HAUL No. 3, Pt. II

Satchel from U by Rustan's;

This beautiful, brown leather satchel was courtesy of my mum; she allowed me to get it because I needed a new bag for the new school year. To be honest though, I wasn't all too crazy about it the first time my eyes caught sight of it sitting on a shelf in the menswear section inside Rustan's. But it grew on me, I have to say; like a rose it blossomed in my thoughts, and I eventually realized its beauty, and fell in-love with it. It also reminds me a tad bit of Proenza Schouler's PS1 Satchel, which made me love it even more than I did before. We are now as one, and at the moment, I use it almost everyday for school.

Garage Magazine's June 2012 issue, and a copy of "The Perks of Being a Wallflower";

As you've probably figured out (haha if it isn't obvious enough), this is the second part of HAUL No. 3. And as I mentioned in my previous post, classes have already started for me, and I'm now journeying through my last year of high school. Sentimentality strikes me with its fists every so often when I think about this, when I ponder on the fact that this senior year is my last in the school that I grew up in. Thirteen years I have spent in that school of mine, with the same people, and the same faces, and in a short while we'll all have to move on and say goodbye to the once familiar campus that we so fondly spent part of our childhood in. At times, I just want it all to end; to vanish before my very eyes and simply transform into memories that I'll find in the corners of my head. But I know, I know that when that time does arrive, when I finally have to bid farewell to it all, I know that I wouldn't want it to end for the world.

SO SHUT YOUR EYES AND BURN THE PAST

"So shut your eyes and burn the past", is what I've been trying to do these days. To set fire to the misfortunes that have gone by, and also to focus on what's going to happen today, at this very moment. And after we've burned those misfortunes, we have to build up the strength to collect the ashes and release them at sea, as if they were the remains of a deceased loved one. If you feel even a hint of hesitation, cast it aside at once, and get on with it. Because sometimes, it really is for the best that we move on. When a new beginning knocks at your door, you welcome it with open arms, and try to embrace it even though it might be a struggle to do so.

Polka-dotted Shirt from Bench, Thrifted Knit Jumper, Carrot-fit Chinos from Topman;

Baseball Cap from New Era, Sunglasses from 21 Men;

As for the outfit, I chose to go with something simple; it's just a combination of a button-down shirt, a knitted jumper, and a pair of chinos. But the addition of the sunglasses, the baseball cap, and the tasseled leather shoes, creates for a more appealing look, at least for me. The baseball cap, in particular, is what I hope is the highlight of this outfit. You could say that I sort of tried to be more adventurous with the use of the cap, since most, if not all of my looks are usually topped-off with a fedora. I think that the denim baseball cap definitely adds a touch of sportiness to this look, which usually is lacking in my outfits. Expect that I'll be sporting (see what I did there) the New Era cap in more looks to come. On another note, I'm also wearing the one and only pair of sunnies that I have. Okay, well they're not the only pair that I own, but really, all the other ones that I do have, aren't exactly to my liking anymore. Thank goodness that versatility's there to be a friend when we're in need.

Oh, and if you haven't yet guessed, "back to school" is now a reality for me. Classes had already started about a week ago, and it's now devouring most of the hours I've left in a day after I wake up from precious slumber. I apologize, and I'm sorry to say, that I will now have less time to blog (as exhibited by the ten, lonely days that have gone by since my last update). Rest assured, though, that I will not abandon this ship and let it be swallowed into the depths of the blogosphere's non-existent ocean.You can count on me for that!

HAUL No. 3, Pt. I

A luxury/paisley print shirt from local brand, "Solo";

details;

A back issue (January 2012) of Nylon Guys, and a patterned shirt from the dept. store;

That particular day was a sort of adventure for me. A slight feeling of spontaneity sparked up inside myself, and soon created a flame that eventually spread like wildfire through the forest that is my consciousness. I'd been thinking about it for quite a while, but never got myself to actually do it until that day. I told myself that it was "now or never", and I knew that I would regret it if I didn't, so I went. For the first time, I ventured out alone,  into the outside world to go to a nearby mall. I had nobody to bring me there, I couldn't yet drive myself, and we didn't have a driver. So I did what everyone else did who was stuck in similar circumstances-- I commuted. All I had to do was take a jeepney to the mall once I was at the entrance of my village. I'd done it before, but with some company; and yes, that does make a difference. Or so I thought it would. Surprisingly, but not too surprisingly, the commute was kind of a cakewalk. As I was inside the jeepney, to tell you the truth, it was really tempting to observe the people sitting next to me, sitting around me; but I considered that staring at them might've been rude, so I just put it off. And as I crept out of the vehicle, out into the harsh sun, and entered the mall, I felt a tad bit more independent than I did before. A couple hours was all I spent roaming around and searching for items, but that was more than enough to satisfy me. When I arrived back home, it felt like something of an accomplishment for me, the whole experience. It made me want to smile, even though on the way back, the sky started weeping, and rain fell from the sky, and basically drenched me from head-to-toe because I hesitated and failed to bring an umbrella with me. But I didn't mind. I didn't mind at all, and it felt great not having to.

WON'T YOU COME SEE ME, QUEEN JANE?

Thrifted Coat, Floral-printed Shirt from Topman, Carrot-fit Trousers from Topman;

Hat from Onesimus, Suspenders from Hicock, Tasseled Shoes from Aldo;

A coat, whatever kind of coat it may be, surely would not be something you'd wear all the time here in Manila; particularly if it were one of those hot, summer days. But I guess the infatuation that I have with wearing coats got to me that day; wrapping its arms around me like a dear friend would after not seeing each other for quite a while. I think I'm actually getting used to braving the heat to shoot these looks of mine, or rather, I hope I am. There are some things we can just hope to change, change to suit our preferences. If the temperatures here in the Metro dropped some ten to fifteen degrees, I probably would be dreaming. My hopes for cooler days here aside, I do believe that the coat I'm sporting really pulled the whole thing together; its dark, navy-blue color complements the sort of camel color my trousers have nicely. The crisp, floral printed shirt, I think, makes the look a lot more interesting as well. Prints definitely can give that sort of "pizazz" to your outfit; you can never go wrong with them, you just have to choose the right ones. As of late, I've been growing fonder and fonder of "luxury" prints (I hope you know what I'm referring to), and was lucky enough to have purchased a piece from a local brand that somehow satisfied that lust. Can't wait to show it to you guys! Oh, and before I forget, the title's from a glorious song called "Queen Jane Approximately" by Bob Dylan, which I discovered from watching The Dreamers (the song was played after the part where they ran through The Louvre). Everyone should listen to it.

PHFW: OXYGEN HOLIDAY 2012

A little visit from Lady Luck's all you need sometimes to completely turn your day around. I had completely convinced myself that I wouldn't be able to attend any shows from the recently concluded Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2012. I refused to believe that a single ounce of hope was left for me; I had already even said "no" to the offer a mate of mine gave me the day prior to the Oxygen show, believing that I wouldn't be permitted to go at any costs. But I guess the odds were definitely in my favor that day, and all I had to do was muster up some courage and ask.

Once I'd sent the messages I needed to send, everything was set. Terribly, terribly excited I was as it was my first time, ever, to attend a show in the local Fashion Week. I was finally gonna get to go pop my cherry, and my (now non-existent) PhFW virginity would be no more. After picking me up, my mates and I were off to the SMX Convention Center for Oxygen's show. Overwhelmed was what I first felt when we stepped out of the car, and walked into SMX. Even before entering the doors to the convention center, I already caught my heart racing as the sight of familiar bloggers came into focus. The halls were filled with well-dressed people, who I'm sure were as eager as I was to watch the show. Excitement welled up inside me as my friends and I were waiting and chatting in line, while simultaneously observing the people around the hall and their outfits for the night. Before long, the gates were opened, and in we went. Once we'd chosen out seats, all we had to was wait for the show to start. And start it did; not with a fizzle, but with a bang.

I spy with my little eye: Melissa Gatchalian of Sartorial Panda, and Raiza Poquiz of Miss Pop Quiz;

Oxygen's Holiday 2012 collection did not disappoint to give the audience's eyes a visual feast. The runway was alive with bold, and vibrant colors that were accompanied by a selection of monochromatic, as well as printed pieces. The unmistakably street, and stylish vibe of Oxygen's clothing was ever present throughout the duration of the entire show. My senses lit up in excitement as each model walked down the runway sporting the fresh looks from Oxygen's new collection. I tried my best to snap look after look, whilst at the same time trying to enjoy and soak it all in as much as I could. In addition to the punchy colors, I also enjoyed seeing a hint of some pastels, which I thought did a good job of balancing out the color-scheme of the collection as a whole. To see the new designs of Oxygen first-hand, before they hit the stores was a delight in the very least. The hype the brand is receiving is, with no doubt, well deserved indeed.

It's been quite a while since my last post, I know. I've just been idling, really; you could even say that my summer's been wasting away. Most of my days are spent at home, with nothing planned, but unfortunately, usually with no sparks of spontaneity either. How incredibly disappointed I am sometimes by how my break is going; with how I'm spending it. In a matter of weeks, the free time that I've got at the moment and I will have to part ways; by then I'm sure to realize how much time I have burned. It'll all sink in gradually as if my life was caught in quick sand, until finally I'll have to move on and get on with the next part of it all. I've recently been swallowed into a dark place. As the bombs fall, more of myself dies inside. At times, I feel as if there's nothing left of me anymore; I feel as if I'm completely lost in the forest of my worries and inhibitions. But I know, I know in my heart that brighter days have yet to come. I try my best to crawl out of the sadness that envelopes me, and search for hope as if it were a long lost lover. All I have to do is keep faith and trudge on. Quite the contrary to all that I've said though, I still remain incredibly thankful for everyday that's given to me, for everything that I am. This is who I was meant to be, and I intend to live my life no less than what it should be. I won't let you break me. If by any chance you've managed to read through everything that I've divulged, and have reached the end of this post, I want you to know that I'm truly glad that you have.

HAUL NO. 2

Coca-Cola T-shirt from Topman, "Create the Universe" T-shirt from Bossini;

May 2012 issue of Garage magazine featuring Zac Efron on the cover;

I guess you could sort of somehow call this a "haul", even though there isn't really much to it. I've recently, though not at the same time, acquired the two t-shirts you see above. Just a few days ago, the longing of mine to own a Coca-Cola shirt was satisfyingly quenched when I visited the Topman branch in a nearby mall that I frequent. I overlooked it at first when I was sifting through the "sale" rack, but luckily my sister who I had with me pointed it out and I, without hesitation, decided to purchase it. The second tee above was given to me by a good friend of mine, Emily, when she came back from a trip to Hong Kong; I have yet to wear it. And lastly, I grabbed a copy of my favorite local men's magazine, Garage; famed Hollywood actor, Zac Efron, graces the cover of the May 2012 issue, donning pieces from local clothing brand, Penshoppe (which he is now an endorser of). Inside myself I actually jumped a bit in excitement when I first caught sight of the issue (that I hadn't previewed) while in a book store. It's been quite a while since I last bought an issue of Garage, and I do have to say that they've improved; well, in my eyes at least.