Another Shimmering

These were taken at our team's Christmas party, some 3 Saturdays past. The cardigan I bought from a friend's preloved store.

Am wearing:
top - vintage
skirt - thrifted
flats - thrifted
cardi - preloved
bag - gift

Shining, Shimmering

Our theme this year was Shining, Shimmering, Splendid. We just discovered this store in downtown Cebu that sells very cheap accessories, and we bought some to wear for Christmas eve.  Friday, we spent crafting and making decors. Saturday, we spent cooking.  And Sunday, we spent sleeping, watching TV and eating. :D

These are the only photos of myself that I did not look stuffed with too much sweets and food. I hope you had a joyous celebration!

Am wearing:
dress - thrifted
shoes - thrifted christian louboutin
necklace - downtown

A Merry Christmas to all of you

Merry Christmas to all of you! :)

Christmases are for kids

I know Christmases are not only for kids. But I know I'm not as excited on Christmases now the way I get excited over them when I was a kid.  A chunk of cheese, a gold chocolate coin, an apple, and maybe a plateful of spaghetti -- these were the things I considered happy Christmases.  Now, an adult, I'd still happily munch on cheese like a rat, though I'm not a chocolate eater, nor an apple eater now.

My nephew and my mother came to visit us here in the city last week, and my nephew and I went to see the Christmas village in SM.  He was very happy with the Christmas village, and I admit, I'm also very happy looking at the Christmas village. :) I'm imagining myself one of the people inside the village, wearing vintage clothes. :D hahaha

Advance merry Christmas to everyone. :)


Am wearing:
top - gift
blazer - thrifted
shorts - sister's
slippers - sister's
bag - gift
necklace - gifted belt

The Other Little Black Dress

I have several little black dresses. I could live in them. Black is always comfortable and easy to wear.  This one is a little different from the other LBDs because the waist is slimmer and the skirt fuller. Plus, I loved that it has sleeves. Here, I paired it with a low-heeled sandals, envelope clutch, and a happy arm party consisting of cheap finds from a downtown store and a gold watch of my sister's.

Am wearing:
dress - thrifted
sandals - Janeo on sale
clutch - thrifted
arm party - downtown finds & sister's watch

P.S. I thought the storm I mentioned in my previous, previous post was just an ordinary storm. I never thought it brought so much damage in places where people I know live. :(

Project Rework No. 2

Why is it that when I think of turtlenecks I always think of "old"? I fell in love with this turtleneck top because of its print and fabric, which is very comfortable. I was not very sure with the turtleneck so I listed the top at the Shop in the hopes that someone would know how to wear it better.  Last night, while going over different outfits to wear and bearing in mind the stormy weather, I wanted to wear something comfortable but a little off-the-chart. I thought of this turtleneck top but I couldn't bear to wear it because I looked "old." (I do look older and heavier in the top photos). So I decided to do something. I cut off the turtleneck and sliced through the shoulders of the top so it'd show off some skin.

Do you think the reworked top looks better? Do tell me..

At the bottom photos, am wearing:
top - reworked
shorts - sister's
flats - thrifted Salvatore Ferragamo
bag - vintage, the sling I used is a chain necklace
earrings - do-it-yourself, how to here

Another re-work project here

There's A Storm Here

The day yesterday was very hot. I dressed up in the afternoon to go to the bank but had a hard time choosing what to wear because it was very hot. So I decided to wear this vintage top that is listed in the Shop and this cotton drawstring skirt, which I think should be a tube top, but my sister and I wear it as a skirt.  My outfit was breezy and comfortable. I did not know there was a storm.

Am wearing:
top - vintage, listed here
skirt - thrifted Miu-Miu
flats - thrifted Salvatore Ferragamo
necklace - from downtown

Was Olive Green

As much as I love feminine clothes -- lace, ruffles, beads, sequins, more lace, polka dots -- I also love "masculine" clothes. I love button downs without the frills, and blazers cut for men. Mostly because they are more comfortable. One of those masculine pieces I thrifted was this olive green button-down dress. Yes, this is olive green, but I was too shy to stand up for a proper outfit photo. The dress was sheer and would be sexy, with slits at both sides running up my thighs, had I not worn a black slip dress underneath.

 Am wearing:
dress - thrifted
necklace - downtown store
clutch - thrifted
shoes - gift

Start of Christmas

Christmas, for me, begins after my birthday.  I made resolutions at the start of this month that I will wear luxurious and glittery and festive stuff this month. I started the month wearing this dress with faux leather skirt with (wtf) slippers. The faux leather skirt left my thighs sweating the whole day.  Maybe next month I'll make a resolution to wear better/appropriate footwear.

Thrifted Blazers

These days I am into blazers, of course thrifted.  I tried on a black blazer in Topshop and it fitted like it was made for me. It looked so good but it also came with a P5,000++ price tag(!!).  The cheap-o that I am, of course I would not, could not buy it. P5k is almost one installment payment in law school. So I resort to thrift stores. And one of those blazers I found was this vintage, silky unlined long blazer that feels so comfortable. In this pictures, I wore this over a vintage one-piece bathing suit and my sister's old denim shorts. We went to a swimming pool, and we had the swimming pool all by ourselves.

Happy weekend! The day started cold, but now it's sunshiny.  Hope you enjoy your weekend!

The Uniform, pt 2

When I first started blogging here, my first favorite site was the Uniform Project where one woman wore the same black dress everyday for 365 days.  I was not inspired to wear one dress the whole year but it made me think that clothes are not the most important things in the world.  But we have this desire to look good and express ourselves through our "style."  A few days ago, I watched a report on television about how the ukay-ukay "industry," which is illegal, killed (or is fast killing) the textile industry.  I am not an expert on the law, especially on this, and I am, as you may all know already, a very big fan of the ukay-ukay.  But I buy ukay-ukay because, I admit, I'm cheap that way. We know most big brands manufacture their clothes in China or in third world countries and most of these manufacturing companies do not have favorable working standards and conditions.   We know most big brands earn a lot from so little a capital (because of cheap labor and working conditions) and most of us patronize them because they're brands.  So I buy ukay-ukay because I'm cheap and I don't want to patronize brands.  I'm not saying I'm correct. I'm just saying that that's the way it is with me.

Anyway, back to the Uniform Project.  I have several little black dresses in my closet. And they go on heavy rotation. But I have already said this dress I'm wearing is my favorite black dress yet.  Here, am wearing it with a white vintage blazer, and thrifted suede pumps.  Another look of this LBD can be found here

Birthdays and Bankruptcy

Dec. 8 marks the 3rd year of Tribune Co.'s stay in bankruptcy.  There is no confirmed reorganization plan yet.  In fact, months ago, Judge Carey of the Delaware Bankruptcy Court denied confirmation of any of the two competing reorganization plans for Tribune.  One of the plan was proposed by the Debtors, the other by noteholders.  Once in the past year, there were four competing plans on the table.  Judge Carey denied confirmation after observing that none of the parties wanted to settle and agree to a compromise.  A compelling read, Judge Carey's memorandum and opinion started out with the fable of the fox and the scorpion.  At the end of his interpretation, he concluded that there is no lesson to his story. The story, he said, exposed a human character: "the willingness to visit harm upon the others, even at one's own peril."

Unconsciously, I have marked occasions and dates in bankruptcy timeline.  One Valentine's Day, Solutia filed a reorganization plan.  One mid-March, Lehman filed its plan.  Sept. 15 will be doomsday. Or should doomsday be Sept. 11? Sept. 15 was the day Lehman filed for bankruptcy, which prompted the collapse of the financial market.

Dec. 8 is Tribune's 3rd year anniversary in bankruptcy, and also my birthday.

The Inverted Top

It's not a new trick on the book. There are many ways to maximize your clothes, and one of them is to wear them unconventionally.  I remembered a photo from a Preview magazine from past years where the model wore her white button-down the reverse way/upside-down. The effect was kind of a bolero but one would never have guessed it was a shirt. :)

On the first of December, it was very hot but I did not feel like going around too bare-chested.  I was going to wear this vintage chiffon top the normal way when I thought it doesn't give so much volume to what I was wearing. So, I wore it upside down.  The normal way to wear the top was shown here.

Am wearing:
cover-up - vintage top worn upside down
cami - thrifted
skirt - thrifted
slippers - dept. store
clutch - from a souvenir shop in Bacolod

The What.Ever Shot

We were taking pictures for the shop last Sunday, and I was wearing these jeans because most of the stuff I listed at the shop were tops. This tunic, which is already a dress on me, was at the bottom of the bag I brought. We decided to take a picture anyway. We thought the outfit was funny. I thought of wearing it around but my boyfriend wouldn't give me a cent for wearing it, so I ditched the jeans.

***
A friend of mine died last Saturday because of dengue. She was 22, no longer a child but too young to die. I was/am brokenhearted because she was an energy ball and I always enjoy her company especially when studying because she's very diligent. Her death was  unfortunate. So, let's all be very careful with mosquitoes and our health. Life is good, but it is also fleeting.

The 90s

The 90s is my favorite era. It was the time of Backstreet Boys, the Spice Girls, No Doubt, and Leonardo diCaprio. It was the time of Gimik and Diether Ocampo (ok, ok). It was the time of MTV. It was my favorite "fashion" era. Here I'm wearing something that reminded me of the 90s.

Am wearing:
tunic - vintage
cami - freeway
skirt - thrifted
shoes - thrifted

And They Were All Yellow

Your skin 
Oh yeah your skin and bones 
Turn into something beautiful 
D'you know you know I love you so 
You know I love you so 






Last Friday was a reason to celebrate and dress up a lil bit. I will have a chance to sit on the grass, and drink fruit soda, and eat an english scone. And I visited Forever 21 at SM Cebu, and was smiling happily because the goods were cheap(!!!). And my boyfriend and I ate at Cafe Laguna (my long time wish that he granted because there was a reason to celebrate). I wore this yellow vintage eyelet top that I posted for sale last year but was not sold and has been sitting idle in my "for sale" bin for a while. I also used my sister's yellow bag and adorned it with a cute-cute "balahibo" accessory.


Am wearing:
top - vintage
pants - thrifted, men's
flats - thrifted
bag - sister's
accessory - bazaar
necklace - gift
fruit soda - healthy options

Purol part 2

Yes, I wore the pair of shorts twice last week. Is that a crime? I'm just trying to save water (for washing) and money (for laundry). In these pictures, I just went to a nearby mall to ship items bought from the shop and buy toys for my grandmother's friend.

Am wearing:
top - sister's
shorts - thrifted
sandals - garage sale
bag - online shop
belt - thrifted

Purol

"Purol" that's what my Grandmother would call this style of shorts. Until I grew up to be a "lady" (that's when I was out of college), I was always wearing purol.. and hand-me-downs. I grew up envying my classmates and friends who'd wear really, really short shorts. I thought those short shorts were cool and sexy. I have a friend who's a professional runner and has a very good pair of legs -- muscled, strong, and lean -- and she'd always wear those really short shorts.  What do you think of purols? Fashionable? (I doubt) So-so? Or nothing and I-don't-care? :D

Am wearing:

Purol - thirfted, probably vintage
Top - thrifted
Sandals - garage sale
Bag - thrifted
Watch & bracelet - gift

Q&A: Wide-Legged Pants

Question: Anonymous asked where I bought the pair of wide-legged pants I wore here and here.

Answer: I forgot, sorry. But, for sure, I bought it from a thrift shop here in Cebu City.  When buying pants, I almost always go to the "sale" section of the thrift store because that's where the non-trendy pants are. When buying pants, it's better to bring a pair of high heels. Or take your measurements, especially the length, at home, and always, always bring tape measures with you.

New Uploads: Bits of Colors

New uploads at the Shop. We have bits of colors and bits of vintage in the new batch. We're also using Multiply's new way of shopping, easier and more efficient for both seller and buyer. :) Happy shopping!

P30 Skirt Worn a Thousand Times

I have a very bad habit of wearing the same thing over and over (I'm sure I'm not the only one who has that habit), but my mother really, really hates that habit. I have this pair of short pants made of the same material as my highschool uniform skirt, and I still wear it until today. My UP shirts, I wore them to death until my mother decided to give those shirts to my 8-year old nephew and gave almost all of my clothes and shoes to anyone and everyone. When I got home last summer, I had nothing to wear because all my clothes are gone.

That's why I never bring this skirt home. Because I am 100% sure this will be on the top of the pile that mother will throw or give away.

I bought this skirt when I graduated from college from a thrift store downtown for P30 (or P33.33 because it was 3 for P100). And I still wear the skirt today.  The fabric has started to fade, that's why I rarely wear the skirt these days. Too much washing will fade the colors. But I will wear this skirt until its seams fall apart.

Breaking Dawn 11.11.11

Today is Nov. 11, 2011. I don't remember who it was, but someone told me that when the clock strikes 11:11:11, you make a wish because that wish will come true. The instances I catch the clock at that time, I always wish for good health (ok, I won't lie. I also wish for a few pairs of shoes and thinner legs).  But then, I don't want to believe you only make a wish. I believe that people are successful because they make a wish, and work [hard, harder, hardest] to make that wish happen.

 The vampire movie is almost out in the cinemas, eh? I love Anne Rice and the Imortal series (oops), but I can't seem to love that series of vampire movies.  I just love the thought that the vampire guy glitters. It's so magical, like a fairy, a friend said. :D

Am wearing:
dress - circa 90s Anne Klein dress
slippers - hahahaha
and ribbon in my partly braided hair

Outfit Post: Attached Collar

Because it's almost Halloween, I donned an all-black ensemble.  But for fear of being too witchy, I wore a pair of nude pumps and accessorized with a fake collar. :) Last year, I sold a retro-style dress, which had a cute pair of white collars. But the dress was snapped up by one beautiful customer before I had the chance to make a prototype. Recently, I noticed that the cute -- I think they call it "peter pan" collars -- are making rounds in some blogs.  I was looking for a different kind of fabric in the stores so I could begin making the collars, but I could not find the fabric I was looking for in the color I want.  Then I found pieces of fabric in my room from the sleeves of a vintage dress and I thought the fabric was the perfect kind since it's heavy enough to hold its own weight. So I made one collar today. :)

I made the pattern myself, which makes it very imperfect.  But you experiment with the pattern first with used paper before cutting up fabrics. And, also, put the pattern you have together to see if you got the depth of the neck right. After that cut up the fabric, stitch the front together, or use a button as I did.  I also stitched around the collar so that the fabric won't fray.  Attach a ribbon at the two ends, for closure at the back, or you can pin the collars into your dress with safety pins. Very easy and cute!

What I wore:
top - early 2000 linen sleeveless trench
pant - sister's very old leggings
shoes - thrifted staccato
sunnies - vintage ray-bans

Outfit Post: Jeans

I own 6 pairs of jeans. Four are thrifted, one is from my sister, and one is from my aunt -- the pair I'm wearing in the picture. I can still remember the first pair of jeans I owned, an imitation Calvin Klein jeans when I was 12 years old.  That pair was stolen by the son-in-law of our laundrywoman. Then Tita bought me and my cousin another pair when I was 14, high-waisted and tapered at the ankles. Then in college my sister and I had a frenzy on Levi's jeans. After college and while working, I no longer found it comfortable to wear jeans, especially when commuting to work. And now, I own 6 pair of jeans, none of which is the "sexy, skinny" style. I am in the constant search for that "perfect" pair of jeans in thrift stores (OK, maybe I would find the perfect pair in boutiques specializing in jeans/denims but I am thrifty and I don't want to spend much (and "much" means not more than P200) on a pair) but still no luck for me.

What I'm wearing:
top - Giordano
jeans - aunt's
belt - vintage
bag - thrifted
shoes - thrifted

It's a long weekend for us the Philippines. Enjoy, and stay safe!  :) :)

New at the Shop

Here are some things I uploaded at the Shop for sale.  Some are not new, I actually already posted them for sale last summer, but I re-shoot them to give them a "fresh" take.  It has been a long time since I last sold things at the Shop, but I was thinking about it all throughout the year.  I am glad to be back. Expect some more stuff to be upload the next few weeks. :)

By the way, I am using Multiply's new format for online sellers. I think it's more organized and efficient for both seller and buyer.  So, happy online thrift shopping! :)

Visit Just Got Lucky Shop

Wide-Legged Pants

This is my other pair of wide-legged pants.  Although I would love to wear skinny jeans (and I dream of wearing skinny dreams all the time), they are not the best cut for me because I have mmm.. ample hips.  In 2010, I wore the pair this way. I think the 2010 outfit was chaka.

Today I wore it with a green cropped top, woven bag, floral bangles from Landmark and slippers.  We were gonna get some Krispy Kremes but the line was too long.

What I'm wearing:

top - thrifted
pants - thrifted
slippers - Metro Ayala
bag - gift
bangles - The Landmark
sunnies - downtown Cebu

Color Blocking

Color-blocking has been popular this year, especially in fashion.  I have tried color-blocking but couldn't get it right.  I have no color-blocking photos, mostly because I did not think it worked.  I have always been a black or white or neutral-colored girl and find it hard to incorporate colorful pieces into my wardrobe, especially strong colors.  As they say, fashion is not for the faint-hearted. I admit, I don't like to experiment.  If it works, it's good, and it's for keeps.  But today, as I was inquiring at Air21 about their latest package rates, I saw the chance to color-block! :D :D :D

Wearing a dress that was my sister's, which she gave to me because she's worse than me; she's more afraid of color. :P I'm also wearing thrifted red flats and holding a vintage blazer.

P.S. If you have nothing to do on Sunday night (or before/after checking the Krispy Kreme outlet at IT Park) and you're here in Cebu City, join us at The Outpost for a gear swap.  Just Got Lucky Shop will be there [sorry, I'm not very outdoorsy, I'll only be selling less than 10 items, but my boyfriend, who's very outdoorsy, will be selling some of his outdoor gears].  Girls, bring your boys. I think they'll love the event.  Boys, bring your boys, and your girls so they'd understand you. Hahaha. :P

Gear Swap @ The Outpost

Hi! I'm inviting everyone, especially those from Cebu and those outdoorsy folks to drop by, and visit The Outpost this Sunday, at 6PM, for an outdoor gear swap. Just Got Lucky Shop will be participating and selling clothes fit for the outdoors (or if not fit for the outdoors, at least clothes that would make your outdoor trips cute) :) Hope to see you there!

Outfit Post: White Shirt & Happy Arm Party

I wasn't inspired by the many fashion[istas] wearing piles of unrelated stuff in their arms.  I was inspired by my team mate who always wear a lot of cute stuff in her arms. Because I don't have a lot of "cute" stuff, I decided to try the trend using what I have -- gold bracelets and this very versatile cloth belt that my lovely friend, CloverFinds, gave me.

What I'm wearing:

top - thrifted silk blouse (too big for me, but very comfortable because it's thin)
shorts - sister's
flats - thrifted
bag - gift from mama
bracelets - gifts

Beauty and Butter

Last Thursday, I got invited to the launch of Beauty and Butter's branch in Cebu -- at SM Northwing, near Forever Flawless.  I am admittedly not a fan of mani/pedi because (a) I don't want another person poking into my hands/feet, (b) it takes too long, and (c) I don't want to spend money just having my nails cleaned.  I can very well do them myself.  But then, Mac invited me and I wanted to see her and catch up.  So there I am. :)

To say I'm sold is an understatement.  I tried the hand paraffin and it was hot! :) But very relaxing afterwards, esp. if you're like me who spend most of my waking hours typing words in a computer.  The staff was very friendly.  The lady who attend to me had very soft and gentle hands I could not feel anything.  Of course I was already very tired [see picture above], and I felt like sleeping all throughout.  And they use top-quality organic products. [I super laaav et!]  Thanks to Mac and Kwey.

Visit Beauty and Butter's tumblr here