OUTFIT: Gold

I love gold and all that glitters. From clothes to shoes to bags and even nail polish-- I have it in gold.

No, I have not given birth yet. These were taken almost a year ago. I miss my normal clothes and my heels. Shallow, I know. But I really do miss having to move around without bumping my tummy into something or someone, having to bend down with ease and most especially having to sleep soundly at night-- things that I just take for granted before. Anyway, I have a few more weeks to go! 

I've worn this dress so many times already, to two weddings actually. Much as I want to retire it, I can't. I love the soft fabric and the fact that I can wear it to a formal event or I can wear it casually depending on the accessories. So I am thinking of doing a little alteration to the dress. Right now, I have successfully taken out the shoulder pads. I am thinking of sewing beads & sequins on the dress, but I am short of an inspiration for now. 

Romwe (dress) | Mango (belt) | Charles & Keith (shoes)

Color Your World

"Your attitude is like a box of crayons that color your world.

Constantly color your picture gray, and your picture will always be bleak.

Try adding some bright colors to the picture by including humor,

and your picture begins to lighten up."
- Allen Klein

Got these beauties during the One Cebu Expo held a few months ago.

Would you believe I got all three for less than Php 200?

OUTFIT: Neon Zebra Prints

I miss wearing shorts.

I actually miss wearing most of my clothes.

But I am not complaining.

I won't exchange what I have now with anything in the world.

It's raining hard here in Cebu.

I heard that there are some areas which are flooded already.

Stay safe everyone. 

Shorts: Shapes || Top: SM

OUTFIT: Ruffles and Prints

Almost all of my office clothes don't fit me anymore, save for a very

few corporate dresses. On days that I don't have court hearings,

my uniform consists of leggings and a loose or stretchable top.

leggings: Celine || DIY top || cover up: Boyet Fajardo || flats: HK 

DIY: Pearls on Collar

This is my first time to work with pearls.

It's not that difficult as I thought. 

I got inspired by tops (like this one above) I see in various fashion blogs.

I saw a neglected string of faux pearls in the sewing box.
Perfect.

DIY: Glittered Collar

My mama said I must have been a beader in my past life.

Probably.

Here's another dull-looking top prettified with silver sequins.

I used backstitch in sewing the sequins to have a more compact effect.

OUTFIT: Pregnant, Purple and Proud

I have not posted any outfit post for months now. I am no fashion blogger, but sometimes I just want to dress up and feel good. That all changed with my pregnancy. My first trimester was not good at all. I was throwing up every day night (my so-called morning sickness happened at night). Things got better during my second trimester, but then my tummy was getting bigger every week. Dressing up every morning took quite longer because I had to try on many clothes and see which one still fits me. 

I don't want to buy maternity clothes. What will I do with it after I give birth? So I just bought regular clothes that are stretchable or garterized around the waist. This purple and gray maxi dress is one of those. It's very comfortable and also very versatile. It can pass as a semi-formal wear by accessorizing it with pearls. Or it can be worn casual like what I did here. The accessories sometimes do the trick. 

DIY: Sequined Tank Top

I've been meaning to do more DIYs but somehow I manage to put that off for countless of times. Finally, I took the time and decided to prettify a tank top that has been with me for I-don't-know-how-long.

It's very easy actually. I bought this sequined ribbon in flower design from a local dept. store (textile section) last year. I just bought one meter because I honestly didn't have a concrete plan then of what to do with it. I cut out the flowers, and arranged them in the patter I want on the tank top.

The flowers were set apart rather distant than I expected, thus, there were unwanted spaces in between. So I filled the it up with beads in light pink color and that's it! Easy, right?

DIY: Flower Power

I find this dress too simple that I only wore it once for a wedding. I

placed a brooch on top of the ruched area.

But that changed since I found this in one of the local dept. store.

A little sewing here and there (and everywhere! haha)

... and TA-DA!

Easy, right?

Dress revamped. Mission accomplished.

Girl's Bestfriend(s)

Diamonds are girls' best friend.

But PEARLS and DIAMONDS are their ultimate BFFs.

Don't you agree?

My mother received an exclusive invitation from Citibank to Metro Jewelry's Pearls and Diamonds collection. While we don't often agree on some other things, my mama and I surely nod our heads together when it comes to jewelry. We freed our schedule on November 24, 2011 to attend this exclusive preview.

There was a mini fashion show where the models donned some of the exquisite pieces from the collection.

Also at this event, the face of Metro Jewelry was revealed in the person of Cebu's very own Murrielle Adrienne Orais, Ms. Philippines Water 2011.

The highlight of the event was the mini talk of renowned celebrity stylist Liz Uy, where she also entertained questions from the crowd on fashion and jewelry.

The style icon-- Liz Uy.

For me and mama, the highlight of the event was this...

South Sea Pearl in champagne.

HAPPINESS!

Metro Jewelry's Pearls and Diamonds Fair runs from Nov. 27 to Dec. 18 in all Metro Cebu stores. So girls, what are you waiting for, you still have THREE days more to go. Don't forget to bring your Citibank card to avail of their great lay-away plans.

Major Girl Crush

Monki Television

One of the things I love about blogging is the inspiration  I get from other bloggers across the world. Blogging is a unique avenue to share ideas and information about anything under the sun. I am most attracted to fashion, lifestyle and travel blogs. 

Among the top international fashion bloggers, I am seriously having a girl crush on Andy Torres of Style Scrapbook. Why? She doesn't try to hard to be fashionable. I personally love her style, simple yet practical. And she dresses her age. She openly admits that on ordinary days, she prefers not to wear make-up.

Do check out this episode on Monki Television where she showed a part of her walk-in closet. 

OUTFIT: Amaya

Simone dress || SEPA earrings || Boracay market necklace and woven floppy hat

My good friend, Francis, aptly called my necklace Amaya. Yes, the teleserye (TV series) in GMA. I haven't seen the show, but I have a pretty good idea on what the plot is all about. Thanks to a special reenactment. Lol.

This, by the way, is my very first maxi dress. I consciously stayed away from maxis as I felt it was quite a risky outfit considering my height. What drove me to buy this was the colors. Simply irresistible! I also loved the way the dress flows. The beach just made the whole get up perfect.

OUTFIT: Electric (blue) Dreams

Familiar with that 80's music?

Well, it has nothing to do with my post. Haha.

But with the color electric blue.

It is no secret that I am biased to the color blue.

I'm a true BLUE lover.

I remember when I was in high school, I painted my room blue.

(Yes, I did most of the painting myself)

When the paint started to peel off years later,

a repainting was in order as we were doing major renovations in

the house. 

I wanted to veer away from blue and befriend the other colors

as well. After trips to the hardware store and looking (and comparing)

numerous color palettes, I finally ended up with---

BLUE!!!

How predictable right? Haha.

While choosing a paint color proved to be no-brainer for me,

selecting and creating an ensemble around my electric blue leggings

was surprisingly difficult. I bought the leggings precisely because of the

color. Little did I know that it will stay for months in my closet.

I didn't like the fit because it was not flattering in the hips area.

But,

thanks to the numerous fashion blogs, I finally found the inspiration and

courage to work on an outfit with my electric blue leggings.

My inspiration?

Chiara of The Blonde Salad.

via

So here's how I pulled it off:

Top: C2 || Leggings: SM Dept || Necklace: SEPA

OUTFIT: Fiery Red

When I don't have scheduled hearings, I forego the all-out corporate attire.

I don't feel most comfortable covered in a suit or blazer.

You will see me either in printed skirts or in a dress like this.

Is that a baby bump?

I WISH. 

Haha.

But it's just fats. Lol.

OUTFIT: No Other Woman

Have you seen the movie already? If not, then you should. Trust me, it's worth every penny. I don't normally watch Tagalog films in the movie house (don't be too quick to judge). With the jacked-up price of the cinemas nowadays, I carefully select the films that I should watch on its showing date from the films that can be shown either on HBO or Cinemax. If it doesn't fall on either category, well there's always the Internet for downloads or streaming.

Going back to No Other Woman, when we got to the movie house, I was surprised to see people lining up. The movie is really a hit! Because of the volume of people, we were seated to the farthest end of the row. I had to pass by several moviegoers before landing on my seat. Unfortunately for them, I wore my sky-high booties and I did feel a couple of toes being stepped on. Pasensya na, wa tuyua. ;-p Got distracted with Anne Curtis' opening salvo in a skimpy swimwear. Haha.

I know a lot have seen this trailer, but I'm just going to share it anyway:

Three's A Crowd

Not in it's figurative sense.

I am talking about the three pairs of shoes I got recently.

I had to relocate some shoes for these pairs to fit into my small and crowded shoe rack. 

Lolo (thrifted)

My second thrifted shoes. When I saw this on the rack, I instantly fell in love with the cut-out detail and the color. It's hard to resist things in blue. Hehe. Everything about this pair is cute save for the comfort. My gawd, these aren't the most comfortable shoes ever. As they say, regrets almost always come in late. 

How to combat feet sores and prevent corns & calluses? The secret my friends is just your ordinary petroleum jelly! But please do not use the same petroleum jelly for your lips ha. Go get a separate bottle for your feet. Apply a thin layer of the jelly on the area of the shoes where it hurts the most. Then you can now walk on happier feet!

Charles & Keith

By the looks of this pair, first impression comes to mind: killer shoes! But, as in a very big BUT, this booties are surprisingly comfortable. Yes, believe it or not, I don't lose my balance with these. I can even jump, skip, bounce, and do a little walkathon. I won't dare run with these though, not for fear of falling flat on my face, but for breaking the heels. Lol.

Shoenet (Hongkong)

I am not a fan of flats, for two reasons: first, I stumble more when I'm in flats than in heels. Weird, huh? Second, I don't think I look good in it (I won't elaborate to avoid incriminating my self). But this pair may just be the exception. It is quite comfortable. And I love that I have it in black, very versatile--can be paired with almost anything. This is perfect for running on errands or simply giving your tired feet a needed rest.

Hiatus

I wasn't able to live up with my self-imposed 30-day challenge. I was on a blog hiatus-- actually, I still am.

I have been very busy juggling so many tasks and responsibilities. It's overwhelming. I don't want to keep up with the challenge just for the heck of it, because I realized that people do read blogs. I owe it to them (char!) to at least come up with something interesting. However, bright ideas seemed so evasive these days and I am saving every little sensible brain activity for work.

There are days that I just want to sit quietly and do nothing. Do you feel that too?

Anyway, since the speech contest is over (well, as far as I am concerned though. Congrats to the champion Desiree! I'll definitely see you in Bora.), and my work load is more or less manageable (note to self: hold on to your newly-found discipline), I am looking forward to a less-stressful (fingers crossed) October. And of course, I am uber excited for our travels this month.

While I was scanning through my photobucket album, I forgot I promised a friend that I'll post a pic of the dress I ordered online which I blogged here. You might think I'm shallow but for me, it's somehow significant. Why? Precisely because, it's my first ever online buy and international at that. I still have reservations over buying stuffs online. The OC in me still prefers to actually see and feel the product. This particular piece from Romwe however is too tempting to pass.

The overly-thick shoulder pads display the character

while the asymmetrical hemline gives it the feminine touch.

I am quite surprised at how sheer the material is when worn.

It looks beige in the pic but in actual, it is more of gold. 

For OCs like me or those who are wary of doing online shopping, should you decide to buy a dress or shoes, the Number One rule is: Know your size and by knowing, I am referring to the metric system of measurement i.e. in centimeters (cm.) because most online shops provide the measurement in centimeters, not inches. Of course, you can always do the math-- 1 inch = 2.54 cm. I suggest you reserve your conversion skills during the payment part, from foreign currency to peso. Haha.

If you are not confident of your mathematical and estimation skills, always choose the safest. Check the type of material used. Always go for the stretchy or garterized ones. There are online shops that follow the "No return, No exchange" policy. If you are still unsure, choose the item which will not leave a dent on your pocket or which will not break your heart should it not suit you well or meet your expectations. By then, you can always charge it to experience. Happy shopping!  
   

OUTFIT: Sheer Black

Day 16:

(Crazy workweek + Lazy me = Super delayed posts)

Last week, I barely had time to breathe.

Meetings. Office blessing. MALA Sessions.

TM duties. Wife Duties.

Need I elaborate?

We just had our newly-renovated office blessed last Saturday.

I actually didn't know the dress code.

But I was told that my boss mentioned something

like a coat, not with a tie, but over denims.

Men. And their fashion. Lol.

Being the only lady lawyer in the firm, I got confused on what to wear.

Formal? Semi-formal? Corporate? Casual?

One thing's for sure though-- I must move freely in it because

I know I'll be moving a lot on that day.

I had this dress for almost three years now,

but this is the second time that I wore it.

Thank God, it still fits me. Lol.

When I bought this, I found it too plain, save for its asymmetrical hemline.

So I spiced it up by sewing on some beads.

It's supposed to run all the way down on the ruched part below

the line of buttons. However, laziness got in the way. Sigh.

I will make a mental note on this to have it done before the year ends. 

Share the Love

Day 12:

Want to be a part of an exclusive online shopping community?

Well, AVA is the perfect place for you.

What is AVA?

AVA is the Philippines' first invitation-only shopping community.

They offer the fabulous fashion pieces at discounted members-only

prices up to 70% off!

Do you know what else is in store?

Every AVA invite comes with Php 200 automatically credited to your account

once you register. 

What are you waiting for?

Register HERE.

On-going sale:

Upcoming sale:

OUTFIT: Babydoll

Day 3 of my 30-day challenge:

My mother would always tell me to dress appropriately for my age (I'm nearing the 30th mark)

and now, for my profession (I'm a liar, este a lawyer, though people find it hard to believe that because

of my petite frame). Well anyway, much as I dress accordingly to courtroom standards, there are days

that I want to dress playfully and add to that, youthfully. Nyahaha.

During the 4-day long weekend, we just stayed at home since our car was admitted to the 

car hospital (cute term ey? lol), save for the last day where we decided to avail of our

SM Cinema complimentary tickets. On how we got those? Let's just say our "combined"

legal and arguing skills got into play.

It's raining cats and dogs today here in Cebu.

Otherwise, our jogging plans will be put off

(again) to another day. Bad weather. Haha.

How's the weather in your place?