catch-up post: the maze hipzone makeover

oh how time flies — so cliche but so true. i didn’t realize how crazy busy i’ve been until i was preparing this post and it’s almost 2 months overdue. one day we were excited for the Maze Hipzone’s revamping and launching of their SS 2013 line and the next day, we’re experiencing heavy downpour because summer is way over. 
nevertheless, the experience that was the Maze Hipzone’s re-launching is worth doing a catch up post because well, the face lift was much awaited. the Maze Hipzone holds great fashion finds and it’s awesome that it’s now getting the attention that it rightly deserves. 
silk floral top – thrifted | khaki cutoffs – onyx jeans, DIY | buckled platform booties – zu shoes au | round faux croc skin bag – props | beaded cuffs – downtown find | claw silver and gold cuffs – borrowed from mom | rings: snake and leopard rings – bangkok finds, cross connector and flower rings – downtown finds | stone necklace – BU find
right after the event, Toni and i couldn’t resist running directly to Maze to shop. i scored a pair of “so me” floral booties that was the perfect pair to reward me for my self-imposed and necessary shopping ban. i remember not being able to resist buying shoes every month when i had a full-time, cubicle and stress-inducing job yet these booties that were a break from a 4-month hiatus was enough to make me happy. 

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i support cervical cancer awareness

this post may be late but it is definitely still worth posting because cancer awareness doesn’t end when cancer awareness month ends. it should continue because we are in constant need of education. we humans, especially the Filipinos, are very guilty of delaying finding out the truth of what we’re physically feeling because we are afraid of having to hear bad news. we are afraid of being aware and afraid of what awareness might do to our minds. we are afraid until it is too late. 
this experience has opened my eyes to the shocking statistics of cervical cancer in the Philippines and specifically to how it affects women. cervical cancer can develop in 10 to 20 years. that means, it can be contracted when we were young and only develop in our late thirties or forties. for more information about cervical cancer, get in touch with she matters






 

black and white collared top – props | watercolor silk skirt – thrifted | plum booties – gifted by sister | nude faux snakeskin clutch – props | necklaces: chunky chained necklace – borrowed from mom, white bib stone necklace – downtown find | beaded bracelets – downtown finds | claw duo-color cuff – borrowed from mom | studded snake bracelet – bangkok find | leopard ring – gifted by dad | black watch – gifted by sister | leopard sunnies – fashion de bella

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the barber’s hesitation

i never realized the hassle guys undergo to maintain their hair. i thought my curly hair was already high maintenance until i shaved one side of my head and found out i need to get a trim every 2 weeks to keep it as sharp as it is. one thing i discovered with having a side shave is having to rely on nearby barbers to maintain the shave — yes, barbers! i couldn’t set an appointment with my hairstylist every 2 weeks just to shave my head so i’ve frequented nearby barbers (near our house or home) trusting in their ability to cleanly shave the head with all their years of experience. and you know what they always ask, “are you sure?” which of course has been smirking at their semi-shocked and scared faces — afraid they’d hurt a girly-girl. ha!

linen oversized blazer – thrifted | patterned leggings – props | black and grey snakeskin wedges – pill footwear, the ramp | green braided belt – thrifted | grey oversized sunnies – urban outfitters, gifted by sister

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the lipstick effect

the lipstick effect is the theory that in time of economic crisis, women are more likely to buy beauty products to make them more attractive to mates. raise your hand if you’re guilty! 
for me though, it’s not so much as being more attractive to mates because i already have the guy i want but it’s really more about feeling better about myself. so yeah, guilty as charged, my red and pink lipsticks have been slightly overused these days. oh the life of a start-up freelancer. 
(i wanna hashtag “everythingwillpayoff” but remembered this is blogger. LOL).
 

cropped knit top – thrifted | lace bra – bench | high-waisted denim cut-offs – thrifted | grey ballet flats – janilyn | chunky red necklace – gifted by a client | black sunnies – fashion de bella | black and gold watch – gifted by sister | rings: black stone – downtown find, gecko and fox rings – pink pvssy, bangkok

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ladies who lunch

i started blogging in 2009 and was widely influenced by international bloggers Karla de Rass, the young Alice Xue and Rumi Neely. however, as all other bloggers, i started obscure and wrapped in my own bubble until i met other fellow bloggers from my own town. it has been a notorious notion that the relationship with people you meet over the internet seldom last but as with my love for proving notions wrong, i am proud to say the people i’ve met over the internet, specifically in the blogosphere, have become one of my closest friends. 
i met with a couple of my blogger friends, Toni Pino and Eden Villarba last month for a quick brunch at iTea and it’s funny realizing that we all met as single ladies who just love fashion to becoming closer friends and now all happily attached and in serious relationships. Toni just even had a super cuddly baby girl, Vania whom i can’t get enough of. we’re thinking of doing a shoot, all four of us who’re happily attached (including Mildred) and maybe call it Ladies Who Lunch, what do you think? 
i wanted to take Vania home to cuddle! so so so adorable!

leopard print knit top – thrifted | red palazzos – props | sequined flats – footzyfolds | oversized sunnies – fashion de bella | brass sphere necklace – downtown find | gold petal cuffs – props | black basic watch – gifted by sister | rings: snake & leopard – gifted by dad, bangkok finds, red stone ring – downtown find | blue oversized leather bag – RAF by plains and prints

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styling for footzyfolds spring/summer 2013

i once again had the pleasure of styling for Footzyfolds Philippines’ spring / summer 2013 campaign. with the sleeker styles this season, the look we wanted to achieve was fresher in breezier yet still classic outfits. of course, we couldn’t veer away from the nautical trend as this season offered chic foldable boat shoes too. here are the outtakes — official photos to be posted soon. 
details: models from Model’s Association of Cebu | HMUA by Ramil Solis | wardrobe styling by Gizelle Faye | photography by Dan Ong | outfits by Dino Lloren, William Manahan, Philip Rodriguez and stylist’s own
MAC model AR Duenas, make-up artist extraordinaire Ramil Solis and former Ms. World Philippines Karla Bautista – Siao
in Footzyfolds classic styles for Spring / Summer with the girls wearing William Manahan’s very chic SS 2013 cocktail dresses
MAC model Kim Covert with MAC’s very own Chicoy

even if was wearing heels, i don’t think i can ever fare with these beauties..haha!

sneaking in an outfit shot:

chambray button-up – thrifted | denim cut-offs – thrifted | peacock summer sandals – people are people | geometric stone earrings – lovechic.ph | neon pink belt – props 

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sunstyle: summer skin and fashion fest

last March 16, Vaseline collaborated with Forever 21 and Zee Lifestyle Magazine for a summer skin and fashion fest held at SM Northwing. the event couldn’t have come at a better time because the sun has begun to be scorching hot and we definitely needed not just lighter and fashionable clothing but a way to moisturize our skin and protect us from the sun despite the heat. 
the host, Karla Henry’s fabulous shoes!
one of my favorite looks from Forever 21’s spring/summer collection. i die for maxi skirts.
i’m more bohemian than grunge but i could definitely add that luscious leather vest to my floral staples.
the kid on the right is how i hope my kid would look like. isn’t she adorable?
 
the tie-dye maxi skirt and floral jeans! super chic!
another great look — the cutouts at the back of this top and those tribal-printed shorts are L.O.V.E. oh, she’s one of my favorite models too. shout out to AR! 
totally love the look on the left, even when i’ve gained weight and cannot wear cropped tops anymore. LOL. the tribal-printed jeans on the right are pretty too!


ira jennena and toni pino

of all events that i opted not to wear heels, i was accompanied by two tall bloggers…LOL. 
see? i knew i should’ve worn my heels. but these footzyfolds flats are so comfy!
sheer button-up top – props | pistachio pants – forever 21, bestowed by toni ♥ | sequined flats – footzyfolds | studded bag – thrifted | geometric earrings – lovechic.ph | silver cuffs with pink shell accents – stolen from sis | skull connector ring – downtown find | bird ring – bangkok find, gifted by mom
yes! i shaved my head — another risk. i’m that bored! haha. so far, i love it. it gives me more character. it doesn’t make me think that i’m boring when i look at myself in the mirror. i might keep this for a while.  

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contemplating on staying forever ~ boracay day three

day three of our beach bumming and beer drinking honeymoon vacation in Boracay. we woke up early enough to have breakfast at the resort then immediately proceeded to spend the whole day by the beach. i wish all days can be spent near the water, with the water splashing and i’m just lounging with a book and good music. if only. seriously, on our way home, Harry and i were contemplating staying here for a while and were imagining ourselves getting just about any job we can find in the island and live a simpler life together. *sigh*

pink monokini – props | crochet boho top – props | black denim cut-offs – onyx jeans | peacock sandals – people are people | orange scarf as turban – thrifted | multi-colored knit bag – gifted by sister | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters | bangles and bead bracelets – downtown and bangkok finds

 

the major peril when traveling with just the two of us is that we don’t get to take photos together. we didn’t bring a tripod and only brought an SLR with a 50mm lens, not a digital camera so it was even more difficult to take photos of ourselves. it took us 3 days to attempt to take photos on a timer and we ended up with a series of blurry photos and my iTouch getting dumped in the sand. thank you to the korean guy who took pity on us and volunteered to take our photo. LOL. 

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the beach x rum-spiked shakes ~ boracay day two

day two was spent entirely at the beach, as it should be. we woke up late and missed our free breakfast from Microtel so we had brunch by the sea instead. of course, we started the day with beer matched with a fatty double cheese ham sandwich — the perils and at the same time joy of a vacation = pigging out. 
while harry took a swim, i spent the rest of the morning until past noon, sitting on the lounge chairs, reading a book and still tuned in to my iPod. that was the perfect morning for me. by 2 in the afternoon, we had massages, compliments of the resort, beside the pool which we wished would last longer. by 4, we walked past the boundary of Diniwid and the beach stations to visit a Estacio Uno to have a quick ocular and meeting with management for a client whose wedding Cuckoo Cloud Concepts will be styling this December. yes! i had to insert a bit of work but it was still fun because the manager was really accommodating and told good stories of his life in the hospitality industry. 
the sunset was still something we looked forward to and we finished the afternoon with a touristy bottle of shake spiked with rum, paired with a chori burger and a longer walk from station 1 to 2 for some heavy dinner. 

floral cutout cropped top – gifted by sister | white denim cut-offs – thrifted | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters | bangles – bangkok finds | bead bracelets – downtown finds | elephant tusk necklace – bangkok find
mismatched bikini – props | blue floppy hat – boracay find | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters
polka dotted bikini top – props | white denim cut-offs – thrifted | striped multi-color knit bag – gifted from sister | blue oversized floppy hat – boracay find | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters | bangles – bangkok finds | bead bracelets – downtown finds


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sunset city ~ boracay day one

two of the things i look forward to when visiting Boracay: the awesome i-never-get-sick-of sunset and the beach bohemian culture. Harry initially wanted to go to Palawan for our honeymoon but i asked him to compromise and booked a resort on the farther side of the island, away from the crowd yet still near the amazing beaches of Boracay. 
day one was spent just lounging around, reading a book while waiting for Harry to sleep off his night shift (which he came from before we flew here) and listening to good indie music while experience the amazing sunset. the rest of the night was spent walking on fine white sand — holding hands of course, looking for good food at the beach stations and discovering Ti Braz which became our day-ender until we left the island. one thing we also realized and became a habit during the stay is that beer is only P20.00 more expensive than water. so naturally, since we were on vacation, we bypassed water and drank beer all day. 


white one-shouldered maillot – nudo swimwear | floral pencil skirt – props | embroidered and beaded sandals – people are people | rainbow knit bag – gifted by sister | elephant tusk necklace (which i lost during the trip) – bangkok find | bangles and bracelets – bangkok and downtown finds

forgive the haggard, make-upless face. this was during the later part of the night. anyway, i realized while preparing this post that i haven’t posted any details about our wedding. You can find our bohemian wedding here. hope you guys love it! 

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a little sacrifice goes a long way

next on the queue of my posts is Harry and mine’s February Boracay honeymoon – vacation but since we should all be in a somber mood for the Holy Week, i figured i should post them starting Easter. here’s a regular daily outfit post, after one of our Cuckoo meetings. this was taken last January, when we spent the whole afternoon discussing our business plans for the rest of the year. 
working freelance was something both April and i decided to do in October when we launched Cuckoo Cloud Concepts and definitely, one of the major advantages is flexibility and being able to manage our own time without being strapped to corporate necessities. nevertheless, freelancing is hard and certainly has a few downs as well. since we’re a start-up company, we have to let go of personal wants to allocate funds for materials, fare to and fro supply stores and our workplace and we have to accommodate long working hours. it’s hard not to be able to expect a certain amount of earning every month for the bills and we’ve had to depend on our super-supportive hubbies to get through. 
they say though, and this has been a tried and tested testament, that a little sacrifice goes a long way. we’re lucky enough to have such supportive people in our lives to cushion our sacrifices but we know that when we work hard with what we’re passionate about, we will surely get there. security and stability will come. for now, we just have to work our asses off. 

 

black safari top – thrifted | printed leggings – props | chain backpack – thrifted | silver ballet flats – rubi shoes, cotton on | gun-metal silver necklace – downtown find | claw cuff – bangkok find | beaded bracelets – downtown finds, braids & bonds | rings – downtown and bangko finds | black watch – gifted by sister | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters 

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run with horses

our visit to Gaite Ranch last February all the more confirmed my love for animals. we visited the ranch in Toledo for yet another ocular for Cuckoo Cloud Concepts and fell in love at first sight not just with the animals but the place as well. the venue had such a homey yet international feel to it that it was easy to just spend the afternoon relaxing. their free wifi in their lobby and restaurant was a plus too. 
there’s really something about animals and their unspoken affection for humans that tugs at my heart. the place was packed with horses and if only i can, i would have loved to run with them. while on our way to the aviary, we also met Trager, the ranch’s resident bulldog who was very sweet despite his tough exterior. Trager loves to have pictures taken, as long as he is sitting on a chair. i wish i had a bag big enough to fit Trager in. 
 

floral tunic – thrifted | denim cut-offs – thrifted | brown boots – props | oversized sunnies – urban outfitters | braided tan belt – props

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