Let's get it (Benett)on!

If you're a kid of the 80s, you definitely know the brand Benetton. Or its full name, United Colors of Benetton.

Back then, it's what the cool and preppy kids would wear. It's also the uniform of "rich kids" since the brand was quite pricey and exclusive.

As fashion became more global, and more fast fashion brands came in, brands like Benetton were sidelined by these more affordable options. This made me sad because I'm a huge fan - both then and now.

So, it's such a joy to see that they're opening a new and huge store in Shangrila Mall.

Time to relive my 80s days!

Elementary my dear...

This is probably the highlight of today’s voting exercise.

The school where we vote is called Purs V. Kalaw Elementary School.

Once you enter the main campus, this is what you find:

Considering they’re an elementary school, methinks they’re cutting it a bit too close.

Oreo confused?

To explain the concept of branding in class, I showed them this photo of cream-filled chocolate cookies.

The task was to differentiate each one, which the found hard to do.

But after revealing the brand for each cookie, they could now differentiate each one in terms of imagery, price, taste, even personality.

Fascinating how marketing and advertising can set thins apart.

Halloween oddities

Nandaemun Market is a trove for trinkets, crafts and other Knick-knacks that you never realized you needed. Until you find it there, of course.

On our last Seoul’s trip, I found this loot bag that has a duck print. What’s cool is that when you tie the top part of the bag, it looks like bunny ears. A duck with rabbit ears? Odd! 

But hey, I ended up buying a pack.

But since our trip there was post-Holy Week, it was too late to use those bags for Easter giveaways.

This Halloween, I decided to use those bags for the trick-or-treat bags both for the office and here at home. Tried making one, found it cute, ended up making a 100!

Halloween is supposed to be weird and odd. So, this bag fits right in.

FMM: High Flying Yvonne

With so many great singers in the 70s and 80s, choosing a Friday Magic Madness song from these decades is a task that's both difficult and easy.

Difficult because there are just so, so, so many of them - soloists, duos, groups, males and females - the combination makes the choices endless. 

Easy because you can always find an artist and song that made an impact and came out with a song that's part of your growing up memories.

Yvonne Elliman is one of those artists. She's best known for "If I Can't Have You" and her turn in "Jesus Christ Superstar." as Magdalene.

But today's FMM song is a lesser known duet from her and Norman Saleet. It was released in 1991, and was entitled "High Cost of Loving."

This song enjoyed a lot of air play that time, which is why it's one of those pervasive songs that got stuck in my mind and randomly replays in my head. 

Which is what happened this week. 

Which is why this is today's FMM.

Inside Out

During my younger days, unusual and experimental jeans were my thing. Whenever I'd travel abroad, I'd be on the lookout for shops and brands that sold jeans that had styles and designs unlike the conventional ones.

This is what led to my discovery of brands like Koyo Jeans, Chocoolate, Tough, Evisu, among others.

In MNL, there are several small, indie brands that create one-of-a-kind jean pieces. Kurt's brand - Meraki - is one of those. They have a number of interesting and unconventional materials and styles that are cool and eye catching. 

Admittedly, though, they're too young for me. Harhar.

Imagine my surprise to see a pair of super cool, super unique and super different jeans at The SM Store!

How unique? Check this out!

It's a pair of jeans designed to look like it was turned inside-out! How novel is that?

Because the jeans are a statement piece already. the top has to be a bit more neutral and classic. This pique polo shirt from the Bench x Lesley Mobo collection fits the outfit to a tee. Literally.

Oh, SM, you never fail to surprise me.
 

One top, two ways: Black list

A black top is probably one of the easiest items of clothing to dress up, or dress down. It’s also one of the most versatile pieces that can be paired with pretty much everything.

This is a black jersey top that was from The SM Store. It has a scoop neckline and looks like a sleeveless shirt. But actually, the sleeves have a bit of an extension, and that extension has pleats. This gives it a unique shape and character.

Because of the "feminine with an edge" vibe of the blouse, I decided to pair it with skirts.

First skirt is this olive green, pleated skirt from For Me. The black waist band blends well with the top, making it look longer and leaner.

Second skirt is this black, printed skirt, also from For Me. It has dainty floral prints and also has soft pleats. It's something you can wear if you want to feel more girly and feminine.

These skirts are just 2 ways from a long list of ways to wear such a versatile blouse.

Heavy metal

True to the brand's aesthetic, it seems like the Rabanne x H&M collection will have a lot of metals and metallics.

Saw their fashion film, at you can spot the iconic Rabanne chain mail dress, as long as the pailette dress that's also a signature piece.

Price-wise, you'll have to shell out quite a bit to get the pieces. Then again, that's become commonplace for H&M collaborations.

That said, I'm not going wait for or line-up for this collab. 

For the Record

It's not everyday that you become a witness to a Guinness Book of World Records event. That's why I'm glad that I attended this event for Uratex.

They attempted to break the world record for the most people in a human mattress domino.

And they did it! A World Record for the Philippines!

It was such a thrill to witness this event and see the record being broken before our very eyes. Everyone was waiting with baited breath, especially during the turns. The excitement was palpable as people screamed whenever they'd successfully make a turn.

The anticipation was truly worth the wait. 

Congratulations, Uratex! U did it!

Okay Tiong

Tiong Bahru is one of my favourite places in SG. Hands down.

The Tiong Bahru Market has so many yummy food stalls. Whilst we go there for the Chwee Kueh, one of the most popular stalls there is the Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken.

There's always a long line, so we never got around to trying it. Despite going there so many times.

Well surprise, surprise! I've finally tried the famous Tiong Bahru Hainanese Chicken, without even going to Tiong Bahru.

Jo and I met up for lunch at this resto in Uptown BGC. The fact that most of the people eating there are Singaporeans is already a good sign. And after Jo tried their specialties, she enthusiastically commented: "This is legit!"

Looks like I'll be going to Tiong Bahru more often. The MNL version, of course.

Meals with Mark: Shack Value

Since we're on the subject of "Shacks"...

Now, we don't have to go far to get our Shake Shack fix.

Yes, there's now Shake Shack in Cubao.

Mark and I decided to check it out yesterday. After all, we've tried Shake Shack in Tokyo and in Megamall, so let's give this one a shot, too. (Spot Mark in the photo.)

Well-played, Cubao. Well-played.

FMM: Culture Shack

During yesterday's office birthday bash, one of the things we talked about was "signature videoke song."

The question was simple: "What's your go-to videoke song?'

Most of my colleagues answers were the usual "contest pieces." It ranged from "Araw-Gabi" from Regine Velasquez, "Better Days" from Dianne Reeves, "Get Here" by Oleta Adams and "On The Wings Of Love" from Jeffrey Osborne.

No "My Way," thankfully.

When it was my turn to answer, they were surprised by my answer.

My go-to videoke song? It's today's Friday Magic Madness song!

Yes, it's from the B-52s! "Love Shack" is that one song that I'd sing whenever we'd go to videokes. It was my song back in college. It's my song until now.

So it shouldn't come as a shock that this is my choice.

LFLTAT: Rust issues

The 65th Anniversary Sale of The SM Store is fast becoming an amazing source of awesome looks for less than a thousand!

This particular ensemble is so chic and put together that you’d be surprised how much it cost.

It's a rust coloured oversized blouse, a dark brown jean with a slightly balloon silhouette, and espadrilles in the same hue as the top.

Thanks to the sale, this all added up to just a few bucks below P900!

In SM, we rust.

Fiesta Official

So, the rumours are true!

One of the icons of my childhood is officially coming back.

Yes! Fiesta Carnival is back on its original site. It would be interesting to see how they'll updated this classic childhood playground of ours.

And the bigger question is: Will they bring the "Moonwalk" back?

Book her!

It’s been a while since my last book purchase. For myself, at least.

Yes, i’ve been buying  books from Big Bad Wold the past years, but they’re mostly for gifts.

Looks like that’s about to change. Thanks to this book.

It’s no secret that I’m a Britney Spears fan. And as much as we all love her showniz persona, it would be interesting to k ow her story a bit deeper.

Hoping that Fully Booked will eventually carry this title. 

One Skirt, Two Ways: Think Pink

You can never go wrong with a denim pencil skirt. It’s one of those pieces of clothing that goes well,with pretty much anything. Just like this piece from Surplus Shop:

It’s a washed denim skirt with front pockets and a front slit. These qualities make it as versatile as it is fashionable.

LOOK # 1: Country Club Chic

The skirt is paired with a dark pink cotton pique shirt from Memo. This gives the skirt a preppy-vibe and feels very Valle Verde Country Club back in the 80s.

LOOK # 2: Strings attached

This pink top from The SM Store has an interesting drawstring detail on the sides. It gives the shirt this parachute top vibe.

Either way, i’m Tickled Pink at how easy it is to style this skirt.

Drunk on Dessert

Literally.

Especially if this is what you're having.

Much as it was tempting to try, we had some meetings here. Not a good idea to ingest alcohol before facing client.

Maybe next time.

Major Tom

Tom Sawyer fried chicken is one of the restaurants from my childhood.

Their store at Crossroads Arcade in Greenhills was one of our family's go-to places. We'd often go here with my Lolo Iking and Lola Dita, along with the rest of the family.

The interiors and ambience are both still fresh in my mind. They had dark wood interiors, much like an old American barn. Not surprising since they trace their roots to the Southern part of the US.

Eventually, Crossroads Arcade closed down and Tom Sawyer became an on-off-on-off kind of place. Sometimes you'd find them, sometimes, you won't. 

Last time I found a Tom Sawyer restaurant was more than 5 years back, in Tiendesitas.

So, imagine how thrilled I was when I came across Tom Sawyer in Estancia!

Of course, the 1st thing to do was order their Chicken Breast sandwich. It's the OG and still the best breast. And of course, a side of Sloppy Fries.

There's finally a Tom Sawyer that's quite near the office!

This is major!

FMM: Big Mac

No, this isn't a post about two--all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed-bun. After all, it's a Friday.

This is about Fleetwood Mac, and their 1977 hit.

"Dreams," is one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs. The voice of Stevie Nicks was perfect for the lyrics and the emotion of the song. It's one of hose songs that can be remade, but they'll never live up to Stevie's version.

Hers are big shoes to fill.

Rabanne-d it!

It's another avant garde collaboration for H&M this fall.

After Mugler, they're bringing in Rabanne!

Of course, this is the namesake brand of Paco Rabanne who made the 60s and 70s more decadent with his futuristic designs made with unconventional materials. He was known to play around with metals and plastics, and you could say that he was the king of the unconventional.

The first thing that comes to mind when this name pops-up is the silver metal dress which had several iterations. And apparently, something similar will be part of this collection.

This might be too experimental for the Philippine market. But knowing how H&M markets their collaborations, I'm certain this is going to be a hit.

Blackbuster

When Ate Bullet mentioned that she was attending a fashion show and the attire was all-black, an outfit that's been sitting inside "The Stash" automatically came to mind.

It's an ensemble that's composed of a skirt that's probably 2 years old, and a top that was purchased last month. 

This is how the all-black ensemble looked like:

The skirt is from Vero Moda and is an asymmetric pleated skirt with white stitching details. The top is a classic wrap around top from The SM Store. Ate liked and immediately went for this look.

After the fashion show, she told me that a number of people - including stylists - complemented her outfit. Guess that makes it a blockbuster!

Sketchy Stories: Blank canvas

One of my friends had a dilemma. (Nope, not the Nelly and Kelly Rowland type. Harhar!)

She was going to be a godmother at my nephew's wedding. Her designer friend who initially told her that he'd do her gown was suddenly busy. So, she was left looking for something to wear.

The wedding theme was "Modern Filipiniana" and she was planning to wear a traditional butterfly-sleeved terno with ethnic beading. 

After talking to her designer friend, he said that he could "possibly" do the beadwork if she could provide the dress. This is when she came to me and asked if we could whip up a dress in a week. Our reply - Challenge Accepted.

Since it was a base for beadwork, the terno should be simple, but with an interesting silhouette. The dress should be a blank canvas, but should be beautiful on its own. And this is the sketch that I came up with:

It's a straight dress with godet panels, and a vertical seam to make the wearer look more long and lean. The sketch, along with thee materials, were sent to our new go-to modista, who came up with this:

With or without beading, this terno will surely rock!

When Less is More

Here's proof that the concept of "The Look for Less" is very relative.

While my idea is of "less" is putting together a full outfit for less than P1,000, other people's concept of "less" is a lot "more." That's almost P100,000 for a "less" outfit!

Was I surprised?

More or less.

LFLTAT: Jersey Sure

Can something super chic also be super affordable?

If you know where to look, (and where the sales are), the answer is a big, resounding YES!

Here's proof:

This elegant, all-black ensemble rang up to less than P500! It's an all-jersey ensemble that can go from casual to dinner party with a simple change of shoes and accessories.

The top is a cotton jersey blouse from The SM Store.

Thanks to their 65th year anniversary, this top was 65% off! The original price was P399, so after discounts, it rang up to less than P150!

Then, there's this skirt that was from a Lazada sale. It's a knit jersey skirt from the Lucy Torres x Kashieca collaboration.

It's a super versatile wrap around skirt with no closures. You just wrap it around the waist and secure it with the super chic looking pin.

So far, this is the best LFTAT combo, for sure!

Cubao-rcelona

The Sagrada Familia Chapel at Gateway 2 is finally open.

This chapel is the opposite of its namesake in BCN.

While the BCN Sagrada Familia is ornate and heavily adorned, this one in Cubao is very modern and minimalist. From the interior to the exterior, it's all-white and has a lot of geometric lines and patterns, giving it an airy and elegant look.

Nice to know that we have another option where to hear mass at Araneta Center.

FMM: Exist-entialist

And the Minnie Riperton Friday Magic Madness series continues.

Much as I'm a fan of a majority of her songs, this is on the top of the list:

There's something so endearing about "Never Existed Before." It can be the lyrics that are beautifully written. Or it can be the melody that's so soothing. Or it can be Minnie's voice. Or it can be all of them.

I'm so glad this song exists.

Salad Days

So, here's another one of those "it's been 4 years since I last..." posts.

There's a stall in Farmer's Market that sells really good fruit salad. It's a very simple concoction - fresh fruits and milk. Before 2020, it was a regular stop for me on my way home. 

The stall is owned by a lady who also owns the fruit stall beside it. Once, while making small talk, she shared that they started that side of the business so that they had something to do with unsold fruits. Instead of letting them rot and throwing them away, they gathered all the remaining fruits and decided to turn them into salad and sold them separately.

Brilliant!

That's the reason why I now have this big tumbler of fresh fruit salad to enjoy.

This made my (salad) day!

Hopia like it!

Tipas is upping its Hopia game.

It's not enough that their Mongo flavour is so popular, they're introducing a lot more flavours.

Including these unconventional ones.

Mango Graham and Cheese Pastillas Hopia!

I'm liking the Mango Graham more.

Prep work

When you hear the words "preppy style," it automatically transports you back to the 80s.

It was during that decade when this style took off. From rugby shirts to cardigans to sweater vests over pique polo shirts - these were the uniforms of that decade.

That look keeps on popping back in as the years moved forward. Rugby shirts have been part of many fast fashion brands and has actually become a staple of labels like Uniqlo.

Now, that "preppy style" is going into overdrive with the latest collaboration of Target with Rowing Blazers.

Going through their lookbook was like walking to the 80s. It's so fashionably nostalgic, but with a modern touch. This suit set made of corduroy in a salmon pink-ish hue is all that! I'm sure my sisters will rock an ensemble like this.

Time to unearth all those prep stuff I've been keeping all these years.

Come to my Ade

 Two things caught my eye after seeing this product at No Brand:

1. Cherry Lemonade!!!

2. The retro-esque packaging

This product is SO GOOD! It has the right amount of tartness and the cherry flavour is very pronounced but not overpowering.

Looks like this product will be coming home with me more often after today.

Quiet Time

One of the perks of going to school early is that the faculty is very empty, serene and quiet.

Then again, it's a Saturday and there are only a very few teachers here on that day.

It's safe to say that on Saturdays, it's quiet time all the time.