Bet your Valu Dollar

This was a pleasant surprise.

An SG icon where I'd usually buy pasalubongs is now in MNL. It opened quietly, and without much fanfare. But the shop, the promise and the prices speaks volumes.

Valu$ is a grocery store in SG that sells items for much less compared to regular supermarkets. This is my go-to place if I'm buying chocolates, cookies and other pasalubongs.

It's a very no-frills place. Wooden shelves. Cardboard signs highlighting the offers. Red and yellow signs everywhere. And the great thing is, they brought all that here, so going inside the Valu$ store in Starmall feels like being in the Valu$ store in Bugis all over again.

From now on, this is going to be my destination for value buys.

Picture Pair-fect

I've been eyeing this cropped denim top from the Stella brand at Robinsons Department Store, but they don't have Ate's size. I've been looking for it at their Galleria, Magnolia and Ermita branch, but to no avail.

So, I asked Mark to check if they have it in RGS, the place to be. Here's the picture I sent him.

Then, a few days, he sent me this picture:

Woohoo! They have it!

But what's more amusing is the fact that our photos look alike, considering we shot it in different places and different times.

Yes, pairs do think - and take photos - alike.

Disappearing Mark(s & Spencers)

And the unthinkable is about to happen.

After 40 years in the Philippines, Marks & Spencers will shut its doors. This is the 2nd SSI British brand that's shuttering, the 1st being Debenhams.

Gosh! What will Christmas be like without their cookies?

I think you're ready for this Jelly

No, this isn't a Destiny's Child post.

It's about a recent discovery at SM North EDSA.

There's a shoe store called Lyn. Because of my unfamiliarity with the brand, my curiosity led me inside. Once there, the shoes they had were very Charles & Keith in terms of the vibe.

But in one corner, there was a display of jelly shoes under the brand "Jelly Bunny." That's what got my attention.

The attention turned into browsing. The browsing resulted in me going home with this pair of jelly Mary Janes.

What makes it interesting is the material and the cap detail. Gave this to Ate Bullet and she swears by the comfort.

Looks like I'm ready to buy more from this brand.

Back to Earth

Because the Polo Earth that I bought and brought from Narita Airport was so good, just had to get another bottle.

Two, actually.

Guess this means that I'm a certified Earth-ling.

Luck is Standard

I'm so thrilled that we decided to stay in Makuhari on our last day in Tokyo.

Aside from the fact that there's the Mitsui Park Outlet just outside our hotel - literally, it was outside our hotel - there's also the Aeon Mall which was just 1 train stop away.

That mall is one of my faves because of these 2 shops:

Luck Rack is always a great place to hunt for off-season Japanese brands, while Standard Products can really give Muji a run for its money.

I'm super happy with my haul from these 2 stores.

Denim details

Sometimes, it's the little things that make a big difference.

Just like this little detail on a pair of jeans from one of SM's in-house brands - SMYTH.

Wasn't really on the lookout for a pair of jeans, but after seeing this cool illustration and clear description of the pair on display, it became even more attractive. Which resulted in me buying it.

Yup, that's what little things can do.

Sing Style: Take it back

Seems like cut-outs are a recurring theme in The Closet Lover's designs.

Here's the other dress that I got from the brand.

It's a khaki shirt dress made of a light, twill fabric. It looks very straightforward from the front.

But the back is open, and it has an extended part that makes the silhouette a bit more visually interesting.

Good thing I discovered this brand. They really have a lot of good stuff.

Sing Style: All the (closet) lovers

Walking through Bugis Junction, there was a store that had a big "Closing Out Sale" sign outside. Inside there were racks and racks of dresses, tops and pants, which immediately caught my eye. 

Then again, they had me at "Closing Out Sale."

The store was called "The Closet Lover," and it's a  homegrown SG brand. Ka Wei did some research, and it turns out that the owners were shuttering their stores due to some health issues experienced by one of the owners.

Inside the store, there were troves of good finds. There were dresses on 70% off, and couldn't resist buying a few. Just like this one.

It's a black, eyelet dress with a cut-out detail on the side. Overall, the silhouette and fabric are very feminine, but the cut-out is what gives it an edge.

Ate will surely love this dress.

Sing Style: Love it!

Love Bonito is a staple brand in SG. They've got a lot of elevated everyday wear, and the fabrics are very easy-to-wear and easy to maintain.

They've opened a store in Greenbelt 3, which I've written about. But of course, checking out an SG brand in SG has its perks.

True enough, they were on sale. And it was the type of sale where you get discounts plus additional discounts. Summed up, the prices of their clothes are very reasonable.

The dress that caught my eye was this beige shift dress with a cut-out below the bust line.

It caught my eye because this was the dress that I was checking out in their Greenbelt store. I came very close to buying it a few times, but wasn't able to. And now, I know why.

Got this at the Vivo City store and there were 3 stacked discounts. That made the dress less than half of the price that I would've paid for here.

Gotta love bargains like this!

Sing Style: At your own Athleisure

Since my SG trip was just for 3 days, shopping wasn't really part of the itinerary.

Yeah, right.

Surprisingly was able to squeeze in a couple of mall runs during my short stay. And just like that, my empty luggage suddenly became full.

Among the stuff that I bought were SG brands that are no longer in the PH. Like Iora.

There used to be a couple of Iora stores in MNL, but they shuttered one-by-one. They even had an outlet store in Libis, which is now also gone.

They were having their annual sale, which was enough for me to go in the store and shop away. Here's one of the outfits from that run.

It's a white boat neck top and a pleated skirt. What makes this outfit interesting is that it's made from a sporty, cotton-jersey blend. It gives new meaning to the term "Athleisure."

Another nice thing about the skirt is the side detail.

The 2 stripes, which people mistake for Adidas - adds elevates the athletic vibe. 

Not bad for a "not shopping" find.

Hush now

These pair of Mary Janes from Hush Puppies caught my eye immediately after spotting it.

It's a classic in many aspects - from the colour, to the material, to the style - it's quintessential Mary Janes.

And according to Ate Bullet, they'r e extremely comfortable, too.

Then and now, Hush Puppies really knows how to make good shoes.

Little Luxuries

It was early last year when Bath and Body Works launched their "Everyday Luxuries" collection.

This collection of mists took inspiration from trending and popular perfumes, and created body mists that are priced around 90% less than the original perfume.. That guaranteed that this line would be a hit.

Since we already have Bath and Body Works here in MNL, my expectation was they'd launch it here a few months after the US launch. Alas, 2024 went and the products never  hit the shelves. (Good thing Ate Lissa was able to buy some for me in the US.)

Early this year, they came out again in the US and launched 5 new variant. Because of what happened last year, my excitement was tempered. 

But lo hand behold, they suddenly appeared on their store shelves!

Which led to this:

Got the 4 original scents that I've been eyeing since the launch!

This was definitely worth the wait.

Denim & White: Belated Bangkok

Thanks to this series on denim and white tops, I'm reminded of this fabulous BKK find that hasn't been posted yet.

So, here's today's Denim & White outfit.

The top is from Pratunam, and it's a white polo with a graphic print of 2 paws holding a flower. The cool thing about this is the fact that the flower is 3D! It can be removed, too.

Because the top is already so ornate and eye-catching, the classic dark denim jeans sets it off perfectly.

Better late than never!

I know this much as True

No, this isn't a Spandau Ballet post.

It's about a clothing discovery made way back in December.

While scurrying around for last minute Christmas gifts, found a brand of clothing called "True Clothing."

Design wise, they're like Pink Manila. Their clothes are elevated basics made with easy yet classy fabrics. Just like this top rendered in this year's Pantone color.

The neckline gives it a fashion moment, that's why it looks great with a classic denim jean.

I'm going to buy more from this brand from hereon in.

And that's true.

Ba(d)llerina

Here's the shoe that inspired the "Ballerina Girl" FMM feature.

It's a ballerina flat from Stradivarius that goes beyond the usual simple and classic flat. This one has a rocker chick and badass attitude.

There's so much going for this pair. The fire engine red colour. The studs. The ankle strap. The criss-cross details. It elevates the ballerina flat to stratospheric heights!

This kind of reaction is rare from me. But with a pair of shoes as phenomenal as this, it can't be helped. 

Just my Luck

Another cool discovery during this trip to Japan.

We saw this store called "Luck Rack" at the Aeon Mall near Kaihinmakuhari station. It was a big store with racks and racks of different types of clothing. In addition, there are shelves and shelves of shoes, accessories and what-have-yous.

Going through the racks, they sold Japanese brands, including iconic ones like Edwin Jeans. The prices are very low, with most of the items being 70% off the original price.

Upon asking, the staff told me that this is where the Japanese stores send their off-season items to be disposed. So, it's pretty much like the Marshall's or Ross of Japan.

There were so many nice items that it was difficult to choose what to buy. Eventually, the blouses they had were so cool and chic that the bag in the photo ended up being packed with blouses. That included 2 sheer blouses, 2 bomber jackets in tulle, and a two-fer blouse.

Next time I'm in Japan, I'll try my luck here again.

Blackpink

Nope, this isn't about the wildly popular Korean girl group.

It's about this find from the Purple Sale at R.A.F.

The interplay of colours of this piece make it interesting. The sweetness of the pink and the strength of the black provides a visual counterpoint that elevates the look.

And if you think that's all this piece has to offer, think again:

Yes! A reveal! 

The pink part of the dress is actually a playsuit!

Being a fan of two-fers, this dress was definitely a must buy.

Whether you're feeling pink or black, R.A.F. has it!

Sale away

Me: I'm just going to take a quick peek inside Plains & Prints' Purple Sale.

Also me:

Can't blame me, though. Their sales are always top notch.

Spending time (and money)

Mark and I decided to spend our last full day at Shisui Outlets in Chiba.

Like other outlet stores in Japan, this is patterned after US Outlet Malls. From the look to the layout to the frontage - everything feels so American.

What we shopped for, though, was very un-outlet. There's popcorn.

And Fanta Grape Soda!

Yes, there were a few purchases from Coach and Michael Kors, can't leave without those.

Overall, it was a day well-spent.

Figuratively and literally.