Cream of the Crop

Personally, I'm not a fan of crop tops. 

But sometimes, there are pieces that you find that make you re-think your fashion decisions.

For me, it was this cotton pique crop top from Straightforward.

It's a polo shirt style that's very classic - sans the sleeves and the full coverage.

And how do you wear something like this? Is it just for the Gen Zs of this world?

Absolutely not!

First, you can pair it with high-waited jeans - also from Straightforward. The height of the waist band will compensate for the crop, and it will eventually just show a sliver of skin - which is very chic.

Second, you can wear it inside a denim dress - also from Straightforward. It's the preppy look, but elevated.

Whilst I"m not a complete fan of crop tops yet, this is a good start.

LFLTAT: Jump Twice

There's this stall inside Puregold Cubao that has long caught my eye but never gotten around to check out. It's a small stall filled with denim products in all shapes and sizes.

After a grocery run, the decision was reached to finally stop by and check out what they're selling. And boy, it was such a good decicsion.

They had a trove of denim jumpers, and the price was surprisingly cheap! And with less than a thousand pesos, was able to put together not just one look, but two!

LOOK # 1:

This light denim jumper had a tapered silhouette and pockets in front. To keep things simple, got a ribbed tank top from Straightforward to complete the look.

LOOK # 2:

This one was a dark denim jumper, also with a shape that's cut close to the body. To create a contrast, the inner blouse is a loose, striped shirt from Uniqlo.

This is twice the chicness for just less than a thousand!

One shoe, two ways: You know the (Espa)drille

The CLN branch at Ali Mall is renovating soon. And you know what that means...

Renovation Sale!

Saw this pair of platform espadrilles and it was around 70% off its original price! It was too good to pass off. 

It's a very cool and versatile pair. It gives this very Castillian vibe and is a comfy way to elevate a look. 

LOOK # 1: Utilitarian chic

The main piece here is a cargo skirt made with twill, snagged from Surplus Shop. It has a dark khaki colour that works well with the espadrille. The top is the same hue of the shoe (it rhymes!) and it's from Memo.

LOOK # 2: Dressy & daring

This dress is from Straightforward. The sides have an interesting cut-out, and the back is open, with just a few straps. It might come across as casual, but the details make it dressy.

Given that you can wear it 2 times in an instant, it's proof how this shoe is such a good buy.

Straightforward approach

The local fashion brand - Straightforward - has been around for a while. The first store that I recall is Gateway, then they opened a big store in Glorietta, replacing The Row. Then, they opened another store in Mega Fashion Hall.

This is a brand that sells elevated basics. Majority of their items are classic items like tees, shorts, simple dresses, bags and sneakers. They come in plain, solid colors, and they have interesting little details to keep their items from being “too basic.”

I’been been to their store many times, but I’ve never gotten around to buying anything. While their stuff is nice, fashionable and pocket friendly, it didn’t really draw me in that much.

Last week, while browsing the net, their website appeared in one of my searches. After clicking on it, their online store was on sale! There were a couple of items that were interesting, so they were added to my cart. But not purchased just yet.

While in Megamall, I decided to drop by the Straightforward store to check out the items I added to cart IRL. I wanted to see the actual piece to see the material, colour and fit. And upon seeing the pieces up close, they were super nice!

Here’s the clincher. The items that were on sale on-line were full price in-store!

And with that, I finally made my first Straightforward purchase.

Albeit on-line.

This approach of this brand is interesting and novel.

And I’m here for it!