Separates Lives: Knit wit

I've always been a fan of knits. 

Although our weather doesn't really go well with knitted clothes, a number of fast fashion brands still incorporate knits in their collections. The trick is using lighter knits, and incorporating them in other pieces of clothing - not just sweaters or tops.

Just like this knit skirt from Plains & Prints.

It's made of a knit material, albeit not too heavy. The material makes it flattering, and it also falls nicely. The print is also visually interesting, which adds to the appeal. And because of the black waistband, a black top would be the perfect accompaniment to this skirt. Enter this jersey, boat neck top from For Me.

See, knits can be weather appropriate. And cool!

Southern Style: Say Pleats

This is one of my fave finds at Metro Gaisano in Cebu. It's an ensemble that's a combination of classy and artsy. 

It's a pleated pair! 

The top has that Issey Miyake vibe, and the pleated skirt has a painting that's reminiscent of Rome. So, it's Japan plus Rome by way of Cebu. Capping off the look is a pair of black and white slides from For Me. Cebu branch, of course.

Pleats are just so pretty!

LFLTAT: Say Pleats

I’ve been eyeing this black pleated dress at Uniqlo since it came out a few months ago.

It has that Issey Miyake vibe, but in a fabric and style that’s more suited for everyday wear instead of being too high fashion.

Part of me wanted to buy it, but another part of me knew that it would be in sale soon enough.

And true enough, it did!

This Look For Less Than A Thousand is a combination of the Uniqlo dress and a pair of black and white slides from For Me. Together, this ensemble was a few bucks shy of a thousand.

Good (and affordable) things come to those who wait.

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.

Color Story: Brown Butter

One of the more popular coffee flavours at my nephew’s coffee shop is a concoction the call “Brown Butter Coffee.”

It combines coffee with this homemade, golden caramel syrup, and it creates this combination that’s both strong and smooth.

Well, at least that’s how their regulars describe it. It’s common knowledge that i’m not a coffee drinker.

But Brown Butter Caramel is the color inspiration behind this outfit that I gave Rose for her birthday.

The top is a golden butter color with dolman sleeves from ForMe, while the caramel colored jeans are from Betshka.

To complete the look, a pair of brown mules from Zalora.

It might not be coffee, but this look will surely perk a person up.

LFLTAT: Fashionable Friends

Okay, so everyone’s talking about the Friends reunion. For our generation, this is huge! The series is a major part of our young adulthood, so watching Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, Chandler, Joey and Ross share the screen again is like re-living our youth.

And to celebrate this reunion, I bring you this Friends-inspired Look For Less Than A Thousand!

This outfit is from 2 shops from the Golden ABC group. The belted and buttoned skirt is from Penshoppe. While the Friends-print top is from For Me.

Both items were bought online, and on sale! I think it’ rang up to less than P600!

It’s a full, fun outfit for a very Friendly price!

Pleat-ing moments

Looks like the pleated skirt is here to stay.

It’s been popping in and out the fashion radar, so i’m not sure whether it’s still current or not. But judging by how prevalent it is in fast fashion brands’ collections, it seems like it’s mo,ent in the spotlight is still on.

They have 2  dry nice ones at For Me.

First, this black faux leather pleated skirt. It’s very chic-rock star.

Paired with a black mock turtle neck - also from For Me - and you have an outfit fit for Paris.

It’s black, but not at all basic.

Then, they also have this mixed material pleated skirt. It has plaid and solids meshed into one pretty skirt.

Taking the solid yellow color, I found this shirt in the same hue.

Together, it’s a relaxed chic look with a fashion edge.

Yes, pleats are still having a moment.

LFLTAT: The ABCs of fashion

Fast fashion conglomerates have always fascinated me. It’s always interesting to see how they were founded, how they evolved, and how they remain relevant in the super cut throat industry that is fashion and retailing.

My first exposure to the was Gap. It was common knowledge that, aside from the all-American Gap Store, they owned Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta. InSpain, there’s Inditex which owns Zara, Massimo Dutto, Pull and Bear, Stradivarius and Bershka.  Tokyo’s Uniqlo Group owns Uniqlo, GU, Comptoir des Cottonniers, Helmut Lang and Princesse Tam-Tam.

In the Philippines, my favorite fast fashion conglomerate has to be Golden ABC. Not many people know this, but the company owns some of the go-to brands in local fast fashion. They started out with Penshoppe, and now they have Oxygen, Memo, For Me and Regatta. They also used to own Tyler, which they eventually closed.

What’s nice about the company is that even though their brands are very distinct from each other, you can mix and match them, and they still look seamless. The entire group is on sale now, and I was able to get an LFLTAT from 2 of their brands.

The skirt is from For Me. It’s a soft, flowy skirt with a refreshing print.

Then I found this buttery soft tee from Penshoppe, whose color echoes the hue of the skirt.

Because they were both on sale, this entire look cost just around P600ish!

And that’s howmbeing fashionable for less is as easy as ABC.

More to Com-pleat

It must be the season of the pleated skirt.

Everywhere you go, there’s an incarnation of the garment - from plain to printed, from silk to chiffon, from Casual to dressy.

Found this skirt at For Me, and knew that I had to get it.

It’s a metallic pleated skirt that has that disco-gladiator vibe to it. When I saw it (and it was on sale), I just knew that I had to get it.

For the top, I chose a black, ribbed sleeveless top. It has to be neutral enough because the skirt is already teeming with character.

And that completes another pleated look for June.

I wonder what sartorial surprises July will bring,

Athleisurely

The past few months, i’ve been seeing a lot of sporty outfits being worn for everyday, non-sport occasions.

Before, “Athleisure” was more for leisure items worn for athletic purposes. Now, it’s turned on it’s head and is more about sporty outfits worn for parties, work or just a casual day out.

Most noticeable would be the proliferation of sporty pants. Aside from the usual joggers, you also see  pants with an athletic stripe as part of its design. Almost all foreign and local fast fashion brands have it, and one of them caught my eye.

The pair is from the local brand “For Me,” and it’s a classic black pant with gray stripes on the side.

You can pair this with a classic black tee, and you’ve got the athleisure look down pat.

And that’s how you play with style.

When the chic hits the fam

i've mentioned this before, but you know that Ate Bullet likes an outfit when she wears it immediately after you give it to her.

Such was the case with the lace top and wide pant ensemble that I wrote about the other day. She liked it so much that she rocked it within a few days:

Yup, it's more chic in person than it is on a mannequin.

One pant, two ways: Widen your horizons

We were waiting for dinner at SM City Legazpi when I decided to meander around the mall.

This meandering brought me to ForMe, mainly because of a "Sale" sign outside. Then, that "Sale" sign ended up with me buying this nice pair of wide trousers which was on sale.

These trousers have all the makings of being a staple. The shape is loose and comfortable. The stripe is flattering. The color is so versatile that it can go from classic to more fashion.

To demonstrate...

Here's how it can go classic. Take a navy blue jersey shirt with a round neckline and fluttery sleeves. The color complements the trouser, and the streamlined shape is a good foil to the wideness of the pants. This shirt is from SM Department Store.

Paired together, it's a classic ensemble that can go from business to casual.

For something a little more fashion forward, this is where this lace blouse from Yessica comes in. The colors of the blouse echoes the colors of the pants. It has shades of navy blue, red and a hint of black.

Usually, lace and pinstripes aren't a likely pairing. But because of the color match, these two items look great together. And it's an ensemble that's more fashion forward and looks good for a creative event.

The great thing about these 2 ensembles is that they're all items bought from Legazpi. So, it's a good indication that you can find affordable, fashionable ensembles almost anywhere in the Philippines.

LFLTAT: Black is Back!

Last weekend, during the 3-day sale at SM Megamall, stores went all-out with their promos and discounts.

Two particular stores drew me in. First was SM Department Store - a no-brainer, and second was For Me. What draw me to For Me was the fact that their sale items were also on buy one, take one! And browsing these 2 stores led me to these 2 items:

From For Me, a classic LBD!

Classic as the silhouette may be, it also had modern touches such as the fabric and the fact that it had pockets.

Over at SM Department Store, this pair of black, pointed Parisian pumps called to me. Then followed me home.

The result, a super chic black ensemble. Not over P700!

Once you go black at that price, you're never coming back!