LFTAT: Try Tribal

One of the bigger trends last spring was the tribal look. It's actually one of those trends that keep on coming back season after season, and they just have slight permutations in each incarnation.

Two years ago, Ikat was the print du jour. Then, it became a more Aztec-type of print, seen mostly on Proenza Schouler's collection.

This year, the tribal look is more eclectic. It's a mix of patterns that find their influences from the Mexicans to the Native American Indians. The look plays heavily on the print-on-print style which is great. As I've written before, I'm a big fan of print-on-print.

Thanks to the wonder twin powers of The Landmark and Greenhills, one can try this tribal look without breaking the bank. (Heck, I don't think it'll even make a dent on the bank given how these pieces are priced.) And since we're on the tail end of summer, I thought it best to give this tribal look a summery-vibe. 

Just like this first look:

It's a shirt and denim short ensemble, and the moment I paired these things together, my thoughts immediately went to Arizona. Gosh, it's been more than 5 years since I last went to that State!

The top has a very playful pattern and a loose and comfy silhouette. The armholes of the shirt are exaggerated, and the armholes are bigger than the usual. And that's perfect for this weather. The denim shorts are in a deep blue color, which anchors the pastel hue of the top. Finally, as an accent, there's a burnt sienna belt with flowers hanging from it. How's that for flower power.

Check out the print of the shirt. It reminds me of those border tiles found in Mexico. I remember that the house of my foster parent in Mexico had something similar in their living room and their veranda.

This first look - shirt + denim shorts + belt all added up to... (drumroll please)... P500.00!

The second look also plays on the same tribal look, but does it in reverse. Now, the top is the heavier side of the look, while the bottom offsets it by taking on the lighter hue.

Once again, here's a very Mexican-inspired printed shirt. The colors are very saturated and clash beautifully. There's a mix of neon blue with fuschia, gren and black, and the colors mix in a complementary - rather than a clashing - fashion.

Since the top is color heavy, the bottom should be lighter. So, the denim shorts are in a light blue gray color. The distressed details make it look a bit worn, and this gives it a relaxed vibe. Very summer! The final touch is a knotted belt in red - which mirrors some of the colors on the top.

Surprisingly, the belt of this ensemble is a few bucks cheaper that the one on top. So, this tribal look is just P490.00.

Finds such as these make shopping in Manila - as well as trying trends - so much easier and fun. The buyers at The Landmark, and the entrepreneurs in Greenhills, really do have a good fashion pulse and know what trends are in. 

I hope their tribe increases.