THE WEEK THAT WAS: Tops

Quoting Marilyn Monroe, imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring. I, on my part, think that I'm on the brink of being boring. I never did change my choice for bottoms. As to make up for this, I choose rather the dainty and playful pieces in whatever I put on for the rest.

   

Pretty blouses and accessories make me happy. Getting them at cheap price doubles the fun! 

Just a run through (of pat of details, or the lack thereof! haha):

FIRST: Wearing lace top is one way to feel sexy in spite of conservative-ism. Heavy lace much so.

One of those few days I wear slippers. I arrived at my apartment in slippers since I forgot to bring my sandals. I changed to formal ones for work, of course.

heavy lace x crochet

black x white and washed denim

SECOND: I will never get tired of anything floral!

flower power

B&W! The necklace you see is the bronze necklace I got from the house bazaar.

THIRD: Just want to say hi to my 2nd Anna Sui (watercolor feather dress) from that house bazaar also.

lovely ruffled shoulder cover

FOURTH: Cotton On cropped shirt. As much as I love prints, I love stripes as well. More so, inkling of studs.

studded belt

FIFTH: Denim over denim! As to pay attention to details, this light-weight denim blazer has cute little flowers when folded. 

sorry, not ironed!

THE butterfly necklace c/o Accesorize

AND LASTLY, MY HAPPY TOP OF THE WEEK:

stitched details

this is a happy top. incongruous with my face!

smile though your face is pimply!

THE sleeves I love too!

hello, SUPER cute stitched x bejeweled niceties!

P.S This is not an outfit post, yes? eck.

Tweet

HOUSE BAZAAR! HOUSE BAZAAR!

I love going to bazaars. It's where you'll find unique and good-priced items you won't find in malls --same through with thrift shops, it's just that items in bazaars are almost always brand new.

Just this week, my friend and I went to Kim's, person behind "Fashionistas on a Budget", house bazaar. If you're an e-bay bidder, you might know her as "kimkong0907" where I found her, by the way. She has one of the best boxes of US goods of accessories and clothes, as well as, authentic designer clothes. I tried to haggle by bidding a couple of times on e-bay but it seems I couldn't beat the drive others' had. I didn't have ample time to check if I've been outbid and so I didn't get anything from her. 

Not until I saw that she will open her house for shopping. We went; and I bought 3 long tops, 1 cropped shirt, and 1 really nice bronze necklace. They're a bit pricey but I purchased them anyway. My friend purchased 2 dresses and 1 really nice Gap bag of good deal! 

AY YAY AY STUFF: Photos that might excite you, fellow shopper!

I've been wanting to have that H&M necklace for a very long time. I had the chance to take hold of it. I didn't purchase it, though, since I wanted white details instead of turquoise. :( OH WELL!

nice house and really great stuff!

Clothes --tops, dresses, blazers, and all sorts!

 More accesories!

There are shoes and sandals as well; mostly on sizes 8/9 --my size, I didn't like anything, though.

That bin contains lots of BNWT items!!

I'll post 'em photos of my purchases some time, perhaps! ;-)

Photos from Fashionistas On A Budget. Add up to see more and to know more about if you like!

Tweet

PAPERSELF and LUNAandCURIOUS: Paper Eyelashes and Graphic Tights

I stumbled upon paper eyelashes yesterday. Almost all search pages I clicked on were about these paper eyelashes by Paperself. 

 Model in Horse and Peach Blossom

The series of decorative false paper lashes are inspired by the traditional art of Chinese paper cutting and is a brain work of Designer Ting Yu Wang. Each lash looks meticulous and are available in three styles. All of which are in line with Chinese symbols with cultural meanings:

(1) Horses: for success

(2) Peony: for happiness and good fortune

(3) Peach Blossom: for love and romance

At first I found them emo-ish yet dainty. It's the lashes to die for for playful fashionistas out there. But I doubt that it's wearable for people who struggle from daily commute. I doubt you'll wear them on plain, normal days even. It can be worn solely for special events esp. fashion-related ones and made to be worn by models in runway and for photo shoots, perhaps. 

Based on web-search, I think Paperself is consigned by different shops since I saw shop names like Lost in Beauty and Luna and Curious carrying the brand. One article though had a link to Luna and Curious' blogspot and so I checked it out. To my surprise, they offer really hip and well-crafted items!

THESE TIGHTS CAUGHT MY ATTENTION:

 Manon in Love Tights

 La Palangre Tights

La Pluie Tights

I think they're all sold out already. They're coming out with more Les Queues de Sardines tights of these design, though:

 "Icar" and "Descente d' Organes"

MORE OF Les Queues De Sardines Graphic Tights Autumn Winter 2010/11 Collection:

NEXT FIND: These feather necklaces...

lovely!!!

(Pictures from Luna and Curious and Les Queues De Sardines)

Tweet

MORE STRAPS PLEASE: A girl can never have too many shoes

I used to think that you have to spend thousands for a good pair of shoes. God knows why, my feet are thin and long. I'm a size 7 in width but a size 8 or 9 even in length. But just as we all know, when an inch long is added so does to its width to proportionate. I try to somehow solve my seemingly big dilemma by going to US branded shoe stores since they have half sizes. In general though, I never really did spend time in the shoe section; I'll just sulk in frustration, I argued.

Then, I started seeing really affordable yet stylish and to top it all off, comfortable ones that fit my 'annoying' feet just right. It began with a pair. Then, I find myself wanting to go to the shoe section first before anything else when I hit shops and malls. I also made my debut in wearing 2 to 3 inched wedges!

 GO NUDE 

 NEXT: My mom was too generous to tell me to get the other pair of almost the same style of different color.

GO BROWN

LAST FIND: I'll still never get tired of flats! Please excuse. The flats are bronze and shiny. I can't take a good steady clear photo, srsly!

ALL OF WHICH are strappy, yes...

SOME QUICK OUTFIT POSTS:

I'm in love with bows and any animal element!!

At my apartment. I now have curtains, by the way! 

FAIL, yes

LEFT: bows all over the blouse. RIGHT: horses on bottom of dress. OH, bows and animals!!!

Seems like I solely showcased the brown strappy wedges! I don't have time and didn't have someone to take a photo of me. I have now, thank God! :)

 I wore the flats for this romper one holiday, though. Pardon the eyes.

SOMETHING FROM F21: I went to F21 this week to check out their clogs! Too bad they ran out of stocks already. I could have put my 1,500 to 1,600 for a pretty good pair already if the shoes and I were meant to be! lulz! 

But I heard SM Department Store in Megamall and Makati are coming out with clogs this October! I saw pretty booties that are about to come as well!

from F21's facebook page

 How about you? Any good pair find? ;-)

Tweet

CATS THE MUSICAL in Manila!!

I knew I shouldn't miss Cats, the second longest-running musical in Broadway history, next to Phantom of the Opera at that. Prior, I wanted to see it because it sounded that big and critiques are making a fuss about it. And so I beat the odds and went to see it on its last day. 

 outside CCP

I bought a ticket a day before, that was Saturday of last week. I knew that was my last chance and wouldn't want to let it slip me by. On a frustrating note, Orchestra tickets were sold half the price three days before I got mine. It is always, always a must to monitor ticket price for good seats of steal deal!

I got in Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on time. The musical went, I was watching and was enjoying the first few minutes and just like most people who came, I wanted to see Lea Salonga.

My enthusiasm to see her perform on stage when I heard that Cats will be shown here was rather banal. I would still want to see it even if it wasn't Lea Salonga. But then again, it became a totally different story as days numbered --I found myself fancying to see the Lea Salonga.

Towards the end of the first act, she came out and sang a part of Memory which was really short. Then came the second half which I enjoyed the more. The second half was far way colorful than the first. And again, new cats were introduced from time to time and it was entertaining to know about each cat through worthy of LSS songs which played on my mind even after the show!

Lea Salonga played Grizabella, a Glamour Cat who lost her clout and shine and now a shabby grey cat yearning acceptance from the rest of Jellicle Cats. 

The song Memory tells her story, relieving her glamour days in mind. Let me quote the known lines:

....Memory
All alone in the moonlight
I can smile at the old days
I was beautiful then
I remember the time I knew what happiness was
Let the memory live again....  

Macavity the Mystery Cat left a mark in my mind. I couldn't remember how he looks, thus, his name stuck to my head. I wonder why, was it the song used to introduced him?

 My favorite cat of them all is Magical Mr. Mistoffelees!!!!!  

WHICH MADE ME REMEMBER: Too bad, I didn't see Les Miserables and Cinderella from years ago! Anyhoo, I wonder what's next! :)

Tweet

"We are handed lemons, turn those lemons into millions!"

I've been stressing, time long past, that I would rather see a movie than read a book which still holds true for the most part. Not until I read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". I brought it to work and finished it for three days, that is, during idle hours to keep me sane. Waiting for the clock to strike six is real tough! 

A year and a half ago, my Chinese co-intern kept bugging me to read the book. He also kept on advising to take basic accounting and finance classes for he is in full conviction sure that those short courses shall equip me. Pride is in work, I heard him but I did not listen. In my mind was the thought that I suck in numbers and there is no reason to learn accounting, finance, and other more that has something to do with numerical studies. That is why I took up behavioral studies, I argued within.

Just recently though, I don't know what the wind blew in and the cats dragged in. I suddenly wanted to read the book. The first few pages are already loaded with motivational points, more like, simple yet well-stated arguments so I didn't stop 'til I finished.

I don't want to spill everything off but as I read the book, the disparity between how lower class and middle class men as opposed to how rich people think struck me most. I was reminded of what dad kept on telling us: to work not for money but for experience. And as I write the succeeding of this entry, I will quote and rephrase points I learned from the book.

I dreamt of working in a magazine company. I got in an OJT post for advertising but I wanted to be in editorial and so when I was about to start, I quit. I even waited for the opportunity for months. I was amazed at the office the moment I stepped in. I saw lots of Olay freebies and magazines for read in the reception area. I don't know if those things make you giddy but as for me, they do. But then again, I didn't welcome the advertising opportunity because I was too blinded or focused (as to sound positive, hee) on my editorial aspiration.  Don't get me wrong, it was nothing big or worth bragging about as much as it sounds. Again, it was for an on-the-job training --no monetarial gain but of good training and experience, I suppose. I consider it neither a wrong decision nor a good one. It was merely a decision. A decision which left what ifs. To think, I wasn't productive for months; I plainly slacked off at home. 

Secondly, Dad was too positive to see that when I worked for my day old job it made me wake up really early; I began to muster a good habit. But then, I didn't see that and was too focused to be on a career I want and so I quit again. I am not regretful on this one, though. ;-)

Again, my point is to work not for money but for experience. If you're reading this and you're still a student, invest on trainings, part-times I consider as such. It is good that we know what we want but isn't it also exciting to do tasks which would challenge you on most part. We are, beyond doubt, heroes at something but cowards at something else. Always welcome challenges. The world is changing but the lessons are still the same, that is, specialize in something and work for money, pay the bills and tax and spend on what is left for you. As to that, resulting to a world filled with talented poor people. The book will more like encourage you to make money work for you and to invest even at a very young age. On a note, don't let failure and doubt cripple you. I'm sure those negativism will attack along the way, worst part, even at the beginning. Always be reminded, as pointed out, that unchecked doubt and fear only creates a cynic. Another thing, don't be lazy by staying busy; I'm sure you know what this means. Make sure to analyze before you get into a big thing, nevertheless.   

They say compassion without action is much like abortion. So, I will put into action what I've learned. I shall soon update the store. I haven't updated it since I sold my clothes to friends first since it was the most practical thing to do --I didn't have to take photos, edit them if needed, and upload them. I earned a month worth of wage, by the way. But, I still have some stuff here for a bigger market.

SNEAK PREVIEW of some stuff to sell:

 MNG lace blazer, LAUNDRY tweed, sheer

  florals

 hip prints, stripes, plain, knitted tasseled

All will be available, hopefully, some time soon at reasonable prices at Schmug.

Schmug currently has authentic designer bags for sale --LV (brand new Galleira GM, Monogram Mini Lin Speedy 30) Gucci and Burberry.

LINK TO SCHMUG

Tweet

MANILA ART 2010

We went to Manilart10 held at SMX Convention Center last Sunday. We were surrounded by ample works. I, as a result, wasn't able to look into every detail, not even take note whose work one is and so I asked for brochures. 

Amidst the great number of participating galleries, there were a few I got drawn in:

(1) We spent an hour in "Galerie Zimmermann Kratochwill". As much as I find its art dark and gross, I was curious to know the story behind the works and watch the GORE video. I was not able to ask the gallery attendant about it, but he was too nice to hand me a biographical and narrative catalog. 

  Please excuse! WHYYYYY!?!!!

(2) Mixed media paintings of charade by Leo Velasco attracted viewers. It was far way different from others since he tried to spell out what he wanted to say literally. 

Everybody's trying to solve them. The first one's quite easy. The longer one's a challenge. I, therefore, leave the puzzle to you. ;p

TRY to solve this.

(3) Most salable cartoon in paintings: Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse. ADORBS.

 1 Mickey, 1 Baby Mickey, 2 Minnie women

There are THREE HIDDEN MICKEYS! Lol. Too much Disney Channel when I was young. Sorry. ;p 

(4) Those painted/crafted wooden cross in discarded wine boxes by Valeria Cavestany of Manila Contemporary. Just because I'm drawn to cross and bows these days.

 

(5) Modern art catches my attention --digital art as part of it. My interest stops there, though. I uttered WOW a couple of times, but that's just it, plainly an initial reaction to a glance. I am still a fan of established artists. I would still invest on a Malang, I really like Betsy Westendorp, Joel Mahilum, Michael Cacnio, Dante Hipolito's Hyper-Realism, and most artists carried by Galerie Joaquin, Village Art Gallery, and Art Circle Gallery and be hanged on my home's wall. I value aesthetically pleasing pieces, I guess. I think when it comes to Contemporary Art the idea counts a lot more than anything else.

Malang

Michael Cacnio's brass

Dominic Rubio's (contemporary artist too? I like his paintings!!)

Arturo Luz and hmmm, I have yet to research

(6) I liked MM Yu of Manila Contemporary concept of capturing Pinoy cultural signifiers we see almost anywhere. The concept of photographic seeing in the shots is in work, indeed. 

 YES, BAWAL

MASK THAT FACE

(7) FAVORITE from all the new ones (from all the artist I ain't aware of) I saw!

I appreciate events of whatever kind for I bring home knowledge and inferences I contemplate on and impart to other people. 

At the end of it all, learning is made entrancing when entered into discourse no matter how clashing the taste and outputs may be.  

Collage summary.
That's all, folks.

Tweet