cebuana – Girl Gone Cuckoo

the good kind of blurry days

i am going to use “throwback thursday” as an excuse for my delinquency because really, it’s been a year since this outfit shot was taken. i did still have long, ombre hair but i am still wearing my favorite black booties.

i count my months by how many weddings or engagement sessions i style now. i label my months as the wedding season (may, june, december, january) or as the ghost month (august) and before i know it, the year has ended. it really is different living an artist’s life. the days are a blur but it’s the good kind.

it’s:my:time

i don’t have the typical features of a Cebuana which is mostly a mix of Spanish and native blood — a mestiza as what we call it. i have chinky eyes, that of a chinese though am not fair but have almost caramel skin. i have curly hair and have never had it straightened. i don’t have the typical body type too — while my big sister is model tall at 5’7″ and my little sister is petite and can fit into anything, i have an athletic body with round legs and wide shoulders. and although i played with dolls as a kid, i’ve been into sports growing up (swimming and flag football) and am never afraid to get my hands dirty or my fingernails chipped. i dress up according to my mood and i have never been an avid follower of style rules — i don’t mix and match to the tee. although i prefer hanging out with the boys due to their uncomplicated outlook and am always mistaken for being one of them due to my sarcasm and humor, i hang out with them in my daintiest dress and red lips.

this is me. it’s my time…

and yours too. join benetton’s

it’s:my:time global casting competition

they’re looking for something different, something unconventional, something surprising, something real. It’s not just how you look but how you are

(and no they did not pay me to post this…LOL. i just believe it’s a great contest!)

linen zipper up top – thrifted

brown leggings – ???

brown peep-toe platforms – matthews at CMG

tan fringe bag – lil’ sister’s

bangles: brown – props | gold ones – from india

rings: animal print – props | white & wooden – from chai

long watch necklace – hk gift shop

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

day one: the tree house cottage

just got back from our beach trip…and i wanted to edit all the photos and choose a few to post in one post but i’m too exhausted and constipated (i ate too much!) LOL. decided to have three posts of our three days at the beach instead.

day one was a 3 hour road trip to moalboal, cebu. it was funny because our seat in the van had little space for harry’s knees so we were pretty much uncomfortable all the way. we kept smiling at each other and saying, ‘we’re almost there…’ when we got to the resort, it was indeed a dream. don’t get me wrong, there are better beaches in cebu but club serena was an exclusive resort which only has 6 cottages. so it was indeed serene and yes, our tree house cottage was magical.

ps. i love the smell of copper tone. i missed its smell. it signifies summer. and it brought back memories of flag football days.

green top – props

black swimsuit – props

sunnies – thrifted at carbon

blue & brown flip-flops – havaianas, make your own

smile despite the pain

harry and i went to visit the dentist today — my dad!hehe. harry was nervous as hell, letting my dad take a look at his teeth but he had no choice as he had to have his wisdom tooth checked. it was killing him and he couldn’t pronounce well all week — which was affecting his work as he has client calls everyday. i won’t describe what my dad did to his tooth but what i can tell is that he can now pronounce the letter ‘s’…hehe. i also had my teeth cleaned — after 25 years! ironic huh? my dad’s a dentist yet we hardly visit his clinic…haha! so, what better reward than to have ice cream right after the visit…yes, the cold ice cream does relieve the mouth but the extra toppings give more cavity…LOL.

ps. i love the details of this top. it’s linen, plaid and has pleats and pockets on the front. grabbed it and never let go of it while thrifting 2 weeks ago.

plaid top – thrifted

skinny jeans – chillypapa

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

owl chained watch – thrifted at manalili

black bag – lil’ sister’s

aviator shades – lil’ sister’s

rings: animal print and clustered cubes – props

braving the blue

i had asked for these blue tights of Leg Love by Kate Torralba from my manito (Secret Santa) for Christmas…and luckily, he found it. and now, when i think about it, it is such a bold shade of blue. an eye-catcher you might say. i wore this once with dotted tights over them (here!) and they looked subtle then — and that was for a vudu party.

so…i gathered all my courage and decided to wear them for work as i also needed a boost of confidence from the effects of work blunders last Tuesday. people stared. people were shocked and nearly dropped their jaws…i even had one agent ask me why i’m wearing such blue tights. and it kept me smirking the whole time because some people looked so funny trying not to stare in the elevator (in such a small space!)… nevertheless, i loved wearing these tights. despite everything, i stood out and i was myself again. who cares if they can’t understand.

i want to talk some more but my puppy is on my lap and has his head on my right arm. he gets mad when i type too loudly..haha!

printed top – thrifted

black jacket – thrifted

blue tights – Leg Love by Kate Torralba

black flats with bow tie – leaveland

rings – props

bangle – props

"kilig" factor

non-pinoy readers might wonder what the title is for…haha! “kilig” means the excitement of seeing someone you’re crushing on or you love…it’s sheer cheesiness…like that high school feeling! why might i feel “kilig?” well, since i got home from new year’s, i’ve been couped up in bed only going out of my room to get food and water…i’ve been watchign dvd’s of 80’s films…and i fell in love with “16 candles” and “say anything”…so cheesy yet i did feel those exact feelings back in high school! haha! life is so simple back then… all i worried about was getting my homework done, whether my crush likes me back..and what i’m wearing to the mall on saturday…wish i could go back. but then if i do, i wouldn’t be able to afford fabulous shoes. such a dilemma!

i’m also super amazed at the number of comments i received for my previous post…such an honor! thanks to all of you for visiting my blog…it really means a lot to me, reading all your comments… my 2010 is just starting and i have a feeling it will be awesome!

blue floral tube dress – a gift from goring

white knitted cardigan – thrifted

bronze flats – unlisted

tan bag – thrifted from baguio

blue metallic belt – props

oval locket – a gift from karen

long necklace with patterns – a gift from ivy

rings: blue – props | sterling silver howlite – dane’s giveaway

happy polka new year!

my polka dots may seem cliche for new year’s but not for the superstitious and those who love polka. they say that polka dots or round things on new year mean you get more cash for the year…*crossing my fingers* it’s my 3rd year wearing polka for new year’s eve (see photos below)…and so far, i’m loving it.

it’s the first new year’s eve not spent with my family and although i’m crushed as are all my agents, we did try to make the most out of it. we brought food to the office and i bought them all horns to toot when the clock strikes 12. so we stood under the drizzle and screamed and tooted outside the building, looked at the fireworks from our windows when we got back to our floor and ate as much as we could. and now i’m home, eating chocolate cake while everyone is asleep. *sigh*

here are my past polka new year’s:

new year at vudu (2008)

new year at waterfront hotel (2009)

polka shift dress – thrifted

black tights – hanes

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

long necklace – a gift from ivy

rings – props

clouds in the sky

after days of scorching hot weather, we finally got some clouds. i love clouds not because i love gloom but it’s a break from the heat. the only time i love the heat is when i’m at the beach. it’s not a complete beach experience if i can’t get a tan.

so my sister, mom and i went thrifting this morning. i scored around 5 dresses and 2 tops. i’ll soon be wearing them on future posts. on the thrift store though, there was this woman who was always asking people there if what she’s choosing is stylish. what ticked me off was when she approached me and asked me to fit what she chose because she’d like to see if it looks good. and pathetic me cannot say no even when i wanted to. ugggh! it looked good though — a black top with pleated details. and i wish i could have grabbed it from her.

aside from thrifting, we went to the market to buy some veggies and horns for tonight. it’s my first new year not spent with my family — i’m going to be at work! hmmmm… so many changes this year. might do a recap post this weekend. we’ll see. anyway, i have to sleep. so tired. good night!

striped top – thrifted

white tank top – kid’s section

skinny jeans – chillypapa

maryjanes – a gift from my sis

long necklace (reindeer in gun metal) – bubble bee gift shop

gun metal cuffs – props

sterling silver howlite ring – dane’s giveaway

laid back

got exhausted after bringing my puppy to the vet yesterday that i wasn’t able to prepare my outfit. welp, what can i say, there are laid back days. days when we cannot be all glamorized. on days like these, i pile on the accessories, as much as i can. and what better accessory to wear than the ring i won from dane’s christmas giveaway. it arrived yesterday and i just love it! the shoes i’m wearing here is my ever-worn out metallic flats that i grab when i’m in a hurry, other than my black flats with the bow tie. it’s just so comfortable. a co-worker even commented, “hey, you’re wearing flats today…”

i had a really good day at work. i was able to do four one-on-one sessions with my group and had the chance to hear their thoughts and feelings. i have to say, i was a bit hesitant and scared because i didn’t really know what they’re thinking besides the caucus that’s going on. and with the drama that happened, who wouldn’t be nervous. but the day was really productive, except maybe for the trouble we got when another supervisor found some people sleeping (it’s because they were done with their work!). nevertheless, i have to be the middle man…and had to again give them the rationale of focusing at work. it’s so funny and ironic that while other groups worry about customer satisfaction and average handle time, our group worry about ‘sleeping issues…’ can anyone give me suggestions on fun activities to do at work? just so people can avoid falling asleep…or can anyone suggest ways not to fall asleep at work at all??? haha!

plaid mini-dress – thrifted

brown leggings – bought from mom’s friend

metallic flats – unlisted

blue ring – props

orange howlite ring – dane’s giveaway

the people i grew up with

nothing beats the company of true friends. had our yearly christmas dinner with my elementary and high school friends — the friends i’ve grown up with. we call ourselves ‘thugs’ because we used to love bone thugs and harmony so much back in high school. it means, “trues humbly united gathering souls…” i know, i know our name sounds so gangsta and corny in a way…hahaha! but we stuck to it because that’s how we came together. we had our dinner at this cool tea house called “bubble bee” and they serve every tea flavor and asian dishes. their interiors are really cool too — with mis-matched sofas and lounges.

after some margarita with my ‘thugs’, harry and i went to vudu (one of cebu’s top bars) and partied with my sisters. vudu has this annual ‘invierno’ party where everyone should wear white. some friends there were teasing us about having a family day but what can we say, we do party together and we love our vodka too. welp, i don’t really remember what happened after the vodka so i’m stopping here…haha!

ps. my blue / polka tights is inspired by tieka in this post.

i really love this girl and always enjoy not just looking at her outfit posts but also reading her thoughts.

white dress – maek

blue tights – kate torralba

polka tights – macua street market

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

long chained watch / polka bangle – elegant tang dynasty

moose long necklace in gun metal – bubble bee gift shop

rings / teal / gun-metal bangles – props

black bag – mongkok ladies market

on my sisters:

white jumpsuit – props

white strappy heels – care

spaghetti strapped top – extra material from a long skirt (we had redone as a top)

beige belt – props

striped skirt – thrifted

cut-out heels – rosanna peña

bangles – props

got everything i wanted

i’ll soon post a photo of all the presents i received for christmas. one thing i can tell you, it’s spelled S-H-O-E-S. *wink* i got all that i wanted. and don’t think i’ll be buying any in 2 months…(oh except i am still coveting those black sandals in celine with gold studs…

i hope all of you had a great christmas! i’m sure i did.

peasant top with red polka – thrifted

denim shorts – borrowed from sis

red flats with gold chain – celine

suede boho bag – bangkok

rings – props

long chained necklace – elegant tang dynasty

angel wing necklace – sm dept store

teal bangle – props

beaded gold bangles – gifts from tita

glasses – thrifted

running out of gas

all these trips to the mall has me running low on gas but it’s christmas anyway. the decorations and displays does lift up my mood. and it gives me a chance to spend time with harry — despite our busy and different schedules. i’m surely going to miss him over the weekend.

i finished reading ‘her fearful symmetry’ a week ago and i’m now looking for another book to read. i’d really rather read a book than watch tv — or maybe i’m saying this because we lost our satellite connection 2 months ago and that our house is not accessible for the cable connection. haha! but still, reading has always been my pastime — even when i was kid. i remember collecting sweet dreams, sweet valley, rl stine, love stories and christopher pike books. although reading those gave me high expectations of love and unfortunately gave me a hard time meeting someone…LOL. it was still one of the best days of my life — being couped up in my room and being immersed in another world i’m reading. i’m trying to catch up on that world now and buying books whenever i can. who can suggest a good book to me?

tunic with puffed sleeves – thrifted

brown leggings – my mom’s friend

brown sandals – prima donna

brown leather bag – thrifted

braided belt – props

gold belt – props

earrings – a gift

black and gold square ring – props

leopard print ring – props

glasses – thrifted