Espadrille Sergeant

Chanel

WHAT THE F! 

WHAT IN TARNATION MADE YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SURVIVE SUMMER WITHOUT THESE LADIES?

VP Uni Espadrilles via Maryam Nassir Zadeh

Ropey Soles

NOW HERE'S SOMETHING FOR YOU, YOU PRISSY LITTLE PRINCESSES!

Valentino

Missoni

Tory Burch

DO I EFFIN MAKE YOU NERVOUS? DO I MAKE YOU QUIVER IN YOUR SWEATY SHOES? GOOD! NOW SHOP UP AND FIGHT!!!

camo via Espadrillesetc.com will make any drill sergeant feel right at home in this season's shoe of the moment

PS - Dada says I sound scary in this post. But I told him, I'm the Espadrille Sergeant kasi. Ahihihi.

Preppy in Pink

Comme des Garcons x H&M top, Topshop trousers, Sperry Top-siders, pink Lifestrength band

This is what I wore when Berry's classmates came over our place for a house visit/field trip. Well ok, I technically wore slippers with this at home, but when I stepped out to run errands later, I changed into my silver Sperry Top-siders - as seen here with my favorite pair of Havaianas flip-flops.

My thought process when dressing up goes like this:

I want to wear this top! It's been over a month since I last wore this. Ok, still fits me, good!

Hmmm, but I don't want to wear shorts because I didn't shave my legs. Pants na lang. But which one? (I try on khaki trousers, but it's not working...)

Aha! I will wear my white pants! But now, what to wear this with? Nude flats look boring, black ballerinas are kinda off. (I open my shoe closet and my eyes zoom into my silver Sperrys. I slip it on. I look in the mirror.)

Woohoo! Perfect! (To me at least, hehe.)

Missoni ♥ Havaianas 2012

My Missoni ♥ Havaianas from 2011, with my silver Sperry Topsiders (among my many pregnancy faves, hee!)

I love Havaianas and have been wearing them since they first came to Manila years ago. But admittedly, ever since Havaianas came out with a collection with Missoni last year, I have practically stopped wearing my other flip flops but the ones above. They're super cute plus I mean hello, I had to seek this pair out in Singapore (found these at TYAN in ION Orchard after searching online and making calls) because I knew they were limited edition. I know, such an effort for a pair of chinelas. 

So of course, I was thrilled when I found out that Missoni ♥ Havaianas was doing a round 2 this year! When I received the invite to the launch in Adora, I just had to go and check out the new designs in person. 

And this year's collection did not disappoint. While Missoni ♥ Havaianas limited edition pairs costs Php3,295 each, I still think its worth it. Because we are worth it! ;)

Missoni ♥ Havaianas Slim Rachel in Lemon (my must-have!)

Missoni ♥ Havaianas Top Patchwork in Black

Missoni ♥ Havaianas Top Fiammato

More than just a collaboration between iconic fashion brands, the Missoni ♥ Havaianas 2012 collection is designed using residual rubber pieces from the manufacturing process. The multi-colored Havaianas leftovers are mixed to create the signature Missoni zigzag patterns. Stylish and socially responsible at that!

I also noticed that the Slim Rachel and Fiammato styles come in teeny tiny sizes too (which is good news for adults with really small feet). Really, more like the size of kids, 7 and above! So you can get a matching pair for the little girl or little man in your life!

Of course, every flip-flop comes in a special packaging made of recyclable material featuring the famous zigzag pattern, and in a Missoni knit bag.

Now I am not entirely sure if this style will be coming in as well, because I spotted this in a US-based website. But this style is pretty cute and very purple-y!

The Missoni ♥ Havaianas 2012 collection is NOW available and exclusively retailed at Adora, Greenbelt 5. Hurry to Adora before these get sold out!

Sharing My Outfit Day: Snow!

When we left JFK for YVR last December 19, there was a raging snowstorm outside that caused horrendous flight delays. We were supposed to fly out at 9:45 PM but we ended up leaving at about 1:20 AM! Ugh!

I thought we would be escaping a harsh and bitter winter holiday by leaving the East Coast. True, we found ourselves welcomed into DIL and MILs warm embrace, but also a harsher, more bitter Siberian winter in Vancouver! Wah!


Outfit wise, I came prepared for a wind chill of -15°C and 12 inches of snow (this was early in the day, and snow was just starting to fall!)

Hat: H&M, Puffer jacket: James Perse, Scarf: Missoni, Jeans: J Brand, Bag: Balenciaga, Boots: Lanvin (Heehee! Yes! I finally got the black ones I've always wanted!!! Thanks KU-S for your email and MMA for being my partner in crime, although we got busted! Dear Hubby noticed it was a different, brand new pair! Good thing he just laughed at our lame attempt of a covert shopping operation!)

The following day (Heehee, yes same outfit, different tights, undershirts and unmentionables! Hey, I travel light!) I got a hair cut from "The Butcher" (a stocky, manly Taiwanese hair stylist with chubby hands who can do wonders with a razor and scissors hence he was baptized "The Butcher" by MIL and SsIL). With the sun out and shining, and with more than a feet of snow to play with, I couldn't resist packing a mean snowball!

Just when I thought I got a good one, I saw a HUGE chunk...


...that I couldn't resist flinging...


...at hapless, unsuspecting Dear Hubby...

Who only wanted to take a nice picture of me playing in the snow! Sorry Hon! It was just begging to be thrown at you! At least you got a good shot out of it! Hahaha!

Best of all, at the end of a cold cold day out, we got to enjoy dinner at my favorite Korean resto of all time! Jang Mo Jib! Where we feasted on Gahl Bee, Jab Che, Haemool Pah Jun, Gam Ja Tahng and bottomless kimchi! Woohoo!

Little One in my belly seemed to enjoy the meal as well. We did not barf or get nauseated inside the smoky restaurant at all. To us, this is a Happy Meal. Thank you Angkong and Amah for Little One's first taste of Jang Mo Jib!

(Photos courtesy of Harvey Dychiao)

A Tip for Fall 2007: Less is More!

Hi Takejiro! I know you asked for some tips for dressing up for fall, but let me start by telling you that I have great news for you and all the MFO readers out there! I won't be recommending you to buy "this and that, etc.", because to be honest I think there's really nothing new that you absolutely have to buy for this season. You can actually work with the stuff you currently have, and just spend for accesories!

In fact, I only bought 2 things for fall this year. These 2 pieces - a belt and a colorful scarf, together can instantly update a look in no time.



Well ok, I did buy a long deep green "military" coat and a fuchsia North Face goosedown jacket since I never had any serious cold weather clothes prior to my move here. But apart from those essentials, it really all boiled down to a belt and scarf for me! And as if to agree with my current mindset, Vogue in fact came out with an argument for "why less is more" in their November 2007 issue. Women are now "reconnecting with what fashion used to be about: not just the mere act of acquisition but an investment, be it a $9 tee or a $1900 coat, that enriches her look, and ergo, her life with a degree of self-expression and self-respect".




What's more, fashionistas are "evolving". "Feel the pace of fashion is too fast? Think you could do so without so much? Relax. You are not alone.", the article's teaser assured its readers. In fact, it states that there is "a growing number of women who have gladly gotten off the shopping merry-go-round of Always Something New and prefer to live witht what they have unless something truly extraordinary and/or useful crosses their path". Finally, it is fashionable to have less than more! What with the era of conspicuous consumption leaving a bad taste in the mouth, and "the buzzwords of careful, considerate food production and consumption - slow, local, sustainable, gradually filtering into the consciousness of fashion.", we can expect that the likes of Kimora Lee and all those guilty of spending money like its going out of style will soon be out of style.

Now with that being said, choose a few classic pieces that you can use to update the rest of your wardwrobe. To illustrate, let me show you how a belt and scarf can make a 500 peso Gap overrun tweed jacket (bought at the Camp John Hay export overrun store 5 years ago) look more "now", and like it's worth so much more! (Or so I think hehehe!).

BEFORE...
AFTER!
Plus, a tutorial on how to tie the belt the Marni way! The Marni SA at the Mercer Street boutique taught me how to tie the belt the way they just did for the runway!

RUNWAY...


...TO REALITY!






For those back home in the Philippines, belts will look great with your cardigans as well! Try it!