Thursday, December 21, 2017

for the colder days ahead...

top, h&m. hoodie, secondhand from aunt/s. jeans, zara. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). tote, from bff. 

It's time to bring out the boots and cold weather wear because it's been raining intermittently today and there's a tropical storm that's coming in tonight. Local name by PAG-ASA: Vinta. As for the ankle boots/boots part, I have two or three pairs at the moment, I'm still looking to grow the arsenal...pretty soon. 

The stormy cold days is also when this pair of jeans from Zara from late last, last year, circa 2016? come out. I don't really wear jeans when it isn't too cold. Skirts is the norm here. And lastly, totes/tote bags. I can never get enough of them. I'm considering adding more from Savemore (I found one with cat print for 190-ish Php) and a good few from Miniso in SM Premiere. I could put the newly purchased SM Advantage Card (SMAC) to good use since my last one couldn't be renewed for being really limited to Watson's Dumaguete City system...hmn...

Such a full, full week this week, I hardly had time to breathe until today and, well, tonight. I hope to rest more thereafter. It is the holidays and the holidays should be for hermiting and resting, at home, in the quiet. Monday was house cleaning, arranging and decorating in time for the Christmas Party the next day, Tuesday. Tuesday---and I had been mentioning or alluding to, one too many times, how this year's holidays seem so gloomy/glum---I'd just had my twitter timeline got bombarded/filled by tweets on Shinee's (an SM Entertainment boy group) Kim Jonghyun's death by suicide, due to depression. He apparently suffered from SAD (seasonal affective disorder/seasonal depression) prior to killing himself. Something I easily connect with as I have it to, or used to suffer from it as it has now evolved to or progressed to Dysthymia, now called Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD). Anyway, it's something I'm trying to keep at bay and manage by Psychotherapy at the moment. The depression is mild but it's there along with crippling general/social anxiety so...that's life for me. Now, I'm not a Shawol (what they call Shinee's fandom) as I'm not a huge fan of big entertainment companies like SM Entertainment (though they have linked up with Avex in Japan...) but this death affects me because I, too, suffer from depression that I find difficult to shake off. I may have to live with this for a loooong...while. I'm not suicidal though I have had thoughts of death. I'm too chicken to end my life on my own so there's that making me just your average gloomy person exhibiting signs and symptoms of PDD.

I say this again, and again, and again: depression is real, it exists. It's an illness/disorder although of the psychological kind. It's important to seek help before it gets worse, for the sake of preventing the worst outcome that could happen: death by suicide. Also, people need to be aware of the fact that depression is real and there are those who suffer from it. Living just for the sake of living; a soulless, hallow way of just existing is exhausting enough for depression sufferers (like me). So those who are aware need to toe the line around those who suffer from depression and take care enough not to add to said people's worries, etc lest they want to trigger the suicides/self-harming that's usually the end-all, be-all for depressives. 

....and...what is done, is done. I think tropical storm Vinta is just a step away from making it's full landfall in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. The rain is definitely getting stronger now and it won't be long before we'll be under storm signal number 2 here in the province of Misamis Oriental. I did get a bit of cheer from those live tweeting Highlight's (formerly known as Beast) first day of three concerts in Seoul's Jamsil Arena. So on wards, we keep on living, I suppose.


Friday, December 15, 2017

it's cold thanks to the storm but i'm missing the sun and heat by a lot

shirt, dkny jeans. shorts/cutoffs, secondhand lowry's farm. heels, zalora (similar). over the knee/knee high socks, marshall's (i think? i forgot already...haha.). bag, giani bernini via macy's.

It was near impossible to get a good photo of this outfit thanks to the sun's glare despite it being a cloudy, cold day earlier today, around 5 or so near-sundown. Anyway...yes. Finally. This long sleeved shirt in black has been brought out for the sort of cold day we had today. It's been like this for a couple of days now thanks to a tropical depression upon us, local name: Urduha. I know, what kind of name is that? But that's what our local meteorologists here name the storms coming by and going, nullifying their international names anyway. Also, it's a system of tracking how many storms come by the country so it's pretty useful despite how so, so local and often times tacky the names sound. Days like this, I'm missing the sun. I was hoping this would be a more tropical holiday season but we have a tropical depression slash storm slash typhoon upon us so I now have a good picture of what cold winters everywhere look and feel like sans the lack of snow in this side of the world.

Ah...the holidays. I still want to spend this one in Camiguin Island this time, preferably Mantigue Island. A tropical holiday out or some other, is in order. I really can't survive in the cold too long. I get antsy and start craving for the sun, sand and surf...err...sea. Well...hmn... It's still going to be cold in the said island I named but anything is better than being stuck here...in the dismal cold and on and off rains. 

Today's music is:
I've been stuck on this track for a long time now and I still am. I love the play of words in the lyrics and how it's a mix of the kansai-ben and the kanto-ben in there. Dreams Come True is an awesome jpop band and well, Da-iCE is just as awesome for covering this classic.

Earlier today, I was discussing with friends on social media (twitter, friends = fellow fangirls) how BTS' (a kpop boygroup) fans are attacking Arashi and their fandom in light of said group making a debut on a music show in Japan. Being a primarily jpop fan as I was never a kpop fan to begin with---I only became one for Highlight [formerly known as Beast] and occasionally, Infinite---I find it funny how they have the gall/guts to do that. On social media, twitter in particular, no less. Everyone in the jpop fandom know Johnny's and Associates' lot. To me, as a non-J&A acts' fan (I've established myself eons ago as an Avex JP fangirl, since becoming an on/off AAA fangirl), J&A is notorious for banning those they perceive as threats to their own acts on Music Station, a regular music show on Japanese TV, and Kohaku Uta Gassen, an annual music concert also televised. Other than that, J&A has monopoly of the Oricon charts too when it comes to their groups releasing music. Anyway, knowing this and still being into jpop, I learned to ignore petty fan wars such as the ones started by the BTS fans against Arashi and their massive fandom. I also learned to ignore the pettiness of the participating Japanese entertainment companies on their TV (music shows) and others. I don't even care much for the Oricon charts. I've been boycotting Kohaku Uta Gassen when pretty much a lot of international jpop fangirls watch it on live stream yearly. And I certainly don't follow Music Station. All I really care about is whether ANation and Swish gets more following or what. Those two, especially Anation, are the ones that matter to the Avex JP fandom. 

As for kpop...I just cannot really get into how messy the fandom there is while fans of jpop, like me, learned to cope with how J&A monopolizes basically everything where that kind of music and entertainment is concerned in Japan. Fanwars are...well...pretty lame and I'm beyond that already. I just enjoy whatever music I enjoy and whichever artist it'd be that's providing it. To the jpop/pop music in general otaku (jp for enthusiast or fanatic) like me, what matters more is music and the artists are, well, just there to provide it for me/us. Anyway, I think the ones starting the fanwars are new to the kpop fandom...or if they're not, well, they just suck as a person/fan and are quite used to being an embarrassment to their fandom, the idols/artists they "support". Fangirl/fanboy ethics here somehow need to reviewed and set or something like it. Yeah...I don't know either.

And...it's t minus 4 days to the Christmas party at home with people, not necessarily family. It's a company party. Socializing isn't really my thing...I dread it rather than look forward to it. Hello, social/general anxiety...by then.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

stuff christmas dreams are made of from the zalora 12.12 sale


Either of the two dresses will do for Christmas parties along with either the Topshop heels or the zalora one and the ankle boots. The glitter clutch from Nose, for me, can completely round up this Christmas party outfit beautifully. And since I am on a shopping ban until further notice, all I can do now is stare at these and maybe wait until the next sale. I'll divert my attention to the things already in my overflowing closet instead for December 19's Christmas party at home. The first of, I think...a few I'm attending. It's a company party of the dad's so it's not really the cozy family Christmas party I'm more used to and like better. I like spending Christmas quietly with minimal people at home. Same goes for New Year's Eve outside of the noise on the TV where they usually televise the fireworks display going on everywhere in the world (news channels are normally the culprits for this during this time of the year).

So apparently, Zalora is now carrying the Dyson supersonic hair dryer! I can just dream I'd get it, though. It's...expensive and rightfully so for something so good. I'm happy with my current handy and small/portable hair dryer I got cheap with a good friend two or so years ago. I hardly use it however as I normally air dry my hair nowadays. Also, yes! BLK cosmetics! I'm a fan since local/Philippines national celebrity, Anne Curtis-Smith (now Heusaff) launched it and said it was a cruelty free line. The price for these are also pretty accessible to local Philippine residents so that's what gets me for BLK! I think their eye liner is worth trying. I've been searching for an affordable one that's not from South Korean Etude House although the latter is good too from the reviews of it I've been reading everywhere. I like BLK mostly because it's local, however. That's the selling point of the line for me. I'm not huge into lipsticks outside of nude colored ones and lip balms (the glosses...I'm so over with...) but the eye palettes, mascara and eye liners are an ongoing obsession of mine where make-up is concerned. Otherwise, I just prefer to go bare because I'm really more into skin care than make-up. Haha. 

Well, Christmas sure comes in early this time of the year with this sale. Just head on over to Zalora if you want to take advantage of this one. I'm the type to find sales where there's nothing scheduled even so I'm good...for this holiday season, that is. 

Thursday, December 7, 2017

not really the first attempt at lingerie as daywear dressing...

top, hanky panky (similar). shorts/cutoffs, secondhand lowry's farm. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). belt, vintage. bracelet, lc lauren conrad.

Today's is lingerie as default being a hermit at home for a day, day-wear and the second day of wearing the same secondhand cutoffs. But when I do say second or third day of wearing (insert the name of the piece of clothing here), I mean I change into something else (usually, it's comfortable sleep wear, which I seem to have a lot of lately, or some other) between wearing the same thing two days in a row or so. It doesn't literally mean wearing the shorts the previous 24 hours I've done so. I have the habit of changing clothes 2-3 times a day, and into the night time...on a daily basis. I also have an obsession with lingerie dressing, yes. I try to even attempt it when the occasion calls for it when running some errands or lunching, dining out with friends... The  more comfortable they are, the better. From bed to brunch out is a thing here, yes.


Wednesday, December 6, 2017

turn up the static now, weather's getting hotter

silk shirt, vintage. shorts/cut-offs, secondhand lowry's farm. bag, giani bernini via macy's. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar). bangles, vintage and dumaguete city souvenir shop. long leaf and arrow necklace, f21. 

I meant to go for a black on black outfit today as it was pretty cool and cloudy this morning. When by noon, the sun ended up being at it's highest and clouds were nowhere in sight, I'd succumbed to the more comfortable silk shirt for a lazy take on the classic, crisp white button-up shirt and shorts/jeans/skirt look.


And yay! New headphones from Miniso in the recently opened (just this year...) SM Premier! I can't be a self-respecting audiophile without a good pair of these. Since I listen to a lot of dance (usually, pop) music, good pairs of headphones have become a necessity for me. My older ones from Urbanears had fallen apart just recently so a replacement was direly needed and this being more than half the price of the usual Urbanears (or even Sony's or Phillips' or Bose's or Sennheiser's among others, since I like those, too), is good enough. I'm not entirely sure if these are noise cancelling or the kind with the loud bass but it does give off good quality music from any device I attach it to so I'm good. 349 Php is a good deal for these already. 

I'm usually alright with earphones as I used to use a lot of them growing up but headphones have been my go-to since going from being a fan of alternative (Brit/UK/Euro) rock to pop, deep house, tropical house music. The latter uses a lot of synthesizers and everything electronic so nothing beats headphones when listening to those in my downtime and when while in commute for some other.

Speaking of music, today's is:
I, once upon a time, put this on eternal repeat on itunes and on youtube. It's that addicting for something made just from the computer, the early days of Magic Man (circa first album). This duo somehow never fails to get me hooked onto a lot of the music they release. The second album might have been better with the rock vibe in it but I think the first album, Real Life Color, is more them, more Magic Man because, well, electro indie pop is their signature sound. 

On other things: I'm currently following TVN's second season of Nest Escape. The kids are in Poland plus they have Produce 101 season 2's Kim Samuel as well as the child actress from Okja, a south korean film I've been meaning to watch. I'm no Samuel fan but I'm curious as to how he would get along with the other kids he's with and how he could be of help to them considering he's the most westernized (born in LA, California). Seeing his mum interact with him and the other parents on the show is also pretty fun.

Monday, December 4, 2017

indian summer hot end of the year holiday season

top, mixed berry dumaguete city. shortall, cotton on. boots, rubi by cotton on via zalora (similar but not really). bag, ninewest. sunglasses, dad's.

This holiday season, we're experiencing a heatwave. This makes me want to spend most of it pool- or beach-side. I hope I get the chance to do so one day during the Christmas and New Year holidays... 

I like the black, blue and red combination when it comes to dressing up. A pop of red always works for me when the daily outfit ends up looking pretty dull. What's even sweeter about this top is it's cropped but just by a bit.

What I currently have playing:
Hmn...this is weird...the music video would not show when I do a search on it on the attach video feature Blogger has. There's no problem when I look it up on Youtube's official site, however. ....and yes, I love my mannequins, RiRi and LuLa *insert heart-eyes emojis here*

Friday, December 1, 2017

when the holiday season remains grim yet festivities abound everywhere

t, sm savemore. skirt, zalora (similar in midi version). heels, zalora (similar but not so...also, it's a different brand). clutch, ninewest. bangles/bracelets, dumaguete city souvenir shop and vintage.

Yesterday was a holiday so the malls were crowded. Like, really, really crowded. The city has about three to four malls and two that were the closes to each other that we went to had pretty jampacked parking lots. But, beyond that, lunch was had at Circa 1850 (their pescetarian and vegetarian pastas are perfect! and I'm crazy about their matcha/green tea cheese cake they didn't have yesterday---I had this one the previous time I was there with the family...) and strolling with window shopping, too. Bingsoo was also found on the topmost level of SM Premiere which is something I'm looking forward to go back for with the best girl friend (whom I was also with yesterday).

The reason for these shopping places being full? Yesterday, November 30 was a holiday, Bonifacio (a national hero) Day. I don't usually wander around during days like this---I'd rather be hermitting at home or maybe take a trip to a not-so crowded, partly undiscovered beach (resort?) or pool but I did anyway. It was a free day so that one couldn't be helped. 

And today's music:
this, from lol because I feel it sums up how this year's Christmas/Holiday season feels like.

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

for the weary and everything, I bring something cute and fun in the music section, yes. yay!

tank, bench ph. skirt, vintage. boots, rubi by cotton on (they're gusset boots long gone from last season or two but this is similar. bag, giani bernini (via macy's). cat ear ring & arrow necklace, f21.

It's been a crazy few weeks at home and out and thus the reason for not much updates since the 9th of this month or so. Personal and family life are insane right now. This, I won't go indepth with. I want to keep real life drama as far away from this escape pod/space of mine as much as I can to keep my sanity in check.

Anyway, a couple of things I've been playing non-stop via youtube:
Yes, I'm aware I've been blogging one too many things on kpop. I've been trying to avoid this one but in the end, I couldn't. Now, I find myself addicted to anything cute from Infinite (Man In Love is old being from 2013...), cute and sunny and cheery from their younger boy group siblings Golden Child (Sea fits the bill! I could lose myself in this for quite a long time...putting it on loop. lol.) and all things cute, positive and fun from Highlight as well as their really pretty ballads. I also like some of Infinite's Sunggyu's solos. I've been a casual Nell fan since stumbling on Ocean of Light from a favorite actor's trip to Hawaii music video thing. Nell is right up my alley as I am a fan of american bands with a similar vibe, OneRepublic and The Fray, as well as a lot of European (mostly UK?) alternative rock. 

The past couple of weeks have been so crazy these two music videos or songs have been my respite from it. Gotta keep oneself sane and happy somehow with everything gloomy happening left and right. This is one of those times in life where I'm really thankful for being a kpop and jpop fan. Pop music is life and love! *insert heart everything/emojis here...*

As for everything Jpop: Da-iCE is releasing a single in January 2018 (yaaayyy!!! It's so close already!) and lol's Nanana is about to be released early next month. Avex Japan never fails to give me something to look forward to when the year comes to an end. This was the case last year and 2017 stayed pretty bright for me despite well, my personal issues here and there among others.

Also, AAA's New Year Party will be done jointly with Da-iCE this year. YEEEEEESSSSSSS!!! I'm PSYCHED FOR THIS! It's things like this that I'm still basically alive and breathing for~

On a rather different note (but still connected to j- and k-pop), Infinite's Man In Love is a reminder to myself that my sunny, cheery, fashionisto(?) type of guy is quite a very rare pokemon to find. I might as well marry a k- or j-pop male idol star...haha. I can only wish...

I'm not going to lie, I'm not really fond of the time when a year is about to come to a close. Something about it is always gloomy although ideally, it should be pretty festive. Also, fall and winter in places around the world with four seasons...ugh...nope. No, thank you.  I need sun 24/7, 365 days a year. This amoeba needs life under the sun to thrive or else dim things happen... (also, the hotter, the better. I can live, then. Haha.) Then again, I also need pools and the really beautiful beaches and island paradises like plants need water and sun so...yep.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

americana...sort of

top and belt, vintage. shorts, aeropostale cutoff. boots, rubi by cotton on. wristlet/purse, coach. bangles/bracelets, forever21.

This is the third day this week I've worn this top. Some loved up thrifted finds are just comfortable for almost everyday wear, I guess. Also, plaids seem to be taking over my daily wardrobe. That, stripes and some select flowery dresses seem to be the only patterns I wear on a daily basis. 

Wednesday, November 8, 2017

lace on lace

lace t, from mum (some Korean brand...tag says Savage?). skirt, secondhand/vintage. wedges, primadonna ph. purse/wristlet, coach.

Lace on lace today. Well, not the skirt but the bralette and t. The t feels like a bodysuit as it molds to the body well. I'm not particularly fond of lace ts like this but it could work, too, I suppose.

Here is something I'm pretty excited about:
It's coming out next month, if I read the release date on their staff's twitter account right. It's such a happy, happy, HAPPY song for the winter season (in Japan, not here in the Philippines because, y'know...it's eternally summer here).

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Buffy-ism


I tried to be Buffy Summers for a day...if you count that on here, I'm using a pencil as a stake. I couldn't find one in the house nor could I get one made out of the many pieces of wood I can find here. Note to self: get it ready for the next years' worth of Halloween costumes.  Anyway, Buffy Summers was the original Halloween costume plan to get me in the mood for the occasion last week. In which case, it's something I didn't do and therefore even the plan to watch the Halloween episode of Brooklyn Nine Nine's currently airing season, season 5. ....and that's something I plan to do today since I'm not too interested in what's airing on tv at this time.

Anyway, Buffy Summers and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the television series. Yes, I am a HUGE fan of it. I've missed a few episodes from seasons 1 through 7 but I'm still such a huge fan...especially of the titular character, Buffy. I'm also a Sarah Michelle Gellar-Prinze fan so there's that too. This is why I find this Halloween get-up timely. SMG has better Halloween costume ideas than I do, though. I feel like all of mine are half-*ssed, really easy to do Halloween costume ideas for the lazy. I don't think I'll be trying harder next year's Halloween either. Hmn...we'll see.

Other than that, one really random fact about me: I Buffy-speak. A lot. I think this one's easy to get from the entries posted on here. It's easy to find Buffy-speak in the previous posts... You'll probably know if you were into the franchise/tv series, too. 

Sunday, November 5, 2017

lunch and movies date

top, something borrowed via zalora (similar). jeans and bag, secondhand/thrifted. heels, zalora (really similar). 

Mixing and matching the new-ish (online store-bought, brand new) oldie favorites and vintage/thrifted pieces was the game plan for yesterday's lunch and movie date with the birthday girl best friend.

The halloween costume/outfit...I'll post on it sometime this week. I wasn't able to follow through a lot of things I had planned for it including that which was to watch the Brooklyn Nine Nine Halloveen episode for season 5. 

As for yesterday's trip to the cinemas' news: Ghost Bride, a local Filipino horror flick, was good. There were not-so-good things about it as well like the low-budget CGs but Philippine horror films don't really disappoint me as frequently as the western ones out lately do so I won't go further into that than this anymore.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

saturday, let's play

dress & blazer, vintage. bag, giani bernini (via macy's). heels, zalora (similar). socks, marshall's (I think...? I don't remember anymore...)

Feeling playful on a Saturday because it is a Saturday. Except it's gloomy-ish with cloudy weather but it's alright. It's perfect beach weather...sadly, I'm not in one though they are close, like, just a drive or so away, when here. 

Today's music mood, Faky - Sugar Sweet:
I am not entirely sure why the preview shows up and not the full video when Avex on youtube uploaded it eons ago... If this music teaser/preview makes you want to see the music video and listen to the music in full, you can just look Faky's Suga Sweet up on the site.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

post-storm...literally.

tank, bench ph. shorts, secondhand lowry's. bag, vintage. boots, rubi by cotton on. bangles and cat ears ring, forever21.

It's been one week after another of intermittent all day rain and just all around gloomy, cloudy days thanks to typhoon Lan that hovered close to the Philippines' area of responsibility. It's course was different and soon moved away to Japan so there wasn't much damage (flooding, etc) much to all of our (here in the Ph islands) collective sighs of relief. Still, it's the wet season in this area so I'm expecting more typhoons coming our way. Hopefully, they just don't become as scarily devastating and damaging as category 5 ones similar to typhoon Haiyan way back in 2013.
 
Anyway, yes, sun! I miss this kind of cheery sunny day that makes me want to go to the beach and just be a bum or something else there... 
 
I've currently taken to starting my day with streaming Highlight's Can Be Better MV from their official youtube channel. The 1theK upload is getting more attention but the official Highlight youtube channel one, I feel, needs more of the attention from us fans. Hmn...I don't even stream Da-iCE stuff much and this one has a Vevo account on youtube... Either way, both are fandoms I discretely belong to so that explains this portion of this post. Haha. Can Be Better by Highlight just is such a relaxing and fun song that it's great to start the day with it and with their Pls. Don't Be Sad, as well. Both just are now my happy pills and they tend to set the tone of the day for me nowadays. I'm falling deeper into the Highlight fandom, I suppose. Mostly, it's because of their music which is a 360 from their regular dark, all-about-heartbreak-and-everything-grim ones back when they were under Cube Entertainment as Beast. I like this 360 degree turn they took in the direction of their music and all. Like, I really, really like it to the point I'm in love with it. This is the same feeling I had when Da-iCE came out with their debut album as then-indie artists way back in 2011. Beast debuted earlier than Da-iCE, though...around 2009.