#FitnessFridays: When Sportswear Meets Streetwear

You know just how relevant athleisure is when designers try to incorporate huge fashion trends even in activewear. Take for example my Zaful sports picks below featuring the still going strong (and forever favorite if I may add) shoulder-baring trend and lace-up details.

Sure, comfort over style may not always be my motto in most aspect of my dressing (lol!) but it's different when I'm in the gym now that I'm a group exercise instructor. Shheesssh. So when the bestie was worried whether the top would hinder my activities it being an off-shoulder cut, there was only one way to answer. Last Sunday, I used the pair for an hour of dance workout on stage. I was actually more worried about the lace part of the capri since it might untie while dancing.

And of course once again, Zaful passed the test of making activewear that are durable but within a good budget. The straps on the top still holds the sleeves like a tee so you can raise your arms without being restricted while the ties of the capri stayed all throughout the session. And just so you know, I'm one of the most jumpy instructors on stage. HAHAHA!!! So, if you're on the lookout for some quality gym outfits but on a good budget, you may check out the links below. Use the code ZAFULSALES1 to get additional discount for every $50 purchase. Happy shopping :)

Wrap Hem Capri Yoga Pants

Cold Shoulder Padded Crop Top

Sheer Me Out

Excuse my ignorance but when the bestie was asking on the phone whether the hotel we're staying at is the place called Army and Navy club, I said I don’t think so letting her drove past the stately white structure while I sit comfortably in our elegant room waiting for her. Lol.

Okay, so maybe the bellboy did orient me on the future grand plans of this boutique hotel when I checked in but never once did he tell me about the rich history of the place. Shame. But nothing a little research won’t solve, right?

So, Rizal Park Hotel is the exact spot where The Manila Army and Navy Club (built between 1910 and 1911) once stood. It used to be a national historic landmark and a glamorous enclave for American military officers and their wives/ families during the colonial era. This national heritage was abandoned 30 years ago (see? there goes my excuse) and restoration only started four years ago to turn it into a 5-star hotel/ heritage building.

Phase 1 of restoration is already completed as you can see in my previous post. But a quick tour around the ongoing construction for Phase 2 told me that there would be more than just the luxe interiors and copious use of arches in the lobby - there's gonna be an infinity pool overlooking the Manila Bay, a gym with lifetime membership, sky bar, fisherman’s wharf and everything would be completed by the end of this year. How exciting knowing that the place is just about 5 km away from our place :D

So, pictures taken here using this Zaful cover-up are on the infinity pool to be (see that panoramic view of Manila Bay?) and the still ongoing setup of alfresco coffee bar. As for my outfit, again got a new swimwear and a sheer cover-up on a rainy season? No problem. The cover-up worn here was styled ala-Coachella. After all, summer music festivals are still happening right about now in LA. :P

Sheer Cover Up

Sunnies: Here; Jacket/ Belt: Topshop; Shoes: Mango

Summer Somewhere

Sure, it's hard to chance up on a dry day here from now on because of the rainy season but you know what, that shouldn't stop you from wearing a swimwear. ;) As pointed out in this post, bodysuits or one-pieces serve a lot of purposes. This most coveted piece from Zaful has finally landed into my hands. Aaaah, you should know that this swimmie is always out of stock. So even if it's a rainy weekend staycation, you'd be sure that I'd still wear it. I paired it with this maxi tutu skirt that I once featured here. 

The garterized waist clings on to your lower part for cinching purposes while the halter upper part is in mesh panel with some embroidery in it to uhmm cover your bits. But word of caution, you're still gonna need some tapes here. *wink* If you don't wanna miss out on this sexy piece that everybody is wearing (seriously!), do check it out in the link below. :)

Spliced Halter One Piece Swimwear

#TrioThursdays: Ruffled Skirt

Previously, you've seen a ruffled sleeve, a neckline and a pant hem here. But what about combining this summer's major style trends into a skirt? Yep, for today's hashtag, we'll feature a ruffled skirt in this season's It-print - gingham.*

Let's see what we've got here - a chic midi length, a key placement of frills at the hem that's flattering enough (and not making you look like a flamenco dancer, though I would love that too lol) and in a print that everyone is obsessing over this summer. Yep, Pinterest just confirmed it here.

As mentioned in my other post, the ruffles already act as a statement on their own so with this skirt you can tone down your shoes with flats, sneakers or blocked heels as seen in the three looks below. Which one is your favorite? Btw, since this skirt is so versatile, I might do a second round of #triothursdays post soon. Yay! :D

Top: Topshop; Skirt: Mango; Shoes: Keds

Top: Zara; Skirt: Mango; Shoes: Zalora

Blazer/ Skirt: Mango; Shoes: H&M

GWTW Hats: Beret

So, after three long months of rooting for Scarlett and Rhett's love story (lol!), I was finally able to finish Gone with the Wind last week. Can I just say, what a masterpiece! True, it is a rich, complicated book of star-crossed lovers during the Civil War but I love that this book also teaches us about fashion. Riiigghhht. Haha. The first time I encountered GWTW was when I was doing my post about LBDs and how they were used for mourning (see here).

So you see, I have this thing for finding out the history of an article of clothing, accessory and hats included. It was a night in Batanes, reading Chapter 32 of the book when I thought I first learned when berets was introduced into the fashion world when Scarlett met Emmie Slattery after the war...

“Scarlett saw in a glance that the dress was bright in color to the point of vulgarity but nevertheless her eyes went over the outfit hungrily. It has been long since she had even seen stylish new clothes... And what a cunning hat! Bonnets must be out of style, for this hat was only an absurd flat red velvet affair, perched on the top of the woman’s head like a stiffened pancake.”

All along I was thinking Margaret Mitchell was talking about beret but to my surprise, a different kind of hat was used when I finally saw the 4-hr long movie last Saturday night. Hmmm. Far be it from me to question the costume designer’s interpretation of Emmie’s hat, but I really think it should look more like a beret or probably a fascinator ** but let's focus on berets as it is the highlight of this post's looks. Haha. 

Hat: Here; Coat: Here; Belt: Mango

Hat: Here; Top/ Skirt: H&M; Vest: Mango; Bag: Here

**Berets became a thing during the 1940s when the film was shown (see here)but the timeline of the event in the novel is around 1866 according to this timeline. You can choose here which hat accurately represents that of Emmie Slattery's :)

FitnessFridays: W.O.W (White on White)

Admittedly, it’s one of those very controversial athleisure trend and something that I used to believe can only be pulled off by VS models who were often spotted wearing them. But I am obsessed with whites recently that I wanna test drive the trend on myself using the, cue the horrific expressions, white leggings. Lol!

As always for leggings, the top tip would have to be to pick high-waisted ones like this pair from Rosegal. It has mesh panels, a waist pocket and pleats for extra texture that would make it less unforgiving than plain ones haha! Glad that I also found a crop top from their sports selection that goes well with it. Both pieces have mesh inserts – a feature that I’m always on the lookout for in sportswear for breathability purposes. Overall, I think I was able to give justice to the whole look but of course the final judgment would have to be how it delivers in a sweaty workout situation because if not, then why would I wear it in the gym in the first place? :P

I did a few sample workouts with my friend in the bike, around the machines and yoga poses at Anytime Fitness Eton tower where I teach dance classes (shameless plug but you’re welcome to visit, lol!) and I’m happy about their performance. It’s not the first that I’ve tried sportswear from this group of brands (see here) and the level of support they give per movement and stretchability in the fabric is constant. It’s really WOW for a W.O.W (white on white, that is haha!) If you wanna snag for yourself any of the items worn here, links are provided below. PLUS, you can use the code RosegalChen to get further discounts. :)

Pleated Skinny Mesh Insert Leggings

Mesh Panel Gym Cropped Shirt

Sponsored: Ruffle Kerfuffle

They’re dramatic and romantic – what’s not to love about this trend? First seen in S/S 2016 catwalks, ruffles and frills are still going strong this year decorating necklines, hemlines and in cascading tiers. What’s best about it? The ruffles in themselves already act as an accessory so no need to add one of your own. Take a look at this one-shoulder number from Rosegal – a minimalist take on still the shoulder-baring trend with dramatic frills cascading down the right shoulder. As the ruffles are a statement of their own, I just need to pair it up with red accents from Zaful. Check out how I styled it below. 

One Shoulder Cocktail Dress

In this second look, I opted for a ruffle on ruffle look. The top is actually a bodysuit that gives off that Kendall Jenner vibe holidaying off the coast of Cannes. If Kendall paddled in her off-shoulder white bodysuit, can you do the same here? Sure you can. :P The ruffles snaking down the neckline is already face-and shoulder-framing though I really like that unexpected shoulder look from it.  I teamed it up with this ruffled Capri from Zaful. This cropped pants has just the right amount of feminine flair at the hemline and all I need to complete the look are these complementary stilettos. 

One Shoulder Bodysuit

Ruffled Cuff Pants

Psst! Use the code RosegalChen and ZafulChen to get additional discounts.

Sponsored: Denim Crop

Crop tops and summer - an inevitable pairing. Because to steal a line from a website, when the temperature starts to rise your shirts will want to do the same. Lol. The trend has been around since forever and hopefully by now, either you've worked on your abs if you're a proponent of the trend (I'm not so I haven't, lol) OR checked out some styling tips to make it less daunting to wear. :P

I also do hope that the way you wear it matures over the years that's just about right for adults. Because to be honest, crop top doesn't really mean baring it all. Take for example this denim number from Zaful. It reveals just an inch of skin between the top and a high-waist A-line skirt. And although sleeved, it's also a bit floaty which can still feel cool for the season. I also love the fact that the frayed edges matched with this denim skirt for another denim on denim pairing. Here's how I styled it with red accessories (soon!) below:

Frayed Denim Crop Top

Sunnies/ Top: Zaful; Skirt: Unbranded; Bag: Here; Shoes: H&M

4th of July Wedding 👰

Sure, it may be a memorable day (Hey ‘Murica!)  and an easy one to remember at that for a wedding date but it being July means the archipelago is well into its rainy season and the fact that the day fell on a Tuesday also means that wedding attendees might not be guaranteed. But if there’s one thing I realized from this special event, people will find way for those who matter to them. I’m glad that the management allowed us to offset this day at work to attend our co-worker’s wedding in Tagaytay.

Hmmm, it seems like I've been getting a lot of good tips for wedding lately. A remote place with no internet connection (see here) and probably a weekday schedule. What else? Haha. Not that I’m getting married soon. Lolz. It did rain yesterday and the gloomy skies were a bit in contrast to the beauty of the place that is Caleruega but it didn’t dampen anyone’s spirit. :P It was a fun wedding, just like what we we've expected. Congratulations and best wishes to Sir Rey and Bem. 🎊🎊🎊

Dress: Mango; Hat: Zara; Shoes: Missguided; Bag: Here