You know, my salary just goes back to my boss because I end up buying her shoes anyway! :P I do have an employee discount (20%) but at the end of the day it's still my own money I spend. So if you love shoes, take my advice: don't work for a shoe brand that sells great stuff! (Loljk)

Anyway, I got a couple of new pairs from Ferretti last Wednesday. Both were love at first sight for me so I had to get them asap. I knew (doi) that all designs come in very limited quantities so I didn't want to leave anything to chance. 

Exhibit A: gunmetal woven flats with a ribbon (P999). Self explanatory. Major win. I like how sophisticated the design is! I almost got the silver version, but I opted for a toned-down gunmetal instead.

I was at the Ferretti store in Glorietta 5 last Saturday to turn over receipts (I work for the the brand) when I spotted the new bags. It was love at first sight! I immediately bought one of the structured satchels since I am into that particular look right now.

Well, I was once seriously considering those Cambridge bags but a friend aptly observed that they're the new Longchamps - meaning everyone had them. I prefer having more unique pieces, and this Ferretti bag fit the bill (quite literally, too, since this style is only available in very very limited quantities).

Did I mention that the bag is just P899? :D It also comes in light taupe.

Yes, our local Forever 21 now carries Love & Beauty cosmetics! I visited SM Megamall last Friday and found them in the accessories section with their own stand. There were blushes, eyeshadows, lip glosses, nail polish, sets, and tools for makeup newbies who are just starting to experiment. The products were reasonably priced at less than P500, too.

I really wanted to try the Smokey and Natural Palettes that come in these huge-ass cardboard boxes, but I don't want to blow P400+ on something I haven't even swatched. :/ I mean yeah it's not expensive but it would be so annoying to find out at home that the palette is a dud (if ever). Hopefully F21 provides testers soon! It wouldn't make sense to allow everyone to try on shoes, clothes, and accessories, but not makeup.

Parfois (par-fwa) is a Portuguese brand that just opened shop in Manila last year. I remember checking it out in Glorietta 4 then, but I had the impression that it was too expensive for my budget. The store definitely looked swanky and intimidating! But what do you know, the accessories are actually quite affordable. All of them, even the elaborate ones, are less than P1,000, with an average price of P380 to P600+. That's about the same price range as Forever 21 or SM accessories.

I'm really glad that Parfois invited me to be their blogger stylist of the day last Friday. It was my first time to assist customers in a store and I must admit, it's exhausting! Nonetheless, meeting everyone was a real treat; I was impressed by the diversity of Parfois customers. There were students, yuppies, working moms, and even grand old ladies with white hair. I guess this diversity speaks for the kind of items you can find in the store - timeless, versatile pieces that can be worn by anyone regardless of age.

I only buy bags once a year. That kinda sounds ridiculous now that I said it out loud, but the truth is I've never been that interested in bags. I did consider those uber chic Cambridge satchels above but I'm not one to blow P5,000- P10,000 on a bag - at least, not yet!

So when I saw this bag in Market! Market! yesterday I practically jumped with joy. 

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the price tag - P650 - but I still managed to haggle it down to P580 since it's the last piece in stock.

Here we go again! I visit Charles & Keith in BHS once in a while, you know, just to see what's up. There have been a lot of pretty shoes throughout the last few months, but I've been able to resist so far. Not this time, obviously. I can't let this pair go!

I've actually been vacillating between three pairs: white snakeskin platform pumps, camel pumps with gold chain, and this one. In the end I picked this pair because it's extremely comfortable. The footbed is sort of cushioned plus the heels are not that high. I think they're three inches, minus the half inch platform. Very walkable.

I haven't had the occasion to wear them yet, but I'm thinking these go best with the sexy secretary look.

I promised you guys that I'll show you what I got from Bambu, and here it is! 

I like Ipanema's strappy flip flops, but I'm usually too lazy to adjust and fix the straps before I leave. I want fuss-free flip flops that still look stylish and I think this pair, the GB Hot Sands Thong Fem with a ribbon, fits the bill.

Girls who love drugstore beauty products (like me!) are sure to enjoy the deals at Robinsons' beauty fair called Tint. There's currently a month-long sale in participating brands. Makeup, skincare, and even fragrances can go up to 50% off! Maybelline and L'Oreal are on 20% and 15% off respectively. 

The frequent 20% Maybelline sale is well underway! This is the best time to score top Maybelline products

Read on for more notable beauty deals and see what I actually bought! Warning: tons of photos and great deals ahead!

I was at SM Mall of Asia last night. A visit isn't complete without checking out the clothes in the department store, of course! My favorite brand there, Soiree, has restocked so yay for that. The teens wear department also has new interesting things. I wasn't able to take any photos, but I happened to come by an SM catalogue in Facebook while finalizing my Avon contest (plz join ok?).

Here are some of my favorite clothes and looks:

I am smitten with the cool shades of tangerine and other citrusy fruits like lime and lemon for this season. It's so refreshing to the eyes no? They're so easy to pair with any ol' pair of denim, tan, brown, or white pieces. I just want to say though, the bright fuchsia lip on the models rather clash with the orange. The MUA could have used a complementing shade like a glossy pink or peach.

Here's another trend I like - solid colors! And LOTS of them.

The new year is in full swing as major brands come out with their latest products and promotions. Interested in what they may be? Read on!

High-street fashion brand Promod just released its Trendy Jet-setter Collection. It's designed with the chic traveler in mind, thus including coats, scarves, and turtlenecks for the cold weather abroad.

Complement the classy floral top with a gray cardigan, gray beret and a maroon knit scarf to turn heads anywhere in the world.

A friend of mine recently launched her own online shop called Streets of Seoul. Chrissy is a professional fashion merchandiser venturing in the world of e-commerce, and I have to say, she does a wonderful job! The clothes are edgy, looking like something you can find off Topshop or Mango. Nonetheless, they're very affordable, selling for only an average of P500-700.

Check out my top picks:

Everyone needs a faux leather biker jacket in their life. Now that the biker look is hot stuff at 2011, there's no reason not to get one that looks like it will fit gorgeously - for only P900, too!

Yesterday I visited Duty Free with my parents. I was super excited about this trip, because as you know, MAC makeup is already available there! I read online that the price difference between the US MAC and the Duty Free is very small. For example, eyeshadows are $14.50 in the US, but they're only $15.50 here. Not bad.

I got three MAC eyeshadows (All That Glitters, Wedge, Amber Lights), a blush for contouring (Harmony), and a nude lippie called Blankety. The eyeshadows were at $15.50 (P685 at current conversion rates), blushes at $21.50 (P950), and lipsticks at $17 (P751).

Eco bags are not a trend - they're here to stay! Using them helps reduce plastic waste, which we all know is not biodegradable. According to CNN, "What's wrong with plastic bags? Lots. They often wind up as litter, or in trees. They drift into oceans and rivers and kill fish. They can take 1,000 years to decompose. And every time we use a plastic bag, we drive up the demand for oil - which is used to make plastics."

Wow, a thousand years! Think about it. Something we used for two hours carrying a box of shoes can continue polluting the environment for a millennium. This is why I prefer shopping in stores that use re-usable paper bags instead of plastic ones! Also, when I buy something that can fit into my bag, I always tell the attendant to skip the plastic kasi kalat lang talaga. If I have to use plastic, I stuff as many things inside as humanly possible, then re-use the bag for the trash cans at home.

Now, I'm sure you've seen SM Eco Bags being sold at SM Supermalls nationwide. I'd like to invite you to use them because aside from the environmental angle, SM Eco Bags are total must-have because they're:

• Extremely convenient. Instead of toting several shopping bags at the same time, you can just put them inside the roomy fabric bag and sling it on your shoulder. 
• Fashionable. So you've got a great outfit going on while you're shopping, but you're carrying three or four plastic bags by hand. How unflattering! If you spend so much time primping, it wouldn't hurt to carry a pretty eco bag with you whenever you go out to shop. SM Eco Bags come in four wearable designs.

• Compact and light. They tie up neatly in a thin rectangular bundle and weigh almost nothing.

I have already mentioned a recent awesome discovery called Liberté. It's an in-house brand that can be found in Robinsons Department Stores. It sells modern, trendy basics as well as pieces with an unexpected, beautiful twist. The clothes are meant for yuppie corporate wear but I do believe that everyone who likes elegant clothes without breaking the bank will love this brand! Nothing is above P600!

Now I know that "trendy basics" sounds a bit like an oxymoron, so let me explain. Liberte takes basics, mashes them with the trending cut and fabric, and comes up with something infinitely wearable yet far from boring.

I guess I better just show you.

This is my favorite find from the brand. It's a dirty-white dress that's done in a sort of cotton-chiffon blend. It has this sexy triangle cut-out back that I sadly forgot to take a picture of! This dress is only P600 if I remember right.

Exciting news! Beauty Bar, the Philippines' closest thing to Sephora, is now selling online. Brands like Burt's Bees, Smashbox, Styli-Style, Youngblood, Prestige, etc. can now be purchased directly from Beauty Bar's online store. Neat huh? 

I like that the prices are prominently displayed, with clear pictures of the product one can zoom in. I also appreciate the feature on top ten best sellers in front; very useful for those who come just to browse. Lastly, I like that the online store pretty much has everything a walk-in Beauty Bar store has. The selection is pretty comprehensive!

Of course, the shipping is door-to-door, so this saves us busy gals from having to go out of our way to visit Beauty Bar. This is also good news for those who live in the provinces.

Now on to the cons.

When I was younger, Christmas meant new clothes. That's not to say we don't buy any clothes before the holidays - it's just that my mom would always get me a new outfit for my school Christmas party (which my adolescent self was totes excited about) so that shopping trip is something I looked forward to every year. 

Anyway, if you're looking for something to wear to the string of Christmas parties you're probably going to, or if you need a gift that looks more expensive than it isn't, I'd like to invite you to visit Robinsons Department Stores, particularly the Midtown branch. They're on a 50-70% off sale! Well, not everything is on sale, but you're bound to find good stuff there at great prices. Seriously, the stuff there are so affordable, especially the ones from the in-house brands!

Allow me to take you to a virtual tour of the department store in Ermita (my favorite Rob branch) and share my top finds.

Never Been Kissed is a brand for fashion-forward teens. It's got the latest stuff and at great prices too. That sheer knit top you see on the right? That's only P330. Most of the stuff here are under P500. The brand has nice skirts and tights; I bought a denim tulip skirt from here before for only P250.

Cute white cabaret dress

Fab has a more daring quality to the trendy clothes.