I would call myself a relatively happy and optimistic person. The secret? I don't worry about the things I can't change. I work around them instead of cracking my head open trying to get through. I know in my bones that there are other (maybe even) better things to want, to conquer. There's always something else for me, I just need to keep an eye out for it. And so do you!

Dress, heels, belt from Forever 21 / Pinkbox bangles, ring and ribbon

Makeup: Models Own Hyper-Brite Lipstick in Annalise's Pink, Revlon ColorStay nail polish in Wild Strawberry, Stila In The Garden Palette (eyeshadows), Fairydrops Volume Burst Mascara

The past few weeks have been extra stressful because of the two events I've been working on for Pinkbox. They are finally over! Not to say that I had a horrible time, but everyone's nerves are understandably frayed. There's this intense pressure because it's our first time to do something of this scale. We had to be perfect. We had to be smooth.

Thankfully, everything turned out well!

Forever 21 shorts and blouse / Shoe Etiquette heels / Pinkbox headband, ring, bangle

Last Saturday, I hosted a meet & greet for sisters Vern and Verniece Enciso. You may have heard of them! They're only some of the prettiest, most popular fashion bloggers in the country. ;) They're so very Pinkbox so we thought we'd invite them to one of our stores to finally meet their fans. And oh what a fan base! More on that in a bit.

I didn't want to wear anything elaborate since the venue was in SM Southmall (biggest Pinkbox store) and I had to carry lots of stuff going there. Hence, just the shorts and the blouse. On most days you'll find me in different variations of this fuss-free template. It's easy, it's comfy, and it flatters me.

I'm hosting a retail event tomorrow for my client then we have a media event on Wednesday. Stress, pressure, eyebags, and a gray face - you name it, I got it. After this flurry of activity I need to plan another event again. I'm overwhelmed, surely, but I'm happy! Seriously though I need to go on a vacation real soon. A beach sounds good. Lots of sand, sun, clear water. I'd pile on sunblock and see if my dog knows how to swim (conclusively).

Anyway! Just wanted to share something I wore yesterday. I bought this dress from Unica Hija a few weeks back, my first from the brand, ever. It didn't look much in the rack but when I wore it, man, it looked fab! So I got it. 

Unica Hija dress / Wicked Drops bib / Pinkbox ring / Zara heels / Blowdry by Entice The Salon

Hey hey! It's been a while since I posted an outfit. I wish I have someone who can snap photos of some of my looks (I'm vain, sue me) but it's embarrassing to ask random people I'm with. So I just leave it. But I really like my outfit yesterday so I stuck the camera on a flat surface and posed without shame!

It was a toss between heels and sandals but I wanted more pink so I went with the sandals. They're cute no? I got them for only P350! They're weird though. Everytime I wear them for more than a couple of hours, my feet are sore the next morning (like right now). Might be because they're too thin and flat?

And people say heels are bad for your feet. Pfff.

Yesterday Snaps and I were part of a photoshoot for Purple Groom. It was fun, super! I'll post BTS photos once I've post-processed everything. For now here's what I had on. I really like this look - in fact I bought the blazer and skirt together to match! Again, both are from SM, this time the ladies wear section. Lol. Am I a walking billboard for SM or what? I am not connected to them in any way, I just really like shopping there.

Folio blazer / Blanc et Noir skirt / Wacoal corset / Forever 21 necklace / Pinkbox bangle and ring / Charles & Keith heels

...And here I am about to be run over by a cab. I don't know how fashion bloggers do it! 0_0

I am in a major rush today so I won't be able to post a review, but do watch out for a recipe tutorial tomorrow! I'll show you how I make my hamburger steak and mushroom gravy. ;) For now I have photos of what I wore yesterday!

SM dress / Forever 21 belt / Pinkbox ring and headband / Ferretti pumps / Nine West satchel

Everyone was asking about where I got the dress! It's from SM and it was only P750 if I remember correctly. It's from the Teens Wear section hahahahaha.

I'm trying to find new ways to wear my old clothes together. I've had this jacket for around two years now, and as much as I want to wear it more often, I just can't. It gets me very, very warm. Luckily, the cold and wet weather yesterday was the perfect condition to finally take it out again!

Folded & Hung shorts / Bench v-neck shirt / thrifted jacket / Doroty Perkins beanie / t0nic shoes / Pinkbox ring

The idea for this look is fuss-free, comfy, but still with that "made you look!" factor. I wanted to keep dry from the rain so I avoided skirts and pants that will harbor the damp.

Yesterday I felt like a walking solid block of color. It was fun while it lasted. Can I just say - this skirt needs more air time! This is only the second time I've worn it since I got it last May.

Forever 21 sweater / Ever New skirt / Pinkbox bangle and ring / Ferretti pumps

This emerald green sweater, on the other hand, is a different story. I wear it at least once a week.

This is what I wore yesterday to an event. I didn't want to overthink it so I just put on stuff that I felt naturally went together. Seriously, five inch heels and a good bag can make even the simplest of dresses look, well, dressy. 

Kashieca dress/ Charles & Keith heels/ Pinkbox bangle and ring/ SM belt/ Louis Vuitton bag

As for the look, I found inspiration from Ginnifer Goodwin. I've been keeping this photo for Lord knows how long! I meant to copy the look but somehow always wound up with neutrals or colors. 

I love it! Skin is matte and flawless, eyes are heavy on the top with black eyeshadow, winged out eyeliner, and loads of mascara. Cheeks have a slight peachy blush while lips are nude.

At first glance, it looks like something only a fair-skinned girl can wear, but with some tweaks, I adjusted it for medium Asian skin like mine.

You know, not a lot of people look good in white (me included). White is such a fattening non-color when it comes to clothing. Buuut I don't really care. I still have a soft spot for white dresses so I can never seem to let go of the ones I have. Here's an old one, from around two years back, that I wear every so often.

Eyelet dress and cardigan from Market! Market! / Headband and bangle from Pinkbox

So yeah, had that on yesterday. As for the makeup I just decided to go with something "happy" looking, light eyeshadow, pink cheeks and lips. I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately because I simply don't have the time. I'm having fun digging through my makeup collection though, which means I'm re-discovering some old but good products in my stash.

Face: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW liquid foundation, Lancome Maqui Blanc powder, Artdeco Camouflage Cream Concealer, Clinique Airbrush Concealer (under eyes)

I wanted to talk about how shorts are a staple yada yada but I'm sure that everyone else has exhausted the topic. To summarize: we live in a tropical country. Shorts are part of our national identity.

On a completely different note - one phrase has been running in my head repeatedly this morning. "If you want to lose weight, EAT LESS." It's like a freakin' mantra. But how less is less, and at what point do we need to eat more? I've been on a no carb diet for the past three weeks and it's consuming me. I do cheat once in a while, of course, but I make sure to make it up in the next meal.

Ferretti bag / Forever 21 knit top and blazer / Bench shorts / Pinbox headband and bracelets / ZARA heels

I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I have no interior design sense whatsoever. I don't know how to dress up a space and even how to pick furniture. Sure I like a few pieces but I have absolutely no idea where to put them or how to make them work with the furniture we already have. That's why our two-bedroom condo looks a bit...haphazard.

Peacocks top / Landmark skirt/ Ferretti espadrilles/ Pinkbox necklace

But it is home and we have all the stuff we need. It's just not particularly fixed up! Anyway, this is what I wore to watch Prometheus with Marco last Sunday. I always dress down when I'm with him because he's so chill. Too chill, in my opinion, but who's asking!

I know that prints are du jour for the season. The crazier they are, the better! However, I'm really not that into colorful prints; I don't like to look to distracting. I feel more in sync with myself (and my style) when everything matches harmoniously. 

Hence, this outfit and makeup combination. :)

Miss J dress / Ferretti pumps and bag/ Pinkbox headband / Parfois bangle

Yellow and gray was the theme of the day, from my eyes down to my shoes. Someone said somewhere that matching your whole look is a fashion crime but whatever! This is what I feel good in, so this is what I'm wearing.

I feel at my best in shift dresses and soft makeup. I like to try new things, of course, but I always come back to this combination when I want to feel pretty and confident. I guess I can call this my trademark style!

Forever 21 dress/ Aldo bag/ Charles & Keith heels/ Pinkbox earrings and ring/ Snaps the pomeranian

So, my advice to young women is this: keep a shift dress (or ten!) on hand for whenever you want to look all poised and ladylike. SM carries SO MANY nice shifts, but I also like rummaging in Celine and Forever 21. Take this draped shift for example - it's one of my best finds.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, Forever 21 also carries a lot of classy stuff. :P Anyway, here's the makeup I wore with it! I decided to go with soft eyes - meaning no harsh lines or too thick lashes.

When I saw this skirt at Ever New, I just knew I will have it. It's so flattering on the waist, hips, and legs! Lord knows how difficult it is to find pieces like this for my body type. Anyway, I finally got the chance to wear it yesterday to an event in Makati Shangri-La.

SM top/ Ever New skirt/ Marc by Marc Jacobs hobo bag/ Ferretti shoes/ Pinkbox bangles and ring/ Avon necklace

As for the makeup, I wouldn't say that this is one of my favorite looks. I just wanted to try a different blue-green eye combination with an MLBB lip.

A good pair of heels can make your legs go a loooong way. The heels don't even have to be particularly high! Here are some visual tricks to make your gams look longer: 

• Wear strappy heels, preferably one that has an ankle strap. This slims your feet and ankles.
• Nude-colored shoes blend with your skin, fooling people that there's more flesh exposed, therefore your legs look leaner.

I visited the Ferretti store in Glorietta 1 yesterday and positively ooohd when I saw the new pumps. They're the highest we've come out with yet at 4.5 inches, but of course they're still as lightweight and as comfy as ever. There's a basic black, sky blue, pastel pink, and a true lemon yellow. I bought the yellow as soon as I fitted it!

Forever 21 blazer / Topshop blouse / Ever New skirt / Aldo Revera bag / Pinkbox bangles and headband / Aldo ring

I love it! It's my third pair of pumps from Ferretti (again, yay employee discount).

I used to think that Bench was "jologs". I know, so uncharitable! But during the few times I've visited it in the past years I only saw tacky printed shirts and more jeans. All that has changed though! Bench now has a lot of cool finds at really good prices.

Bench top / Landmark skirt / Tonic shoes / Pinkbox accessories / Nine West bag

This newfound love of mine started when I was in Powerplant Mall a couple of months ago. This was before Bench contacted me for anything ha. I saw their Bench Edited store and got really curious - what's a Bench Edited? Exploring the place revealed it to be a well-curated version of Bench.

Their best pieces were displayed in a really classy space, and I loved it so much I went home with a shirt dress (that everyone asked about! I'll show it to you one of these days) and a pair of khaki capri pants.

When I was younger, I used to buy clothes because I had to, I just had to. There was this feeling that the more I had the more fashionable I am. Predictably, I ended up getting stuck with crappy clothes that I only used a few times before feeling ridiculous in them. You know what I'm saying? I wasted a lot of money because I gave most of my old clothes away.

So now I try not to buy clothes and shoes unless I feel I can't live without them, unless I can't see myself wearing them for at least a year. I'm still a bargain hunter at heart, but if a really nice (although pricey = more than P1,000) piece comes along that I just can't let go of, well, I won't.

This blue Bayo dress is one of those purchases. Like my other new blue dress, it was a love at first sight thing for me. Never mind that I don't have the arms and shoulders to pull it off - I like it, I feel nice in it so to hell with the self-conscious bitch inside. :P

I wore this electric blue maxi with a white crochet necklace and bangle from Pinkbox. My official summer tote is this hot pink woven one from Ferretti so I pair it with everything!