winter, I am with the Aussies, celebrating spring and summer! 

(EMODA top, Choies jacket, Romwe pants, Kate Spade bag, Charriol St Tropez Infinte Summer watch, FashionCookie ShoeAvenue wedges) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Recently, every day has been like a “What do I pair with florals this time?” challenge! Today I wore them with this military-inspired jacket, which is slowly climbing the charts when it comes to my favorite pieces of outerwear. The leatherette part, combined with the army green sleeves, make for a nice feminine take on the military trend. I’ve never been a fan of it until now! I owe it all to the blinged-out crystal-embellished ones in Zara’s latest collections. 

I’ve only been a fan of the military trend for a few weeks, but most of you know how utterly smitten I am with florals! This obsession transcends seasons in such a way that I will still definitely wear them even after spring and summer are over. I feel like there are so many different kinds of floral prints that there are definitely some, somewhere in this world, that are totally wearable even in autumn or winter. This pair of pants that I’m wearing, for example, is one of those kinds that work well with both black (and all the usual autumn and winter colors such as wine red, brown, mustard, dark green, etc.) and white. When confronted with this sort of versatile goodness, I die from happiness. Guess you’ll still be seeing me in these pants in the next couple of months!

Paired the two-toned jacket with a two-toned bag! This one from Kate Spade has a boxy shape to it that I really, really love. I guess it’s because I also have a boxy, shapeless body (LOL) that I am drawn to anything that is squarish or rectangular? I prefer boxy jackets and blazers with no waist and boxy dresses that don’t show the shape of my body over sexy silhouettes that emphasize curves. I think having 3 brothers and a mom who had pixie-short hair most of her parent life rubbed off on me and my personal style this way. I think I would even survive living on my brothers’ clothes if I suddenly didn’t have my own! Although I know it would be somewhat cheating on my part because my brothers have absolutely wonderful taste in fashion and they have a lot of items in their closets that can pass of as unisex! 

If you’re wondering what’s written on my loose tank top, it’s from Coco Chanel (LOVE HER!). “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”

So much truth in this statement, I can’t even

And finally, saving the best for last, a close-up photo of this gorgeous Charriol that was sent straight to me from Switzerland, the land of watches (and chocolate)! My wrist can’t handle this perfection. So elegant, and it suits pretty much everything that I wear.

(Apartment 8 blazer-trouser set, S&H heels, Salvatore Ferragamo bag, Bayo glasses) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

I’ve been dreaming about owning a black and white blazer-trouser set for the longest time now, and I’ve finally found the perfect one. I love the floral print overload, which is totes Spring/Summer, and the fact that the print is all dark and ethereal, perfect for Fall/Winter. 

While wearing something like this may seem extreme for some, you can always use the blazer and the trousers separately. How incredibly convenient is that? 

Rock the overwhelming printed suit by pairing it with simplest items to make the prints be the center of attention. I didn’t even bother wearing accessories for this look, because any kind of addition to this outfit would just take away from the point of it all.

I *was* tempted to do a color accent again, and was thisclose to adding royal blue or yellow! I decided to just really keep it understated by just swiping a bright coral color on my lips!

A closer look on the fabric that’s all nice and black and white with a tinge of pale purple. Not gonna lie, but first thing that came to my head when I saw this was Final Fantasy IX antagonist Kuja (thus my word play on the title). This printed suit, I believe, would be a good representation of him and his character design. I even painted my nails a pale blue to match the original Yoshitaka Amano artwork. 

Yep, you can be a video game geek and love fashion at the same time, lol.

4 days to go before the official launch of Apartment 8! 

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Everybody knows that I cannot last a week without wearing at least one floral print item. Don’t know where to blame this on, other than my pure love for anything that is dainty! And I guess there is nothing daintier than flowers!

(The Seventh Street blazer and pants, Anti-Fashion Manila corset) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Good for us, flowers in fashion come in different sizes, styles and colors. We see them pretty much everywhere - on tops, bottoms, bags, shoes, wallets, accessories, etc. However, not a lot of people dare to wear them all at the same time! 

I’ve paired my favorite floral items with stripes, polkadots, and basics, but recently, I decided to challenge myself by mixing floral print on floral print… on floral print. I know wearing two kinds is already pushing the limit, but three kinds… Really now?

(Yesstyle jacket, Anti-Fashion Manila corset, Sugarfree Shoes heels) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

And so I hereby christen this blog post “floral overload”. The inspiration behind this? You know how some people love to mix different colors in one outfit, and how other people describe it as “rainbow vomit”? I figured there should also exist “floral vomit”!

(Oh, the things I am able to think of…)

I tried to keep these two outfits look coherent by:

1) Mixing floral prints of different sizes. (Corset - large, pants - medium, blazer lapel - small)

2) Choosing one main color that is present in all the floral print items. (In this case, pink  is the common color.)

Yay or nay? Did I end up looking like a crazy flower lady (which I am, by the way)?

(Forever 21 top, Trendphile shorts, CFTG wedges, San-Sue clutch) Hype on Lookbook here.

Whenever I run out of time to think of what to wear, I’d always either pick a bright piece of clothing or a pair of kickass heels to distract everyone else from seeing how I managed to leave the house with not so much effort. Or I just make my eyeliner darker so the attention will all go to how thick my make-up is.

I managed to do all three for this particular look, and it worked! No accessories, no frills. The make-up, the bright color of my top, and my 6-inch wedges made all the difference in the world. 

It took me a long time to get over depending on accessories too much. No, wait. I actually decided not to pile on too much, because there was this one time I ruined one of my clothes because some of my sharp, intricately designed bangles brushed through them and caused the fabric to run. AFRAID! 

Now I’m in the process of trying to master the art of minimalism and just being super casual and realistic about my daily outfits. Well, I’ve a long way to go, especially since I don’t have any plans of retiring my heels in the near future. 

But really, a huge part of trying to pull an effortless-but-not-really look lies in how you do your make-up and hair. For some reason, anything looks good as long as you groom yourself a little. Bouncy hair, a little mascara, blush and lipstick can go a long way. 

Just look at a certain percentage of the comments that I get in my social networking sites! Sometimes I get more compliments on my hair and make-up than my outfit. It’s never a bad thing for me though! :)

(Yesstyle.com pastel varsity jacket, Zara mint pants, Monkee Business floral print top, S&H heels) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you’d know that I’ve been looking for the perfect varsity jacket for the longest time now. I’ve been seeing them on ViVi for months, but I still haven’t been able to really get my hands on a classic black and white one without any sort of odd and gaudy text written on it. Most varsity jackets I like are legit ones that are used by athletes and I can’t wear them because I’ll just look like a poser (not that putting the word “sporty” in the title is not poser enough - sorry for being misleading as usual) with all the text printed in front or at the back. I never owned this kind of jacket before in my life because I was never the sporty type, but I do love how they can pass off as something so wearable even outside an athletic context (if there is such a thing). They look great even with a simple tee and a classic pair of skinny jeans!

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