She Goes Thrifty!: Girly in the City

Today, we dropped by The Medical City in Ortigas to visit a family friend, Ate Mitch, who recently underwent spine surgery for her bulging discs. It's been a day since her operation and she's doing great... in pain, but in good spirits.

For today's outfit, I decided to go off-road and try something I haven't done before. I wore this custom-made batik dress for the first time. I initially wanted to wear my eclectic pink wedges from Celine but I figured since I'll be walking for a major part of the day, it won't exactly be practical and comfortable so I unearthed my trusty ol' Chucks and fishnets to make the entire look more interesting.

So what does this have to do with being a Girl on a Budget? Well, for starters, I had the dress custom-made by our local mananahi or seamstress for Php 200 or around $5. I got the cloth from a barter market in Zamboanga for about Php 130 or a little less than $3.50. The turquoise necklace costs around Php 90 (a little over $2) and I got it from my favorite wholesale accessories shop in Quaipo, Manila. The store is found along the street directly across the main entrance of the Quiapo Church. It's owned by either a Korean or a Chinese girl (sorry). I love going there because they have the cutest stuff at rock-bottom prices! You get even bigger discounts if you buy wholesale (meaning: 6 pieces and up - Trust me, you can't resist their great buys and bargains!).

I was feeling a little girly than usual today. My first itinerary was the Dakila office in Kalayaan. 'Twas a long commute from Santa Rosa (where I live) to Quezon City. Would you believe that I almost got lost in Cubao on my way to my mom's office in Ortigas? There had been many renovations and relocations that I had a hard time looking for landmarks near the bus stops. :| So yes, I made rampa in Cubao with this whole ensemble! It was actually fun to see people stare and wonder what the hell I was thinking when I put the outfit on this morning. I just smiled, held my head high, and worked it. Confidence is free, after all. Plus, the people's curiosity is priceless!

So when I got to Ortigas, we made our way to the hospital then it was off to lunch with my sister-from-another-mother, Camille (aka Cacai). It was nice to catch up with her again. It's been ages since we last hung out and talked about some of our most favorite subjects - theater, college, fashion, and boys! I promise to take pictures of Cacai the next time I see her! I was such in a whirlwind that I forgot!

Anyway, another budget-friendly tip is this: have your local seamstress make your clothes. It will not only save you money (department store garbs cost a lot these days; boutique brands even more so!), it will also ensure that you get the fit, look, and feel that you want. You can opt to shop for your own cloth or material so you know how it feels on your skin for when you wear it later on. Then, surf the internet for inspirations. I usually go to Forever 21's website for the latest styles and trends then I have the seamstress "copy" the look and tweak a couple of things, if necessary. All-in-all, I think I saved Php 800 with this dress alone (compared to when I buy one off-the-rack). This option is a good alternative when you don't have enough moolah to splurge on new designer duds. After all, when you rock the look, who would know the difference? ;)