The New Line (Elle Sweden)

(src: tfs)

I must admit Josephine Aune has won me over her styling after seeing this while browsing through the Elle magazine thread on tfs. Sporty-casual is what I'd like to call it. She's definitely made it to the my favorite stylists as even her way of dressing for events reflects her casual-cool styling---black, black and more black. Just how lounge-worthy (I'd live on it) is that Stella McCartney overall? Also, the Idja Sjostedt, Whyred skirts had me from the start on this one along with the skateboards. I'd invest in a skateboard probably when I'm off to a sunnier place...or the beach though I'm likely to be horrible at it. I do remember being curious about them when I was younger... I'm currently eying skirts of the same caliber (and one romper) from the local What a Girl Wants. Hmn...they would be a handsome reward for work done in about 2-3 weeks, I hope...unless they don't get sold out too quickly. I've seen lots of wearable summer pieces from that shop on my visit last week with a friend and have seen a few good ones on their online shop as well.

This definitely will tide me over until the Friday/Saturday run session I have planned in the week.

And yep, summer is definitely a-commin'~ It's that time again to stock up on summer essentials both on the wardrobe and out. News is that Dad's team of workers and his colleagues have planned on a Dumaguete-Siquijor trip over the summer. I'm beyond the moon on this one. For one, I get to go back to the city I study in sans not yet finishing my thesis semester (I'll do that over the summer, I have a plan...finally. LOL) and probably finally touring and living in the island (Siquijor) for a good 2-3 days. But I'd love to go back there on my own or with just a friend or two than with a big group to be honest.

it's been so long

(photos by Jan Michelle Dumlao)

It has been so long and it really has been so long. I may or may not have spent the absence from the interweb in between being unproductive and just...feeling depressed most of the time for certain reasons. I have my moments---I am human after all.

A pop of pink on a mostly black, white and brown ensemble never fails to brighten the day, I suppose.

vintage silk shirt and bag; forever21 skirt and boots; random wooden bracelet

dream cold weather/winter outfitting

Life in the tropics just became unreal and when it's supposed to be flaming hot post-end of the previous year, we've been assaulted by rains and cold winds due to the low pressure area currently hovering above us in this side of the world. The cold weather has me keeping myself warm in pajamas but I should really be on the bed with the blanket on. Well, at least there's no need to use the fan or the AC. I haven't used the AC for months, too.

This onslaught of rains and cold winds (and dark clouds outside during the day) makes me want to cocoon myself with warm faux fur coats like Agne Konciute and Daria Strokus below.

(source: Models Off Duty) 

Too bad I own no semblance of faux fur coats or shrugs at the moment. And it's not like Cagayan de Oro City is extremely cold like some of the United States these days.

I could probably do better with sweater dressing like Tara Dries instead.

(source: Jak & Jil)

Adios, summer dressing...for now. But that is...until February and March comes in...
 
It's clearly flu season considering how cold it is at night and especially outside. Do take care, y'all, now!

heads up, 2014 coming through!

This week has been... Well, the whole month of December until this week has been all about de-cluttering and organizing tons of things namely, life. I figure I've made it a mission to do that every break I get and I had a pretty long one. To be quite honest, I'm still not sure when to get back in the grind which includes masters thesis and work mostly because I haven't been handed one by the boss who still seems to be on vacation mode and it's already the first week of January, not that I'm complaining, but I'm pretty sure this spell has to be broken sometime this month and the next. Life choices are cropping up and it's high time to grab onto them. Well, hullo 2014, now what's up with this year in general? Here are a few I have in mind:

• Well being (health and lifestyle)

I'm officially pescetarian. Hoorah! But I can't still lay off the dairy and the occasional white bread and rice. That has to be remedied somehow but the lack of nondairy substitute choices for regular milk and yogurt is discouraging in this side of the world. All we have in the grocery stores are soy milk (in different flavors) and dairy yogurt. It's the same where my mother gets her supply of yogurt---the local Ateneo's own farm, Manresa.  

• Everything else: Minimalization

Minimalism. That's exactly why I am de-cluttering in the first place. It's that time to get rid of books I hardly open since I have a small shelf in the bedroom. Or maybe it's time to get one room in this house to turn into a library? It's also that time to get rid of stuff in the closet and the shoe rack that are hardly used. I'm still contemplating what to do with the lot of them. Some are likely to be up for sale online sometime soon. 

Even if I've set up a more minimalist wardrobe, chucking away the more frivolous clothing I own, I won't exactly be following the minimalist lifestyle. It seems, upon my reading, a lot of people are calling bs over this lifestyle. To put simply, I'm going to go with the simple and the mostly frugal. 

As for the career part, I'm already thinking of handing in application papers for two schools though I haven't worked on them yet considering having freelance written for so long, I wouldn't have any idea what to put in a would-be university teacher's resume. Add the fact that I have yet to finish my masters thesis and haven't really contacted/met with my thesis adviser for that matter, well, that's one lot of mess to sort through. 

This sure is one narcissistic post and I deemed that old fashioned just recently on twitter but then again, this is my blog and therefore it's like my personal space, too for a few things.   

Now, let's do our best this year. :)

new year, new beginnings

It's been awhile. I've had about 0 motivation this past almost-2-months on a ton of things hence the really long absence in the blogosphere. It happens as personal drama, whether I like it or not, happens a lot. I spent the whole time de-cluttering life (not only the bedroom) in general. I'm still in the middle of it. I also spent it thinking through a ton of things for this year and it seems I've reached a decision, which does not include terminating this blog/project, which is primarily to try for a teaching post at 2 universities here. Yep, it's high time that happened. I'm still stuck in the middle of masteral thesis writing however which is a pain that, I imagine, a lot of those who are graduating that stage in the academic life experience. Good luck to all of us!

I've also decided to pick up a tripod along the way because my dad is hopeless at lending me his---he can't even find it. Ha. Therefore, hopefully, more outfit photos (I prefer not to call it selfy/selfies just because...*insert horrified expression here at said overused term*) this year and not just a trickle of such photos or blog posts. Lastly, I'll focus on what's accessible to the lot of us here while maintaining a minimalistic, whimsy air this time around. Cotton On has just opened at Ayala Centrio and they also have Mango so, whoopee! Numerous trips to the Robinsons Department store also gave me a glimpse of their decent shoe collection and bags. I haven't really done accessible stuff in a long time mostly because I'm not frequent shopper while at home but we'll see about that this time around while still remaining a not-so-frequent shopper.

So, I hope y'guys enjoyed the holiday celebrations because I somehow managed to have good ones in this year spending them at home and with the family and friends mostly. 

Here's to more for 2014!

storm aftermath

Large purplish bruise (gross!) on one knee currently prohibits going barelegged on shorts so I'm currently counting on tights, sheer or not.

hanes t, vintage knit jacket and belt, payless ankle boots, random sunglasses and tights, sm accessories headband, f21 nautical shorts and bangle  

bundling up

Not even sure about my life at the moment. Current mood: lazy. Got to stop idling about.

The Napoles trial was on tv the whole time today and while Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is awesome, I feel little appreciation for the whole thing. Maybe it's the drama stretching on too long it's started to become boring and repetitive?

vintage sweater dress, forever21 boots, random necklaces