Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve

Wear Your Heart On Your Sleeve: 

To openly and freely express your emotions.

Hello.

It's me

I'm the one who doesn't waste time beating around the bush and that puts off some people. If you are the patient kind then you will find a loyal and good friend in me. My life mantra has always been "life's too short and tomorrow is never guaranteed" so cut off people you don't need and always have space for those who want to be in it. To those who know me well, they know that underneath my snarky facade is very big heart. If you don't believe this, then you know where you stand. 

Enjoy my wickedness. Har har

I wore this one during The Courtyards at Brookridge General Orientation and Launching last November. I just came back from a long weekend at Pampanga and I only had 3 hours of sleep because of the massive delayed flights. We managed to catch the last schedule of MNL-CBU before the APEC's no fly-zone policy and it flew around 11PM. I woke up incoherent and donned on what seems to be proper during a condominium launching. My job entails me to discuss what's the project about and I have to put my best foot forward despite the lack of rest.

I don't like tassels or layers of frills in my clothing because it makes me look big but I always appreciate details most especially if the cloth doesn't have prints. I rarely wear this long-sleeved blouse because I reserve it for special occasions-which includes distracting people from my tired-looking face and deviating their attention to my intricately-detailed top. 

Zara's Basic trousers should be a must-have for every woman. They are flattering (considering it has a hip band and I have a short torso) and they feel so good on the skin (second to Uniqlo)

Top: Marigold|Pants: Zara Basic|Flats: Cotton On|Watch: Casio

Zero Tolerance

Zero Tolerance

No crime or law breaking big or small will be overlooked.

Hello December!

It's that time of the year when it's actually socially acceptable that you've gained weight. Holidays and different events make it extra difficult to say no to food. Some have even practiced the art of prying that chunky leg off that lechon in a most delectable way. Don't worry, I am not going to rain on your parade but I've always rained on mine most especially on binge eating. This month, I will practice zero tolerance when it comes to gorging myself with prohibited food on my list. I'd like to think that no one is more scared than I am when it comes to gaining weight. This time last year I was at 136 lbs., I was happy with my life but wasn't really doing well with my social skills since I get pissed and upset every time some one comments that I've gained weight. Mind you, for people who have PCOS, it's extra hard to lose weight and not everyone understands that. But I lost 10 lbs. on a span of 10 months, it is actually slow, but I am not in a hurry since I have no plans in gaining those unwanted weight except if I get pregnant.  

This post is not meant to put shame on people who have problems losing weight because this post is about me. Bodyshamers are one of the shallowest kind of people and to be honest, I was once too but I've tried being on the receiving end of this knife and it can be traumatizing to your well-being. I had two choices, it's either I would eternally feel bad with how I look like or I will have to do something about it. We are all too familiar with the adage that goes along the lines of "what matters most is that you are kind on the inside" or the like, but hey, if you can think it would make you feel better if you get more fit, then go for it. I am the kind who wants to try out new things but gets bored easily so I tried mixing different kinds of exercises. I wasn't able to take a formal class in swimming (PE13 doesn't count because our swimming instructor demonstrated the moves OUTSIDE THE POOL PREMISES) so I signed up at YMCA. We had a 60-minute session thrice a week for a month and I slowly got hooked.

 In fact, I continued with this work-out even after my classes. I am in continuous pursuit of a work-out that would bring me peace but eventually, time constraints related to work and personal life hindered me to give ample time to swim. I got back on my mat a week ago to sweat some issues in my life I need to figure out and Yoga never fails. Next week, some friends from work and I will try boxing for the first time and I am hyped already; my orange hand-wraps are so adorable (and need to be used ASAP because the husband is having ideas of using it as his yoga straps) I have different fitness buddies on these different sets of exercise and they have been a huge help. Just make sure you find a partner who is also conscious of what s/he eats and badly wants to be fit as much as you do

                Maroon Dress: Unlabeled|Peach Flats: Cotton On|Watch: Casio|Scarf: Burberry

As mentioned in my previous post, I've been shamelessly testing the boundaries of our work clothes, that and this unpredictable weather. We go to work while it's drizzling and only to find out by lunch that it's already 30 degrees outside. 

So what's a girl gotta do?

You Can't Take it With You

You Can't Take it With You

--Enjoy what you have and not what you don't have, since when you die you cannot take things (such as money) with you.

I wore this outfit exactly a week ago and it was unfortunately appropriate that it was exactly the same day that I knew that my sick grandfather has died. The only thing I have ever thought of the past few days prior to this was how difficult to be of age when your grandparents are starting to die on you. I was actually regressing then.

Last year, Gramp's health started to deteriorate and we attributed it to his old age. We found out later that he had cancer as a by-effect of his continuous smoking through the years. I have friends who smoke and I might have tried a stick or two but if you can quit NOW, then try your best to do so. The path spiraling downwards death by too much smoking is painful, not easy and very uncomfortable

My grandfather's life revolved around building houses for his family and relatives. He loved animals and we never saw him without one. Looking back, I also realized that each of our household has pets of different kind. I'm very sure we got it from our Lolo. He's already reunited with Lola and that gives us much comfort. He might not be able to take all his pets in heaven as I'm sure he prefers but he left a legacy that all of us will never forget

On to a lighter topic, fashion blogging can be very narcissistic but I can't really talk about myself all the time since majority of what happens to me every day is work and quality time with the husband; the latter is something too personal to discuss. 

Around 90% of my clothes are bought at ukay-ukay. I get a kick out of people complimenting my almost reckless abandon for office dressing and me telling them that I bought this for less than Php100 only.

I love the ribbon details at the front of this top. I bought this one for Php7.00 only. Yep, seven pesos only at the Talisay ukay-ukay under the Tabunok bridge. The skirt I bought for Php100. It's a stretchable bandage skirt which, honestly, would've been preferable NOT to be paired with the top I wore. 

Black Top: Amy|Bandage Skirt: Cotton On|Flats: Cotton On|Watch: Esprit

..and the cat is out of the bag! SM BAGS' Affair

It's a BAGS AFFAIR from November 8-10 at the Northwing Atrium in SM City Cebu.

Get amazing discounts up to 50% off on selected local and international brands.

Tired of waiting for a few weeks to get hold of your favorite bag purchased online?

Wait no more as SM brings you a celebration of the holiday's most coveted bags

Don't miss this event happening now as they display high-end AND exclusive brands like Coach, Proenza Schouler, Salvatorre Ferragamo, Cole Haan, See by Chloẻ, Kipling and many more.

These perfect carry-alls is up for grabs but for a limited time only; Tomorrow is their last day to be exact, and a reliable source told me that Proenza Schouler is almost sold-out

  

 I switched from being a shoe person to a bag one because, in my line of work, I can easily get sent from one city to the other and wearing killer heels will not only kill me, it will also kill my wallet. 

Friends from Cebu Bloggers Society L-R: Keene Albert Tan, Naomi Bersales, Babie Ladeza and yours truly 

Dress: Bought from a friend|Bag: Coach Vintage Leatherware|Shoes: Yosi Samra|Watch: Swiss Military

Your Guess Is As Good As Mine

Your Guess Is As Good As Mine:

I have no idea.

S/O to my grandma for giving me some of her dresses. I'm the kind who tries to pull off some outfits just so I can say I've tried wearing it but this one's probably one of those that I might wear again..when I'm in my 40s.

This is what I wore to work today. It's been a company practice that we can NOT wear uniform on Fridays so it's basically a day when I can have a free hand and boy do I ever exercise that privilege

 I am still at this point where I feel uncomfortable every time some one takes my ootd and it's been a few years now. 

 Will I ever surpass this stage?

This cloth is made of satin and is pleated from waist down. It took  me some time to accept the fact that I have a short torso so some dresses might not look as flattering to me.

Despite that fact, I still choose to wear clothes that makes me look awkward looking. As you can see, the length of this dress falls midway between my knee and ankle but below my shin. I know it would've been preferable to to wear closed shoes with heels but we are not in the 1950's era anymore

Gretchen, how many times do I have to play with my hair before you get it right?

Sandals: Cotton On|Watch: Casio|Dress: Your guess is as good as mine

Raincheck

Raincheck: 

An offer or deal that is declined right now but willing to accept later.

But in this case, it's meant to be taken as something literal. Probably one of the safest topic a fashion blogger talks about is how she dresses up in accordance with the weather.

 But d*mn Cebu's weather has been acting like a woman having a PMS. It's not like you can pair up a good sweater with a skimpiest short and NOT be treated as someone promoting teen p*rn in the streets

If you work in a not-so corporate office as I do and don't want to earn the ire of your HR Department (and over observant office mates) You have to dress-up as low-key as possible with considerations to the North Pole-ish temperature of your office and the early morning weather, hence this outfit.

  

That's me instructing the OJT to take as many stolen pictures as possible

Just me believing that the more shots the OJT takes, the bigger chances of me finding an OOTD worthy picture 

 Having your OOTD pictures taken makes you wanna do poses that you are not inclined to do, like me trying to pretend that I know how to carry a guitar when I can't even play any musical instruments. 

I find it very hard to do the "contemplating life" pose because well, I have no life.. and I don't really think too much when asked to do so. 

Maroon Sweater: Hang Ten|Green Skirt: Forever 21|Nude Flats: Cotton On|Eyeglasses: Rayban|Guitar: Not mine|Brown Envelope: Office Stuff