MUJI Launches Cotton Denim Series this Summer

If there is one fabric I can’t get enough of in my closet, it’s denim.

With three kids, anything denim is my default piece. It’s hard wearing, comfortable, and has the ability to make me look pulled together because it hardly creases.

It’s so easy to take care of too. Just throw it in the wash, and it looks brand new again. Actually, the older and more faded it gets, the better it looks.

As if denim can’t get any better, MUJI takes denim to a whole new level with the use of 100% Organic Cotton as a sustainable initiative, a conscious move to care for the environment.

All that without compromising comfort and style. I played dress up with a couple of pieces from the collection, and they’re just love. Love. Love.

MUJI organic cotton double gauze dress, perfect for shuttling the kids around to their summer activities

MUJI denim pencil skirt, and a crisp white shirt, casual but polished enough for meetings 

 MUJI stretch boyfriend jeans and striped button down shirt, for running errands

The beauty of MUJI denim is that the fabrics are exposed to less color treatment and minimal wash to maintain their best, natural state and keep their true color and shape.

Oh, and one more thing about denim? Even if it looks great in its minimal state, it is also such a fun piece to dress up, and I can really inject each piece with my own personality.

A casual, minimalist look with pops of red

A summer in the city inspired look

Pieces from the MUJI Cotton Denim Series are so versatile, and are designed to complement other pieces to fill a mixed bag of stylish combinations, from denim on denim to the classic match up of jeans and a crisp white shirt.

That said, come on over to MUJI this month. Get 25% OFF on any DENIM for every garment purchase. Promo period is from March 6 to March 31, 2015.

In the Philippines, MUJI is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc. (SSI) - a member of The SSI Group,Inc. Muji is located at Bonifacio High Street Central, Power Plant Mall at Rockwell Center, Greenbelt 3, SM Mall of Asia, Robinsons Magnolia, Shangri-La Plaza East Wing and Ayala Center Cebu. 

Photo credits: Camille King of Camille King Photography

MFO Shoe Series: Vanessa Mayuga-Santos, Manila

My friend Vanessa Santos, aka #thevainmama, is The Model Mama.

And not just because she's gorgeous and statuesque. She makes motherhood look so stylish, easy and fun! Not only that, she still manages to squeeze in time to be productive for herself, for her own enjoyment.

Van is the Beauty Seeker for cult online store Seek the Uniq and her cousin Mavis Manotoc-Fuentebella's partner at Stella by TALA. She also contributes to Glam-o-mamas and Glamourbox, in between shuttling the kids to and from their daily activities.

We always look forward to play dates at their home, where she thoughtfully whips up virgin sangrias for us mommas, to go with the sumptuous snacks she puts together in her kitchen. I remember stuffing myself one time with warm bread slathered in butter swirled with strawberry jam while the kids played princess dress up. I couldn't stop eating it. Van told me to just whisk softened butter with strawberry jam in a food processor, et voila - strawberry flavored butter. It's brillz. She's brillz.

When it comes to style, expect nothing less from Van of course. Her marketing and PR stints at Luxasia and Louis Vuitton Philippines have honed and trained her eye to appreciate quality and luxury in a quiet, informed and discerning level. Her selection of shoes reflect just that.

How many pairs of shoes do you own? 

Am basing this on my closet shelves - about 50 pairs.

What's your shoe size?

39 to 40

Which pairs are your favorites?

Lanvin Ballet Flats for traveling. I normally use this on the plane. The are easy to slip on and off and can be dressed up or down.

Cesare Paciotti boots. I scored these at a secret sample sale in Korea. Luckily most of the shoes were in my size! The boots are gorgeous and so comfortable.

The Cesare Paciotti embellished pumps are a statement piece that I'm saving for a special occasion.

YSL Black Tribute Pumps. I call these my "power shoes". They are classic black pumps that always make me feel a little more confident (probably because of the 4 inch heels). I love how the secret platform makes these shoes super comfy and I can wear them the entire day without any problems.

Maison Martin Margiela sneakers. I am not the sporty type but I have accepted that sneakers are the way to go for traveling. In my 30's and with two kids in tow, comfort that is stylish is always a winner.

Etro sandals, my most recent purchase. I lean towards simple, clean pieces when it comes to my clothes. Even in terms of colors, I generally stick to plains and neutrals. This fun pair of sandals should add a punch to most of my favorite shift dresses.

If you could only wear one pair of shoes, which one would it be? 

Sandals...

...or flats.

What are your favorite shoe brands? 

Lanvin, YSL, Louis Vuitton, Cesaro Paciotti, Mystique, and Renegade Folk here in Manila.

Van's collection of Louis Vuitton footwear, because an LV girl has to walk the talk

Gypset glam sandals by Mystique

Van's growing collection of Renegade Folk sandals

What's in your shoe lust list? 

I need new flipflops for swimming. I’m so tempted to get the Valentino camo x Havaianas. Its your fault Tin! Haha

Where do you buy shoes? 

Mostly abroad.

What's that one shoe you can't bear to give away or throw out? 

My patent navy Lanvin Ballet flats from 2008. They were my first pair and I bring them to almost every trip I go to.

All photos by Camille King of Camille King Photography. Like her Facebook page, HERE.

MFO Shoe Series: Kat Garcia, Manila

Kat Garcia is my momma fitspiration. Just take a hard look at those seriously hard abs.

I often ask this mom of two for fitness tips and I love how she encourages but never pushes me to workout. What she told me to focus on, was to be conscious of what I eat. Like she always says, "Abs are made in the kitchen! Torn in the gym! 80% nutrition, 20% sweat!"

A self-confessed workout junkie and healthy eating advocate (sugar and salt are the enemy!), she calls herself a "crazy purse collector who loves bikes, cars, pistols, basketball and is a hardcore UFC fan." And I love how her shoe collection is a true reflection of her personal style!

Btw, for this year's series of shoe girls, I enlisted the help of my friend, photographer Camille King, to join me as we take the Shoe Series a notch up with professional photos (when all of our schedules permit of course, heehee). Hope you will love this new look for the series as much as I do. Super thanks Camille for becoming my partner in the MFO Shoe Series now!

Since Kat is a purse collector first & foremost, Camille & I just had to get photos of a few of the highlights of Kat's purse collection.

 

And now, on to her shoes!

How many pairs of shoes do you own? 

I used to own over a 100 pairs but I had to downsize...since I can only bring what I need in our condo.

Girly pairs that she hardly wears, but can't let go of, as these were gifts from her Mom

Boots for traveling to cooler climes

More girly shoes from her mom

What's your shoe size?

Omg... for real? Im a 9.5-10.... hey wait almost 5'8 naman ako! But yes...all my trainers are Men's shoes!

Which pairs are your favorites? 

My Nike 2014 Fly Knit Airmax and Asics Gel Blurr33 - great for all around training.

If you could only wear one pair of shoes, which one would it be? 

Hahaha!!! I can wear Nike or Asics all day!

What are your favorite shoe brands? 

Nike, Asics and New Balance

What's in your shoe lust list? 

Ooooooooh.... tough one but I hope batman (my dad) sees this. Also madame (mom). ALL nike 2014 fly knit mens shoes haha!!! I said ALL! and Asics Kill Bill.

Asics Kill Bill via highsnobiety.com

Where do you buy shoes? 

Nike Shang. Nike at Shang has a good selection as always. Well, I'm obviously a suki since I bully the kuyas there to give me the first dibs on new arrivals! Plus my kids tambay there and the ates and kuyas are okay w/ them haha! 

Planet Sports and Net-a-Porter...oh and GigaSports Hong Kong.

Isabel Marant Bayley Star and Bekett wedge sneakers from Net-a-Porter

What's that one shoe you can't bear to give away or throw out? 

My Lebron basketball shoes.

Of course, I could never let Kat go with just sharing her shoe collection. I had to ask her about her workout routine, what she eats, and because she has amazingly poreless skin, her skincare routine.

How do you get those abs? I mean seriously!

For my workout routine...I have been going hard these days because of endurance and strength training. I want to be macho so I can maneuver my dream Ducati monster bike. Also I want to join the basketball team here sa Rockwell Gym, I'm not kidding.

I am doing krav maga soon and going back hardcore on kettle bell training. I do cardio via summit trainer and run 4km w/ abs on fire MWF, then tues/thurs/ sat I go heavy on strength training. (Didn't Kat say abs is 80% nutrition? Buti na lang!)

Uhm ok, change topic, hahaha. Let's just talk about what you eat? 80% nutrition, majority wins.

Oh for the food, well I design our own shakes and meals that goes well w/ our training. My husband is on a fat cry/lean up program I designed, while I'm on a high energy/ high protein lean up program. I have perfected one shake I use for pre, during and post workouts. I call it the fat cry/lean up energy shake.

Fat cry/lean up energy shake
1tbsp ground flax seed
1/2 banana
1tbsp whey protein powder ( I use show me the whey from healthy options) but peanut butter will do for the kuripot ones hehe
1/2 yakult or 1/2 nestle strawberry yogurt
1/2 cup almond or skim milk
1/2 cup water

NOTE: WE DON'T COUNT CALORIES, WE FOCUS ON WELL BALANCED NUTRITIOUS SHAKES/MEALS.

Now, tell me about your poreless skin. It looks airbrushed you know.

I use to be a solid La Mer junkie but I had to stop for a while because I want more Airmax and I'm saving up for a 9mm pistol and my dream Ducati monster bike haha!!!

I use pure argan oil all over. I have a bad case of psoriasis and my kids have skin asthma. It was the only product that made us say BYE to the lotion we hoard at S&R hehe!

It was a gift to me last Christmas, it was a lot so I gave them away as well. I really don't plan to sell them...and go all out in the market, but what I use is 100% pure argan oil from Spain and has certification. I supply friends and family and some derma clinics at the Medical City.

PS - Of course, Camille & I ended up buying a bottle of this wonder Argan Oil from Spain and convinced Kat to sell to MFO readers as well! It's unscented and is so non-greasy, I use it on my face each morning as a base for my CC Cream. Email garciakat26@yahoo.com if you'd like to buy too! 

For more on Kat's fitness adventure, follow @mamakathere on Instagram. 

Unless credited, all photos by Camille King of Camille King Photography. Like her Facebook page, HERE.

SoMoms & Elin

When Martina of Elin asked a couple of us SoMoms to a shoot with Camille King, in their clothes, it was a no brainer. Of course we said yes!

All of us were fans, from back when Martina, Kathleen and Pat started Catalogue63.

Elin is just the kind of brand you can rely on for trusty wardrobe staples - tunics, tops, dresses and such that are not just comfortable and flattering, but are also cut to look great for every kind of figure, whether you are in that pre-natal, pregnant, post-natal, even way past bearing age stage of your life.

Me in Carla, Chesca in Cammy, Michelle in Kiara, Jackie in Amber, Jen in Joelle, Jenny in Ava

Take this Diane dress for instance,

We all loved how well it fit each one of us, and made us look like donyas, for just Php995!

I think the secret to Elin is that they understand what real women want to wear. They take into consideration the body issues that we have, real or imagined. But most important of all, they are made to complement our lifestyles. Just check out their new line of nursing tops and dresses for breastfeeding moms to see what I mean. 

Elin is not about us adjusting to how we act or walk because of a dress they deem we should be wearing. Yes, I am talking to you Herve Leger.

Elin is about being in a dress that allows us to just throw it on as we go about our daily tasks, and yet making us look stylish while we're at it.

Discover and shop Elin at Elin.ph

MFO Shoe Series: Camille King, Manila

You probably first met Camille King here in the blog, when I shared with you the adorable photos she took of Berry & Xavi at play. Today she comes back, this time, as the subject of my Shoe Series!

It was actually my friend from high school, her cousin Mitch, who told me to feature Camille's shoes. And I am glad I asked Camille, and that she agreed. She not only takes amazing photos of her shoes, she has a huge shoe closet that I would want for myself. Want!!!

Camille filled it with her favorite pairs of ballerinas, wedges and flats. I love how her personality is so evident in the styles she chooses - very feminine, casual and yet full of personality. Check this out!

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I didn't count them but I estimate 50 pairs based on the photos I took.

What's your shoe size?
 

It depends on the brand and the style of the shoe but I wear a 7-8. I think I have big feet for my height because I am not tall (okay, i call myself petite). Hehe. 

Which pairs are your favorites?

My favourite brand of shoes is Pretty Ballerinas. I got them all from Adora except for a few pairs I purchased when I travelled to Spain last year. I love anything girly, pretty and dainty so my top three favourites are from Pretty Ballerinas. And of course, almost all of my shoes are Pretty Ballerinas. I am obsessed!

Pretty Ballerinas, all in two rows

Aside from being girly, pretty and dainty, they are are really comfortable and stylish. I can wear them with anything.

I wear flats on most days and especially when I take my camera with me. My camera with lens attached is quite heavy (I shoot with a Canon 5D MarkIII) so I have to be comfortable and stable. I also need to be able to move quickly if I don't want to miss a shot. Flats work for me.

Pedro Garcia flats in bright yellow with ruffles

1. My newest pair which was a gift last Christmas. I love that the colors pink and teal match my brand and website, www.camillekingphotography.com.

2. Animal print with red lace and trim. I wear these with jeans, white or black top. It makes my outfit less boring.

3. Classic black ballet flats. I wore these everyday during a 2 week trip abroad and my feet didn't hurt at all. I also didn't have to worry about it getting dirty because its black.

4. Red glitter ballet flats. I don't think I ever wore these. I should! They are like Dorothy's shoes in the Wizard of Oz. I bought this pair because my daughter had the same pair and we wanted to be matchy-matchy. Unfortunately, she outgrew them already.

If you could only wear one pair of shoes, which one would it be?

Just one pair? This is hard! But I would choose a ballet flat in nude/beige so it will match everything. In the image, I would select the leftmost pair on the floor.

What are your favorite shoe brands? 

Pretty Ballerinas of course. Proof are the photos.

I also have Stella Luna and Schutz. Stella Luna pairs that I have are mostly high-heeled ones.

I have big legs and ankles (yes, I have cankles) so I choose styles that aren't too strappy. I prefer nude and beige colours as well. Wedges are more comfortable for me. I also prefer slingback styles. 

Pumps are always ill-fitting. The first four sandals on the left are Schutz. I love colour. The last two on the right are espadrilles from Spain.

What's in your shoe lust list? 

I am on the lookout to replace my nude high-heel sandals. No particular brand but it has to look similar and be as comfortable. I actually need some help finding a pair so if anyone has recommendations, it will be appreciated. 

Where do you buy shoes?

I buy all of my shoes from Adora. The Adora shoe department is called a Adora Shoe Mecca. Whenever I pass by, the sales person always has a big smile on her face. I wonder why. Gosh, I sound like a walking advertisement for Adora. I'm a good customer because when I find something I like, I am loyal. 

What's the one shoe you can't bear to give away or throw out?

This Stella Luna pair. I need a replacement. I should have bought two!

For more on Camille's photography, visit Camille's blog, HERE!