maxi skirt – Girl Gone Cuckoo

sponsored post maximizing the maxi dress

One of the hottest trends of this season has to be the evening maxi dress. This simple yet stylish ensemble is both feminine and fun and has proven to be a popular wardrobe addition for some time.

There are a number of evening maxi dresses hitting the style radar this year, all of which have been created in an array of designs, fabrics, prints and colours.

Prints are especially big this season, regardless of the pattern. Floral, striped and tie-dye maxis have all been seen adorning an array of models at this season’s runway shows and such a style is the perfect choice for a variety of occasions; including weddings, christenings and graduation ceremonies.

The beauty of this ensemble is the fact that it remains quite demure whilst still showcasing an on-trend and up-market style.

One of the maxi dresses many virtues is its shape. When teamed with uber high heels, this style has the ability to lengthen the torso. It can, however, be worn with flats and wedges which is great news for those who intend to stay on their feet for the majority of the evening.

There are endless selections of evening maxi dresses at Isme.com. Dressy maxi dresses tend to come in materials such as satin and chiffon. This season is exhibiting an array of printed styles which create an edgier look that is certainly not suited to the shy and retiring wallflower.

Those that wish to invest in a simpler yet equally attractive style may wish to try a block-coloured piece. A simple hue can be dressed up with a variety of accessories including a statement clutch, killer wedges and a metallic belt.

Hues working their way into this season’s palette include purple, black, gold, red, turquois, cobalt blue and orange. The Grecian style maxi dress is a great option for those that wish to create a stylish, high-trend look perfect for a wedding or engagement party.

This style boasts a full length cut, sweetheart neckline and more often than not, pleated panache detailing. Pleated maxi dresses often come in an extremely feminine fabric, including chic chiffon complete with a satin panelling at the bust.

There are an array of outstanding options available today, all of which are impeccably suited to those extra special occasions.

The best thing about a maxi dress is its versatility; even the dressiest options can be toned down with the likes of flats and a pashmina, allowing you to get as much wear out of them as possible.

stripes & hearts

two and a half months can pass by really quick, huh? i didn’t even realize i’ve been gone that long until i decided to go back to blogging. let me tell you though, posing for my come back post was quite embarrassing. i didn’t know whether to smile or just act cool. so pardon the weird face.

before i proceed with telling you all about what has happened to me in the last two months, i feel i need to explain why i decided to take a break in the first place. on my last few posts, i’ve been feeling off and no longer passionate about continuing my blog. it confused me because blogging used to be an alternate world that i can immerse myself in and i did it for me. a few months before i took the break though, blogging became a chore. it became overrated. so i wanted to take a step back before i ruin my blogging experience altogether.

so, if anyone is curious, a lot has definitely happened to me in the last two and a half months.
♥ my little sister got back from aussie for her month long school break.
♥ i resigned as marketing executive from my sister’s company to start doing homebased jobs.
♥ i oversaw our wholesale clothing business and spent 90% of my days at home.
♥ then i realized i was being a bum (and spending my life savings) that i needed to get a stable job.
♥ surprise: i went back to the BPO industry. (phew! i know, right? i’ll tell you more about that on another post.)
♥ i celebrated my 27th birthday!
♥ and the best part: harry and i got engaged! he proposed on my birthday. it’s the best birthday gift ever!

till we meet again

i can’t believe it. summer has ended. as cliche as this may sound but time does fly so fast. a trip to our province, a few long road trips, a couple of visits to the beach, 3 doctor visits, 1 MRI and dozens of lazy mornings later, it is June. till we meet again, Summer.

on another note, i spent my weekend catching up on my favorite blogs and going through my link list when i was utterly heartbroken to find two of my favorite bloggers deciding to discontinue or delete their blogs. Kate of Postcards From…, and Eunice of Hey Fancy Pants — you will be terrible missed. i started this blog nearly the same time you guys did. you were one of the few ones out there who blogged to simply share what you were passionate about — your personal style and whom i found were real and genuine people. seeing how your style flourished with every post and reading about your life helped make the world a lot smaller for me.

chambray top – shopyapi.com

sheer printed maxi skirt – thrifted

braided double belt – shopyapi.com

tassel earrings – DIY

silver cuffs with pink stones – props

gecko ring – pink pussy, bangkok

bow ring – carbon find

swallows my flying sorrows

just when i thought i had everything figured out, i wake up one morning with utter panic and pangs of confusion as i realize that i am completely lost. they say 27 is the age of confusion. i didn’t realize it could be true or this hard. as of now, there’s a 70% possibility of doing a complete 360 on my career. all my life i’ve always aimed at being streamlined, knowing what exactly i am doing and being able to strategically plan out my next steps. i grew up being the daughter that worked hard in making her parents proud but i’m afraid i’ve become a slight disappointment. as of now, i have this strong urge to just throw caution to the wind. spend my life savings. travel. bum at the beach. be careless. study fashion design. eat out. do nothing.

tomorrow this can change but life’s been unpredictable and so are my feelings. i’ve been an hour late for work everyday for the past 3 weeks but i woke up early today and came in on time. so we’ll see.

swallow-printed maxi skirt – thrifted

white tank top – random

black long cardigan – thrifted (& overused..haha!)

gold metallic ballet flats – bangkok find

oversized dream catcher necklace – gifted from Sweet

black grommeted belt – bangkok find

faux gold bangle – props

a small step to color blocking

the amazing stuff that i find in the local market never fails to astound me. this skirt came with my PHP 10 dress and this one only cost me PHP 70. although you may notice that i love colors in my outfits but i’m actually still slowly succumbing to the color blocking trend that is so big this season. i guess this skirt is my step 1. tomorrow or next week, i might pair completely contrasting colors in my outfit, you never know. fashion or personal style to be more specific is that unpredictable.

on another note, if you are a shoe addict like me, then you’d certainly go bonkers for this shop owned by Denise of Denise Katipunera. the shop is aptly called, Shoe Etiquette and it offers shoes from the U.S. but are at really low prices. Denise has taken the responsibility of selling us those coveted shoes from U.S. so we don’t have to worry about the exaggerated shipping costs. with her amazing instinct for beautiful shoes (as seen in her blog), i’m sure pairs will be selling like pancakes.

i’ve been electri-pleated!

one of the perks of rummaging through thrift or vintage shops is finding a good number of good quality pleated skirts and dresses and every time i score one, i immediately sift through the folds and am just amazed at how it flows. i’ve been lucky enough to score 3 electric pleated skirts in the last 3 weeks on our recent thrifting trips and i can’t wait to wear all of them. meet the first one: a black double-layered electric pleated skirt. and i can’t help swaying with it when i walk.

printed tee – thrifted

black pleated skirt – thrifted

black wedge sandals – parisian, sm dept store

stacks of bangles – carbon finds

rings – carbon finds

faux snake skin belt – pratunam, bangkok

maxi + stripes = answered questions

i think i’m getting bad at blogging mainly because i’ve been trying to juggle so many new things in my life and welp, because when i get home all i want to do is watch TV, ‘imortal’ to be more specific. i just can’t resist john lloyd cruz’s good looks.LOL. to those who are not from the philippines or do not follow teleseryes or local tv series, ‘imortal’ is the pinoy’s take on the vampire-wolf craze. it’s something between twilight / underworld / anne rice plus the pinoy cheesiness.

just so you guys won’t think that i’ve totally forgotten about the questions you posted on my last giveaway, i’m going to answer a few right now. here goes:

which one would you prefer most — stripes, plaid or polka dots? (27chic and tortured artist)

well, for those who have been following my blog for some time now, you would know that i have such a weakness for polka dots. although it’s weird saying this because the photos above show me wearing stripes..hehe.

have you tried wearing neon leggings? (27chic)

as much as i’d like to, no i haven’t and i don’t think i ever will. constant running and drills from my old football days have developed my legs to be most unforgiving in bright colored pants, what more leggings. but i will be wearing a pair of metallic purple leggings this halloween.*wink*

who is your fashion icon and why? (eelectroCutee and style-haus)

i normally say mary-kate olsen because i just adore her laid-back, boho-chic style but i just recently discovered carine roitfeld (yes, it took me an issue of preview two months ago to appreciate her style) and i am just blown away by her. her style is just chic, slightly disheveled but very smartly done. she dons embellishments and layers accessories without going to far. i just love how she layers and pairs her clothes.

what is the major change you had recently? (sweet)
i think most of you know this but i’m going to say it for those who don’t — 2 months ago, i resigned from a high-paying job which was making me unhappy in exchange for a job which pays only half of my last salary but is very close to my interests — the arts and marketing.

where do you go thrifting here in Cebu? (alexa luna)
cebu freedom market or carbon is a fail-safe way to thrift although it may be a bit chaotic. you can find vintage dresses, cool shirts, frayed or washed out denim shorts, beautiful scarves from P10 – P70. for a more comfortable environment though, walk around the areas nearing cebu doctor’s hospital. they have several air-conditioned spots that sell ukay-ukay from P50 – P280. and when you do plan to go on an ukay trip, tell me so i can go with you.hehe.

chic in the tropics is holding a CSN giveaway exclusively for US and Canadian readers. go check it out!

grey striped top – thrifted

grey maxi skirt – thrifted

grey flats – gifted from charm

red studded belt – pratunam, bangkok

cross necklace – borrowed from aimee

rings: studded owl – carbon find | orange howlite – dane’s giveaway

gun-metal scales bracelet – tseng accessories