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Fashion

in Beauty & Fashion, Diplomatic Incidents, Fashion, Fashion Tips, How-Tos, OOTD

Modern Filipiniana: Mix and Match Terno Top

November 18, 2019

One of the things I often get asked about is my Modern Filipiniana wardrobe. For real and not just that thing influencers on Instagram say to justify an overshare. A Filipiniana section in my wardrobe is something that I’ve started building back in 2014. This was when my husband got assigned abroad.

I continue to build said wardrobe as we do need to attend a lot of events where wearing Filipiniana is actually a good way to go. This isn’t just to follow the dress code but to make sure I also get to do my part in promoting a really interesting bit of our culture.

One of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe is my terno top. It’s so versatile that it makes mixing and matching it with different pieces a breeze.

In this video, I share some tips on how to build your own modern Filipiniana wardrobe. I also show how I style my custom-made terno top with different modern pieces that I already own.

Hope you enjoyed this post and found it useful. If you did, please do share it! It would really make my day. Here’s a Pinterest-friendly graphic to make it easier!

More later.

in Beauty & Fashion, Fashion, Fashion Tips

The Complete Guide: Wearing High Heels (in Europe)

November 16, 2017

I’m in my 20s and I can honestly say that it now takes so much to make my feet hurt. And it’s all because of my love for some high heels.

It started years ago. Every time we would buy school shoes, I would try to get my grandmother to buy me something with a bit of a heel. High enough to make me feel like an adult, but not too high that would make my teachers at my (very) Catholic high school send me to the disciplinary office.

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National Day, Philippines, Philippine National Day, Filipiniana, Modern Filipiniana, Affordable Filipiniana, Mix and Match, Modern, Fashion, Tribal, OOTD, T'nalak, T'boli, Ditta Sandico Ong, Wrap, Ditta Sandico Wrap, Mariposa, Filipiniana Wrap,
in Beauty & Fashion, Diplomatic Incidents, Events, Fashion Tips, How-Tos, Video

Beauty + Fashion: Dressing up and getting ready for National Day 2016 (Without Breaking the Bank)

June 10, 2016
2 Comments

Ah, National Day. Usually the biggest event an Embassy or a Consulate will host for the year. It’s something that a lot of people either enjoy or stress over – depending on your role for that night.

As a diplomatic reporter and later on as a diplomat’s wife, I’ve been attending a whole lot of National Day celebrations and Embassy events from Manila to KL. Too many for me to count at this point – to think I’ve only been in the diplomatic circle for 5 years. (Diplomatic life does mean events left and right)

Such events are usually a good opportunity for a country to share something from home – their food, culture, history, the talent of their people. For us Filipinos, there’s usually a part of the program dedicated to how talented Filipino performers are.

National Day, Philippines, Philippine National Day, Filipiniana, Modern Filipiniana, Affordable Filipiniana, Mix and Match, Modern, Fashion, Tribal, OOTD, T'nalak, T'boli, Ditta Sandico Ong, Wrap, Ditta Sandico Wrap, Mariposa, Filipiniana Wrap,

One thing I love about attending diplomatic events is the dressing up that it comes with. I happen to love wearing Filipiniana – all forms of it. From the well-known Terno and Maria Clara down to the clothes worn by the different tribes all over the Philippines. However, one thing about National Dresses/Outfits is that they can cost quite a bit. I’ve had one too many fellow diplowives telling me that dressing up for National means parting with a hefty amount. The fact that it happens annually means you also have a repetitive (big) expense.

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in Beauty & Fashion, OOTD

Fashion: Trium Card Celebrates 1st Anniversary + Nichii’s New Collection

October 19, 2015

Kuala Lumpur is definitely a shopping a city. I remember telling my husband a few months ago how it’s always a problem for me to close my wallet due to all the shopping and membership cards I acquired since moving here last year. Almost every brand or store has a membership card, all promising rewards. The more you shop, the more you get out of it.

Sounds awesome, doesn’t it? You actually get more value for your money in the end. 😉

One of these membership privilege providers is the Trium Card which handles three of the most popular and affordable retail brands I’ve seen in KL (They have stores every-effing-where!)  – Nichii, Kitschen, and Dressing Paula. The Trium Card loyalty programme was actually launched last year and what I like about it is that – it’s not really a card so it doesn’t physically take up space in my wallet.

****Photo****

What I Wore: Star Wars Long Sleeved shirt from Uniqlo, Black pencil skirt from Zara, Lace-up flats from H&M, Black leather handbag from Manfield.

No, really. It’s a digital version of a shopping privilege/membership card that you can access through your smartphone. Every time you shop at Nichii, Kitschen, and Dressing Paula, you get a point for every ringgit you spend. Once you accumulate 500 points, you get a 50 ringgit voucher for your next shopping trip.

I must admit that sometimes, I forget that I am a member of one store as there’s just so many cards to remember! Having just one card to cover these three fashion brands, makes transactions easier. Plus, I can use the points I accumulated in my Trium Cars to either one of these three brands.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Fashion Tips

Fashion: Charles & Keith re-opens in MidValley with a new concept store

September 27, 2015

My love for classy shoes and bags is of common knowledge among my friends and most of the time, it’s often hard to resist the temptation once you find yourself a style that you really want.

Charles & Keith has often been my saviour during times when my craving/need for a new pair of shoes or bags gets a bit too much as their products are always easy on the pocket without sacrificing style and durability!

I’ve been a fan of theirs back in Manila when I was still working as a journalist, wearing their shoes to coverages and stuffing everything that I need for a long work day in their bags. Now, here in Malaysia as a Diplomat’s wife, I often wear Charles & Keith shoes and use their bags to diplomatic receptions and events. I often get compliments for them as well!

Oh, and did I mention that their stuff lasts for years? Yay for value for money, right?

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in Beauty & Fashion, OOTD

Fashion: Kenzo Time’s 2015 Collection

August 12, 2015

Well this blog has been rather quiet! Sorry for the lack of updates, guys. If you’ve been following my Instagram, you might have noticed that I am not in Malaysia at the moment. The husband and I are finally enjoying an actual (!) holiday since our honeymoon.

It’s also well-deserved, I must say. They’ve been so busy at the embassy! He was ending his work days at 2am during the most recent ASEAN meetings. So to everyone who thinks that the job of a diplomat is easy – well, it’s not. Especially in a really busy post! We’re currently in Europe to visit my family and drop by a few must-see cities. It’s my husband’s first time here so it’s pretty fun to explore with him.

We’re currently at our second stop which is Paris! The city of lights, love, and of course – fashion. Looking at the Eiffel Tower yesterday reminded me of something! I actually have important news to share with you guys!

Before leaving for our trip, I attended the launch of Kenzo Time‘s 2015 collection in Kuala Lumpur and I must say that I was pretty impressed. I’m a lover of vintage and the classics when it comes to fashion and that mindset extends to my choice of timepieces. I usually stick with gold, vintage watches or bangle-type silver timepieces. I never saw watches as an accessory that can make or break my outfit. But alas, I stand corrected yet again. 😉

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in OOTD

Fashion + Style: Being Ethnically Chic with Frankitas

May 20, 2015

Frankitas, Bags, Clutches, Jewelry, Ikat, Batik, Songket, Traditional Cloth, Weaving, Modernized, Fashion, Ethnic, Modern Ethnic, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Fashion Statement, Key Pieces, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Asia, Fabric, Woven,

“This is so you, Carol”, my friend Miriam said as we entered the Frankitas gallery in Damansara Heights. And I do think she is right.

I don’t really remember when my love for tribal (actual tribal patterns – not the ones you score in F21) and traditional cloth started. But it has turned into a bit of an obsession. Frankitas, Bags, Clutches, Jewelry, Ikat, Batik, Songket, Traditional Cloth, Weaving, Modernized, Fashion, Ethnic, Modern Ethnic, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Fashion Statement, Key Pieces, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Asia, Fabric, Woven,I remember my first piece (that I bought) being a T’nalak skirt from the T’boli tribe in South Cotabato, Philippines. The T’nalak is literally made out of dreams as the weavers have to dream of the patterns they use before turning them into a woven masterpiece.

Frankitas, Bags, Clutches, Jewelry, Ikat, Batik, Songket, Traditional Cloth, Weaving, Modernized, Fashion, Ethnic, Modern Ethnic, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Fashion Statement, Key Pieces, Uzbekistan, South Africa, Asia, Fabric, Woven,

Stories like these make traditional fabric much more meaningful – that’s why I fall in love with them over and over. And you know what? I’m extremely happy that I am not alone in this love affair.

I met Francisca “Franki” Turner-Shaik at the media launch for her brand Frankitas. She uses traditional, woven fabric from all over the world, turning them to pieces that are fit for the modern-day woman. She is creative and has so much passion for the art of weaving and helping out the weavers. I loved her right away! 😉

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in Beauty & Fashion, Fashion, Fashion Tips

Beauty + Review: Horien Contact Lenses

April 25, 2015

As someone who’s been suffering from poor eyesight for 15 years, I’ve had lots of experience with different types of glasses and contact lenses. While I do love wearing my vintage-looking specs, most of the time, I opt for contact lenses when I go out due to the convenience it offers. No need to worry about glasses sliding down your nose or being careful with how you move around, right?

I’ve been wearing contact lenses for over a decade now and I can say I’ve tried most brands. Some remain my favourite up to this day while some brought great disappointment (and eye irritation too, in some cases).

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