Last week, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Mexx Philippines to a short bloggers outing with fellow bloggers Laureen, David and Lissa. It was all the way in Alabang Town Center, a place I almost never go to, so the outing also served as a good opportunity for me to get out of my comfort zone (which is mostly Libis, Ortigas and The Fort only) for a change! Plus I can’t say no to a day of bonding with long-time blogger friends!

Lissa and I met up in Glorietta where we were chauffeured in a pretty Mercedes Benz! The car ride was super smooth, and this means a lot considering that I always have motion sickness whenever I ride cars.

After a few introductions with the whole Cinderella and Mexx team, we proceeded to California Pizza Kitchen for lunch! The yummiest Italian food were served to us in giant portions, and I helped myself to some epic-tasting pizza and pasta, of course (LOL). 

Was seated right across pretty Laureen and her very summery outfit! 

Not for those on strict workouts, diets or fitness regimens (ehem Lissa), but ideal for those who don’t have any care in the world about them (ehem me). 

S’mores pizza for dessert! 

After lunch, we were finally taken to the Mexx store!

It’s the only Mexx open so far, but do watch out for the Shangri-La, SM Aura, and Glorietta stores this year! I, for one, am excited for the one in Shang because I live quite near and it’s one of my favorite malls since I was little.

Sweaters and cardigans everywhere! Most of the items in Mexx are very reminiscent of European Metropolitan lifestyle. They offer modern pieces that are appropriate for city people with a knack for functional fashion.

Bags and scarves that are super easy to pair with anything!

Camwhoring in the mirror because we couldn’t get a proper group shot. :D

Here’s another one! I swear it would’ve been so awkward if someone walked into the store and saw a bunch of people (including 3 girls wearing sky high heels) taking pictures of everything we could find in the store. Ahh, blogger duties!

My favorites from the men’s collection. Reminds me so much of my trip to the UK last spring. One Direction style! 

From the women’s collection. A lot of their fall/winter items were still on the racks, and these included a lot of tweed jackets and office-appropriate blazers that exuded a certain kind of sophisticated European elegance. 

Mexx has actually been around for a long time now, but it’s never too late to let people enjoy good fashion. Thanks to the official distributor, Cinderella, for bringing it here to Manila!

Love the current collection that’s made up of mostly charcoal gray, brown, old rose, beige and red.

Apart from the quick tour of the store, we were also asked by the Cinderella team to help style them using Mexx clothes! It was a challenge for me to style someone with a completely different body type as me, but it proved to be quite an experience in the end. For Mexx Marketing Assistant Renee, I picked a blush-colored drape neck top and paired it with a similar-colored bag, and some bright red skinny pants. Just something mature and simple yet still appropriate for both daytime at the office and nighttime out with your closest girl friends. Pair with nude pumps!

Lissa made MEXX Assistant Buyer Tin wear something that matched her own outfit! It’s the same top from the previous picture, only in black. She paired it with a muted aztec print skirt and a bright cardigan for that extra touch of edginess that is so very Lissa!

Laureen styled Cinderella Marketing Manager Lana with a sexy-corporate-chic outfit. Black skinnies are my personal favorite staples in my closet, and Mexx had a lot of good ones that you can pair with anything. Laureen’s interpretation included a low-cut sheer floral-print button-down, and a dark gray blazer to balance out the sexiness of the blouse. 

It was David’s first time to style a girl - how cute! <3 I loved the result - a masculine look in general but the belt made all the difference in the world since it highlighted the waist and gave the outfit a feminine silhouette. I’d totes wear this look! ESPRIT assistant buyer Anjelica looked pleased with her new look :)

Sadly, the trip had to come to an end, and it was time to say goodbye! It was such a fun trip though, and I’m happy I managed to convince myself to participate in blogger activities for once. Promised myself to be less anti-social this year, so I hope this is only the first of many events I can go to this year. *crosses fingers* 

Thanks Mexx, Cinderella, Mercedes Benz, Mary Kay and CPK for taking care of us! Can’t wait to go on a shopping spree when the Shang store opens next month!

Follow Mexx on Twitter and Facebook. 

(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!

(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.

(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.

(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…

(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. :)

I can’t believe I’ve been blogging about Just G for a year now. <3

(Just G pink top, blue shirt and floral skirt, Chick Flick Collection heels, Suy Bags mustard bag, Le Plume headband) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

When I run out of ideas on what to wear, I try to look back and browse through my older Lookbook entries. I don’t exactly do this to easily replicate what I’ve worn before, but I do this because mixing different outfits that I’ve worn in the past can somehow produce interesting results. 

For this one, I combined this pink collared top and this exact same floral skirt, resulting in another one of my dainty outfit variations! It’d be such a waste to wear my clothes only once, yes?

So in love with these shoes! I’ve always been on the lookout for the perfect pastel pink heels, and these ones were pretty much a gift from heaven. I wish these also came in other pastel colors like powder blue or a light lavender shade. <3

Finished my outfit with an eye-catching mustard bag that matches some of the yellows on my skirt. 

Pastels and bright colors can actually go well together! This was an experiment that I did recently, and I’m so glad it didn’t turn out super weird. I balanced my pastel shoes off with a pastel pink headband, while keeping the other items rather bright and high-contrast. 

(Forever 21 vest/top and bag, Topshop top, Just G skirt, Esperanza boots, Cases for your Gadgets iCam iPhone case) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Mixed floral and denim for a cute, spring look. Somehow I was in a semi-Coachella mood last weekend. Saw a lot of Instagram photos of girls wearing denim shorts, crop tops and floral accents so I decided to combine everything and inject my own style to it. 

And again, my infamous boots that I wear pretty much everywhere with pretty much everything. Someone fly me back to Japan, please!

Suddenly, a photo of a pastel pink bag after just posting some kickass black booties. I have too much fun with pairing contrasting things together.

These little, previous details make all the difference in the world. I’m so happy I got this crop top that can also double as a vest! Everybody knows how Forever 21 stocks run out so fast! 

Speaking of Forever 21, the SM North Edsa branch is launching tomorrow! I’ll be there with the other brand ambassadors Lissa, David, Patricia, Danah and Stacy.

Too many people have mistaken my iPhone 4s for a legit camera. Thanks to a lot of generous online stores, I have enough iPhone cases for the next years to come. This particular one would be my favorite gift of the bunch, of course. For obvious reasons. <3

(Topshop top, from Vietnam shorts, Sugarfree heels, Topman necklace, Sheen by Casio c/o Time Depot watch) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

I don’t know if this happens to a lot of people, but I always have those “I don’t know what to wear!” moments.

I open my closet, and just stare at all my clothes. They won’t magically style themselves for me, that’s for sure. Five minutes left before I need to leave the house… and I really cannot, for the life of me, figure out what I should wear for the day. I rush like a mad woman and try out five different outfits in that five minute span. Then I end up with the first outfit after all! 

I quite hate it when that happens. Normally I’d blame it all on my choice to sleep in instead of using all that time to fix myself up. On other days, I’d blame it on the weather (Seriously, how hot is it in Manila nowadays?!). 

But really, a lot of this confusion has to do with a very unorganized closet. I’ve had this top for years now but it was lost for some time since I tend to put all my new clothes on the front, most visible parts. Then when I “get over” my new items and decide to wear something different, they’re all that I see, so my older ones end up unused until I decide to organize my clothes again. Cry. (In before the #firstworldproblems hashtag lol)

Last week, I spent about 2 hours just properly sorting my clothes out. All the cardigans and knits go here, all the black, gray and white items go there, etc. I think it’s really important for you to have an organized closet if you want to maximize all the clothes that you have. Mixing new clothes with old ones always result in interesting, refreshing combinations.

This skort that I’m wearing is something I got from a place in Saigon called Taka Plaza. It’s a bit like the Vietnamese counterpart of St. Francis Square and Greenhills, where they sell all sorts of affordable wholesale bargain stuff. This was my luckiest find. Also got the same design in a rusty brown color.

P.S. How do you like my new layout? Expect a lot of changes in the next couple of weeks. I’m trying to figure out what I should still add and subtract from my current layout. My html skills are becoming rusty too, so I’ll need to spend some time to actually sit down and focus on all the coding.

(Bayo top and shorts, Topshop cardigan, Forever 21 stockings, Asian Vogue heels, Elle Poupee ribbon hairclip) Hype this look here.

I don’t know what these are, exactly, but for me they look like cute popcorn-cloud hybrids, thus the title. If you figure out what these really are, please enlighten me :)

Back to my spring roots. Fishtail braids, check! Doll shoes, check! Lace shorts, check!

A close-up of one of my favorites from my lace shorts collection! I’ll definitely take a photo of all of them one day, but in the meantime, here’s something that’s just available at your nearest local mall. Lots of online stores are selling these now, but if you’d rather see them first before purchasing, this Bayo pair is perfect! <3

Photography by BJ Pascual. Styling by Tricia Gosingtian. Model: Lily of Elite Models.

This came out in The Philippine Star recently. :) Had so much fun styling this simple shoot because, well, who doesn’t love Topshop? I’ve been a fan and a regular customer since I was in high school. <3

~*cue PR article~*

The mix of color blocking and pastel. The beauty and bounty of the earth. Topshop’s Spring-Summer 2012 collection has a cool balance between the classic and the contemporary, the vintage and the now—experimenting with a mélange of pieces to create a fresh style. 

Sheer blouses with delicate embellished front and a classic collar (like a peach drop back sleeveless chiffon shirt and a floral chiffon crop top) give off a feminine and youthful vibe. A modish mint striped runner shorts paired with the silky lightweight texture of chiffon is perfect any time of the day.

A rose lattice back sundress has an effortless style. The cutout Peter Pan collar is a delicately-designed lace inset that goes well with the pleated floral drape, flattering the female figure. Rock a fresh new look with a cream lace floral shirt and a tipple stitch slouchy cardi to show  a stylish mix of what is now and an old world charm. Topshop’s petite and pretty red ditsy floral skirt oozes with oodles of sweetness and modish air.  The Angora bow headband, meanwhile, is the best ‘throw-in’ accessory to cap a smart, modern look.

The nude striped long-sleeves cardi is great when worn with dresses or skinnies and even with white, short-sleeved drop back shirts that are cut to flatter.  Peach high-waisted chinos—a fabulous alternative to leggings and jeans—are tapered and smart enough as work wear and can be worn during those cool summer nights as well. Then, perfectly polished toes will be the rage with the delicately adorned dude vectra studded PU slippers, ready for the romp.

Finally, for that flattering vintage vibe, don the Wisteria shirtdress in the clearest pastels. The floral prints are essential and charming nuances as a cool complement to the hot trends this season.

From casual to dressy, Topshop’s Collection 2012 has a fashionable array of items for an instant style statement you can swathe yourself with this season.

Robinsons Specialty Stores, Inc. (RSSI) is the exclusive franchisee of Topshop in the Philippines. Topshop stores are located at Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Place Manila, Shangri-La Plaza, Power Plant Mall, Greenbelt 3, Bonifacio High Street, Alabang Town Center, TriNoma, The Podium, and Ayala Center Cebu. Topshop SM Mall of Asia opens in April 2012.

I missed doing these kinds of posts! Very reminiscent of my entries back in 2009/2010, yes?

Anyhow, here are all the 4 circle lenses that I’m using at the moment. You will see that for once I’m not wearing any contacts with bold limbal rings or patterns! It has actually been months since I outgrew my Popteen phase, so I’m trying to look a little less cutesy/cartoony now (or maybe this is also a phase that I’ll also eventually outgrow).

All the circle lenses I’m wearing below are tri-color ones that have yellow inner rings that mimic the effect of naturally colored eyes. Unlike my past experiences with bolder and bigger circle lenses, I don’t have to put on too much eye make-up when wearing these. However, you might want to invest on different colored lipsticks to complement your eye color! 

As usual, I have my forever circle lens sponsor Japanese Candy to thank for all of this.  I’m wearing brown wigs in all of the pictures because my blonde hair can be overwhelming in tight shots like these ones.

I hope you guys find this entry useful if you’re planning to purchase any lenses soon!

PUFFY 3TONES GRAY (14.5mm) - My favorite of the bunch. At first I was a bit freaked out by how light they were from inside the bottles, but they turned out so pretty in the end! Also haven’t experienced any discomfort with these babies so far. These are definitely a must have! They go with different kinds of make-up… smokey, natural, colorful, etc. (What is this sorcery?!)

Lipstick used: Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Peach 075 + Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Creme Brulee 095

Thanks Elle Poupee for the floral hippie band!

GOSSIP 3TONE BROWN (14.5mm) - I love these lenses! Lovely shade of brown that’s not too yellow and not too red. The only downside is that I feel like they’re not big enough and that I was slightly tricked (lol). The lens itself is 14.5 but the print is just as big as any normal 14mm lens. You can still see that there’s a bit of space left from the edge of the design to the edge of the lens. :(

Lipstick used: Maybelline Color Sensational in Angel Rose

Thanks The Style Machine for the Hello Kitty glasses!

CRYSTAL 3TONE GREEN (14.5mm) - Same size issue as the brown lenses above, but these are slightly more acceptable, for some reason. The color is on the darker side  and they make your eyes look like your normal eyes but a lot shinier! I don’t know if I can recommend these ones and the brown ones to anyone since they kind of defeat the purpose of getting circle lenses, but perhaps if you’re looking for ones that aren’t too obvious or if you’re looking for your first pair of lenses *ever*, these might be best for you. The colors aren’t too overwhelming too.

Lipstick used: Prestige Lipstick in Romantic Red LCL-07

Thanks Miss Sartorial for the detachable collar!

SASSY 3TONE BLUE (14.5mm) - My alternative to the gray lenses above. These blue ones are quite suitable for anyone who wants to achieve a dolly look without having to resort to the ones with bold limbal rings. Lovely effect if you pair them with pink cheeks and lips. The combination makes you look younger and more innocent (haha)

Lipstick used: Maybelline Watershine Pure B24

Thanks Minimaos for the super pretty pink ombre wig (my dream hair color would be this kind of pale pink) and Miss Sartorial for the detachable collar!

(Motel Rocks pants, Love Jane top, Asian Vogue heels, Yhansy necklace, Romwe sunglasses) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

Don’t you just love floral pants? They’re a nice, quirky alternative to the usual floral skirts or shorts we usually see for spring and summer, and they look really good even when paired with the simplest tops. These ones I have are super high-waisted and have a very loose, relaxed cut - perfect for lazy days and colder weather! I actually wore these pants again today for Holy Thursday mass, but with a black long-sleeved cropped top and gold sequin ballet flats. I hope I can get my hands on more floral pants in the next couple of weeks. Call me obsessed! <3