I never thought the day would come where I would proudly wear something very, very...pink. I think we both have a mutual dislike for each other, haha. I kinda grew up with a natural aversion to overtly feminine, frilly things, which is weird considering some of the ladies I'm closest to wear florals and head-to-toe pink on the regular. I guess polar opposites do attract in that sense.

Once in awhile though, I encounter pieces that challenge my "fundamental" sensibilities, and I could most def say that about this shocking pink beanie from Creative Caprice. Since I wear black, white and black/white most of the time, this adds a good focal point. Plus points for beanies being the perf "sucky hair day" accessory, right?

I also would love to send a super special thank you high five to the girls over at The Nerve Clothing for sending in this bitchin' crisp white moto vest from their collection as a gift. Very much wanted and tried to order it, but TNC decided to ship it as a present instead along with a few things, which was quite an unexpected treat. Presents aside, I've been a HUGE fan of their shop for awhile now for being on-the-pulse with what's trendy-- and offering lower-priced quality alternatives. Decided to wear it with my new Forever 21 leather skirt with slits, which I got on super super sale. Seriously, how awesome is Forever 21 when they go on sale? I always make a beeline for the leather items as they are usually the most discounted.

So there. I tried the 15-day sized primer that was given away during the event, and while I can't say that it was a HUGE difference, I noticed that my foundation stayed put much longer and my pores seemed smaller. Verdict? I'd say go for it. The Laura Mercier Flawless Primer currently comes in six variations: Broad Spectrum SPF30 PA++, Basic, Radiance, Mineral, Hydrating and Oil-Free.

A makeup event wouldn't be complete without some goodies! Here's what I got pre-event:

For the meantime, hold on to your horses and your wallets-- for certain well all do quite a bit of shopping when the two superstores open up shop together.:)

Before wrapping up, I'd very much like to thank Topshop Philippines, the SSI and their PR arm Sehralco for letting me get a bit of shopping done which I did, thankfully, during the 50%off sale. Stuff I got:

Snakeskin boxy bag, cropped top and leather woven flats-- all at 50% off yay. Also got a totally useful journal from them:)

Truly grateful! I hope you guys are as excited about Topshop x Topman here in Cebu as I am:)

Forever 21 Philippines leather vest | H and M striped tank | flash sunglasses from Punk-X-Pretty | vintage MCM bag | Asianvogue Shop black slingbacks | Choies origami pencil skirt in dark gray (seen here)

Photos by Thaad A Sabolboro
Shot at St Theresa's College-Cebu

As much as I love summer and all the fun times that supposedly go with it, I'm honestly relieved that it's coming to a close. The summer heat overkilled this time and I think everyone took a beating with the incessantly cruel hot and humid air.  It's not awesome commuting around with the kind of heat we've been having these past few months. I know I've had a fair share of weather rants here on this blog, but this year really took the cake. Hopefully it's all over and done with and we can get back to piling on some layers again.

I'm eagerly welcoming the windy, cooler season with widely open arms-- I'm glad I'll be able to wear my leathers and other favorites again. And speaking of favorites, one recent addition that I can't seem to stop wearing is this truly unique origami-inspired skirt from Choies. I've been mulling whether I should get that Zara skort that every blogger seems to own, but decided to go for this one instead (though I might still get that as well) when I saw it on the site. It's comfortable, fits really well, and I've got nothing but compliments about it. I have to hand it to Choies for having really incredible pieces to choose from!

I'm currently trying to recuperate from cough and colds, and going through all my backlogs. Thanks for your visits! xx

Grid-Print Shift Dress from The Maze Hipzone - Ayala Center Cebu | ID necklace from PlusMinusTimesDivide | cuff from Gold Dot | cat-eye sunglasses from Romwe | vintage MCM bag | Jeffrey Campbell Soiree ankle-strap sandals

Photos by Thaad Sabolboro

These days, fashion trends come and go in a heartbeat. A lot of us love to stock up on the current season's "it" items-- it's a VERY hard addiction to cut especially if you're a fan of online shopping, right? The sad reality, however,  is a lot of these items will be very dated in just a couple of months or so. I used to be this kind of shopper until I got kind of wiser when it came to my purchases. These days, I prefer to invest in neutrals with a kick or an edge-- I'd rather buy a structured jacket than, say, a pricey digital print dress. If I really want something hyper trendy, I'd rather resort to bazaar finds and or thrifting so I don't invest a shitton of money on a piece I probably will only get to wear twice.

That's why I always believe in the power of accessories and jewelry. The right pieces just seem to stretch the potential of the pieces you've probably always had in your closet. The right clutch, cuff, necklace (smartly edited, of course) and other carefully curated additions can mean a whole lot of difference.

Here's a look back at some of my most favorite Spring 2013 accessory and jewelry trends:

image via en.vogue.fr

I can't say enough how much I loved this Spring 2013 trend. What was once deemed a "tacky" material was given a more polished, luxe edit for this season in the form of box clutches, stilletto heels, big clear cuffs, and more. The great news is, given its simple and minimalistic nature, I don't think this "trend" will run its course anytime soon. I'll definitely be wearing my Jeffrey Campbell "Soiree" for a long, long time.



Firstly, who doesn't have Christine Centenera on their "style crush" list? And secondly, how awesome is her Celine ID necklace? This piece has been making quite a storm and is on the must-have list of virtually every style blogger out there (including yours truly). Its a bolder, sexier take on last season's metal-plate choker trend-- I just love how it perfectly polishes off any outfit with so much attitude.

For much friendlier price tags, I'm loving Luv AJ's ID necklaces, Mango (in stores for 1,700PhP), and PlusMinusTimesDivide 's version-only for 400PhP!



I don't think I'll ever stop obsessing over these Balenciaga rings anytime soon. I think these rings will age well  in any closet and can be worn season after season. Of course ASOS was quick to come up with a very, very good copy of these, but sadly they quickly ran out! I'm thinking of getting back to DIYing just for this one.

This is less of a "jewelry trend" and more of a classic must-have in any girl's closet. My mom has always told me about the importance of slowly investing in fine jewelry pieces because they last almost indefinitely (unless you're like me that easily loses the jewelry her mom gives her. sorry ma :(), are effortlessly seasonless, and sometimes their value could even be worth more over time. The best fine jewelry pieces for me are simple, understated ones, such as thin-band tennis bracelets, eternity rings, and thin necklaces. 

Anjolee currently houses some incredibly beautiful, customizable fine jewelry pieces I've seen recently. Start saving up for fine jewelry pieces now-- just make sure not to wear them while riding a jeepney!:)

thrifted jumper | leather-finish pencil from Forever 21 Philippines | cuff from ShopWAGW | Cat-eye glasses from Romwe | earrings from Vintage Attic Batangas

photos by my long suffering partner Thaad Sabolboro, taken on my bestfriend's rooftop

No, I did not wear this printed-jumper-and-leather-skirt combo recently. As much as I reeeally want to flip my middle finger and be like, "f*ck you, weather! I'll wear whatever the f*ck I want", these days Cebu City just feels like one big fricking sauna. This intense heatwave has rendered nearly half of my wardrobe useless, considering how much I love my leathers and all. Unless I do a huge wardrobe update (money, wherefore art thou?), I'm sort of screwed.

Here's me "trying" to be a good blogger and getting rid of my mountain of backlogs, beginning with this outfit post taken back in January. Back then I had gotten pretty fricking sick of my peroxided blonde hair, but now that I'm suffering from doll bangs (really not a good idea during the summer, unless you have Blake Lively hair or something), I'm kind of bored with my current look and I want to go back to the bottle again. After having sooo many hair color changes, I seriously ran out of ideas. Thoughts and suggestions?

Anyway, you guys are love. Thanks for visiting! 

 Current hairstyle-- not my choice and not the best decision ever

Wearing street bazaar find top and glasses from Davao | Zara skirt and clutch | Mango booties

"But is heaviness truly deplorable and lightness splendid?"

Reading "The Unbearable Lightness of Being" by Milan Kundera is making me deeply ponder (to my chagrin) a lot of things going on in my life and about decisions I've made recently. There's days wrapped in a lot of heaviness and other days bathed in lightness that it's hard not to be dazed and lost in the melee of it all. I want my life to settle down in a sort of calm I've never had before-- but with everything that's going on, that seems to be quite a futile wish. I guess best I can do these days is to stop bitchin' and roll with the punches...

I hope you guys are doing MUCH better than I am! Toodles! xx