cebuana style – Page 21 – Gizelle Faye Creative Studio

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

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

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

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

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

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 aimee: floral dress – props | yellow polka bikini top – props | green flip-flops – havaianas | bangles – all from props | pink sunnies – thrifted at manalili

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.

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

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

take me back to the eighties

found this top 2 weeks ago on one of my thrifting trips with my mom and sister. my sister eyed me like she usually does which meant she’s thinking that i’m weird again. haha! the red skirt i was wearing on the volume 3 ocean series post in imperial palace was also bought on that same trip…man, did my sister think i was crazy for buying it — it was actually floor length long and i just asked my dad to trim it. she trusts that it will be good though, she’s just a bit skeptical..hehe. that’s what i love about buying unexpected things — i love the look my sister’s give when they find that the ‘weird’ item i bought actually looks good. anyway, this shirt reminds me of barbie because it’s malibu barbie pink and it gives an eighties vibe which i love more.

on another note, isn’t the quarter life crisis only supposed to happen on our early twenties? is 25, technically 26 years old, still early? because i am finding myself lost in the midst of everything again. i get intervals at work staring at my computer screen and thinking to myself, “this is not what i want to do for the rest of my life…” damn. but then the next day, when i get busy and hyped up with work, i’d realize that i can bear working in this industry, just that i am not loving having to wake up at a specific time e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y. it then becomes a cycle — staring blankly at my PC then the realization, and it goes on. what do i want to do anyway? i am in constant fear that i may be just wasting my life. do you get that same fear too? or is it just me?

printed top – thrifted

black leggings – random

black peep-toe booties – celine (a gift from harry!)

long watch necklace – hongkong gift shop

pink polka bangles – DIY by my sister from scraps of cloth

blue sunnies – thrifted at manalili

salt and pepper to taste

details (clockwise): my hindi bangles and other intricate bracelets on a star candle holder, collection of dangling and chandelier earrings from college, cocktail rings by my big sister’s influence and our drawer full of bangles from all over.

just like food needs salt and pepper to taste, i need at least one accessory in my outfit to make it complete. ever since i can remember, i have always loved accessories — from that small bow tie in kindergarten to the straw hat in elementary, scarves on my head in high school and huge dangling earrings in college to my bangles and rings now.

accessories for me pulls an outfit together – whether it be my layered bangles or long necklaces. i remember back in college, when my family and i discovered this street downtown selling raw materials for accessories like beads and wooden unpainted bangles. we went loco over it and bought so many as strings of beads cost only P5 – P50 per strand, depending on the quality. we spent hours in our living room, making necklaces, bracelets or earrings and even my dad joined in on the fun. he’s a dentist and is good with the pliers (as he does braces) so we’d ask him to shape us wires which we then use to hook in beads then make them as dangling or drop earrings.

my dad was even part of our ‘painted canvas bag’ business in college. we asked him to sew us canvas bags and my little sister and i would paint on them by the customer’s request. but — that’s another story..*wink*

how do you feel about accessories?

summer of one-oh! ocean series: imperial palace resort

the imperial palace resort and spa at maribago, mactan island. a free ride with harry’s management in his company…woohoo! with rooms at P7,600 ($160) a night, i don’t think i can afford it very soon..LOL. this was after i got home from the island hopping, slept at 8:00 PM..woke up 6:00 AM to get ready for another day at the beach! yey to summer!

here’s a lowdown on our stay in imperial palace:

♥ all met at I.T. Park at 9:00 AM
♥ ate lunch at one of mactan’s best italian restaurant (very cheap too!) — MB’s Tavern
♥ settled in our mediterranean-inspired room complete with a comfy bed with plush sheets, a a huge LCD TV with cable, iPod dock, a bath tub with hot and cold water and a view to the whole resort
♥ was surprised to find sooo many koreans in the resort — welp, it is after all owned by a korean..hehe.
♥ swam and played all afternoon at all 3 pools of the resort BUT was too chicken to try out the towering slides…boohoo for me!hehe.
♥ had dinner at SUTUKIL — a line of restaurants in mactan island where you can choose from an array of fresh seafood (fish, crabs, shrimps, scallops..etc) and choose how to have them cooked — sugba (grilled), tuwa (to prepare it in soup) and kilaw (eat it raw usually soaked in vinegar) — so YUMMY!
♥ had drinks at cowrie cove in Shangri-la Mactan — sooo expensive…whoa!
♥ woke up to the sunrise on our window and to my period…damn! LOL.

day 1 night and day 2 going home: floral dress – thrifted | tan leather bag – thrifted at baguio

day 2 at the pool: polka halter bikini top – props | navy blue drawstring shorts – thrifted | beach bag – roxy

summer of one-oh! ocean series: island hopping!

i’m almost booked for beach trips for summer weekends! i’m starting to get tan and will get tanner as we celebrate summer. people are going to start calling me ‘chicana’ again — chinita mexicana! LOL.

after my tabuelan road trip last weekend, we had our annual island hopping trip on saturday with my sister’s closest friends. this time, it was to celebrate one friend’s birthday and most importantly to celebrate a year of gay lovin’ — our friends, the gay love birds 1st year anniversary! to sum it all up, here’s what happened:

round up closest friends + friends of friends + 50 capacity banca + potluck on food consisting of liempo, lechon manok, ngohion, pancit, humba, sisig and puso + tanduay rum with orange juice + tanduay white rum with kool-aid + sunnies + colorful bikinis + the ocean + diving and canon ball jumping + the waves + lots of craziness + gay people = fun fun fun!

of course afterward, it was hella’ exhausting. i just came from my night shift and by 6:30 PM, i’m still stuck driving through insane traffic and haven’t slept for 24 hours. i get home, wash-up and sleep to get ready for another day at the beach at a water park resort on sunday. for more of that, keep posted!

printed summer dress – thrifted | hot pink halter bikini top – props | polka-dot beach shorts – props

blue sunnies – thrifted at carbon