upside down + loving sunday

this is what i usually wear on monday mornings — comfortable jeans, light, soft shirt and flats. for others, monday morning may be all dress-up day but my monday morning is still part of my day off. 
as you all may know (and for those who don’t), i work at night and have been for 4 years now. my daily traffic is not in the morning rush but right when everyone else is going home or on fridays, when everyone else is going out for weekend dinner. at work, we greet each other “good morning” when we enter the office, even when the moon is out and it is already dark out. our 1 hour break is still called “lunch” and right when i get home, my breakfast is usually my “dinner.” before i sleep, i say “good night” to my friends. i sleep in the afternoon or by lunch and wake up at 7:00 or 8:00 PM, depending on my schedule. how do i stay asleep even when the sun is out? i trick my body into thinking it’s night by placing dark curtains on my windows and having a dim lamp shade when i sleep. and if other people get freaked out when people call them in the middle of the night, i get freaked out when people call me in the afternoon.
luckily, for the past 3 years up until now, i have been able to get all weekends off. on saturday, i sleep at 2:00 PM and wake up at 9:00 PM. i spend the night doing stuff i love — watching DVDs, visiting blogs or hanging out with friends. i sleep past midnight and wake up sunday morning — just like any normal day. that’s why i love sundays. on sundays, i can join civilization. on sundays, i can have lunch with my family at “noon.” i can shop in the afternoon and have dinner at 7:00 PM (and not at 7:00 AM). i can watch movies and get massages. and when i say good night, it is really at night.
how about you? what is your week like? what is your favorite day of the week?


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dance like no one is watching

omigod, i haven’t been on a night out for months! these days, i’d choose my comfy bed over the sweaty and loud bars. but for my soon-to-be-married friend, there’s always an exception. drank an energy drink on the way out and i was good to go! (beat the hell of a hangover too the morning after…yey!) so, we all met up at my place to do our make-up and have a few drinks (white rhum and iced tea)…did a quick photoshoot with my sister’s 550ex speedlite and left my house past midnight. it’s funny because as i was looking at the photos we had of the night, i realized that we’ve all been friends since we were 10 – 13 years old but this is the first night out we had where everyone drank and everyone danced like there was no tomorrow! ordered some vodka and rhum ice…went home at almost 6:00 AM and at one point, i was already walking barefoot on the way to the car because my feet hurt so badly! nevertheless, it was one of the best times of my life! 
ps. the silver top i’m wearing is a thrifted CELINE and found it 2 months ago. i’ve been itching to wear it and this was the perfect night to do so. *wink*
silver thread top – celine
black tulip skirt – props
black peep-toe booties – celine (a gift from harry!)
gun-metal chained curtain necklace – props
stone ring – props (a twin of this is on give-away!)


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monotone + a surprised bride-to-be

the surprise did happen after all. even when everyone else was 3 hours late and the bride came over at 10:30 PM. at least she still screamed when she saw all of us in my room, getting ready for our night out. the formula for our profile photos: smokey eyes + lots of eyeliner + shimmer eyeshadow + bronzer + peach cheeks + glossy berry lips + spunk + craziness!
more photos of the actual night out on the next post! hope you love these photos. of course, taken by me. *wink*


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what they call, "the filipino time"

as i am writing this, my friends and i are preparing a bridal shower for our friend, april mae. she requested for this night though so it’s not much of a surprise. anyway, the bride is aware that we’re to meet here at my house at 9:00 PM but my friends and i decided to surprise her a bit by all being here at 7:00 PM and start preparing. well guess what??? it’s quarter to 9:00 PM and nobody else is here but me and candace — haha, the two of us being eternal early birds for all dinners or events that we have. and that is ever since high school. i have a feeling that we will be more surprised by the bride than she by us. we’re bad friends huh? 
embroidered peasant top – thrifted
jeans – chillypapa
cream peep-toe heels – janeo
tan shoulder bag – thrifted in baguio
pink and gold layered bangles – from india (a gift)
wooden green bangle – props
elephant long necklace – thrifted in manalili
sunnies – thrifted in carbon


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lace on my pocket

got this oversized shirt from my last thrifting trip with my mom and sister. i just fell in love with the lace pocket and the dalmatian print. my sister, once again eyed me and said, “it’s so you. weird.” i had to smile because it’s true. we had so much fun trying out the outfits in the dressing room. our voices were so loud that the other shoppers might have been wondering what we’re up to. i miss moments like this with my sister. we’re inseparable and used to spend so much time together that strangers would ask us if we’re twins. here are some photos of my sis and i, being just camwhores and enjoying each other’s company:
aims, though you’re a spoiled brat, a big dramaqueen and a pain in my ass, i still love you to pieces. 
 dalmation print oversized top – thrifted
black leggings – random
navy blue flats with rhinestones – parisian
white oversized bag – celine (my li’l sister’s)
dog-tag necklace – custom-made
gun-metal bangles – props
black layered beaded bracelet – random


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choosing green

before anything else, i’m wearing yellow but i am definitely going GREEN today. *wink*
here’s what happened this weekend: on saturday, i had my nails done. got so bored on saturday afternoon and just ended up listening to bon iver and up dharma down. missed my friends. couldn’t sleep because of the half cup of coffee i took on my shift earlier. decided to go on a night out with sister. woke up at 11PM, dressed up and put on make-up. on my drive to loft, my sister texted that they’re going home because of the liquor ban (elections weekend) and apparently, a few people got arrested for being caught drinking after midnight. epic fail on my attempt to have a night out again — oh well, there’s still the next weekend. 
sunday: plotted a romantic sunday with harry. went to the local market downtown to shop for accessories with my little sister, aimee. ended up paying P1,200 for 2 necklaces (an owl and elephant), 4 bangles, 8 cocktail rings, 2 earrings, a notebook, pens, cellphone accessories and a few sunnies. after greeting my mom a happy mom’s day and eating the best lunch ever — roasted chicken, kinason soup and kinilaw, spent the rest of the day with harry. let’s just say he was in for a surprise which he thoroughly enjoyed..haha! had dinner at tsim tsa tsui (a dimsum and tea bar in ayala) with family where we ordered too much and had to take home lotsa’ food. we had so much fun though and it was all worth it. 
and now, i am waiting for sister to get home from her shift so we can head on the voting precincts and make our votes count. 
how did you weekend go?
yellow halter top – thrifted
grey pencil skirt – thrifted
grey ballet flats – so fab (a gift from big sis)
enamel bangles – hong kong and bangkok
long watch necklace – hongkong gift shop
sunnies – thrifted at manalili
black oversized bag – mom’s closet


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heated crayolas

one by one, we’re each building separate lives. we’re at this age where we don’t just have to worry about cutting or doodling stars on our notebooks or what dessert we will be eating but of responsibilities that we have for ourselves, families and partners. two of my bestest friends are married (one of the two will tie the knot this june 5th). pretty soon, the rest of us will follow suit. this could be our last year that we’re all together in one island. 
so to make the most out of the remaining month we have, we’ve scheduled shoots to memorialize our friendship. the first one is entitled, “heated crayolas.” this is greatly inspired by the marc by marc jacobs spring 2010 ad. anything goes. any color, no matter how much it clashes. i think 60% of my accessories were used. it was hot, dusty but very much fun. 

details: photography by harry | photo editing, styling by me | make-up by me and april mae | location at south reclamation area, cebu

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summer of one-oh! ocean series: waking up to waves

oh how i wanted to have a fourth post so i could put up the fun photos my cousins and i took. but i promised you guys i would only do this in three posts…besides, i think i need to get back to my life in the city. getting too caught up in my daydreaming is not good for me.
i woke up to the sound of birds and the waves. the tide was coming in and all of us couldn’t wait for it go high by around 9:00 AM. harry and i took a little walk, checking out weird sea creatures (there were bubble or balloon-like stuff on the sand…it was jelly and when you picked it up, it would break and spew out water). right after breakfast, my cousins, together with my sisters and i, took some photos by the water and again, by the house. the goofy photo was just us and the self-timer in my camera. we had a blast just dancing and jumping around. 
and look what my mom asked my dad to do! she had a tent brought to the beach so she could bathe without getting directly hit by the sun! LOL. crazy mom…i think you can see one of the locales scratching his head thinking, “wtf?” haha!
outfit details: 
just woke up: graphic tee – maek | polka shorts – props | 
at the beach: green floral dress – maek | pink bikini top – justyne |
going home: blue printed dress – thrifted
accessories: yellow floral scarf – thrifted | bangles – props | sunnies – thrifted at carbon
 | bangles – props | sunnies – thrifted at carbon | dog-tag necklace – custom made

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summer of one-oh! ocean series: i love talisay trees!

it’s been 3 days since our weekend at the beach but my mind is still there. have you ever had those days where you just decide out of the blue that you’re not going to do anything productive at work? welp, i decided to do so for almost half the day at work until i was called by the boss for some issues and received successive e-mails from clients about urgent concerns…buhu.

so right after changing out of my dusty shirt and shorts, harry and i took some photos by the beach and walked around a bit. what’s great with daanbantayan is that it’s inhabited only by locals and you will never find a flock of tourists here. not that i have anything against tourists — just that i need my break from the crowd to be sane. i just love how the beach house is built like a dollhouse with no walls facing the beach. yes, it’s just folding doors and iron gates. the green lawn is the extension to the kitchen and living room. and the front of the house is lined with talisay trees. these are trees with huge leaves on branches that extend to any available space. the trees just give the perfect amount of shade.
filipinos love to eat. so aside from lunch, we take big snacks in between. the food for the afternoon: steamed oysters dipped in vinegar, lime and salt + green mangoes with shrimp paste.
sheer studded dress – thrifted
mix and matched bikini: printed top and pink bottom – props
yellow and silver flip-flops – havaianas
sunnies – thrifted at carbon

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summer of one-oh! ocean series: daanbantayan heaven!

i’m back from our annual beach trip to the northern most part of the island and i am definitely tan…ooops, wait brown from all the fun! mind you, my sun block is literally squeezed to death..haha!  i just can’t get enough of the water — my mom even asked my dad to set up a tent on the water so we can frolic all day without getting sun burnt (to know more about that, stick around for a future post and photos). my cousins from my dad’s side came along so you can guess what happened — we took so many photos that it’s impossible to post everything in just one post. this beach trip will be done in 3 posts. part one begins now. 
the lady goofing off with me is my little sister, aimee. if she wasn’t too lazy, she can start her own fashion blog  because she is as crazy about fashion and personal style as me. i’m more spontaneous in style though, she on the other hand tends to plan her outfit and accessories in accordance to everything she’s wearing. i should have posted something about her on her birthday last march but we got into an argument days later and i intentionally forgot to post it. haha! sibling banters — that’s one thing my sister and i will always have. 
on to the outfit: if you take a non-airconditioned bus to anywhere in cebu, here are a few essentials — a comfortable shirt and shorts, a scarf to protect your hair from dust, sunblock, sunnies and some bangles (welp, i don’t have a significant explanation for that…haha!)
the food: lechon baboy (roasted pig), ngohiong (fried ubod spring rolls in batter) and puso (rice wrapped in banana leaves) and lots of cold water and coke!
on me: pink shirt – props | white polka shorts – divisoria | bikini top – props | yellow floral scarf – thrifted | bangles – all from props | sunnies – thrifted at carbon
on aimee: floral dress – props | yellow polka bikini top – props | green flip-flops – havaianas | bangles – all from props | pink sunnies – thrifted at manalili

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my pinch of rock + ode to my shoes

i love dresses. i love vintage. i love lace and embroidered tops. i love the 40’s mixed with the boho 60’s. but i also love my share of rock — just a pinch is all good for me. i love (and hate at the same time) that when people see me, they’d immediately assume that i go out, go clubbing and am super into dance hits but would be surprised and somehow confused at knowing my music choices. ever since i sang back-up for my cousin’s indie rock band sheila and the insects (yes, my cousin is ian zafra), i have been hooked into new wave, punk, electronic and indie rock music. (a bit of influence came from having dated someone in a rock band too..LOL) i look for those quirky and captivating beats and the deep, sarcastic and even smart-ass lyrics. 
the smiths | the killers | kings of leon | temper trap | the national | broken social scene | band of horses | the ting tings | keane | coldplay | the cure | the honorary title | smashing pumpkins | death cab for cutie
these are just some of my favorite bands and they make sucky days bearable for me. 
now about my shoes…welp, i think it’s dead. my first ever forever 21 shoes (which is a big deal for me as we don’t have it here in PI) is dying. they say in fashion, we need a bit of sacrifice. it was sacrificed indeed. it didn’t die in vain i assure you. it served it’s purpose by being my friend’s shoes in a recent photo shoot we did.  just us friends, having fun. even with my non-dslr camera. for the photos, you’d have to hold on to your seats. (or not..hehe)
(ps. and to my friend, if you do read this — do not feel guilty. i’m gonna’ miss those shoes but they are replaceable. friends are not.)
sheer knit top with shoulder studs – thrifted
skinny jeans – chillypapa
grey platform heels – forever 21
gun-metal layered necklace – props
dog-tag necklace – custom-made
bangles (bronze to gun-metal) – props
black spade enamel ring – props

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planning a wedding

oopss…not my wedding though. but my friend’s.LOL. mine is a gazillion days away so for now, i’m just hoping and praying not exactly planning — at least not putting things on paper. between you and me, my wedding plans come across my mind every day. my dress, my song, my cake, the invites..etc. but don’t tell harry he might freak out…haha!
i totally forgot to post these photos which were taken weeks ago when my friends and i — together with the bride to be of course (the one smiling in polka) — went to the dress maker to have ourselves fitted for the bridesmaids’ dresses. in recession, the dresses would be our gift to our friend. so that our friend won’t have to spend too much to have us in her entourage (which we’re very excited about as this is our first church wedding in the group), we decided to pay for our own bridesmaid’s dresses. i happily obliged to design the dresses…just a simple tulip skirt with tops that have sheer chiffon cutouts. we wanted lace but phew! lace is expensive…hehe.
on a scorching hot, all i could wear was an embroidered tunic, shorts and flip-flops. we had ice cream and shopped around a bit for accessories. then visited this place that sells vintage or used furniture from japan. that explains the photo with the cabinets.

 purple embroidered tunic – big sister’s closet
braided leather belt – big sister’s closet
white tank top – thrifted (i DIY-ed the gold sequins on the shoulder)
dark blue denim shorts – big sister’s closet (again..haha!)
green flip-flops – havaianas
faux gold bangles – gifts from india
brown sunnies – thrifted at carbon

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