Step into a Melissa store this month, and be prepared to have your breath taken away.
Behold the Campana Barroca, the latest line designed by the renowned Campana brothers for Holiday 2015.
Barocca takes inspiration from the romance and ornate design of Baroque Art, incorporating elements of budding blooms, wings and feathers, and even lizards.
These design features are “carved” into the malleable material of the shoe to create a wonderful and interesting texture.
Even Vivienne Westwood's Holiday pieces for Melissa are quite exquisite, and should go well with your favorite LBDs this season.
If you want something no frills, check out the Boemia. I like that black one in the middle...
But I ended up bringing home Jason Wu's Charlotte in green. It looks delicate, but isn't girly.
Berry has graduated from Mini Melissas to the kids and teens line of Melissa, Mel. Created in 2015, Mel is the new line for young ladies like Berry who have outgrown their Mini Melissa shoes, but not their love for the brand's fun plastic shoes.
Mel offers an edited collection appropriate for our not so little girls, filled with bows, sprinkles of glitter, and a whole lot of color. Most of the Mel styles have adult sized versions as well, to match with Mommy.
When it comes to cuteness though, nothing truly beats Mini Melissa.
Comfortably soft for baby feet, Mini Melissa has everything from big bows and little bows, pineapple heads, cats, giraffes, even Star Wars...
And Mickey and Minnie Mouse!
All these styles are now available in stores.
But wait, I need to give you a sneak peek of the SS2016 Collection too, Take me to Rio!
This collection pays homage to the cool, laidback lifestyle of Rio de Janeiro. In soft pastel hues and mint green, as well as basic black and white, Take Me to Rio encapsulates the joy and optimism of the vibrant city. Perfect for long walks – whether by the beach or just at the mall. Watch out for this collection in stores, by February 2016!
Pick up your latest pair at any of the following Melissa stores: TriNoma, Glorietta 3, Greenbelt 5, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM Aura, Alabang Town Center, Robinsons Magnolia, UP Town Center, Shangri-la Plaza East, Marquee Mall and Centrio Mall.
Come and discover the world of Melissa and their well-loved jelly flats at @MelissaPhilippines or visit www.melissaphilippines.com
Today I will share with you my review on the Mamas and Papas Armadillo stroller. We've had this a week before Tepper was born, so yes, this is a one year review in the making. Yehesss.
It may have taken forever to publish this, but the benefit of doing a full year road test is that I've really seen how this Mamas and Papas stroller held up growing with Tepper, from the time he was a newborn to to an active one year old.
Let's face it, strollers don't come cheap, and more than just aesthetics, I know parents want to know about durability, safety, manoeuvrability, and value as well. You don't get to know all that in a week or month, right? Right! So here goes!
The Product: Mamas and Papas Armadillo Push Chair (in Lemon Drop)
Product Origin: Mamas & Papas is a brand of baby products from the UK, founded by Luisa and David Scacchetti in 1981. They were first time parents who wanted better products, now their daughters are running the business. Today Mamas & Papas is known for insightful design, thoughtful service, and quality baby products available via a chain of 37 stores and 100 stockists. It was brought in recently to the Philippines by Kathleen Joy Chua and her husband, who are parents of two little ones.
The Promise: The Armadillo is the "original big little stroller".
A compact second stroller that's full of stretching room and comfy features. (I don't know what they mean by second stroller, maybe it's meant for travel or as a back-up stroller. Technically, this is our fifth stroller, and is used as Tepper's primary stroller. In that sense, I know what I want and need in a stroller by now, and can tell you what's essential and what is pretty much, a good one. What I can say for now is, this can work as your one and only stroller!)
Forward facing seat, for toddlers discovering their world, with an XXL hood- UPF 50+ fabric for maximum protection in every kind of weather.
Wriggle room-big seat designed to let them stretch. Full recline-for long, leisurely naps.
Unique Easy-Fold technology-folds and opens in seconds with one hand
Put to to the Test: Strollers serve one purpose, to push your child and his/her diaper bag in it, so you don't have to carry the weight of the world. But not all strollers are made equal. I've gone through a lot, you'd realize there are some strollers your kids want to sit on, and strollers they will not even want to be in. Bottomline, all three of my kids approve of the Armadillo stroller. They all want to sit on it.
I like that it's stable and easy to push around, the wheels don't get wobbly, and they can withstand the rough and tumble of village streets. It has a 5 point harness, so safety wise, it's very secure. It might also interest you to know that Mamas & Papas is the only baby brand with an on-site UK accredited Test Lab; meaning all their products are rigorously assessed for safety, making sure they hold up to everything.
Folding and unfolding a tricky stroller is one of my pet peeves. The last thing you want while using a stroller is wasting time figuring out how to get your child to sit on it, while holding on to a baby bag. You also do not want to waste minutes trying to remember how to fold it back, so you can put it back in the trunk.
There are times when we haven't used a stroller in weeks and have forgotten how to fold it, that we'd put the entire stroller at the back of our SUV, in its pure, unfolded form. Lolz. It's funny now, but I remember it wasn't funny then because there was an impatient driver behind us who wasn't happy about us blocking the hospital driveway.
It's no longer an issue with the Armadillo. Look at how fast I can unfold and fold it. It literally just takes seconds, even with just one hand free.
Another great thing about the Armadillo is that you don't have to keep on changing strollers. It's all you need really. That's why I don't get that second stroller talk. Tepper has been using this since he was a newborn.
He is one year old now, and there's still plenty of room for him to grow into.
I especially like the thoughtful features built into the stroller, like this peek-a-boo window-for quick check-ups. No need to go to the front of the stroller to check if your kid is still there. Heehee.
It's a simple, no fuss, stroller that weighs about 16 lbs. Not the lightest, but definitely easy and light enough to lug around when traveling. It's also very stylish, and not at all bulky. Bagay sa lahat ng outfit ko!
Passing the Verdict: That said, we love this stroller. It's a definite buy. Imagine getting a Bugaboo Bee for a fraction of the price.
Practical Tip: It has to be stressed. While it is marketed as a second stroller, I have to say, buy this and it will be all you'll ever need. It's car seat compatible too, so it goes with your existing car seat, no need to buy those bulky travel systems.
Price: Php16,000 and currently available at the Mamas and Papas Philippines site in Black, Blue and Teal.
Point of Sale: For the full list of stores, online and otherwise, click HERE.
For more on Mamas and Papas Philippines, Like their Facebook Page, Follow @mamasandpapasph on Instagram and visit http://www.mamasandpapas.ph to see the full range of products. Contact (02)9074122, 0917-5356165 for product queries.
Debenhams has been in the Philippines for a good solid 10 years, and a decade later, it's still a great source for many great, good quality finds for clothing, household and gifts.
If you're often looking for something nice to wear, visit Debenhams in Shangri-la Plaza Mall or Estancia at Capitol Commons for clothes we can wear this holiday season:
They also have plenty of everyday pieces for work:
And pretty tops such as this one, that we can wear pretty much to whatever occasion.
My mom has clothes that are over 15 years old by Principles at Debenhams, and they still look great today. They're not just well made, they're closet classics too.
The same goes for their sleepwear. You can wear these for years!
I forget that the kids section at Debenhams are fun to shop at. Must remember this!
My friend Dennis, who has a gorgeous apartment in the St. Francis Shangri-la Place tells me he finds a lot of chic home pieces in the home section of Debenhams.
True enough, I stumbled upon these ornaments in the home section, that together, will adorn one very chic tree.
These makes me want to overhaul our Christmas tree!
My top picks? A graceful ballerina that Berry will love, for Php395.
Glitter edged goblets.
Fun and fancy drop crystals. I waaaaant!
If you think Marks & Spencer is the only reliable resource for decent underwear, let's not forget Debenhams. The selection here is comparable in terms of price, range and quality.
They have shape wear as well. To hide our holiday bulges, dears, heehee.
As well as slips and half slips! For some reason, my sisters and friends say it's hard to find slips and half slips na daw, but Debenhams has a lot. File this info away!
Their swimwear section has plenty of chic, tasteful swim wear, coverups and such as well.
If you're looking for fun, unique holiday gifts, here's a bright idea: Go to Debenhams!
They have a mix of cute and practical tchotchkes for your high school buddies, young nieces and nephews, teenage godchildren, your child's tutor, friendly neighbors, just about anyone really.
I've really only just skimmed the surface of what you can find at Debenhams, so I suggest you visit Debenhams stores in Shangri-la Plaza and Estancia to see more of their fantastic selection.
Oh, and Happy 10th Year Anniversary, Debenhams!
For more on the latest at Debenhams, like their Facebook Page, Debenhams Philippines.
