365-days a year's wardrobe dissection

Next week, we'll go back to the regular outfit posts. It should have resumed this week but I have this post to get over with before that one so... So anyway, this post kept being pushed aside, postponed until further notice but not anymore, and not this time. I can't move on to daily outfit posting without this which, one can say, should make up the core of this blog site.

To start with, this blog and myself can come off quite contradictory after the conclusion of this post. This is a fashion blog, mostly, I'm a/an aspiring fashion and lifestyle blogger. But, and here's where the contradiction comes in (rather, the irony if that's what you think it should be...), I confess to not owning a lot of clothes, shoes, bags, accessories and more...like your regular fashion blogger. Or all around fashionista. I'm a pretty serial outfit repeatoffender  who rarely buys anything new in the span of a year. This latter half of the year alone, I'd only spent on a pair of black denim cut-offs (or I suspect they are, anyway) from the thrift shop in Dumaguete City and a few other things are coming my way from Zalora next week, too. Other than those...I haven't really purchased anything else since the start of this year. Also, even though I don't really own a lot of things to showcase in this blog, I still feel like my closet/wardrobe is still too cluttered so I'm constantly removing stuff from it as well, putting them on sale online through my ebay (a random plug in for local readers: I'm going to upload stuff on a rotational basis there every Friday from now on) and its accompanying, tie-in tumblr shop site. Or just giving them away as presents to others whom I think can make better use of them over me. So you could say that I pretty much survive on a loose capsule wardrobe on a daily basis. It certainly feels that way to me. Living this way as a fashionista and fashion and lifestyle blogger doesn't mean I don't like clothes, shoes, bags, other accessories and more. I love them as much as I love to browse on some shops here and there when at the mall or the thrift shops when I can. I think I may have just become more choosy and specific with things I really like I can't justify overspending on things I know I won't wear and/or use to death anymore as of late. Browsing, shopping for me is just a random passing activity although fashion is always something that will stay on mind even when sometimes, I don't like to think about dressing up, clothes and other things related to it. Another confession (this post seems so full of it anyway...): I like living with the most basic, boring pieces, actually. They make up the big fraction of my current wardrobe. I don't find them boring at all. Okay, so they may be basics to me but some might not consider them so. Anyway, moving on, this post will be largely on that: a closer look at the wardrobe's contents that's working for me right now. Now, before moving onto the next section of this post, one, who has been following this blog, should know that I'd posted an entry giving readers a peek into my closet's color scheme this year. There are also some pieces taken photos of there but they were mixed with the others as sneak peeks into the outfit posts on here. It follows then that this post is basically a more specific version of that where I look into or examine the basic (to me) items in my closet individually.

A lot of the items pictured on here and posted about are appropriate for where I currently am in, where I live and the lifestyle I lead. It's definitely very tropical islander friendly. So this kind of wardrobe may not be for everyone.  

TOPS
Pro tip: having an assortment of tops can make mixing and matching with bottoms, accessories and more really fun. So it helps to have a good number of these just for the sake of rotating them around with one another. Nary a day an outfit would be bland and boring should this be taken to mind.
 
1.camis, tanks

Everyday temperatures here in the island tropics range from 25 degrees Celsius to 30 plus degrees Celsius. Sometimes, it even reaches way past the normal body temperature or that is, more than 36 degrees. Due to this, sleeveless pieces like the camis and racerback tanks pictured here are quite comfortable to lounge around in with denim shorts, dressy shorts, mini skirts and even jeans. In neutral colors, they're also great to put on for errands and other daily life activities. These are a great lifesaver for the times when the sun shines its brightest and the days feels the hottest. Here in the south east asian pacific islands...I just can't be without these. Muscle tanks are a great thing to have, too and should be included here but so far, I only have about a couple of them so I didn't bother including them here. One is a diy-ed muscle tank from a white men's t I'd bought from a department store in Dumaguete City, the other is a thrift shop find I just wear as sleepwear or as, well, comfortable home clothes.

2. white t and graphic t

There is only one plain and basic white t showing on the photo here but I actually have a lot more...Hanes ts, included. Or even the locally made ones (Guitar, Bench, Maldita/Blacksheep etc). Next to the neutrally colored tanks and camis, white ts are great to have for the days when one feels too naked in camis and tanks. They go together well with denim cutoffs for one. I like graphic ts...sometimes. I think my love for plain white ts just exceed the latter thus the white ts get more love. The graphic ts are really great for when I feel the plains are boring. Or when a daily outfit needs spicing up. 


3. 3/4th and long sleeved ts and thermals/tops

When it comes to long sleeved shirts, those with thin fabric are best. Otherwise, one could end up sweltering under the heat on the ones with thicker fabric when here in the islands. I also have one in black that's a Dolce and Gabbana that I rarely really wear just because... I'll probably take it out when it gets colder. Probably sometime between this month and December. Probably now. I've already begun to feel the cold since the night of September 1st but the days are still as hot and humid as ever. 

P.S. Fashion-wise, I'm pretty boring when it comes to this so plain solids and stripes are about the most I can get into when it comes to these long-sleeved ts/tops as well as other tops for that matter.

4. silk button ups

These two have made appearances on the travel posts and if I were to make packing lists for those two trips, one in Tagaytay City and the second, to Dumaguete City, you'd find one of these two in each. I didn't make any packing lists for those two and instead just briefly mentioned what I'd packed in passing in the said posts. Anyway, so as much as I like a crisp white button up, silk shirts like these feel more me. Also, I find them more convenient and more comfortable than the crisp white button up shirts. I have one of the latter I was able to score while thrift shopping. However, I hardly use it because the wrist part gets pretty constricted at times. Silk shirts wrinkle and/or crinkle but they're still the easiest to pack when traveling and the most versatile to work with while out. These shirts are also quite low maintenance (although still delicate) while regular white button ups, I find, aren't. 

5. plaid button ups

Sometimes, the plain solids get overwhelming. Enter patterns in the form of plaid button ups. I have the oversized flannel version that's perfect for the cold and when dressing down with a pair of dressy or denim shorts and tights but the other three here are better as tops. Or as a thin, comfortable jacket like the silk tops, that one can tie around the waist to keep an otherwise boring, all solids outfit colorful or livelier (just...less boring, that is). 

6. denim button ups

I currently don't own a single chambray top (although I'm stalking those from Straightforward yet, just because...) so denim shirts will have to make do for now. The folded one is long enough to be worn as a jacket (it's a men's denim button up, actually) and the shorter one works great both as a shorter cover-up or jacket and as a top. 

Bottoms
Tops aren't enough to have, the corresponding varied bottoms are needed too, to make both work when playing with styling the daily outfits.


1. denim cutoffs, denim shorts

I can't live without these. I just...can't. They're an integral part of the everyday and on some nights as well's outfit concocting. The Forever21 navy and deep blue shorts should be here, too but they're really not exactly denim, are they? When in the tropical heat on a daily basis, denim shorts and/or jeans cutoffs trump jeans in my book. It's usually too hot to wear jeans here anyway...

It's not really weird that I have way more denim cutoffs and jean shorts than I have jeans... It's an islander must-have after tanks, camis and really comfy ts.

2. dressy shorts

Most of the time, dressy shorts just are the easiest to pull on over the denim shorts... They're also really comfortable during the 365-days' heat around here. They can be lounged around in or worn out for errands, brunch and more.

3. skirts

If shorts appear too informal for some daily living events, then enter the skirts. Skirts of every kind just has got to be had, somehow. Leather, suede and the blended fabric (cotton, etc.) types. The bodycon, the pencil fit types and even the flare or fit and flare ones. After denim and dressy shorts, they're the easiest to pull on when deciding whatever to wear on a daily basis. Or even when going out at night to dinner or some other. Most of those I own are the mini skirts. Midi and long skirts are unfeasible in this kind of daily high heat temperatures. I do have one long pencil skirt somewhere from Topshop but it hasn't seen the light of day or the moon at night since my acquisition of it. And I might have given away the few midi skirts I owned so only 1 or 2 should have been left. I'll have to dig those few midi skirts up if I'd like to wear them in for this blog.  I usually don't, however, because they're not really in the style I usually prefer/want. I'm sort of warming up to the midi and long skirts though so expect me to be getting a few that actually are just my style.

4. trousers

If I need to be more dressed up for, like, more formal events (and if I really practiced my original profession which I don't really disclose here, but if going by the graduate studies course I took and documented on here before, you'd probably know then what that is...), my current wardrobe would comprise mostly of this: the trousers or pants. Due to the heat, I can't really bring myself to wear jeans and be the regular jeans + t or button ups girl most women are.
  
5. jeans

Black and grey jeans are the most useful, I find, when traveling. They're perfect airport wear, to me, in the least. I especially love them for long plane rides, the international ones. For everyday wear, however, I would default to pants and skirts.

dresses, rompers

One pieces are just the least difficult to style so it helps to have these in neutrals. If one finds oneself in the islands, definitely, definitely invest on these. They're really useful for running around, jumping and exploring mountains, beaches and other such, really refreshing bodies of water. Bonus sartorial points if one can get them in light or soft colors as well like pastels and the cheery yellows and edgy, fun lime green to name a few.

1. plain black romper

This is the most basic I could find on Zalora and the most useful of two rompers I own. Next to really plain little black dresses, this, to me, is pretty easy to dress up, whatever the occasion. And I do own a couple of really plain everyday and every occasion little black dresses. The romper is just easier to don and wear a jacket or a scarf with, with killer footwear and then I'm good to go. Also, I got this while it was on sale. I very rarely actually get anything from Zalora that's not on sale...unless I really like what I end up getting and can't wait for it to go on sale to get it.

2. white dresses

I've just added a dreamy with lace inset/details longer sleeved of this kind to the wardrobe awhile ago granted my orders from Zalora just came in then. White mini dresses are my achilles heel. I'm weak to resist really good, wearable ones and especially the ones that seem to have no shape. Reason? They're default everyday wear for me after the denim cutoffs/jean shorts and t/tank/cami, and mini skirt and t/tank/cami formula. I like them, too, as they're really easy to move on. Perfect to keep the heat out in, as well. Any color, the darker ones especially, of this kind of dress and I'd probably be dying in the heat...

3. slipdresses

Once upon a time, in my second home of Dumaguete City back when I was completing the graduate studies, I went on a slipdresses buying frenzy. I don't think I've stopped since because when I find myself at a thrift store even here in my native Cagayan de Oro City (CdeO), I'm still as drawn to these as I was way back. They're really easy and comfy for anything from grocery shopping to errand running to just hanging around a cafe with a friend and even to just beach bumming. This seems to be the most that comprise my current wardrobe and my stash on this continues to grow...still. Hah. I confess that I'm a huge fan of the from bed to out of the house pajama dressing trend.

4. tank and t dresses

T dresses and tank dresses are the put on and go out type of one-pieces I have a never ending obsession with after the slipdresses, the white dresses and plain rompers. One pieces are really easy to wear and go out with, no? Also, I find, they go together well with whatever footwear there is at one's disposal. I'm quite a lazy dresser frequently and I don't like to think much about clothes most of the time as I much as I'd like to think about them more frequently so these are for when I can't really think of anything to go out in, in style.

5. black dress (lbd)

This is for the more formal events as well as some semi-formal ones. It's a Topshop in Ayala Cebu City find from so long ago. It has actually come with me to Long Beach, California and been the solution to the question: what to wear to an extended family Christmas dinner and games? with a Forever21 red, black and white slightly furry plaid sweater and velvety, gold chain embellished knee-high flat boots. I packed only a bit for that trip back in late 2015 to early 2016 as well to make room for some new items purchased from the United States so you could say that this, for me, was a lifesaver on events like the Christmas extended family gathering. I have a few other mini black dresses. One that's embellished with some beads and another that's with sleeves. Like the white mini dresses, black dresses can be great summer wear but mostly, they're for dinners and other special events for me.

6. shortalls

One thing: this is summer wear of the year for me. I don't think I can go with the jeans version of this yet. At least not now. Maybe next time. I haven't worn this one out a lot but I definitely like this for going out to play during the day...and with the fun inner tops to boot!

I forget, I have a couple or four...well, basically a well-maintained stash of flowery dresses as well. I like the ones with the black background mostly but I am fine with those with the green background as well. Effortless stylish dressing, I feel, can't really go without those as well. 

outerwear
When it's a tad bit colder, say, at night or when in an air-conditioned room. When going out and one feels the need to get just a tiny bit more covered up, it's outerwear of every kind to the rescue.
 
1. corduroy jacket

This spot should be reserved for the denim jacket which seems the most versatile in whoever fashionable girl's wardrobe but since I gave my one and only of its kind away to someone who doesn't even wear it that much...the corduroy jacket it is! This is in the lightest skyblue, it is the most used in my wardrobe and yes, it is the most used. I like to use this over anything and whether it's to the beach or to some other place for just about whatever, it's just, to me, as versatile as the cropped denim jackets.

2. blazers

Blazers have so much uses for me who can't really wear anything else thicker when here. I find these useful for travel, too. Airport wear appropriate, yes. Street wear appropriate, yes to that, too. These are thrift shop finds. I might have to start looking for the boyfriend and military styled kinds which I think I'm missing to have in the wardrobe. Well, next time or rather, on the next shopping trip or session.

3. hoodie

This is not the only zip hoodie I have, there's another somewhere in the small close door closet cream. Hoodies' use for me isn't just for running or working out and lounging, frequently I wear them over dresses when out, too. I like using them to dress down anything I have on that makes me feel too dressed up. Hoodies, to me, balance out some of the fancier clothes I own that I wear for every occasion. Next to the blazers, the corduroy jacket, this also gets a lot of use out of the limited outerwear I own.

Other outerwear includes a hooded utility jacket, a red coat/long jacket, a trench coat and some cardigans. I suspect that the utility jacket or coat is an anorak but I can't really tell as I don't own much outerwear. Down here in the tropical islands or the more tropical part of the world, outerwear for the cold isn't really so useful so there's less of it in the typical islanders' closet. For one, I only use these when I'm in the colder regions of the world. The coats I bought from the thrift shop prior to the 2015 trip to Philadelphia then to California have been maximally put to use there and they're still the only thicker, warmer kinds I own, still. Although, since it's the rainy season here, I'm considering investing on this one and a good pair of rain boots. Both are what's missing in my wardrobe as well.

footwear
Really, gotta have fancy, futuristic and some plain footwear. My bit on this is go all out especially if everything else you own that you wear on a daily basis are pretty boring and bland.
 
1. boots (but mostly the ankle boots...)

I love, LOVE ankle boots. 'Nuff said.

2. heels (edgy chunky heels, pumps...)

Sometimes one just has to own some things that could break the boring mold of everyday-ness. Such is the case of edgy heels and other than black colored stiletto pumps... The latter could be very useful in some not your usual events.

3. wedges

Confession: I like heels, of every kind, of every height, a lot. As wedges are the easiest heels to walk on, it only follows I seem to have more of these than the chunky heels and stiletto kind. The simple wedges go together well with virtually anything just as the edgy kind of footwear do so, too.

4.basic black flats/doll shoes

Need to dress up something fast and still remain comfortable for a day or so of short walks? Plain black pumps it is. I find these, from Urban Outfitters' BDG from so long ago aren't too comfortable but I don't own a few other pumps of this kind so I'm kind of stuck with this. I don't really wear plain black pumps that frequently, to be honest.

5. slip-ons

These are tailor made for when one has miles and miles to walk on and when terrain just isn't conducive for the regular, staple heels. Although I'm not usually completely sane most days and would frequently still have it my way and push for myself to wear heels even in rugged terrain with lots of walking to do, so... But I guess it won't hurt to have back-up flats like these slip-ons in the bag too when there's so much walking to do. Just one would be good to swap the sartorially edgy and fun heels with.

6. strappy flat sandals

I wear this mostly to beaches. I used to have one in black from SM which is also a strappy pair but not as bandagey as these grey ones but that one disintegrated from over use in the span of a year. I got it on sale at less than 200 Php in store so I guess the expectation for it to survive more than a year's frequent use is just as much as its cheap, less than 4 USD upon acquisition's cost. I'm definitely on the look out for fun strappy flat sandals for daily use again in the same store or some other local department store like Robinson's... I'd be really over the moon with something more durable but that kind is tough to find here. A lot are just faux leather that self-destruct easily within a year or so's use.

7. birkenstock-line slippers

I've used this one to the pool and around some beaches although I imagine I should get some cute flipflops by now so as to keep these still in tact after a year of owning them. They're not as comfortable as the original Birkenstocks but I like them for some poolside fun and some resort walks here and there. I also like them for some general walks around the city sometimes. They're only probably 3/4ths the comfort that I suppose the original Birkenstocks offer but they do their job when I find myself sartorially challenged with a tank dress or t dress on or with the usual tank, cami or t and jean cutoffs.

This definitely does not include the accessories that I usually have on standby in the background, ready to go when I need some not so serious and only somewhat serious styling but these are the core contents of my current wardrobe that see a lot of use of on a daily basis. This is also not the whole wardrobe's contents, I suppose I have a lot more but I'm in the process of working on getting the latter leaner so basically, let's just say, these items are the most I get the most use of from those I own. 

Quick or rather, a brief in-a-nut-shell personal style discussion: Where intriguing, really unique personal styling is concerned, I'm definitely not the most reliable. I don't ascribe to the edgy-ish South Korean/Seoulite style most asian girls (and guys, too!) are crazy for. I'm also only very mildly a maximalist. I'd really rather have a leaner, and a tad bit cute here and there wardrobe, honestly-speaking. So, if anything, I follow the more cute Japanese-y (think, Ginza) style at times and the more every day-edgy-ish Japanese-y (Shibuya!) syle fan. I guess both show in bits and pieces on my daily outfits posts. But yes, I love my basics more, uhm...yep. Bonus 101 points if the basics are the highly futuristic-ally elevated kind like the ones Alexander Wang and Are You Am I offer. Sadly...well, those aren't really readily available in this part of the world (ugh, noooo!) and it sucks. The solution? Get them on said specific shops abroad instead. Ugh...again. Also, they're pretty expensive for someone like me so I can dream, I guess. I...don't think I'll ever get gaudy Seoulite fashion but I guess I'll try to understand it? I don't know either... That said, minimal, slightly futuristic and more classic street style and every day style is surely and totally my jam. There are apparently only so few of us like this...is there? Yep, sad.

Also, I'm a fan of 90s silhouette being someone who grew up and was born at the cusp of that era. I love, love the 90s fashion. Grunge or otherwise so there's definitely hints of that in the way I dress on a daily basis, too. All these combined pretty much make up my personal style. I'm not really averse to experimenting with other styles, however, I think I just found the right combination of personal styling I'm at home with, with the endless browsing on thrift shops, personal style blogs, magazines (mostly, Japanese magazines by way of Vivi as well as french and american and some australian ones like Nylon---I love Nylon, yes! Russh etc.) and more I've been doing since getting seriously into fashion and/or personal style.

And yes, I'll be back to daily outfit posting from the coming Monday and so on now that I have this outed/posted today, Saturday, Philippines' time/South East Asia time. 

P.S.

I'm pretty aware a lot of my wardrobe's contents is Zalora and its affiliated brands. It's just that I can't really help it though. I like the site because I can shop for things I like/love from it from the comfort of the home or anywhere else for that matter. I just somehow don't shop much in local department stores, fast fashion chains and well, generally the malls nowadays. I'm not too into crowds either so Zalora shopping and pretend shopping is the way for me to gain access to fashionable finds... I'm definitely on the way to building a mostly Zalora-bought stuff wardrobe, lol. I swear I'm getting into other brands as well like Straightforward to name a few. Next to Zalora, I think Straightforward's stuff is the kind that minimalistic-ish, cozy everyday dressers' dreams are made of. I definitely covet a lot of things from there I know I would wear to death in real life. Neeeexxxttt time...