CHIC IN THE TROPICS | A Detroit Style Blogger and Filmmaker: cebu fashion stylist

Leather Sensibilities

minidress with leather detail gifted by Yves Camingue, cuff from WAGW, Rajo Laurel for Parisian heelless platforms, metal ankle cuffs bought online

Photos by Thaad Sabolboro

These days, I'm really not in the habit of overcomplicating what I wear. I'm trying to glide smoothly between my new life in acting school and working at the same time, so I really want a new paradigm when it comes to effortless, comfortable dressing. I hope that doesn't sound too boring but spare dressing has been sitting well with me.

I got to wear this dress which I got from my bff Yves C (an advanced birthday gift as he said, haha)on one of my trips to school. I'm just really glad that cooler weather is back and I get to whip out all the leather and PVC I can again. Decided to wear it with my beautiful Rajos to just give it a little kick. A lot of people might deem it "impractical" to be walking around in these, but on the contrary, they might just be some of the most comfortable shoes I've walked in. That's just in my opinion, at least.

Thank you again for spending a little bit of time here in my blog! I'll be visiting you back very shortly. Kisses!

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Blanc by Gold Dot

Cobalt and Chrome

Mom's old cobalt blue top, Forever 21 leather swing skirt, choker from Parfois, claw cuff from Shop at Multiply, Emi flats from Blanc by Gold Dot

Photos by Thaad Sabolboro

I'm turning 26 in a month. When did I suddenly get to be on the lower end of the scale? I'm feeling the fatigue and the lifestyle changes that come with age. I'm definitely noticing my changing tastes where my personal style is concerned. I'm increasingly favoring minimalistic cuts and fabrics, even bordering on being called "classic". And while I will always have my "punk" and "edgy" sensibilities, I think I've really, really come to that point where I want to embrace the fact that I'm getting older. I'm just hoping my style ages well over time.

I wore this simple cobalt blue, leather and silver ensemble while out in school. Now that I'm leading a "double life", I appreciate sensible yet stylish footwear all the more (no platforms for now), and these Gold Dot flats are clear-cut favorites. I've always been a fan of the brand, and I felt that coming out with flats was genius.

I promise I'll try harder to post more outfit posts. Thanks for reading! xx

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cebu fashion blogger

Scarf Print Downtown

thrifted scarf-print top, Hermes CDC-inspired cuff from WAGW, Vanessa Bruno satchel, Figliarina harness boots

Wearing Urbanears Plattan headphones in Light Grey

Photos by Thaad Sabolboro

I know I've been a bad, bad kitty! Hope you guys had a fantastic week thus far. I'm shuffling between piles of workload, and come Monday, school-- weird since I barely have time, I know, but it's an acting scholarship I just couldn't pass up. And not just any one at that-- I was offered this opportunity by the International Academy of Film and Television, where so many of today's brightest filmmakers graduated (boyfriend included). All the hard work that I've done doing bit acting for short films and plays paid off, and I guess they saw something that they liked in me. At 25, I never thought that I'd be back in "school" again, but then I'm always open to further learning. So this is what it'll be in the next few months: school by day, working by night. And with a new and much better and more flexible work client, hopefully a better blogging schedule. Yay.

I wore this decidedly casual and school-ey outfit during a visit to the school. Nothing gets more appropriate for everyday wear than low-heeled ankle boots, denim cutoffs, and a button-down. I think I'm already plotting my school uniform in my head, haha.

I have to send a massive thank you to Digits Trading Corporation, the Philippines' premiere gadgets and lifestyle products distributor, for sending me my very own Urbanears Plattan headphones in Grey. Having had no luck with headphones in terms of durability and quality, these headphones have restored my faith. Will make sure to post a separate review of them soon.

Thank you for checking in! xx

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birds of paradise

Birds of Paradise

"Birds of Paradise" Printed Dress by Simon, metal ankle cuffs bought online, Gay Giano metallic ankle-strap pumps, stud ring from Oxygen and metal cuff from Forever 21, shaping slip dress from MeMoi

Photos and Art Direction by Yuno Lloyd Bastareche

Thank you so much to my incredibly talented and good-looking (chos pero tinuod! hehe)friend Yuno Lloyd Bastareche of BLANC Magazine for these really decadent, fanciful, and somewhat eerie shots of me. Haylavet. Wore this outfit to the Starmobile Launch in Maya (more of that later), and we thought this amazing hedge wall perfectly complimented this dress, thus, me sheepishly busting posing moves while cars moved by. Hahaha. Thank you Yuno and Yves Camingue as well.

I decided to wear this AMAZING confection from Cebu-based brand Simon to this event, which brings to mind parts Mary Katrantzou, parts Givenchy's "birds of paradise", and just incredibly unique and eye-catching on the whole. Lord knows it'll take me a few lifetimes to raise enough money for those designer confections, but Simon houses spot-on trendy alternatives that definitely give a bang for your buck. Best part is, everything is tailor-made for a great fit.

Thank you once again for dropping by! x

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Agoda.com

Miss World Philippines 2012 Pageant Night

took a shot of the gorgeous stage set-up while waiting for the show to begin

encased crown replica. ooh la la

press box pass

with the super stunning Kookie Buhain!

gorgeous Cebuana socialites Tess Schaap, Bee Urgello and Mrs. Queenie Ammann

My dates for the night! My Manila friends Neil de Arroz and Taylor Bonostro both in blue

All the candidates during their opening presentation. Taray! 

Vanessa's swimsuit segment. I loved the artistic direction of this.

 Beautiful Ms. Sheila Paul of TV5 in her embellished gown

Yours truly in a vintage tapestry sheath dress, SM Accessories faux-croc minaudierre, Nava belt, VNC heels and Forever21 gold choker

Despite always feeling like 24 hours is NEVER enough when I'm in Manila, I always manage to bring home wonderful memories with me. Everything and everyone is on the pulse and moving in the big city, and while that may not sound like an ideal idyllic vacation, I always thrive and look forward to my short escapes to Manila. 

I luckily got to spend a blissful 48 hours in the city last June 23-25 (late post, I know!) after being picked by TV5 Philippines to be one of their regional blogger correspondents for the  Miss World Philippines 2012 competition. To say that I'm grateful for the experience is an understatement--we were housed in style (at Sofitel courtesy of Agoda.com, no less), and on the whole,  TV5 spared no expense or effort to ensure that we were taken care of properly from the moment we arrived. 

One major highlight of this trip was witnessing firsthand this year's MWPh Pageant and Coronation Night. Set in the legendary Manila Hotel, which has served foreign and local emissaries and other important figures for over 100 years, the pageant was an intimate affair. Since I haven't made an actual Celdran-ish tour around Old Manila, having visited Manila Hotel for the first time was special to me.

Though there was a slight delay at the start, the pageant went through flawlessly. The stage was artfully done, production numbers carefully orchestrated, and costumes were fantastic as well. I saw as other candidates were clear standouts on the onset, among which include Cebu's Vanessa Claudine Ammann. She held her own amidst a sea of cookie-cutter pageant beauties and eventually emerged as not only 2nd Princess but one of this pageant's most memorable beauties.

With a truly engaging program and with my wisecracking friend Taylor making nearly drunk jokes, I had a great time.

Thank you once again to TV5 Philippines and Agoda.com for this experience!

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cebu fashion blogger

Neon Green Flowers +HTC One and Desire Launch

Perspex shades courtesy of OASAP, thrifted top, Yves Identify skirt, Vanessa Bruno satchel, silver claw cuff from Multiply Marketplace and Gay Giano low-heeled metallic ankle strap pumps

Boyfriend testrunning the brand new features on this wide, ergonomic HTC phone.

Gorgeous models showing off the newest additions to the HTC product line

 Everything's so neon green! Glad I dressed up to the motif (by accident.)

Congratulations to my lucky, lucky friend Evanjohnn Mendoza who won a brand new HTC during the media raffle! *jealous

Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend! A couple of days back, I got the invitation to check out the newest additions to the HTC phone line-up. I've been meaning to shop around for new phone options since my old phone broke down while I was in Manila. We got to test run the beaauuutiful HTC One S, which packed a wallop in terms of new features, and the family-friendly HTC Desire V and HTC Desire C, with their feature-rich interface and much accessible price points. All three phones come with Beats Audio technology (the first of its kind), 25GB of free cloud storage through Dropbox, and impeccable camera features. I think I'd have to save up a little bit more, but I think I'm definitely sold about what to get.:)

I didn't exactly plan on dressing for the brand's motif, but I decided to wear this beautiful printed button-down which I managed to thrift recently. I paired it with these metallic ankle-strap pumps, which is a lot more comfortable than they appear. I'm not really a pumps kind of girl, but there's always a first to everything.

To know more of HTC's newest phones, features and their price range, check out their official website, www.htc.com.

9 comments

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3.1 phillip lim

Printed Matters

3.1 Phillip Lim ruffled top (thrift find), scarf print trousers (bought online), VNC shoes, Dorothy Perkins clutch

Photos by Taylor Bonostro

As some of you may know, I recently made a trip back to the Capital to do some blog coverage for Miss World Philippines 2012 and TV5. The experience was near flawless, except for the flying-alone-by-myself-thinking-we-would-crash (I can't stress enough how HORRIBLE I am at flying) thing, but yeah... essentially flawless. Agoda.com and TV5, you guys know how grateful I am from the bottom of my heart for all of that.

I wore this ensemble to the TV5 and Agoda Regional Blogger Lunch at Tsukiji in Makati (photos soon!)where I got to meet the other bloggers and TV5's New Media Team. These pants were perfect for a Makati stroll, because while it is ridiculously printed, it does win plus points for comfort. I also found this 3.1 Phillip Lim button down right before my trip, exactly when I was looking for a plain white shirt. Why some people out there would throw out a perfect condition branded item out is beyond me, but oh well. Their trash, my treasure now. Haha. I got really lucky.

I'll be sharing more of my Manila adventures in my upcoming posts. Thank you too all those who swing by-- I promise to touch base with you soon. xx

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blue hair

Black and Blue

mid-pose. my boyfriend just CAN NOT get patient enough to take a good photo T_T

Mango blazer, thrifted cut-out dress, Five by Five spiked necklace, Figliarina boots, Oxygen ring

Photos by Thaad Sabolboro

I decided to dive deep into the colored hair trend by going blue. Yes, enough with the Katy Perry references already! Hahaha... Seriously, I got dreadfully tired with blonde hair and wanted to shake it up again. Going red was a horrendous decision maintenance-wise, and there's no way in hell I'd go back to that, so I went blue instead. I'm glad I reunited with my old hairstylist, the incomparable Chady Pantaleon, in getting this done. I owe Chady some of my favorite looks, such as my side-shave back in 2010. He's really quite the genius. As crazy and haphazard as it went, I like how it turned out. Kinda feels like my old self again.

Wore this black-on-black outfit on our 2nd anniversary lunch at Carlito's Way in Persimmon (this restaurant is a must-visit by the way!). No photos to share of that, because he despises me taking shots of everything we do (blame the Instagram age!). I wore my ultrafavorite Mango blazer again, which I've worn numerous times already. It doesn't get any more perfect than this blazer.

Anyway I'll be posting numerous backlogs in the coming days, so don't be surprised if I'll still be blonde in those shots. Thanks for stopping by! xx

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, by Unknown

cebu fashion

Mushroom Cloud

Christopher Kane-inspired nuclear print tankdress from SheInside, metal-plate ankle strap sandals from VNC, Forever 21 gold collar, Dorothy Perkins clutch, perspex shades from OASAP

Today marks an incredibly important life event. Happy to say that me and my significant other Thaad reached the two-year milestone. We've had our fair share of ups and downs and spent more than a year apart, but here we are, still standing, with our love and respect for each other still unwavering. Times are tough but I'm still a happy girl. For now I've got all that I need, I think. Until maybe the awesome sales kick in and my favorite shoe brands drop down the prices of their stocks. Ha.

Moving forward, just sharing this quick post of the lunch meeting I had with my friend Rabsin and Precious of Selrahco, the PR brand behind such big names as Robinsons Specialty Stores, Cebu Pacific, Sun Cellular, and many others. Lunch at TGI Fridays (also their client) went incredibly well, and we had a few drinks while discussing brand promotions and the like. I finally got to wear this Christopher Kane-inspired tankdress from SheInside... I've been an ardent admirer of Kane and his digital print (and wildly unaffordable for me) designs, so I nearly jumped through the roof when SheInside said that they'll send this in for free. Happy joy joy.

fellow blogger Rabsin slicing away at his food

chicken and alcoholic Mojitos in the daytime for me

legendary chicken wings!

Be back with more soon! xx

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cebu fashion blogger

End-of-Season Sale with Topshop and Dorothy Perkins!

We're in the midst of a seasonal change, and with that comes the hugely-anticipated End-of-Season sales. It's when the massive retailers drop prices way down to make way for the new season items to come in. I hope you guys saved a LOT of your end of the month pay as Topshop in Ayala Center Cebu and Dorothy Perkins in Abreeza Mall Davao City has just launched their massive sale campaign! Up to 50% on selected lines. Go check it out now!

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Leather Sensibilities

Cobalt and Chrome

Scarf Print Downtown

Birds of Paradise

Miss World Philippines 2012 Pageant Night

Neon Green Flowers +HTC One and Desire Launch

Printed Matters

Black and Blue

Mushroom Cloud

End-of-Season Sale with Topshop and Dorothy Perkins!

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