How to Wear It: Denim Trends on Live Love Lolz

Daunted by denim? 

In this episode of Live Love Lolz, Tita K and I break the denim trends down and show you how to wear flares, culottes, overalls, ripped jeans and crop tops. Even how to wear denim to work! 

Pregnancy Style on Live Love Lolz

Whenever Tita K runs out of guests for Live Love Lolz, I am her resident panakip butas. Ahihihi.

I would like to think interesting naman ako, and I have something worth sharing, and in this episode, we talk JONTIS STYLE!

I share my pegs for pregnancy dressing, items I personally like to wear when pregnant, Tita K reminisces about her pregnancy style, and we talk about where to shop for pregnancy clothes for real people and more.

Basically, we just want to say, don't be afraid to dress that bump! If you are planning to get pregnant, infanticipating, or know anyone who is either of both, this is for you.

Watch in YouTube or here na, now na!

Holiday Shopping Tips with Tita K & Moi

Friends & family! Tita K & I know how hard it is to shop for presents, especially this Holiday Season when you have to buy gifts galore. 

That is why we present to you this Holiday Gift Guide done Live Love Lolz style!

From Php10 gifts to crazy True Value finds, secret shopping destinations and dream shopping sites, we take you on a veritable journey of Christmas gift ideas that should solve that forever question, "What do I give everyone this Christmas?"

If you want to watch on a bigger screen, view it HERE, on the New Media Factory site instead!

Thread 365: 24/7 Basics

my Thread 365 haul from the launch (olive green v-neck not seen)

I love buying white tanks and t-shirts. They're closet staples and I can never seem to have enough. The softer, the better. The more worn-in it feels, the more I don't want to part with it.

I have T by Alexander Wang shirts that have holes in them, but still, I can't bear to throw them out. I have Old Navy ribbed tanks with necklines that have stretched out so low, it would be so bastos to wear them out. There's just something about ratty t-shirts I guess. The hole-ier and slouchier it gets, the more sentimental we become.

That's why I get the principle behind Thread 365, a homegrown brand of shirts by Terry S.A., the same group that brought us Havaianas and Bensimon. Their line of men's and women's shirts were borne from the vision of passionate people who believe that clothes shouldn't only look good but also feel good. 

At the Thread 365 launch, I got to chat with Anne Gonzalez and Rissa Artadi, the chic ladies behind the brand and it's easy to get sucked into their world of perfect tees.

Anne says the Thread 365 team is headed by people who have worked for global brands. They source the best cotton fabrics and materials, and they have everything made by manufacturers who adhere to global production standards.

Rissa shares that they really take fit at Thread 365 seriously. They spend time to make sure they get the length of sleeves, even the drop of the neckline, just right.

They make sure that tanks aren't too tight and don't cling to the body, understanding that women who have given birth, or who have love handles, care about these things.

And of course, their tanks, shirts and henleys are expected to feel better after every wash.  Encouraging you to wear them 24/7, from grocery runs to bar crawls; to work under a crisp button down shirt or by itself as you laze about the beach, the salty breeze lulling you to sleep.

Thread 365 shirts are available online at www.thread365.com and at Aura Athletica Bonifacio High Street and Power Plant Mall.

To kick off their launch, Thread 365 chose individuals who best embody the Thread 365 philosophy of versatility and authenticity.  Guess who was part of their roster of 38 key influencers whose photos were taken by photographer Sara Black? None other than my friend Tita K! Woohoo!

Along with Mr. Thread 365 Basti Artadi (the other half of Thread 365 genius Rissa)...

...and my favorite artisanal ice cream maker, Xandra Rocha of Pinkerton!

Ferretti For Everybody

Thanks Tita K for this photo of my feet in Ferretti, ahihihi!

Ankle straps are hot, we know. So when I spotted this sassy ankle strap number with the perfect 2.5" high heels at Ferretti in Glorietta I, I knew this was the pair for me! They reminded me of my friend Kat Dy's Zara heels, which she bought in all of its color incarnations. But these were not as high, and hence, perfect for moi. Because put me in heels over 3" and you might as well put me in a wheelchair, because I am not walking!

Tita K got the same pair in orange and black, which is so Tita K. We both wore our pairs to the season ender of Live Love Lolz, which you should watch HERE! Or download on iTunes. By the way, it was a fun chikahan session with Grace Velasco and Agoo Bengzon. You gotta watch if you still haven't, no!

Now back to Ferretti. It was such a find ha! I'm a shoe snob in that I only wear comfortable shoes. For me, comfort is a non-negotiable. I've got better things to do than hobble around. So I am like, all praises for these ankle strap sandals talaga. It's made from real leather too, I must stress on that.

 

Liz Lanuzo, who invited us to check out Ferretti, also introduced us to Cecille Saculo. The daughter of the founders/owners, she told us the Ferretti story - of how her mom's family owned a shoe factory, and her dad was one of the workers. They met there, fell in love, and got together against all odds. When they were starting out, they sold shoes in Baclaran. Her mom would design and her dad would make the shoes. Now they have over a dozen retail outlets in malls and department stores all over. It's like Walang Hanggan meets Ina, Kapatid, Anak. The real life Memorata? Pwede.

Here were some of the other pairs that caught my eye. But I haven't tried walking in these:

Ferretti offers everything from flats to pumps and wedges, but it truly was the ankle strap pair that called out to me. I can truly vouch for the comfort of my particular pair of sandals. It was like finding "The One". Real leather? Check! Comfortable? Check! Perfect heel height? Check! Affordable? Check!

Ferretti shoes are available at the following stand-alone branches: G/F Glorietta 1 Ground Floor, Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall, Robinson’s Place Bacolod/Cagayan de Oro, Gaisano Mall Davao/General Santos and inside these department stores: Landmark Makati/Trinoma, Shoe Center Greenhills/Ali Mall, Gaisano Illustre Davao, Victoria Plaza Davao, NCCC Ma-a Davao and Plaza Fair Limketkai CDO. 

For inquiries and updates check out Ferretti on Facebook and Twitter.

The Shoes of Creatives

It has been a while since I last did a post for my Shoe Series no? Well, I have girls lined up, its just that they are all mega busy! I was thinking of doing a spotlight on my shoes, but baka mabisto ni Dada.  Mahirap na. Ahihihi. 

So while I am thinking about featuring my shoes, I just thought I'd show you the shoes of the "Creatives" I have the pleasure of knowing. I just love being with them, it makes me feel well, creative and artsy too. Please rub off some of those creative juices on me so this blog will be more bongga!

Photographer BJ Pascual and his Margiela sneakers

Stylist Sydney Yap and his camo oxfords from Armani

Photographer Tammy David and her Melissa x Gareth Pugh flats

Oh, I haven't told you about UniqNo right? That's our code name for Unique Novelties! Lots of good finds, especially Christmas decorations. My cousin Alessa told me about this. So off I went with my friends Karrots and Paul last month. I got all my Christmas decorations for our tree there, winner!

We just had to pose with the purchases hahaha

Jeweler Paul Syjuco and his snakeskin embossed Pumas

Live Love Lolz host Karrots Nazareno in her Nike hi-top sneakers

Writer/Blogger Christine Dychiao, sige na, sali ako, and my Isabel Marant Betty hi-top sneakers

One thing's for sure here. No boring shoes in this post no!

We're on Live Love Lolz!

Fake yang video na yan! Do not click! Go and watch HERE: http://nmfnetwork.tv/2012/10/13/l3-12-manila-fashion-observer/ or download the Podcast lang! Just search Live Love Lolz, Manila Fashion Observer!

Ok, quick background: my friend Donya Karrots has this show produced by New Media Factory (Basti Artadi and Miguel Olfindo levelz ang producer mga day!) called Live Love Lolz and in one of her earlier episodes, she said hello to Berry and her sandelles. I showed Berry the podcast, she said she wanted to be in Tita K's show, and severelle episodes later, et voila! Here we are. Actually, title of this episode should be "Berry" and not "Manila Fashion Observer". Extra lang ako dito! Haha!

For those expecting that we talk about fashion, we do naman. We talk about shoes: mine as well as co-host Jopa Malantic's Lanvins and Balmains, 90s fashion, and my personal style, ahihihi. Oh! And Berry's Donya problems.

Watch and see Berry in action! Warning, she's madaldal!

MFO Shoe Series: Karrots Nazareno, Manila

Karrots Nazareno, creative director of popular homegrown shoe label Anthology Shoes (yes, purveyors of those popular London brogues we all love, as well as the comfiest Philippine-made ballet flats in town) is not only kyut, she is kengkoy to the max! Over at her blog Karotitay, she shares both poignant and funny stories about her domestic life as wife and supermom (read Bawal Mag Ingles Day, so hilar!), and of course, behind the scenes deets about what goes on at Anthology Shoes HQs.

Because she works with shoes (and for shoes too!) I got curious and just had to ask her to be part of this series. I mean, she makes shoes. She is there from conceptualization to sample construction to production to marketing, you'd want to know what sort of shoes she wears right?

Well, as it turns out, Karrots loves her own. She is the walking, talking, breathing billboard of Anthology Shoes. I think she has all the styles basically, and some, in different color variations too (like the NYC wedge booties which is her "baby", as in she really pushed "The Boss" to branch out to wedge shoes after Anthology established a reputation for making comfortable flats). 

Apparently, one of her responsibilities involves trying out new designs. She once shared to me how  she has to test the prototypes for fit and comfort, which hey, is a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Not only does she HAVE TO wear the prototypes, she gets to keep a couple of pairs they make too. Can you say, dream job?

How many pairs of shoes do you own?

I try to maintain 30. If I acquire a new pair, I have to toss out an old one.

What's your shoe size?

6-8 (?!?!) Weird! My feet have a personality disorder.

Which pairs are your favorites?

Anthology NYC, Anthology Rio, Anthology Shanghai

From top, clockwise: Anthology NYC, Anthology Rio, Anthology Shanghai

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

My NYCs. I can go traveling in them, my confidence level goes up and I look thinner. Swear!

Anthology NYCs in Leopard, Dove & Black

What are your favorite shoe brands?

Anthology and FIT FLOPS. Ew! Kill me! Sorry. I’m a mother.

What's in your shoe lust list?

A pair of sky high / drag queen nude Louboutins that I will probably never wear. Drooling now.

Where do you buy shoes?

Around Manila. I mostly steal shoes from the office.

Anthology shoes, allegedly stolen from the office, hehehe.

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

My old sneakers. They are the closest thing to home décor.


For more of Anthology Shoes, here's their SITE.

For more of Karrots' musings and of course more Anthology Shoes, here's her BLOG.