Crown Jewel

Crown Jewel by adjkinai featuring 24k jewelry

Moschino Cheap & Chic zipper dress, $190 / Christian Louboutin platform pumps / ASOS leather clutch / Hervé Van Der Straeten 24k jewelry / Imogen Belfield yellow gold jewelry, $1,075

Neon-phyte

Rain and neon. How does that sound to you? Usually, when the gloomy rainy season comes, we instantly think of wearing dull and dark colors to blend in with the current state of the environment. While others are drenched and dressed in grays and blacks, I take the alternate route and donned neon yellow. Just 'cause it's not summer here in the Philippines, it doesn't mean that getting away with bright colors is rocket science. Besides, the long-sleeve detail of this dress made it perfect for the July chilly breeze.

I don't think I always am the risk-taker that I sometimes believe I am. This outfit is definitely an exception. It's fun to break fashion rules every now and then, and when you do, go all out. You'll be surprised!

The dress was given to me by my "pre-school buddy", Justine. It accentuates my curves and hits all the right places... okay, maybe not for a few love handles I have here and there. But you get the picture. The crumpled effect on the smack-center of the dress adds to the illusion of curves and hides the unnecessary flab. I feel so sexy donning this dress. I should wear figure-hugging clothes more often, eh?

I debuted this ensemble to my good friend, Felice's karaoke party in Red Box Greenbelt. Happy 22nd, my love! Hope you like our dozen-goodie gift! (photos and stories of the said event will be shared soon!)

Anyway, I went all out with the crazy colors. I added on colorful accessories but decided to take it easy on the bag and shoes. That would be a little too much for something over-the-top already. :))

Dress: from a friend

Shoes: MSE

Bag: Aldo

Earrings: from Vanni Liwanag

Other accessories: from everywhere!

My best friend, Chammy, and I decided to go to Makati ahead of time. We chilled out in J.Co Donuts and Coffee in Greenbelt 5. I tried the Mr. Green Tea donut and Chammy had the Oreology (?) donut. I was quite surprised at how delicious the green tea donut is! I'll definitely put it in my favorites list.

ULTIMATE DREAM GIRL SHOT...NOT! Haha! Believe me when I say that I'm the biggest
dork and the kookiest girl you'll ever meet! :P

Here are some shots taken inside Red Box:

And the crazy color scheme accessories!

Photos by Cham Villanueva

Oh, about the title of this post... Well, I don't really wear much neon, so this would have to be my first (hence, the word play on neophyte). I used to dread wearing something this bright because I always felt that it would make me darker than I actually am! Whew!

There's something about this dress that drives my poor camera nuts! It gives off a bright glow! :| 

Not sure if that's a good thing but the camera is having a hard time registering that "glow." It's weird. Anyway, I hope you like this outfit. I'm glad I'm coming to terms with my new mantra of being more adventurous -- fashion included. That's all for me today. I'll have to rest my head. The heavy downpour calls for some cuddle time with my teddy bear and my sea of pillows! Have a great Sunday, everyone! 

Love,

SGT <3

Bloom in Business

Bloom in Business by adjkinai featuring collar jewelry

Rose print dress / Blazer / AX Paris suede platform shoes / J.Crew vintage leather tote / Dannijo collar jewelry / Lauren Conrad button stud earrings

Dress for Success

Dress for Success by adjkinai featuring a gathered skirt

River Island floral top, $47 / Vince jacket, $245 / 3.1 Phillip Lim gathered skirt, $240 / Platform wedge heels / Zara bag / Leslie Danzis zircon jewelry



Wore an ensemble that resembles this set, to a job interview. Wasn't able to take a picture of today's outfit, so I'll leave you with this. :) What do you think?

Love,

SGT <3

Pastel Pretty

Pastel Pretty by adjkinai featuring a cashmere blazer

Top, $48
Giorgio Armani cashmere blazer, $1,139
Miss Selfridge floral print skirt, $57
Beige leather pumps, $87
Christian Louboutin genuine leather handbag, $1,895
Kate spade necklace, $278
Stretch jewelry, $72
White flower ring, $12
Stella mccartney sunglasses, $225

Punch of Blue

Punch of Blue by adjkinai featuring strappy sandals

Topshop metallic top, $45
Chloé corduroy blazer, £420
Silk skirt, €139
Vince Camuto strappy sandals, $110
Prada leather bag, £1,160
LK Designs braided jewelry, €80
Peace sign jewelry, €27
Feather earrings

I might just be wearing this ensemble very, very soon. ;)

Oh, and these are all items that are already in my closet (well, not these exact same ones but stuff that look very similar). I didn't have to buy anything. ;)

I learned something very valuable. And I keep forgetting this lesson: You don't always need to buy new clothes to put together a decent outfit. You just need to dig deep into your closet and into your creativity to make what you already have work for you. ;)

Love,

SGT <3

Call of the Wild

Call of the Wild by adjkinai featuring crop tops

Crop top, €28
Miso elastic waist pants, £10
Jeffrey Campbell lace up platform booties, £145
H M genuine leather handbag, £60
Plastic bangle, $13
Miss Selfridge yellow gold jewelry, $25
Miso feather jewelry, £6
Carven flip sunglasses, £235

Off Duty Rebel

Off Duty Rebel by adjkinai featuring a leather shoulder bag

Uniqlo short sleeve top, £15
Mango skinny leg jeans, £30
MICHAEL Michael Kors platform heels, $122
Gucci leather shoulder bag, $3,300
Alexis Bittar punk rock jewelry, $2,200
Dannijo collar necklace, $129

Cotton Candy

Cotton Candy by adjkinai featuring round sunglasses

Cropped tank top, £12
Printed skirt, $64
Giuseppe Zanotti platform wedge heels, $695
Envelope clutch, £18
Neon jewelry, £130
Karen Walker round sunglasses, $276

Minty Fresh

Minty Fresh by adjkinai featuring pave jewelry

Haute Hippie hi low dress, £399
Marni collarless jacket, £649
Luna pumps
MICHAEL Michael Kors michael kors handbag, $498
Burberry leather strap watch, £395
Lisa Freede pave jewelry, $98
Gorjana tear drop earrings, $53
Mango bracelet, €15

Fashion Inspiration: Tough Cookie

Perfect for those nights out, for chilling with friends on a Friday night, or better yet,

for heading out to your favorite band's concert! Hope you like this look! :)

Tough Cookie by adjkinai featuring graphic tee shirts

Graphic tee shirt, $25
Balmain zipper jacket, $6,680
DVb Victoria Beckham zipper jeans, $161
Jeffrey Campbell black bootie, £120
Boho handbag, $40
Amrita Singh clear jewelry, $120
Bracelet, $70
Elie Saab chiffon shawl, $208
Ray-Ban wayfarer shades, £140

Love,

SGT <3

Fashion Inspiration: Beach Babe in Blue.

Beach Babe in Blue. by adjkinai featuring a pleated dress

Forever 21 pleated dress
$20 - forever21.com

Bruno Premi flower shoes
£90 - julesb.co.uk

Stella Dot stretch jewelry
$20 - stelladot.com

Peacock feather jewelry
£3.99 - axparis.co.uk

Melissa Odabash wide brim hat
$160 - stylebop.com

Mango square sunglasses
£18 - houseoffraser.co.uk

This outfit makes me look forward to summer! I've never worn a bikini (without a cover up) 

and perhaps this summer is the right time (oh no, love handles!) Anyway, here's a little
inspiration for a cool summer get-up. The color is just so soothing and it just makes me
envision a lazy day by the beach with a good book in one hand and a tropical smoothie
on the other. How nice is that?!

Hope you like this look! :)

Love,

SGT <3

Fashion Inspiration: Nude Now

Nude Now by adjkinai featuring sparkle jewelry

I'm starting to appreciate cleaner lines in outfit combinations. Gone are my crazy punk days (we've all been there, don't deny it!) and I'm beginning to explore are more streamlined side to fashion. I'm not saying that I'm  through with experimentation, because I'm so not. You'll still see me in my quirky clothes, crazy patterns, and all that. It's just I always envision myself wearing something classic, simple, and elegant. Perhaps I'm growing up? We'll see.

Oh, and you'll have to watch out for when and where I'll be wearing an ensemble that resembles this one. It's coming soon. :D

Love,

SGT <3

Megamall Mayhem!

All these years, I've been an avid ukay shopping fanatic, but my parents took pity on me for being so kuripot on things that I should treat myself to once in a while, like clothes. I rarely (and I mean it in every sense of the word) spend more than Php 500 on a top or pants. Why? Because I think that I can buy so much more with the same amount of money in thrift shops. However, there are times that a girl's going to need nicer clothes for special, once-in-a-lifetime moments such as her college graduation. Ergo, my once-in-a-blue-moon trip to Forever 21. ;)

On our way to SM Megamall. :)

I was accompanied by one of my best buds, Chammy. We divided and conquered the entire SM Megamall branch of the famed store and went home with great buys and the best time!

Blazer - Fa'mee Company (thrifted), Random white t-shirt,
 Shorts - No  Boundaries, Shoes - Toms

Taken at Cerealicious, SM Megamall. 

Super eager for some much-needed retail therapy!

Endorser ng Frozen banana?

:P

Where's my food?! @ Pizza Hut for early dinner.
All that browsing and fitting worked up an appetite!

Mmmmmm mushroom soup!

Fetuccini carbonara!

I just had to order a separate a la carte plate of the salad!
I'm THAT hungry!

Forever fresh!
You'll never catch Chammy looking haggard and ugly.

This is my I'm-hungry-and-tired-and-I-wanna-go-home face!

Of course, I can't show you guys what I got for my graduation dress just yet. Nuh-uh! That will have to wait. I will show you, however, the nude pumps that I got for only Php 599 from Janeo! I've always wanted to own a pair and with shoes like that on sale, who am I to resist?! We weren't able to go around the ENTIRE mall. After spending about half a day at Forever 21, we just had to surrender and succumb to our tired feet's complaint. Anyway, tomorrow I'm off to the Forever 21 sale in SM Makati. I hope to see you there! In any case, I'll try to update you on what will go down in tomorrow's battle of the best bargains! I hear Landmark's hosting a sale as well! Good thing they are 'cause I really need a lot of office wear, aka grown-up clothes. Ha ha! That's all for now! ;)

Love,

SGT <3

Hot Fuss: All That Clutter

I'm sure many of you love shoes. Who doesn't? I know I do! It's the perfect way to complete your outfit and it can take your getup from day to night, from casual to chic, just by changing styles and heights. They're must-have investments and staples in every stylish girl-on-a-budget's closet!

In this economy, expensive shoes are such luxuries that us girls cannot simply afford all the time. Don't fret! There are a few good brands that offer fair prices and quality products that can very well compete with more high-end and more expensive contenders in the market. One of those brands is called All That Clutter, owned by sisters Mirra and Pia Reyes. With a little over Php 1000 from Ria and a little savings from Mirra, the two thought of investing in a business that will not only sell beautiful things to lovely girls everywhere, but will also help their different advocacies - one of them being an enterprise that is fair and just and being a company that cares.

They noticed that a lot of (online) sellers seem to put off-the-charts prices on items that actually cost way less than they publicize, when you can get the same thing for much less somewhere else. That's how they started. They wanted their buyers to feel that they're not cheated into buying things that are way too expensive for its actual market value; not only that, they also wanted to contribute to society by donating a portion of their earnings to notable causes such as disaster relief and the like. All That Clutter sees to it that their clients get quality shoes and clothes that are 100% new and of course, are undeniably stylish to fit their fashion needs!

Here are some of their adorable and stylish garbs that are up for grabs!

Red-hot booties are sure to fire up your otherwise usual black ensemble!

Wild, wild west! Give cowboy boots a run for their money and do it in style!

Feeling funky in the office? Throw these on and you're on your way to rocking business glam!

They also have tops that are sheer genius and cute too! ;)

Perfect for a night-out with friends! Dare to bare, babe!

Let out your wild side! Life is too short to play it safe. ;)

They have so much more to offer! Check out their site and you might just see something for you. You will not only help them, you will also help the country by sharing some of the proceeds to charity. Now that's a social enterprise worth supporting. If there's anything I love about online shopping, it's getting more bang for my buck! Why not be fab and philanthropic at the same time, right? Do good, look good!

I give All That Clutter a 2-thumbs up! :)

Love,

SGT <3

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? ;)

Thanks to my soul sister, Cacai for taking these shots. <3
Vote for this look on Chictopia HERE

Hello, old friend!

Just lettin' loose and havin' me some fun!

I say ROCK IT and forget what people say! Smile and feel that wind on your hair when you sa-shay down that runway, dahling! :)

My visitor sticker won't stick anywhere else! Looks like it found a cozy place in my New York & Co.  bangles. ($3)

Turquoise on pink? WHY NOT?

What's your ultimate save-up trick when it comes to shopping?

Love, 

SGT <3