Style Inspire: Joelle Van Dyne

There are girls whose style I admire. There are girls whose style I admire and wish to emulate. And after spending more than a year browsing through fashion/style blogs, the style of Joelle Van Dyne of The Owls Are Not What They Seem is at the topmost of my most-stylish-girls list and the style I would wish to emulate. In her most recent blog, Ms. Van Dyne said she wishes to follow an oreo-like style -- "simple, subtle and not-too-sweet."

I am drawn to Ms. Van Dyne's lace pieces and mostly white outfits. She looks like a goddess. :D

While browsing through Ms. Van Dyne's blog, which she co-manage with a friend, I made a mental note to self to add more white, lacey and girly pieces for sale at the shop. :D

Shop Sneak Peek: Dec. 2009 Casual Dresses

Casual dresses to be posted at the Shop tomorrow. :)

Shop Sneak Peek: Dec. 2009, Tops

Before I sign out for the night, let me leave you with a sneak peek of what will be uploaded at the Shop this Monday. Casual tops and dresses. :)

Good night, everyone!

Shop Update: Dec. 2009 Cover

Photos and lay-out by Joel Lopez.

:: Yahoo! We finished taking photographs of the clothes for the Shop's December uploads. My boyfriend came very equipped; our make-shift studio has upgraded. Thanks to my cousin, Jady, for sharing the modeling load. I love you both.

Milk!

I am nearing 25 -- in 11 days. I am not sickly. And I have not been feeling bad about my body. But I am paranoid. So I made a resolution yesterday to drink milk everyday. And it is a very difficult goal to achieve. Because I am not a milk drinker. In fact, I hate milk. But I would like to take small steps. I drank the whole glass of milk I prepared for myself to the last drop... in two hours.

But, hey, that's a good start, right? :D

Blog Award! Wohoo!

Ooohhh!! I received an award from Cuter Than a Button. I am so happy because I am not the person who gets lucky to receive regular awards. The last award I remembered was a second-place best in costume award during one of our previous company's Christmas parties; that was, what, four years ago? :)

Thank you so much, dear. :)

11/24/09 Outfit: Polka & Coat

It was raining and cold Tuesday night -- a typhoon was making its way to the Philippines, but I had to go out to meet with Chuchu to deliver the dress she ordered from the Shop. My first choices were a pair of jeans, a plaid Dockers and a knitted cape but my stomach was bulging because of the sumptuous snacks I ate before going out that I nixed the jeans and replaced it with a pair of leggings.

Outfit:
Coat - borrowed from the Shop
Blouse - thrifted 2yrs ago
Leggings - P150, bazaar

Photo by Joel Lopez.

Oh, Here's What I Looked Like

Hahaha! Forgive my toothy smile at the last picture. :D My sister took these and I could not help but show a funny face.

The blouse was falling off.

Lucky Find: Favorite Blouse

Many things have come and gone. And many things I have always thought of selling, or giving away, or throwing. But this blouse, from the moment I laid my eyes on it (in one smelly corner of the Carbon Market ukayan), I swore to keep this for the rest of my life.

I bought this for about P10 before I graduated in the summer of 2005. I was truly intent on wearing this to my graduation day underneath the sablay and I have even stitched beads all over the blouse to make it look more vintage. Of course, this is not a blouse. This is an undergarment, but thought this should pass for a blouse.

I was really excited to wear this and had a pixie-style skirt done by Rey Humberto Villegas. But when Mama came to the city and saw this, she was so appalled and took pity on me she took me to an impromptu shopping spree at Loalde in Ayala Center. I couldn't find anything in Loalde that fitted and had to settle to a cream cowl-neck blouse (which became off-shouldered when I wore it). Mama insisted I wear the Loalde blouse and, to please her, I wore it to my graduation rites.

I kept the Loalde blouse, but left it in my Mama's closet in the province.

But this... I'll never part with this.

And when I get married...
Hahaha.. I wish Mama won't take me to another impromtu shopping spree. :D

Recall

These are clothes I posted at The Shop in September, but pulled out so I could wear them. Haay, I am sinful that way. I couldn't keep my hands off these clothes. But because it is almost year-end, I will be posting these back to the Shop, in case there are other girls who'd want them. :)

Something Hurts

I mourn and grieve for the victims of the mass killing in Mindanao more than I grieved and mourned for the victims of the past two typhoons. God has the right to take lives; but I don't believe human beings are that above the law and God that they can take other human being's lives (57 lives, and counting at that!).

It pains me to know no one is ever safe.

***

I'm sorry.

I've been coming up with a lot of outfit combinations the past three days for the upcoming December uploads at the Shop. I have even been, in a short while, busy coordinating with a bazaar organizer (too bad I really can't afford to join one this time). But I can't bring my mind to focus on such creative endeavors; I can't even focus at work because of the recent killings of women, media people and civilians in my country.

Lucky Find: Guess Cut-off Shorts

go or no? :)

Countryside Tripping

I love to take the road not taken, the un-trendy, the un-popular. I love to discover things. I love to see how people live. I love to travel and take the bus. I love listening to and talking to locals. I love laughing with locals.

Outfit:
Jacket - borrowed from The Shop
Cami - lace, thrifted
Skirt - thrifted
Bag - thrifted
Sandals - Grendha

The skirt and bag were thrift finds at one of Bais City's very few ukay shops. :) Will be posting these two items at the shop in January.

Photos by Joel Lopez.

Lucky Find: Cafe Antonio's Caramel Latte

In our recent trip, my boyfriend treated me to dinner and coffee and a cookie at Cafe Antonio's, near Dumaguete's famed Boulevard. For dinner, I ordered fish fillet and my boyfriend ordered squid in oyster sauce. None of the dishes were superb. Not really intending to buy/drink coffee (I have a no-caffeine rule after 2:30PM), I asked my boyfriend to buy the two of us one cup of coffee -- caramel latte -- to take out to our walk along the boulevard.

The coffee was great! I loved the coffee; i think it would be my favorite dessert. And the price is not bad -- only P60 for a cup.

Photo by Joel Lopez.

Oh, what I'm wearing is a thrifted vintage mid-calf dress.

back!

I just got back from an out-of-town trip, and I am tired but not very tired. :D We went to a non-urbanized city and to a slightly urbanized city. Pictures to follow. Wohoo!

Travel Loving

Oh, how I love these photographs from Easy Living Magazine. My boyfriend and I are taking a three-day trip to another province tomorrow. We were supposed to go to a beach but all the cottages in the resort we want to stay in are full. So we decided to take a trip to a little city known for its dolphins. But it ain't no dolphin season this month, so we are just going to take a tour around the city. I am hoping to recreate these looks, especially the model's giddiness and her blush. :)

for the hair

Last year, I used to oogle over this Shop's hair pieces and I still oogle over them today. They are beautiful, just beautiful. I can imagine myself wearing nothing with this and I'd be the most beautiful woman in the world. (oh, well, i am wearing nothing).

Photos from Ban.Do

wishawishwishwish

I love my job. I work as a managing editor for a small U.S.-based company that publishes online newsletters tracking billion-dollar bankruptcy cases. I am proud of my job. I have tracked several of the largest U.S. bankruptcy cases of all times, including Lehman Brothers, General Motors, and, recently, CIT Group.

But sometimes, my job bores me to death. Sometimes, I fall into a "job coma" wherein I do not know where to begin my day, where I don't want to begin my day at all.

Sometimes, I wish I can focus 100% of my time on the Shop. :D

Recently, I discovered Liz of Late Afternoon, and has been coveting everything she puts on. I love her looks, and I am already thinking of applying one, or a few of her style, into my own. She's so lovely.

Toast[ed]

It has been very hot here in the Philippines in the past two weeks. It has been ideal for washing clothes and having them sun-dried. I have taken to thrifting clothes so I could wash them and sun-dry them. I love the smell of clean, sun-dried clothes. But I wish the weather is a little bit colder so I wouldn't sweat this much. And these photos, from an online boutique, wants me to fly north and taste snow. :D harhar

The photos are lovely noh? I love them, and I've download their catalog to be inspired. :D

visit http://www.toast.co.uk/

Thrifted!

Yesterday, I went thrifting and managed to score... another pair of harem pants for P40! :) I don't know what's gotten over me, but the pants fits perfectly and comfortably. I also scored a pair of yellow Jessica pants, but which are too tight in my hips, and a black satin skirt, which I'm going to shorten and put up in the Store for sale in December as the waist is too tad tight for my liking. And, I bought a black lace dress, which I think is going to be my go-to little black dress. The dress is a dream come true. :D

I'll post pictures of them later.

Hors de Prix

Ah, french.

Starring Audrey Tautuo and Gad Elmaleh in a romantic comedy. This is my second time to watch a french comedy (the first was "Ridicule") and the comedy is rather "dry;" not the stomachache-causing comedy usually done by Americans. Hors de Prix reminded me of Pretty Woman and Audrey Tautuo reminded me of Julia Roberts. And Ms. Tautuo's outfits, though high-fashion, were easy and cool.

Thank you to Alliance Francaise de Cebu. I'm excited for next month's movie.