2.28.2011

Berry Violet


Part of my internship entails flipping through Vogue and Elle magazines to look for trends, model looks and hairstyles. I love the color pops of spring/summer 2011, but knew I needed to tone it down a bit. Thus, this outfit was born.

When I had woken up this morning, one side of my hair was flipped out like a 60's-do. And I miss Mad Men terribly. (When is it coming back on air, anyway?!) Thus, this outfit was born.

Part of my internship entails naming hair shade colors when the Nile-River-minds of my bosses have run dry. So far, I had suggested "Amber Lava" and "Sun-kissed Bronze" for two shades in two different brands and have been accepted. I was gunning for third time's a charm with "Berry Violet", with a play on the words "berry" and "very"...but perhaps it's a rather Filipino phonetic inside joke. But I think the yummy color the name conjures had clung to my subconscious when I dressed this morning, and thus this outfit was born.


cardigan - H&M; turtleneck - Mango, gift from sis and mom from 3 years back;
skirt - thirfted in Munich; boots - Gortz17

2.27.2011

A Weekend in Aachen

The hubby and I packed our overnight bags last weekend and went to the nearby city of Aachen for our first year anniversary.

It's a quaint city, managing to retain it's renaissance charm but also having a nice-enough shopping area and night life. The city is dotted with a lot of thoughtful, playful sculptures and fountains like the moveable one below.



I had to get the hubby on photo--I got the cardigan for him :) I'm learning how to shop for guys. The criteria: it should look good on him...and on me! Can't wait to borrow this one from him for an oversized boho look. Mwaha!




And finally, one of my outfits for the weekend. I want to dress up in something other than jeans for winter, and this maxi skirt on sale seemed like a good solution. (What you don't see are the jeans I kept under the skirt--it was too cold!)


Hello, Queen Josephine. How do you manage to look regal in winter?



cardigan - Mango; black tank and faux leather jacket - H&M;
belt and feather earrings - H&M; skirt - Zara; boots - Gortz17

2.23.2011

How do you do?

Lest you think I've been slacking off with blogging and my outfit photos...you are sort of right...hehe! These days, I'm just too tired after work to go online and post. Sometimes I conk out at 10pm and go straight to having weird undercover spy dreams.

Anyway, better that I move on introducing you to my new city rather than introducing you to my subconscious. So to the...er...2 readers of this blog, meet my city:


Meet the gorgeous Hyatt building at the Media Harbor / Mediahafen:

Meet a darling pub window at the Old City / Altstadt:


Meet my relatively new camel coat (I got a little crazy on this year's winter sales, oops):

Meet me (sans coat) inside the K21 Museum, where we can admire the space and fall in love with Klee and Miro together:

During the museum visit, my trusty iPhone will be our chaperone, where we can instantly google the backgrounds of the artists and their paintings:

However, I just shouldn't forget to charge my phone the night before:

Nevertheless, the city awaits!

So let's march on to our new adventures :)

Outfit photos are by the hubby! Taken with a mix of Canon G9 and the iPhone cam...I should remember to bring my SLR more often. New city, new things to discover!

camel coat - Mango; floral tunic - Zara; cords blazer (which I didn't like before but now totally adore) - Zara
pants - Zara; boots - Görtz17

2.19.2011

Black + Purple

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If ever I get to live in a country with 4 seasons, the first thing I'd probably buy is a leather jacket (and some knee high boots). They just look so cool. Unfortunately it's not weather appropriate in this tropical country. Not to mention they're quite pricey.

So when I saw this Bayo jacket in a window display half a year ago, I literally stopped in my tracks. Bayo is carrying leather jackets? It's too good to be true. Upon closer inspection it's actually satin. But that's good enough. Plus it's lightweight and cool to the skin. Who knew satin can look like leather?


dress - Plains and Prints (borrowed from ma) ; jacket - Bayo ; 
patent pumps & necklace - SM Dept Store

2.15.2011

DIY Delight


Why the sheepish look?

Because it took me 4-eh-vahhh to finish the skirt, which is supposedly the World's Easiest Skirt.

And because I hadn't known any better, I unwittingly made it a little harder for myself by having the elastic outside, based on this tutorial.

And, apparently, because the challenge wasn't enough for a first-time sewer, I stitched it by hand. (Because I don't know how to use a sewing machine, nor do I own one. Although I would love to learn how to use a sewing machine in order to make more pretty skirts...and beyond!)

Oh, and did I ever mention to you that I'm clumsy?


The result? Pricked fingers and unsecure stitches that is sure to unravel in the washing machine...and an elastic band that is too large (thus the belt). I don't see myself undoing the stitches and re-measuring the elastic band soon...although I do like the skirt and it is a labor of love (and sweat and a bit of blood)...so I must somehow will myself to redo it!!

(Sidenote: This was my Friday look at the office. Notice the stripes from the blouse and the florals and polka dots from the skirt--3 prints at the same time! Happy :))

My sis H was the one who pointed me to the tutorial. I think she finished her skirt in record time, too. Can't wait to see if it survived the first wash, and what she's going to pair it with next :)


skirt - DIY; blouse - Zara; cardigan - Mango; tights - H&M; boots - German shoe store

2.12.2011


This is me looking drained after a day at work...and after 2 days of unwashed hair. (Sorry, TMI!) But I couldn't just change out of my dress without taking a couple of photos! My mom and sisters picked this out for me as my birthday present for last year--and I simply love it! It's a simple sheath dress with a neckline detail, but the baggy shape, the slight flare at the hips and the pockets transforms it from simple sheath to simply chic.

I thought I'd "winter-ize" the dress by wear a black short-sleeved turtleneck under it, but based on the funny looks I got from the office today, I guess it still looks too cold for winter. What can I say but that patience has never been one of my virtues. Remixing my wardrobe, on the other hand, is a possible virtue :)


Also part of the birthday booty is a black collared top with cut-out shoulders, specially hand-picked by H. I am already eagerly awaiting summer to wear that...outside of work, of course. I don't think the corporate world is ready for the sight of my bare shoulders.

On the photo-tech-geek side...I wish I can find a better spot to take my photos (than under my yellow lightbulb). Or a better technique than propping the camera on a bookshelf, beside Mr. Rhino, my stuffed toy :) These photos really do not give this dress justice! I guess self-portraiture is an altogether new branch of photography that I need to learn!


dress - Daley, Rockwell; black turtleneck - Forever 18 (Sadly not F21! Forever 18 is a German chain, and not as nice as F21!); tights - H&M, booties - Zara

2.09.2011

Third time in 3 months



So there’s another wedding and apparently I only have this dress and shoes for the occasion. I paired it with a shawl / scarf. It has an abstract oriental floral print that I really love. It hasn’t been washed yet as I’m afraid it'll shrink or fade or fray – a general concern whenever favorite clothes are sent to the laundry. It’s a silly phobia really. Much like my phobia of getting the luggage lost in airport transfers.


dress – Tango ; wedges – Parisian ; shawl – Bayo ; 
 necklace – F21 ; clutch – Charles & Keith (ma’s bday gift)

2.06.2011

Continuing the Corporate Look


By the third week of my internship, I have begun to settle into a certain style. Nothing too serious and stiff as required from my previous jobs, but also not something that screams "intern". (On my first week, I got a little too kiddy on Friday with a babydoll top, skinny jeans and puff-sleeved cropped blazer...just waaay too much going on.)

The best way to get inspired is to surf the net. Lo and behold:


Apart from the pose, that's where all our similarities end :)

I know Olivia Palermo was not the most lovable character in MTV's (sadly) now-defunct reality TV show The City. But somehow she intrigued me and so I tried to blame her character portrayal through editing? Lol. And, oh man, her outfits! She manages to look chic yet casual, feminine yet tough. She can put together unconventional pieces yet look finished and polished all the time. *Style crush*

What caught my eye with this outfit was Olivia's statement necklace and how well it worked in a more tailored, business get-up. (I'm a sucker for statement necklaces.) From there, I tried pulling pieces from my wardrobe that would most closely imitate hers. ...IF you can call pulling out an old 40-euro blazer and an old discounted slacks and top imitating her thousand-dollar ensemble...but we shall gloss over the details, shall we? :)

Without Olivia's picture, I'd never have put together biege / camel / brown with gray, or a metallic textile with tweed or wool...but with her color palette, it worked! I think the key is to wear a top that ties the different colors (and thus textures) together.


After office, this outfit also translates well into a night out in town. Which was good, because during that particular night, a few of my fellow alumni went to Schlosser Quartier Boheme in Duesseldorf's Ratinger Strasse to down some glasses of Altbier and de-stress.


shiny top - Zara; blazer - Promod (part of a suit set);
slacks - Zara; necklace - H&M; boots - Buffalo

2.04.2011

A pop and shimmer

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I'm either half asleep or in mid blink. Or both.

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After our family dinner, our uncle (the resident funny man) told me, “You’re like wine.” I drew a blank. Then he said, “sparkling”. Hehehe. Corny but benta.

It was my mum’s birthday and not to mention the Chinese New Year’s Eve, so sparkly is appropriate. The sequined top is courtesy of J (danke danke). I love how it’s shimmery but in a subdued way. Very versatile. I paired it with an old cardigan, my trusty skinnies, and a pair of colorful flats. I’m already waiting for the days when I can wear lots of brights again. Which is approximately one year away. Til then, I have these flats to give me a shock of Barbie pink.


top – Pimkie (gifted by J) ; cardigan – Tango (borrowed from ma) ; 
pants – Terranova ; flats - VNC