WORLD PREMIERE: That Blue Ruffled Dress

We're lucky to discover that there's an ongoing sale for plus size clothes (if it were mall-wide, I wasn't sure) in SM SouthMall last week. The first maternity-dress-for-now-corporate-dress-later that caught my eye? It's the plain red dress with ruffled design at the lower half from Jus Ur Size. Upon seeing me giving it a I'm-not-sure-if-I-should get-you look, my mum was quick to give her nod of approval when she saw the price tag: P450 only (originally P800+). 

It's a lovely dress, all right, but I doubt it'll look good on me and my close-to-flat rear. When I tried it on, I could sense the agreement about the dearth of curves over THERE from my mum's and husband's eyes. Kebs na!

Knowing that my baby bump will get bigger in the next 1-2 months, I asked the staff for a bigger size. But 3L looked quite lengthy at below my knees, so I ended up asking for 2L. Good thing it's made of stretchable fabric so I'm sure my little warrior won't express her disapproval with karate chops when I'm wearing it. 

And the final concern before I gave in: the color. This dress is available in red, purple and blue and, if you notice, I've worn too many reds and purples in this lifetime. You guessed it right. I reached for the blue one and waited for my mum and ninang to finish their style hunt (more on that later).

 

Pang-cover girl ba ang peg? 

(Sa Working Mom ata dapat hihi)

With this dress, I found the courage the join Metro Magazine's #selfie challenge! Oha!

Outfit of the Day:

Blue dress from Jus My Size

Blue flats from Solemate, SM Department Store

Photos by Adrian Gonzales.

***

Going back to my cliffhanger earlier, I take pride on the fact that I was the one who found the best dress for Mama! Among the many dresses she tried on, this particular dress brought a sparkle in her eyes. For me, it felt like I've returned the favor for buying me this and that illusion dress. Such an awesome feeling!

Mama said she'll wear this to the ballroom dancing event she'll attend this month. Cool!

WORLD PREMIERE: That Pink-And-Yellow Illusion Dress

So you've seen the 1 of 2 maternity-dresses-for-now-corporate-dresses-later in my prior entry. The other one is equally chic and fun, but never did I imagine I'll wear it when I exchange I do's! Maybe it's the superstition about black dresses on wedding day that made me initially want to avoid it, but me and my baby bump can't fit in this peplum dress anymore.  So I gave in and opted for this pink-and-yellow illusion dress. I'll just make sure to wear something all-white for our Church wedding, yes?

Sneak peek!

This dress had me at that little cut in the chest area. It's seductive without even showing my cleavage at all! Can't wait to wear it to the office! 

Mama actually wanted me to wear my dark blue flats for this dress. But I argued it's better to wear something neutral instead. It felt too Technicolor kasi. How about you, what pair of shoes would you wear for this lovely dress?

Outfit of the Day:

Dress from Divisoria

Snakeskin clutch bag from Suiteblanco

Earrings and bracelet from Mama

White lacey flats from Solemate, SM Department Store

Photos by Waldo Pan.

WORLD PREMIERE: That Black-And-White Illusion Dress + Baby Bump

I've said this once and I'll say it again - my mum had been greatly influential with my fashion sense. Most of the time, I'm snatching stuff from her closet or she'd style me, like what happened here. 

When we found out that I'm already carrying a 6-month-old baby girl around end of March (yeah, this story probably deserves a separate entry!), it was my mother who immediately acted on this fashion emergency. Actually, I've wanted to squeeze in a visit in ukay ukay shops in my hectic schedule, but my friend Yvie dissuaded me due to exposure to dirt and bacteria. So Mama spearheaded the spring cleaning and - voila! - I have instant maternity dresses and bestidas straight from her baul. But that didn't stop her; she still went to Divisoria to scour for more maternity-dresses-for-now-corporate-dresses-later.

I must admit I was impressed with her 2 purchases! Although this black-and-white illusion dress pretty much reminded me of this who-wore-it-better meme, I took delight in its effortlessly fabulous feel! My friends even told me, "Donyang-donya ang peg!" upon seeing me.

Speaking of donyang-donya, I left my usual dangling earrings at home and grabbed my mother's regal-looking clip-on earrings. And believe it or not, I traded my usually huuuuge shoulder bag with something black and light from mum. In short, that overused white lacey flats is the only thing in this ensemble that I own haha! I was thinking sandals like this would look great on this dress, but I've been reaaaaally lazy to shop for myself. Someday, after childbirth, I'd like to pair it with pumps like this! But for now, I'm a slave for comfort. (Lagi naman, diba? Haha!)

 

Lovin' the earrings, hatin' the dark neck! 

Of course, this calls for a close-up shot of the earrings. But forgive me for the exposure of my unsightly neck and nape. That, I hope, will disappear after I give birth to my little body image warrior.

Outfit of the Day:

  Illusion dress from Divisoria

Earrings, bracelet and bag from Mama

White flats from Solemate, SM Department Store

Photos by Carl Tendenilla.

WORLD PREMIERE: That Bejeweled Skull Blouse + Crumpled Leggings

How I love this skull blouse that I found inside my closet one weekend! Turns out my mum had a successful trip to an ukay ukay shop (something she learned from me, yay!) and she found this top to be too loose for her. Who wouldn't be willing to take it, right?

When I was about to leave home for work yesterday, she gave me a disapproving look of my all-black ensemble and handed me a better pair of leggings from her own closet. I initially mistook it as curtains due to its crumpled fabric, but later on realized its feminine appeal gave a cool contrast to my punk rock-inspired top. 

Just like my mum, I felt it's kinda loose, lengthy and unflattering. But I really had to leave for work and I had no time to rummage for other outfits. To my surprise, I received a lot of compliments from my colleagues for this awesome look. Can't wait to wear it again!

What I enjoyed the most about this outfit? The fact that my mudra actually styled me. She stopped doing so since I went to college and I must admit I somehow missed it. Just a little bit. 

Wearing stuff from my mum's closet (except lace flats)

Outfit of the Day:

Bejeweled skull blouse from ukay ukay

Crumpled leggings from mum

Lace flats from Solemate (SM) 

WORLD PREMIERE: That 1920s Look / Pinay Curvies Swag Challenge: Little Black Dress

How time flies! Once upon a time, I was just co-hosting my favorite twins' 7th birthday. Imagine my shock after I viewed this save-the-date for their 18th natal return! If I may quote a renowned commercial, these babies are now ladies! Ladies who, to be specific, wanted their guests to channel the characters from the film The Great Gatsby! I was initially intimidated by the idea, but I later on realized it was a cute excuse to keep a fringed frock in my closet. Wee!

This obsession, however, led me nowhere. This fringe dress from Suiteblanco won't fit and, worse, PlumpClothing's quote was beyond my budget. Thanks to this month's Pinay Curvies Swag challenge, I got reminded of that sexy black dress I bought from an ukay ukay shop recently. Then I almost changed my mind when I saw how the invitation practically presented my desired look on that night. Should I go back to my plan to look for a fringed frock? Somebody made me realize I can stick to the plain black dress and rummage for flashy accessories instead. Good point!

Ate Lorna & the adorable twins Bea & Tin Tin! 

Take a closer look at my fascinator!

Of course, it ain't me if there's no hilarious outfit moment to report. Before the party started, I realized my smart phone doesn't recognize my gloved fingers. There were moments I had to take off my right glove to take photos properly...so I dread to see the official photos, particularly if they reveal this "continuity" mishap. I recall posing next to Tito Eddie, the debutantes' father, and concealing my gloved forearm behind him. I hope it worked. Haha!

"The Governess"

A guy friend from college messaged his appreciation when I made the above photo (without the leg part) my profile picture on Facebook. According to him, I give off an impression that I know exactly what would drive men nuts. Aaand behind that mysterious smile and pa-demure arm pose lies this strong desire to be sexually dominant. Thus, he dubbed me "The Governess". Gasp!

As usual, he shared stuff about history I had no clue about. Some affluent women back in the days used to hire photographers in secret to have them captured looking fab and seductive. Since it was taboo back then, it was a secret fantasy to pose like THAT and to be perceived desirable in bed in spite of their prim and proper image. Wow.

Ok, before we all get too distracted, let's go back to the outfit. Haha! It's not really my style to pile up on accessories, but I contradicted myself this time to comply to the 1920s theme. Normally, I go for statement outfit (the slit would do, in this case) and dangling earrings or bracelet. Boring, I know. 

But I'm not saying I didn't enjoy dressing up that night. It was cool to feel like British royalty with my fascinator, pearl necklaces and white gloves. I just hope I can get to wear them again. Like, in the office! Why not?

Outfit of the Day:

Little black dress from ukay ukay (P120)

Flashy fascinator from Carolina's, Glorietta (P500)

Pearl earrings from Carolina's, Glorietta (P90 each)

White gloves from Buttons & Wrap, SM Makati (P250)

Snakeskin clutch bag from Suiteblanco (gift)

Bronze platforms from Payless (forgot how much)

***

There's no way I will conclude this entry without gushing about my favorite twins. I saw them evolve from carefree little girls into stylish, studious young women. Too bad I don't have throwback photos to support that statement. I used to know who's who, simply because Tin Tin was chubbier and more talkative.

Fast forward today, I can hardly tell them apart anymore! They've grown figure-conscious, I see, and I trust they're doing it the right way since Bea is pursuing Nursing while Tin Tin is taking up Physical Therapy. I pray they believe in their own beauty and NOT fall slave the society's standards of beauty and sexy. 

In conclusion, I had a grand time! I luuuurve their 1920s outfits and I feel happy that there was so much familial love in the air. I feel so grateful to be invited to witness all that. Again, happy, happy birthday, Bea and Tin Tin! 

#BeaTinXVIII

Photos by DJ San Jose.

WORLD PREMIERE: That Luigi Costume / PINAY CURVIES EVENT: Spooky-Oke Night!

If you were born in the 80's just like me, you probably never experienced dressing up and going trick-or-treat around this time of the year. Our idea of Halloween involved watching real-life spooky stories on Magandang Gabi Bayan and visiting our loved ones in the cemetery. So when Mitch asked me for theme/s on how to celebrate Pinay Curvies' first bloggiversary, I was quick to suggest a Halloween costume party. Yes, psychologists call this compensation. Ha!

Since I've showed up as a cheshire cat last year, I daydreamed to level up this time. I initially planned to be Ginger Spice (I want this British Union Jack dress!) but my hectic schedule made me change plans and, thanks to this random stranger wearing a Super Mario Bros. shirt, I got an idea who I'll portray in the party. Of course, I asked Mitch to show up as Mario since our names start with M and L. Sadly, she can't see herself in jumpsuit and mustache. 

Finding this get-up wasn't as easy as I imagined. I thought I'll go with this denim jumper then I realized my latest ukay ukay purchase looks more appealing. I was relieved to hear that my friend can customize this mustache necklace and my friend referred me to Chikara Hats. I luuuurve my friends! 

However, I was unable to find a mushroom to complete the look. There's none in Clipper outlets in Eastwood, Gateway and Farmer's Plaza and I was told there's no Comic Alley in Glorietta (anymore?). Dear Kate Torralba, how can I order? Still waiting for your reply here.

L is for Lorna...and Luigi!

Outfit of the Day:

Mum's green top

Jumpsuit from ukay ukay

White gloves from SM

Green flats from Solemate (SM)

Luigi hat from Chikara Hats

Mustache necklace from Pepper Manila

***

The local curvy community I helped co-build is now one-year-old! Can you believe it? My daydreaming days felt just like yesterday and now I'm reminiscing about our little party to thank everyone for supporting our efforts to make it a smaller world for plus size Pinays worldwide. And so we dubbed it as #SpookyokeNight. Because singing is our national pasttime and we ain't celebrating until the fat ladies sing!

Spooky-oke Night!

The grateful faces behind Pinay Curvies

 How we partied, in photos

I don't think these photos can give justice to the amount of merriment we had last Saturday night and I don't think I can even articulate all my favorite moments. I'm super thankful that everyone showed up in fab costumes and everyone's game to croon and dance away. Mitch and I had a hard time choosing the best in costume and best singer, even! After much deliberation, we opted to have 2 winners per category. 

 Best in costumes: Janice as Kung Fu Hustle landlady & Lyn of ward88 as SnowWhite

Best Singers: Chiara as she-devil # 2 and Jo-anne as Insiduos black lady

 You're so sweet, Erzullie!

We made it to the news! Thanks, Candy!

See more #SpookyokeNight photos here. Photos by Cleopatra Mitch Leus.
Watch our own crazy rendition of Dynamite and Titanium on our YouTube channel. Mind you, we're not even drunk yet!

WORLD PREMIERE: That Sheer Poncho

Remember how I expressed my desire for Erzullie's sheer poncho on this entry? Well, that little dream finally materialized during the recently concluded Fashion Feast! From regular price of P850, I bought it for only P300! Hurrah! And what else to do after that fun-filled evening of shopping and socials? Edi i-world premiere right away! (Guess what? I already wore the matching skirt last week! Yep, it's also worth P300!)

In case you've noticed, I truly favor casual look over tiis-ganda "fasyon" look. But I sometimes get perceived as a fashionista and I'm quick to correct my friends whenever they call me as such. I have nothing against them, but I seriously don't consider myself as one. During Glam Tales, we had a discussion that some girls have this innate 360-degree vision to tell what goes fab with this and that. Believe me, I don't have that. I just take notes from others and, if I find it too ma-effort, I ditch the idea and rummage for something safe in my closet.

That's the same story for this outfit. I found a statement piece to wear and I stopped there. I just grabbed plain camise for inner wear, plain leggings and my usual footwear and - boom - I'm ready to go! I can already imagine your disapproving look on my flats. Haha!

Mahangin sa labas...and I love it!

You gotta love the details!

I appreciate how light and comfy the fabric feels. In fact, I feel like a playful dyosa (my best friend's word, not mine) who leaves magical dust when I pass by. To my glee, most people complimented my poncho and some of them, even thin people, inquired where I bought it. They want one for themselves! Endorser lang ang peg!

The designers Aries and Berna (or maybe either of them) told me before that there's another way of wearing this poncho. Some of their clients keep their arms hidden underneath it. Maybe I'll try that next time and ask you which one looks better. 

Outfit of the Day

Sheer poncho from Erzullie 

Black camise (nope, it's not a tank top) from Chubbly

Mum's leggings

Tan flats from Quiapo

Photos by Bendell Timtim.

WORLD PREMIERE: That Black & White Dress / PINAY CURVIES EVENT: Glam Tales: An Afternoon With Maita Atienza and Mercille Tiomico

For my first wedding assistant coordinator duty, I decided to look for a comfortable yet chic dress during the Great Luxe Sale in May. I ended up buying a black & white dress which I eventually decided unfitting since 1.) the wedding motif turned out to be pastel; and 2.) superstitious friends said attendees wearing black spells malas for the married couple. Oh, well. There'll be a better time to world premiere this dress!

Then I realized I could wear it on Glam Tales: An Afternoon with Maita Atienza & Mercille Tiomico! I'm sure my fellow plus size Pinays would show up in their most kikay outfits, too! However, I admit wearing a pink bolero on top of this during my commute and during the event itself. It was freezing cold! 

Outfit of the Day:

Dress from The Sweet Cloth

Moonstone crystals from Crystal Empress

Black wedges from VNC

***

Finally, Mitch and I had a follow-up gathering for our beloved curvy community. After the swap meet, quiz night and movie date, we are so delighted to hold our first kikay boot camp called Glam Tales. We're so grateful that our resource speakers were equally enthusiastic about this mission and, to our absolute surprise, the attendees braved typhoon Maring to join us. It was such an awesome feeling!

Our event started with a makeup demo from Maita Atienza. Based on our #UsapangCurvy about hair and makeup, it became apparent that most of us are eager to learn about contouring. Prior to the event, Maita tapped me to be the model so the attendees could see how to make magic. We truly learned a lot from her, specifically my foundation shade (golden sunset) and Findation is the place to go to find our perfect match! Amazing, right? 

Ang gaan ng kamay ni Maita!

Even before the demo is done, my newfound friends were quick to marvel at my no-makeup look. I must admit I was truly impressed, too. In fact, I almost did NOT wash my face before going to bed. I wanted to preserve my look! Then I remember how she started the demo by removing my makeup haha!

By the way, even before I met Maita that day, I was already a fan of hers. Her posts showed love for organic farming and she's a reminder of my dream to be a green thumb and grow my own food. When I finally saw her in the flesh, I was stunned that she looks waaay younger and prettier in person! Her photos online don't do her justice!

Mercille in action

Remember how we talked about our fashion worries during this #UsapangCurvy? Mercille Tiomico gave us all a roundup on what we should consider to look big and fab. I was personally shocked that she finds comfort vital, too. I mean, she looks fasyon fasyon in photos and in person (don't let that camouflage top fool you, she was wearing a very funky pair of shoes!). The best realization? She wasn't as snobbish as she appears! She's very bubbly. As in babaeng bakla like me! 

The hosts Mitch and I and the resource speakers Maita and Mercille

To sum it up, it was a very informative, fun and noisy gathering. It was like a reunion of some sort! I could just imagine how the other diners felt when we emerged out of the function room, asking for photo opps and exchanging endless goodbyes and besos. Mitch and I got inspiration for our next events, too. I'm tempted to divulge our brewing projects with some of the attendees, but it's best to keep mum for now. 

Kodak moment with the girls! Thank YOU for coming! 

Photos from Mitch Leus. Check the rest of the photos here. 

WORLD PREMIERE: That Silk Dress / Pinay Curvies Took The Quiz Night Challenge!

As if this long-lasting puta red lipstick and a bundle of moron from Leyte were not enough pasalubong, my balikbayan friend Vannie even gifted me with this little black dress. I find it lovely and seductive...and something NOT safe to wear for work. In fact, I reserved this number for a pyjama par-tey that unfortunately didn't happen. Until I found myself staring at this dress while I was rummaging my closet recently and I re-assessed if it's really inappropriate in the workplace. 

Up until the day before the quiz night,  I was thinking of packing this dress as my post-shift outfit. The morning after, I changed my mind. I realized how wrinkled this pretty dress will be even before I get to wear it. In case our guards refuse to let me enter the premises, I packed an extra clothing. Sigurista! And in case you're wondering, no, it didn't happen. Phew!

Looks one size bigger but I like it! Thanks, Vannie! <3

Flower Power!

To my surprise, Mitch was also wearing something floral that evening. Flower power!

Outfit of The Day:

Silk dress from Vannie

Blue bangle from souvenir shop in Zamboanga

Mum's sandals

High bun by Tracee

***

I've always been intrigued and eager to experience quiz night with good friends.  So Mitch and I agreed to fulfill this long overdue fantasy as our follow-up event to the swap meet and greet. Remember this invitation to the plus size community last month?

Unfortunately, the others who confirmed can't make it. Loren was suffering from fever that time, thanks to our bipolar weather. And so was Jane. Get well soon, ladies! My fellow boarders Joy and Jinky had last-minute concerns to take care of. Ayzee, on the other hand, almost made it but she and her car got stuck somewhere. So it was just Mitch and I (and our combined stock knowledge) against the real geeks (or nerds, whatever the right term is). Challenge accepted!

May tama tayo, Mitch!

The quiz started with General Trivia. From this category, we were able to make right guesses. When asked about a certain athlete (didn't catch her name) who was proven to be a transvestite after her death, Mitch made a daunting guess. TRUE was correct! When asked which has more protein between egg and chicken, I wrote EGG. Another point! When asked if Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, wants a baby boy or baby girl, I opted for BOY. Again, correct! Then, we were asked to choose what's the fastest among falcon, bangaw (forgot the technical word for it) and jaguar (if my memory serves me right). Mitch mentioned cheetahs run faster than any other land animal. But we got confused as it's not included in the options. So we went for the fowl and we got another point! Yay!

Here's my favorite part: the answer that I was so sure of yet I failed to encircle to get double points! Question: From your entrance in the comfort room, what's the cleanest cubicle, according to research? I was very sure that it's the nearest cubicle from the door as, per the documentary I've watched, most people assume that the everyone goes there. Hence, the farthest cubicle is the dirtiest. Oha! 

Then we moved on to Dance category. We got three points for naming this certain prima ballerina (Lisa Macuja-Elizarde), providing another term for pirouette (whirl or twirl) and the type of dance that makes use of shoes to create sounds (tap dancing). We were clueless what type of dance toprock is (breakdance) and others. 

Other questions include what's the smell of the moon, according to the Apollo 11 astronauts, what does HTML stand for (Google it!), which drink has the least amount of caffeine among green tea, espresso and black tea, what country has the most number of overweight citizens based on BMI (it's Kuwait), how many times was Julius Ceasar stabbed (23 times), which locally available fruit is a distant relative of poison ivy (mango), among others. 

Wait, I might have confused these questions from other categories. There were about 10 questions per category and it can get overwhelming. And it doesn't help that I have poor memory. Anyway, other categories included science, pirates/piracy, Steven Sodenbergh, vintage cars, geography, women and...and...I'll get back to you on that.

We were THIS close to the right answer!!!

Have you ever wondered how long is the shortest scheduled flight ever? We guessed 20 minutes. To our dismay, it was just 2 minutes! We were THIS close for one point! Can you feel our frustration?

Did I just hear you ask if we cheated? Well, I think I did. For the question which country is closest to North America, I recall being convinced Canada is the answer. Then the quiz master provided a clue that it's NOT in North America as well. I was about to write down Mexico in our whiteboard when somebody from the next table gave away his answer with much conviction. So we - I mean, I urged Mitch - to write down RUSSIA instead. 

Category: vintage cars

Among the categories, I'd say vintage cars was the most difficult. See, cars don't like me back. I just permitted Mitch to make guesses on all images they flashed on TV. For that category, we got zilch. 

But I won't conclude this entry without bragging about our glorious moment. For the Pirates/Piracy, category, we got 2 points for guessing the golden age of pirates/piracy (1717-1720, thanks to multiple choice) and naming the act that prevents the pirates or their enemies from catching up (we didn't  know the right word for it so we wrote down "water hosing").  The quiz master accepted our answer since pirates make use of water jets to slow their enemies down. And guess what? The other teams bowed down to admit their defeat. Ok, I'm exaggerating. Most of them actually gave us slow claps to show their appreciation. And we were so ready to bill out. Hahaha!

My favorite moment!

Biggest losers of the night!

And we survived 10 rounds of brain exercise. However, we ended up as the "biggest losers" of the night! There's a reason why there's a quotation mark right there. While the team with highest scores takes home a gift certificate amounting to P1,000, the losing team gets to have free booze. To my surprise, they gave us my all-time favorite! Unfortunately, Mitch was advised by her doctor to refrain from alcoholic drinks; this should help with her plan to conceive. (Can't wait to organize a curvy baby shower!) So I downed both tequila shots even before Mitch can conclude her apology. Ahlaveet!

I know 8 heads are better than 2, but I truly enjoyed this experience. In fact, I'd like to try this again! Just let me know if you'd like to join me. Aja!

Check out our photos here. 

WORLD PREMIERE: That Pastel Pink Pants / Color Blocking

Being unable to climb back to the Prayer Mountain for the Holy Week just like I did last year, I committed to serve during the Resurrection Sunday instead. I assumed the organizers would ask us, volunteer ushers/usherettes, to wear something preppy or formal, just like last year. Imagine my shock when they announced that females should wear colored denim pants. Something summer-y and casual. Wow!

Of course I panicked. It's my first time to serve and I refuse to disappoint the elders and my small group leader. I'm more of a skirt girl and I only have 2 pairs of denim pants rotting inside my closet. The first thing that crossed my mind was to raid my mum's closet, as always. But I found my tired feet take me to an ukay ukay shop near my parents' home in Bacoor. (I was wearing this when it happened, by the way.) I typically go the distance whenever I go secondhand shopping (ex. Kamias, Ortigas, Cubao Makati. Las Piñas City would have to be the closest). 

Guess what I found in this small ukay ukay shop in City of Bacoor (yep, Mayor Strike Revilla wants it City of Bacoor vs. Bacoor City)? A pair of pastel pink sort-of slacks! I call it "sort-of slacks" since it kinda looks deceivingly formal but it's actually cottony and comfy. It's not denim, as required, but this pair sure looks casual enough. It must be the bitin look, I guess.

So I have found my pants. What else to wear? I immediately thought of my overused purple flats (you first met 'em here) in my mind and racked my brains for the fitting top to wear. Out of nowhere, the concept of color blocking came to mind.

So I paired my pastel pink pants with blue top and purple flats...

In the informal survey (naks!) I conducted via BBM, this combination was just the runner-up choice and most respondents prefer this top instead.  But I found it too long; it will make me look shorter. If you wanna see the other options (Exhibits A-E), I can send it via BBM. Ha!

For the first time, I didn't take off my ID for yesterday's photo opps. So, how do you find this outfit?

What my ID says...

Guide to Color Blocking

Obtained from Maita Atienza Makeup's fanpage

Outfit of the Day:

Blue v-neck top with loose sleeve from Landmark

Pastel pink pants from ukay ukay shop

Purple flats from Sassy Girl 

Cultured pearl earrings from Zamboanga

Bloggers Do Black + White Stripes Better

When I first heard of the Bloggers Do Black + White Stripes Better challenge, I immediately felt disqualified to join. I have this red + white stripes dress I can't wait to bring to the beach this summer and a pale pink + grey striped shirt I was wearing when I read the news and I'm daydreaming of this striped dress, but I have no black + white stripes! It was a sad realization as I patiently waited for the follow-up challenge after this.

When I went home to my parents' place last weekend, I was delighted to see a mountain of hand-me-downs in my closet. Either that or Mama needed a bigger space for her clothes. To my surprise, I found a long-sleeved top that would serve as my ticket for the abovementioned challenge. Yippee! Yahoo! Yehey!

Manila has been experiencing bipolar weather lately; humid mornings that give way to rainy afternoons/evenings. I didn't mind wearing this long-sleeved top under the sun as I expected heavy rains later that day. Hot, sweaty mornings I can tolerate. But gloomy, freezing evenings? Hardly. 

As you probably know by now, I'm your typical casual chick. And when it rains, I get extra lazy. Yesterday was no exception. So I mixed my mum's striped top with my harlem pants and overused purple flats. Nothing bold, nothing special. I'd rather don something "safe" in terms of the predictably moody weather.

The big picture

Did I mention it's hooded?

Wait. I feel the need to interrupt the parade of photos to say that it doesn't feel as warm as it looks. The fabric felt kinda light against the sun yet it never failed to protect me from the usual chills inside an airconditioned room. Lovin' the fact that it has hood, too. Even if I find my umbrella more reliable. 

Oooh! Somebody else has earned her stripes! 

Now you see the harlem pattern...

...now you don't!

And the sun stayed with us after the morning service, after lunch and after our Church-related meeting. I was expecting to see rain showers after the last activity, but I managed to travel to my high school friend's home without getting soaked. But I noticed the threatening dark clouds during my commute.

Eventually, it rained cats and dogs. Thankfully, I made it home before it happened. 

And I have this poorly-lit photo to prove it!

You'll have to look closely to see how drenched my flats were. But if you're still not convinced how extreme the weather can get here as of late, I'll show you photos of  a flooded venue where I would like my clone to go that evening, given the chance. I truly miss watching football matches live! When's the last time again?

Flooded pitch! 

The Philippines vs. Cambodia match had to be temporarily suspended due to heavy rains!

Photo lifted from my crushie Neil Etheridge's Instagram post

Check out the precipitation!

Photo from this article

Check out how other bloggers interpreted this summer/spring trend here. Enjoy!