Festival Spirit

Blame it on my Western dressing influence but Coachella is coming this week in Cali and I can't help but get a bit excited. Having said that, allow me to recall this poignant conversation I had with my Polish ex-boyfriend when we were still together. We were about to enter the mall when we came across this Korean mom whom he found so cute with her loosely thrown together articles of clothing and a strapped baby carrier. When he found out that I don’t share the same opinion about the woman’s laidback style (no jealousy here and he asked for my opinion to which I said "it's okay"), he simply stated “You all try to dress just like the Westerns do.”  Oh-kay. We didn’t really exactly have an argument about it but style is all about preference and it’s not my fault if I look up to Western fashion for inspiration. Right?

Anyway, back to Coachella. Yes it is a music festival but over the years with it's celebrity attendance, it has become a fashion festival too. I'm looking forward to what the celebrities would be wearing for the affair. Some has even predicted that with different retailers partnering up with the event organizers (hello H&M!), this event is well on its way on becoming a runway show soon. Fun!

If I were to attend a Coachella event, this is prolly what I’d wear. Instead of the usual cut-offs, I’d wear this asymmetric skirt I got on sale online. The event takes place in a desert like location in Cali so I think this crop top would pass for some abs (albet invisible, lol!) display and a wide-brim hat for protection from the sun. Lastly, I’ll finish this look off with some festival-ready ankle booties. All black may not be a typical color but the Kardashian sisters made it work some years ago! ;)

This is exactly what I wore to a street party held at concert grounds of Mall of Asia two weeks ago. What's best about this is that once again, it had the Topshop seal of approval in my Instagram. I really hope to see them use my photo one day. :)

Hat: Unbranded; Top: Topshop; Skirt: Zalora PH

Shoes: Mango; Bag: Charles 'n Keith

Athleisure

Once again I know I'm quoting an article here but according to a recent study, the fashion industry is hurting because of the increase of popularity of casual wear. Athleisure (a fashion buzzword apparently from last year), as the name suggests, is a "gym-to-office" trend of clothing which is a result of more people embracing a healthier lifestyle. Well, you know what to expect right? Tank tops, jogger pants, sneakers and yoga pants for casual wear. Though I'm strongly against the last one...

Anyway, speaking of sneakers, I got myself these Stan Smiths as a nod to this trend. A gym rat I have always been but not a sneaker type of girl. I still remember how it started though - from Chucks to New Balance to this pair that somehow launched my #sportyfriday wears at work. That one day where comfort prevails over fashion. :P

And about my jogger pants? I've always been proud to announce if some clothing here aren't mine (translation: my brother's). So yeah, I'm guilty again. It's from this line of clothing that he's sort of endorsing so they sent him several pairs. It's just too comfy to resist and I actually wear them for dancing sometimes. Perfect example of gym to office clothing. Haha!

Jacket: Mango

Top: Maldita

Pants: Outkast

Shoes: Adidas

Sunnies: SunniesStudios

Acid Wash

Fridays. They should be reserved for fun dressing you know. Relaxed and casual. Or “cool biz” as the Japanese would call it - something I learned when I started teaching Business English to them (it’s my part-time job). Trivia: Cool biz means for them “no suit”. But I digress, fun dressing for me on the last day of the workweek sometimes mean injecting colors.

This acid wash top is something I’ve been borrowing from time to time from my brother. Haha. It is a great “base palette” for colorblocking as I’ve paired it with a watercolor skirt too before. I reserved this for a Mockingjay move night with a friend. In the toilet though, after the movie, I realized with utter mortification that I was unconsciously sporting the Katniss Everdeen braid. I mean, I love the character and JLaw of course but I didn’t want everyone to think I’m copying the heroine’s hairstyle on the day of movie viewing itself. That is just so uncool for me you know. =P Just for fun, I agreed to my friend’s request to take a photo side by side with the movie poster (lol) but not posting it EVER. =D

Top: Topman (my brother's)

Skirt: Topshop

Clutch: Primadonna

Shoes: Zalora

Miranda-Inspired

As I analyze this #ootd, I couldn’t help but realize how eclectic this casual look was – Breton stripes, distressed jean jacket, PVC skirt and red MJ-like shoes. For someone who’s into coordinating pieces like me, you can easily tell that I wouldn’t come up with this idea of my own accord. Credit where is due, this is actually a borrowed look from the style maven Miranda Kerr. The original look is in the photo below. All I had to do though  was to improvise the pleated skirts since I don’t have it. The PVC fared well I suppose.

Oh Miranda Kerr. What a maverick! I have bookmarked and came up with a lot of her styles for the last year. Whether simply doing her errands or going to the airport, she never fails to supply me with covetable style. Not to mention, her always ready sweet smile for the paps and her cutest accessory, her son Flynn, a spot-the-difference that filled the comments section of my Facebook when I posted this. Haha! I will probably come up with a threeway look again here using one of Miranda’s favorites so watch out for it. J

Jacket: Mango

Top: H&M

Skirt: Asos

Shoes: Promod

Original look:

#OOTD in THREE

Okay, so I have this nagging question within me that I don’t wanna know the answer. I was talking recently to a friend of mine who went to a trip to Korea and I teased him about his persistent use of a “monopod” since he was just third-wheeling during the trip. Lol! He replied that he had so much fun using it (yeah he’s corny like that, haha!) and that every selfie he takes reminds him of me. Say what???

Selfie. A self-portrait typically taken with a cameraphone meant to be uploaded to social networking sites. Yes I understand. This is very much what I do. But part of me wants to argue that I am not exposing different angles of my face for the world to see because I think I am pretty but that I am doing a self-timed shot of my whole body for a purpose – and that is to chronicle my style, however unprofessional that looks. Obviously, the legit ones have a devoted photographer with them - something I can’t seem to do for now. I want to propose that #ootd shouldn’t be categorized as a #selfie. Lol! How can I ever justify that? Haha! Anyway, Wiki didn’t say anything about documenting outfits so maybe that friend of mine has a wrong misinterpretation of the word. Or is it me? Lol.

Anyway, in my other blog I would often post a #threewaythursday article to show styling of a certain item in three. Today, I will feature this #OOTD shirt I got (it’s a men’s clothing) from a local brand. I’m an abuser of the hashtag and it’s screaming MEEEEEEE so I didn't have second thoughts buying it as soon as I saw it - even if I was just supposed to watch John Legend's concert that night. Lol! Check it out!

Shirt: Folded & Hung

Jeans: Topman (my brother's)

Bag: Charles & Keith

Shoes: Dorothy Perkins

Sunnies: Flea market in Osaka

Hat: Cotton on

Shirt: Folded & Hung

Skirt: ASOS

Watch: Mango

Shoes: Zalora

Necklace: Topman (my brother's)

Scarf: The Landmark

Shirt: Folded & Hung

Jeans: Mango

Shoes: Converse

Bag: Marks & Spencer

Specs: Flea market in Osaka

Blue & Pink Sneakers!

Dear Isabel Marant,

I may never afford this coolest invention of yours when it comes to footwear but thank you for brilliantly coming up with the wedge sneakers.

Love,

Cakes

Lol. Those high-top beauties. I never imagined myself integrating rubbers into my casual looks but if a popular French fashion house introduces it and celebrities follow suit then you might as well jump into the bandwagon. Thanks to many online shops, I found a colorful pair that is actually too colorful for my liking, lol. But I didn't wanna buy a pair that looks like anything from the original designs lest mine may look a cheap replica. Moreover, this pair I have is actually not wedge at all which is all the more great for dancing in the gym. ;) I've had this pair since 2012 which was debuted in this post and have worn it in countless ways but only noticed now that there's never a #threewaythursday post about it in my other blog, lol. So here's one of the look I pulled off using the sneakers. :)

Cap: Cotton On

Watch: Swatch

Dress: H&M

Buttondown: My brother's

Shoes: Online shop