Her name is lola

I promise to lay low on carrot pants since it’s all I ever post here. But these suspenders are just too cute. The pants is actually my mom’s (yes, she wore it once with suspenders, and she gets away with it!) I actually like the snug fit better than my own pair. I think I'll be borrowing this more often :)

As for the second outfit, the song Copacobana came to mind. Not about the night club part. More on the resort vibe of the outfit. But the song popped in my head anyway and now it’s stuck!

outfit 1: tank - Daley ; pants - mom's ; flats - VNC
outfit 2: button down shirt - Tango ; shorts - Surplus Shop ; sandals - Charles & Keith

fallin' for fall

Which website was I checking out? Summer Solstice, of course! Always looking forward to see what my sisters are wearing on the other side of the world :)

On my side, I braved the 13C weather of Berlin to wear this. When the climate turns colder, it's so easy to default to jeans and high boots, but not today -- when one's in Berlin, it's inspiring to put in some creative effort :) Blue toes? Numb legs?...ngiehh...collateral damage.

And today in Berlin, we discovered a little second-hand bookshop at Prinzlauer Berg named St. George that's packed from ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall with lovely, delicious books. I bought Ken Folliet's Pillars of the Earth at a steal--4 euros. When I went to the cash register for the store owner to ring it up, he told me I can return the book once I'm done reading, and he'll reimburse half of the price back. Sweet!

Another thing we took an iPhone photo of? My feather earrings which I got 50% off from Urban Outfitters when I was at Hamburg for a workshop. We have Urban Outfitters in Hamburg! Can you please come to Duesseldorf, Cologne or Berlin, too? While you're at it, please bring J Crew along!

Speaking of stores, a few weeks back we passed by an All Saints store in Berlin. I couldn't get it to check it out, because the hubby had a very firm grip on my hand and was literally pulling me away. He gives the term "fashion police" a whole new meaning. Fashion warden, perhaps? Bugger. Next time! Next trip, next outfit.

For now, I have to go a quick outfit switcheroo because we're off to the Fly Bermuda Techo Fest!

marled bands pullover - Anthropologie; shorts - H&M; booties - Zara; feather earrings - Urban Outfitters

Hello outdoors

I’ve always liked the look of Doc Martens but never had the guts to wear a pair. They look so 90s and grungy (which I apparently like, coupled with crop tops and loose shirts). They exude attitude that I don’t think I can pull off. So to substitute, I got these (faux) suede lace-up boots in light brown from So Fab. Not as harsh as black leather, yet it toughens up an outfit all the same. They look like a milder version of hiking boots. And they’re functional enough for an impromptu game of kick ball (which I previously did in barefoot when I only had sandals). Style + clean feet = happy girl.

And here I got a pic of C while she was talking to J. Sneaky sneaky, haha, I kid, I got her consent. I like the boho vibe, the mix of stripes and polka dots, and the different shades of green.

On h: boots – So Fab ; tank – Promod, crop cardigan – Zara ; shorts – Greenhills tiangge

On c: skirt – Babo ; striped top – Bayo ; bag – Greenhills tiangge ; slippers – Haviannas

a tulle love affair

I have a thing for tulle. It's dreamy and romantic and frothy -- maybe it's a psychological remnant when one was a child and pretended to be princesses. I don't know :)

The skirt actually came all the way from France! I was in a wedding reception of a friend (very fun, casual reception at a brewery!) when I spied a French guest wearing this tulle skirt. Like a hunter on its prey, I couldn't take my eyes off it. At home, I searched online but came up grasping straws (and a frustrated handful of my hair). So, I convinced myself it was not pyscho to contact said guest about a tulle skirt and finally emailed her. She replied, saying how she loved the skirt too and that it was from a NafNaf store around the corner from where she lived. Then! Then, she kindly offered if she could get one for me to ship to Germany. She understood the rabid heart of a styleholic!

I guess you know what my answer was.

No, I'm not obsessed.

top - Mango; skirt - NafNaf; belt - from another dress; tights - H&M; shoes - Charles & Keith

Blazer + skirt + boots

First time to wear boots in Manila! I felt a bit awkward since boots aren't exactly weather appropriate in our tropical country. But it was a night out in the posh-ier side of town (aka Makati) and I was dying to do a skirt and boots combo, might as well.

That evening we watched 'Next To Normal' at RCBC plaza. It's about a woman suffering from bi-polar disorder and her family who's been coping with her condition for years. The acting and singing were superb. (The brother is my favorite) And the songs were catchy contemporary. But for a drama, I didn't feel for the characters as much as I thought I would. It's still a good watch though.

And to contrast, my mom and I saw 'No Other Woman' the night before. It's predictable but fun to watch, especially during the barbed exchanges of the wife and kabit. Unfortunately by the third act, the writers went all out - screaming, tears, slaps, and sabunutan. It wasn't so bad, that is until the spurned lover initiated a car chase on a dark, rainy night. And you know how those end.

blazer - Landmark ; skirt - F21 ; boots - Promod (borrowed from ma) ; 

bag - from Taiwan ; necklaces - Diva and Robinson's Dept Store

One of the better work wear

Wearing a good outfit on a work day is like putting on my game face. I’d feel more equipped in dealing with people or more organized with the paper work. Strange but true. Though usually it’s my (un)lovely morning persona who blearily reaches through the closet for a no-brainer outfit (jeans and button down). Hence the love for these trousers. It’s no-brainer and yet effortlessly cool.

Just talked to J a while ago via Viber for the first time. Free international calls through cell phones. Crazy. And of course we talked about Steve Job’s passing, which greatly shocked and saddened us. I don’t think there’d be another person in our lifetime that could marry tech and creativity with such style and charisma. Thanks Steve, for Apple, for Pixar, and for the inspiration.

pants – Mango ; crop jacket – Iora ; flats – Payless

2 weddings and a dress

I still have to tidy up my room, to wash the dishes before my roomy comes back, take a shower and pack for the weekend in Berlin. And what do I do? Blog an outfit post, a.k.a. procrastination.

But if there is one dress that I would procrastinate for, this is it--the Approaching Blue Dress by Anthropologie.

I know Anthropologie has existed for quite some time now in the US, but it was only recently that I discovered its Europe online site. It's a blessing to my fashion-loving heart, but might end up being a curse to my wallet.

I snatched this one during sale for 1/3 the original price though, and as a reward for finally getting a job! Plus, I had 2 weddings to attend in 2 consecutive weekends. Aren't those reasons enough?! :)

I absolutely adore this dress...it's flowy and light, with an interesting leafy print and gorgeous blue dip-dye effect. The front hem hits just above the knees, and the back hem drapes slightly longer for a soft, romantic look. Its original cloth belt, I exchanged with a thin brown belt from a pair of trousers, which I think works better to add a hint of modern. My only issue was its too wide armholes, but it was nothing a thread and needle couldn't solve one night before the wedding event.

The two weddings, by the way, were both perfect. The first one was my MBA classmate's, who married his partner of 8 years. The wedding was held in the city were we studied, so it was reunion of sorts. For the ceremony, the couple chose a secluded open field with a couple of Roman column ruins--only reachable by winding country roads. It was intimate and expansive at the same time. For the reception, the couple chose a restaurant by the lake, which boasted a peaceful, rustic view and a cozy sunset.

The second wedding was held in Belgium. The bride was my old co-intern and flatmate, which also made it a reunion of sorts. The ceremony was held in a church in a little town, but the service was hippie and alternative. Songs from "500 Days of Summer" were sung, and in the end, all the guests were asked to stand up and clap and sing a catchy gospel song! The reception was at a guesthouse with a sprawling garden, where an elegant white tent was set up for cocktails. At dusk, the wedding party moved to a dreamy barn house for a scrumptious 3-course dinner and a dessert buffet, followed by an all-night dance marathon!

Approaching Blue dress - Anthropologie ; shoes - Charles & Keith ; cuff - Morgan