As a fan of scents that smell like fresh laundry, one brand of perfume kept on popping up my feed.
The brand is Acne Studios by Frederic Malle, and it's supposed to smell like clean, soapy clothes that just came out of the dryer. Conceptually, it should be like Clean Warm Cotton, Clean Cool Cotton and Clean Fresh Laundry - 3 scents that I'm a fan of and have bottles of.
Since they have it in Rustan's, might as well drop by and check out what the hype is all about.
Verdict: the hype is real.
So real, I eventually got a bottle.
Now, I'm going to smell like a hamper of freshly laundered clothes.
It was one of those muni-muni moments during our shoot last Friday. Was outside the studio, looking up, then saw something that needed to be photographed.
As a fan of shapes, there was something about this combination of the building's roof and the dusky sky that created something graphic. It's that ubiquitous combination of hard and soft, light and dark.
For the 2nd time this year, I've had the privilege of sitting as a jury for another creative competition.
What's exciting for me is that most of my co-jurors are people who I'll only meet for the first time. And it's always great to expand my creative circle.
Judging by the agenda and people, it's going to be fun!
Wasn't able to join Mark during his BKK trip a few months ago, so we decided to make it up through his birthday salubong dinner last Wednesday.
We went to Thai Streat in Ortigas, and ordered these:
Of course, we had to have noodles, so we ordered the Pad Thai. But we also wanted something spicy, and we went with the Phad Kra Pao.
Being a fan of Thai food, it's safe to say that this food is legit! And seeing the owner behind the counter - a Thai lady - confirms how legit this pace is.
While the current term for this fashion piece is "crop top," once upon a time, we called it "hanging." (Short for "hanging blouse.")
And it seems like it's making a comeback.
Exhibit A, this skirt and top pair from Plains & Prints.
This style is really up Ate Bullet's alley. This ensemble is composed of a hanging top and a detailed skirt. The material is like soft denim, the shape is loose and relaxed, and it has fashionable details like the stitching and the sleeve.
This is actually a departure from the usual Plains & Prints style
Today's Friday Magic Madness song is inspired by Wednesday's post!
"Hanky Panky" is actually one of Madonna's underrated songs.
Launched in 1990, this song was a departure from Madonna's signature pop sound. This song had more of a jazz and swing sound which was fun to listen to. It was always on repeat on my playlist back in the 90s, but was buried under all the other memorable songs that have been featured on FMM.
But thanks to a fashion post, it's now going to have a resurgence.
Yes, the title is inspired by another title. Particularly, the greatest hits album of Janet Jackson which was launched in 1996.
But no, this isn't about Janet Jackson.
It's about Mark's birthday!
This birthday marks the 2nd decade that we're spending his birthday together. That's 20 years worth of birthdays!
I still remember our very first birthday together like it was yesterday. It was the surprise birthday visit in IUJ, which was also an adventure in many ways. That day, and the days leading to that, are core memories that will always be with me.
It's been a while since handkerchief skirts made an appearance in fast fashion.
So, after spotting this checkered, handkerchief hem skirt at The Landmark, it was an automatic buy.
The colour and pattern is giving modern Filipiniana - like a saya, but elevated. It's a skirt that has a lot of details, so the top had to be simple and more classic. And this brown knitted vest with assorted gold buttons was perfect. And to cap the look off, knitted ballet flats from Solemate.
When you're hankering for fashion, this ensemble is just what you need.
As this blog has attested, there are a lot of those here in Ortigas.
Here's another one.
This was taken around 2pm, and in that time when you're supposed to be busy, this cat is living the carefree life and just sleeping on his back, probably dreaming of cat food and scratching posts.
Thanks to one of my creative directors at work - Noel - I've developed a new fashion habit.
Printing characters on to dresses.
Noel has a printing shop that can print photos on fabric, and I've been working with him on a few projects the past months.
Our latest project is this:
Saw this very pretty and very classic denim dress at The SM Store. Made of dark denim and with a flattering halter neckline, it's a great canvas for a creative printed design. And that design is this sketch of 4 Filipina characters, wearing different styles of Filipiniana.
The dress came out better than my initial vision.
Further proof that execution is as important as the concept.
When my colleagues and I were talking about 80s OPM singers, the name Nonoy Zuniga came about.
That name immediately rang a bell because of two things.
First, he's a surgeon aside from being a singer. And back then, that was a huge deal. Imagine, he's a not only a good doctor, he's a good singer, too!
Second, he's the brother of my grade 2 teacher, Mrs. Munoz. She would often talk about him, and he actually went to our lass one time.
It was after that meeting that the class learned about his songs. And they turned out to be really cool songs! They were well-written, the lyrics were deep and insightful, and the melodies were easy to listen to. Ballads were his forte, and he sang them with an emotion that you can easily feel.
So, for today's Friday Magic Madness, let me play Nonoy Zuniga's most iconic hits
"Doon lang" was released in 1981, and became one of the most played songs on-air during that time. It also became one of the usual singing contest songs that would be sung. That's who impactful it was.
Let's just say the doctor wrote the prescription for a hit!
You've done so much for me - both in good and not-so-good times. Your infinite love and compassion has guided me for so many years, and I'm a better person because of of that.
Continue to cover us with your blue mantle of protection and love.
Cute cats really take the edge of Mondays. Especially this Monday when the weather isn't that great.
Spotted this cat in one of the buildings here in Ortigas.
His position on the bottom step, and his far away look makes this photo so intriguing. What's he thinking about? What's keeping him from walking up the stairs?
Looks like the fisherman's clasp is having a fashion moment.
I've seen it being by some fast fashion brands, including our very own Plains & Prints.
Ate Bullet was drawn to this jacket the moment she saw it. Needless to say, we had to get it.
The combination of the black denim and the fisherman's clasps gives it a very industrial yet chic vibe. To soften the hardness of the jacket, we paired it with a soft and draped skirt from The SM Store, and mules from Zara.
This gives the look a combination of classy and edgy.
I've been wondering and researching if H&M will have another designer collaboration, and it usually comes out blank.
But this weekend, they surprised us with this:
Elie Saab x H&M!
I've been a fan of this Lebanese designer for years now. I'm drawn to his very elegant and feminine point of view. He does a lot of red carpet gowns and bridal dresses, and they're always very luxe and fashionable.
And judging by the images that are being provided so far, he's bringing this high glam to H&M.
It's that time of the year where Philippine creatives gather to learn, network, and recognize the work that ad people work tirelessly on.
This year is more fun because of the judging duties that was assigned to me. And it's interesting to see how that shortlisting judging will pan out in the finals.
While waiting for that, let's put another kidlat on the spotlight for Friday Magic Madness.
"Grease Lightnin'" is a 1978 song by John Travolta from the film "Grease." It's one of the fun and upbeat songs, and it still is one of the most memorable and popular ones, alongside "You're the one that I want," and "Hopelessly devoted to you."
Thanks to Mark, I've got a fresh stash of Mith Bangkok perfume!
The best of the best when it comes to this brand is definitely "Nude." Scent Takes isn't exaggerating when she says that this is one of - or maybe the - best skin scent ever. It really embodies the "your skin but better" philosophy.
It's so popular that it's also difficult to get.
Mark told me that when he went to the Mith stall in Central World, the staff said that Nude was out of stock. But she advised him to try to come back in a few hours since they might have a restock. Thankfully, Mark did, and he was able to get 2 bottles of Nude, plus 2 other scents.
