Farewell, 2014!

This year, especially the latter part of the year, was nothing short of amazing for me. In fact, I still have a lot of posts waiting (Eep). I keep thinking that aside from my Japan trip, which was the highlight of my year, what else happened? Well, at the beginning of the year, we got to film a TV feature on what our 2014 fashion forecast was. I chopped off my hair by the end of March and don't remember much after that other than spending a LOT of time in the gym during summer, which resulted in a 20-lb weight loss which I'm currently maintaining. That also resulted in a decline in blog posts, even though it was this year that my dad finally caved in and got us a DSLR =)) I turned 23 this year and my grandmother gave me a laptop, which is really a BIG help with my studies and of course, blogging. My Chinese horoscope said this year would be a good year for LOVE for me, but since no one showed up, I guess they meant self-love! Haha! No really, this year, I got to be a YES woman--I got into things I normally wouldn't have like arnis (!!), and said yes to opportunities I normally wouldn't have volunteered for (research, ChE rep). I also got to meet & greet my favorite PBA team (lol), go on a spontaneous road trip with my blogger besties (post coming soon!) and go to the beach on a whim with my cousins. I got a lot of things crossed off my bucket list, and hope to cross off a few more this year (finally train and run that 5k, learn to drive and to walk in heels, to name a few).
2014 was so good to me, I can't help but look forward to 2015 being all the better! Cheers!

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#MagandangHapon Day 9: Airports

Forever 21 romper and pants || F&F boots || brown leather jacket from my grandmother || bowler hat from Shibuya || photos by Bea Malveda

The day we left Japan was literally spent at the airport! I flew from Japan to Manila, then Manila to Davao. It was kind of weird and surreal to be waking up in chilly Japan then going to bed in warm Davao all in one day. I felt like I'd gone through too many events for one day, which just goes to show that A LOT can happen in a day. I'd initially planned wearing something different but because I'd overslept (we had a REALLY early morning wake-up call time), I decided to just go with a monochrome outfit and wear the bulkier items (leather jacket, boots) and items I couldn't pack (hat). I think I ended up looking very fasyon that even Migz commented that I was too dressed up for the flight home. LOL. Amazing (and funny) how a monochrome outfit can do wonders in adding a dash of sophistication, even when you're poorly prepared!

And this is the last of my Japan posts. :( / :)

Thank you so much to the Japanese government and tax payers for the opportunity! I really loved Japan and I miss it so much. Hope I can return in 2015!!

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#MagandangHapon Day 8: Robots, Tokyo Tower and Pokemon

I promised myself that I won't have any more Japan posts by the time 2015 rolls in so here's the second to the last day we spent in Japan! The day started off early as usual, as we'd be traveling back to Tokyo from Chiba. There was a typhoon reportedly coming so we had to leave earlier than usual and take a longer route. However, thanks to Akiko-san and Endo-san's amazing planning powers, we actually got to Tokyo earlier than scheduled, and had to wait a good 30 minutes before the National Museum of Emerging Science and Technology (or Miraikan) opened.

A Different Perspective

Confession: on the days leading up to Christmas, I couldn't feel the holiday spirit at at all. I even had an elaborate entry prepared but didn't post because I didn't want to ruin Christmas for you. I didn't know why I was feeling that way--was it because I've grown older? or because I was too focused on the now (it was exam week then)? or because I was just so used to the way my family and I celebrated Christmas that I already knew what to expect and got sick of it? Or maybe because I thought I wasn't gonna be having the Christmas I was used to with all the new clothes and gifts (parang bata lang)? Irregardless, the past few days after Christmas have opened my eyes and reminded me what Christmas (and the holiday season) is truly about. Sure, we all have been told that it's a celebration for the man who gave his life on the cross to save us from sin but I've learned that how we live the way that honors His sacrifice is also important, and that includes being grateful--being grateful for the littlest but most important things that we take for granted like our family and health.

Shop in Spotlight: UKMilly

I'm all for clothes that are affordable yet stylish. I also advocate investing in clothes that can serve different purposes and functions, especially when it comes to gowns which we seldom wear. After all, we have to get the best bang for our buck. Since it's the holiday season, I'm sure a lot of us had/ still have a lot of gatherings to attend to--whether it be family or high school reunions or even weddings--some of which could call for formal wear. 

#MagandangHapon Day 7: Farewell

We had only been with our host families for about a day so you would expect little attachment should've been made, but no. They gave us something we rarely ever see in the world right now, and that's kindness. True, pure kindness. They let us into their homes without knowing anything about us and trusted us, fed us, entertained us, got to know us, taught us and just basically treated us as their own. Even though we speak different languages, that resonated so much that I and my fellow JENESYSts were moved to tears at the farewell party.

OASAP Christmas Giveaway (Open Internationally)

I have A LOT to be thankful for this year and I count OASAP as one of those blessings. They've been SO generous to me (and you!) by offering to sponsor giveaways for my blog every now and then. :) Christmas is a time for sharing and giving back and I want to share this blessing to you! For those who joined my previous giveaway and weren't so lucky, here's another chance for you to win! 

Abreeza Fashion Forum: Yosi Samra Holiday Collection

When I found out that this month's Abreeza Fashion Forum was for Yosi Samra, I said yes immediately! First of all, I've heard so many raves about the brand and second, it was about shoes, and a girl can never have too many shoes. During the event, we learned more about the brand, as well as got a sneak peek at their holiday collection. :)

Weekender

Weekends (or whatever's left of it anyway) are sacred to me because that's the only time I get to rest. I have 6 school days and a bulk of my time goes to school work, and working to achieve my fitness goals (I take a really long time to work out, just ask my trainer). I go home late to avoid the traffic then I "study" some more (I do most of my studying in school, during my 2-hour breaks) then go to bed at around 11 pm at most. I do this to have enough energy so I won't fall asleep in class or get tempted to skip my workout.

#MagandangHapon Day 6: A Day with the Horiguchis

In my humble opinion, the highlight of the JENESYS programme is the home stay program. The delegates get to experience living with a real Japanese family in order to truly and fully get a taste of what Japanese life is like.

#MagandangHapon Day 5: A Visit to Josai University and Old Town Otaki

Ohayo, and happy December first! Can't believe it's the first day of the LAST month of the year and I'm finally halfway through my Japan posts. I should be though; my cousin and best friend left for Japan today as delegates of another JENESYS Mass Media batch. Shame that we didn't get to go together! Had I known I could have deferred my slot to the December batch, I would've so we could go together. But then again, I wouldn't have experienced this and met the people of Group A.

Eye of Horus now in Davao!

Cult favorite brand Eye of Horus is now available in Davao!

Eye of Horus is an Australian make-up brand that looks to Ancient Egypt for inspiration. Their make-up range was created for women with sensitive eyes and brittle eyelashes. Their cosmetics are infused with beeswax, ricebran, candelilla and carnauba wax as well as moringa oil, their secret to an easy-gliding, long-wearing formula that is non-irritating. I was invited to the media launch at Echostore last November 7.

#MagandangHapon Day 4: A Day in Mobara

Although it's been 2 months, the memory of Akiko-san (our Japanese coordinator) telling us about the survey JICE will be sending is still fresh in my mind. (She said to answer it no matter what the cost because the emails will continuously be re-sent; reminded me of a Howler) Fast forward to yesterday, JICE sent us the obligatory post-trip survey we'd need to complete. Nothing like that to remind me of how a crappy blogger I've been! Really, has it been that long? But I mean, if Tricia Gosingtian can blog about her travel from four months back, why can't I? (feeling Tricia G levels)

In Between

They say your 20's are the best time to be adventurous with clothing. Your 20's are essentially, the best time to discover what your personal style is. However, I realize that being in your 20's does not exactly give you license to wear what you want. There are some outfits best reserved for teens. This outfit is something I wore for the first washday of the semester. I was supposed to wear them with boots but chose to wear sneakers because the outfit with boots made me look like a hooker, although  the same outfit with boots looked great on my 16 year old sister. The key is to find the right balance of youthful yet mature (oxymoron? haha) but not frumpy. 

Taking Chances

There's often a risk involved when one decides to put themselves out there. For example, when I put up my fashion blog, I knew there was a chance I could get teased or even criticized for it (thankfully, I haven't heard of anything bad so far) but I chose to do so because I liked what I was doing. As long as I wasn't hurting anybody then I know I'm good. Risks aside though, the rewards can be even greater. There's a perk to putting yourself out there too--it sets you apart. I know so many beautiful, talented, smart and fashionable girls who I believe have more right to have a blog following than I do and have the potential to be famous at that. I've tried suggesting this to them but they are scared to and thus, the world does not see their awesomeness. I get it though. "It's often not cool to be the person who puts themselves out there", goes one of my favorite quotes from Emma Watson.

#MagandangHapon Day 3: UEC and Kasamori Kannon

So after a few "intermission" posts, as I'd like to call it, we're back to the Japan posts again! :P I can't believe I'm only on the THIRD DAY of our Japan trip and it's already been a month since we left for Japan! I knew I should've gotten a head start on my posts while we were still in Japan..now I feel like my posts are stale and you guys are sick of them. I hope not! I really take a long time to edit, write and post because I want to try to share as much detail about Japan as I can--my readers only deserve my best effort! :) So anyway, as I've mentioned on my previous post, on our third day, we visited a Japanese University, went to the Kasamori Kannon and moved to our assigned place, which is Mobara City in the Chiba Prefecture. 

Fitness Friday: Boxing at Empire

I'm not the fittest person as you obviously can tell. I've always abhorred PE and was among the worst at it. I started going to the gym around summer of 2009 when Heidi invited me to but I wasn't consistent (and persistent) so my weight kept yoyo-ing. I started becoming more serious at committing to exercise and a healthy lifestyle last year that instead of a monthly gym membership, I got a one-year membership. But, doing weights and cardio on alternating days gets old so I surprised myself (and my family and friends) when I started boxing. 

GNO at Mono

Seeing me out partying is like seeing Haley's Comet: super rare! I seldom go out to party. I very much prefer a chill night out involving dinner and drinks, usually with people who know me best (high school friends, blogger buddies and cousins), although I make a few exceptions for events. ;) About two Fridays ago, Janvie, Davao's party prince, invited my bloggies and I to try out Mono After Office and Club Echelon.

Sweater Weather Giveaway (CLOSED)

On our third day in Japan, one of the things on our itinerary was a university visit so I made sure to look the part. The same day was also the day we'd be moving to our respective provinces so I made sure to be in something comfy. I wore my dad's sweater. He didn't know I brought it with me, though days prior to my departure, he's been offering to let me (no, bugging me even) take it. Cute dad is cute. 

Shibuya Roll Call

After the orientation and discussion, the whole of group A decided to stay a little longer to talk about post-dinner plans. A lot of us wanted to go to Shibuya to shop and check out the famous crossing, so it was then that we worked out logistics, mapped out routes and even calculated how much time we'd spend at dinner, how much time we'd have to look around, travel and get back to the hotel before curfew! I guess you could say it was like our own secret mission, but we all agreed that that was the time we became united as a group. That's when we became #TeamAWalangIwanan.

#MagandangHapon Day 2: Asakusa

Our second day in Japan started bright and early. We had a buffet breakfast at the hotel. I was a bit surprised to see that they served french fries and pasta(!!!) (and here I thought I wouldn't get to eat Italian for 9 days!) in the morning, but other than that, everything was standard fare. Our agenda for the day was to visit Asakusa, one of Tokyo's top tourist spots, and have our orientation in the afternoon. I'll be splitting my second day into two posts, cause that night we got to see the other, more modern side of Tokyo. Such a play in contrast, right?

#MagandangHapon Day 1: Ohayo Tokyo

I realize it's been more than a week already since I've left Japan. How I seamlessly got back to my routine makes me feel like the trip I took was just a dream. I have to look at my photos over and over again before it sinks in that yes, I was there. I was in Japan. Thinking that I was just in Japan up until a week ago is beyond me. I've put off writing about my Japan trip for two reasons. One, academic work. When I got home, I had 2 long exams waiting for me the very next day (I took 9 in total; 4 on Monday. ikr?). Second is, I did not know how to begin. I had 3 memory cards filled with photos and videos. How can I even begin to start editing? I just wanted to savor my hangover from the experience for a few days, but at the same time, I just couldn't find the right words to say. How does one write about a trip that gave so much to learn, so much to treasure, so much to remember?

Saging Repablik Bloggers' Night

I took my last 4 exams today so hello sem break and hello blogging! Before I start posting about Japan, I have to get rid of a few backlogs first. So the night before I left for Manila a month ago, Saging Repablik invited a few bloggers over to try their latest menu offerings. Well, I've already tried and liked (and even written about Saging Repablik here!) so I  didn't mind paying another visit just to try some other items on the menu.

Hello from Tokyo!

I've been very blessed. I'm currently in Japan for the JENESYS program. I arrived last Monday and it is my first time here. I'm extremely lucky that I was able to come at a minimal cost! The Japanese government shouldered most of the expenses for the trip, save for the pocket money which had to come from our own pockets. Even still, I've been very blessed and fortunate that I have really generous relatives who made sure I had enough to really enjoy this trip. Today is our last day in Tokyo though and would you believe there was a typhoon this morning?! When we left Chiba, which is an hour's bus ride away, the winds were crazy strong, but when we got to Tokyo at around 1 pm, the sun was shining bright! :)  
striped top: H&M || plaid polo: thrifted || shorts and shoes: SM department store For most of the week, we were on a tight schedule. We've been given a little free time today so I sneaked in some time to post! Can't wait for the next few days and can't wait to show you what I've been up to! :) Hope you like this simple outfit from the Saging Repablik Bloggers' Night held about a month ago (eep!).

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The Return of the Comeback

I never thought I could go a month without updating my blog. Before, I used to think it absurd that people couldn't be able to actually find time to update their blog until it happened to me. September has been nothing but all sorts of busy. This led me to call it #SuperSeptember

Conundrum

At Abreeza's Fashion Forum, Style Origin head stylist Luis Espiritu shared that you should always dress for the occasion. In this case, I tried to. It was a fashion show, specifically a designer one. Although it was held in the mall, I did want to dress up more than the usual casual way. I wore my maxi dress with my white blazer and miracle of miracles, I wore heels! 

Stylish Saturdays: Emma Watson

You know how on Mean Girls, one of those wannabes go "Regina George is flawless"? Well, my own adaptation to that would be "Emma Watson is flawless". My other girl crushes may come and go, but she'll always definitely be part of my list. I only used to like her because she is smart, not to mention beautiful as well. Right now, I like her even more because she's upped her style ante.

Echostore Davao

I feel that my blog's slowly turning from a fashion blog to a more general lifestyle blog cause I've been blogging about fitness and A LOT more about food places recently. Blame it (or not) on Davao's burgeoning food scene. I'm really glad that there's so much more variety to Davao eats now and that there are food places away from the mall! Like I said, I prefer these out-of-the-way places because sometimes malls can get too crowded and I like the coziness of these small, out-of-the-way places.

Dressv Sexy Long Homecoming Dresses 2014

photo from eonline.com

Awards season is over but I noticed that during the time, a LOT of celebrities chose to sport different shades of blue. During the 2014 SAG Awards alone, celebrities such as Amy Adams, Kelly Osbourne and Kathy Griffin were spotted in the cool hue. Who could also forget the Oscar's  Best Supporting Actress Lupita Nyong'o in that blue Prada gown? She was the epitome of perfection! I'm actually torn between which is my favorite blue dress look--the other one being Kate Middleton in that blue Issa dress which she wore when she and Prince William announced their engagement. I, too, love blue, particularly navy, because it can exude either class, elegance, sophistication or fun, depending on the shade! Plus, I also look good in it. Hihi. That being said, dressv.com, one of my trusted go-to online shops which customizes gowns according to your size and preference, is no short of having a wide selection of blue sexy (homecoming) dresses.

Blessed

My 23rd year is starting off with a bang!

 I've got so many things lined up in the next few months that I'm excited to share with you all.

Crazy Wraps

As of the moment, I really love out-of-the-way eating places, compared to those found in the mall. They tend to be more special and charming. The area around Tionko and Mabini has been a favorite of mine lately as there are tons of food places opening--it's like the (UP) Maginhawa Street of Davao. One of those places is Crazy Wraps. From SM Lanang, they've now moved to their own store at Tionko St, a few feet away from Saging Repablik.

Birthday Suit

I can't believe it's been a week already since I celebrated my 23rd birthday!

23 sounds so old but I sure don't feel that way. This was probably one of, if not, THE quietest birthday celebration I've had. I guess I said that of my birthday a few times already but this year, it felt most true. I guess my mistake was that I was looking forward to my actual birthday too much and expected everything to go perfectly, etc. I just put unnecessary pressure on myself so I invariably ended up disappointed. My birthday felt quiet because I didn't get to celebrate it with people outside of my family. We had lunch at Tiny Kitchen, dropped by Echostore and went home. My grandma got me a laptop though, my 3rd laptop given to me on my birthday in 5 years! I got one for my 18th birthday, got the (work) laptop from Mimi and Jun on my 21st and this one from my lola for my 23rd! That's the funniest coincidence, isn't it?

Anyway, this is what I wore on short notice. These are all old pieces I put together. I was supposed to wear that Banggood necklace I wore here but I didn't want to be too overdressed. I still wanted to look polished though. This is something I think a 23-year old would wear, but the pose above isn't something I think a 23-year old would do though! Haha (but yay for being able to do pull-ups)

top and blazer: Forever 21 || skirt: Cotton On || clutch: SM Accessories

I'll add more photos when I get the memory card! HAHA. Currently too lazy to...do anything. :P

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Tourist In My Own Town

Around the same time my sister and I discovered new thrifting places, we also learned to appreciate the city's everyday-ness. Every now and then, I find that I need to get out of the bubble I'm in and explore a world foreign to the one I'm used to. Di lang pwede parating mall, school o bahay! My sister and I went around City Hall, which is at the center of the city, to take random photos. I ended up sooo inspired that day! It's true, there's culture and a story at every corner. I guess this is what I get from subscribing to the Humans of New York page (HONY). Haha! Hope you like the photos! :)

Normcore

To be honest, I find myself getting sick of clothes lately. Sometimes when I go shopping, all I see are the same types of clothes but at different stores. Sometimes, the clothes are just so blatantly in-your-face, screaming THIS (trend) IS WHAT'S HOT NOW SO BUY ME. It's not surprising that everyone's wearing almost the same things now cause that's what all the stores are selling.

Dressv Sexy Mermaid Style Wedding Dresses

Mermaid style dresses are one of my most favorite silhouettes. There's just this elegance to it I can't explain. It's perfect because it's fitting--it hugs your body and accentuates your curves--and dramatic as well. Just to differentiate mermaid style dresses from other similar ones, mermaid style dresses are fitted above and flare out from the knee. A similar dress is the trumpet dress, which flares out from the thigh, and a fit and flare dress, which flares out from the hip. Dressv.com, one of my trusted brands when it comes to gown design and affordability also has this particular style. 

Sporty Grunge

Although not usually my style, I find myself gravitating towards a lot of grunge/90's dressing lately. As of late, it's the easiest go-to thing, especially when I feel like being comfortable and low-maintenance. Besides, it's pretty easy to get into--all you need is plaid, denim and loose clothing.

The Stairwell

A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I met up to check out our friend Emmae's family's hotel (more on that soon!). Since the hotel was near MTS, I also invited them to try The Stairwell with me. I was actually at MTS when The Stairwell opened. I immediately noticed the restaurant's exterior (and interior, cause it has glass windows!) because like I said, industrially designed spaces are rare and few in Davao. I actually thought it was an upscale drinking place!

Abreeza Fashion Forum

 

Last Thursday, I was privileged to be among the few to be invited to Abreeza's First Fashion Forum. It was like a prelude to Abreeza's Style Origin show (held during the weekend, which I'll be blogging about soon!), featuring a sneak peek. Clothes that would possibly be worn at the community fashion show from selected merchants like SOUL Lifestyle, Dorothy Perkins, FOX, Just G, Gingersnaps and the Original Penguin were on display. We also had Style Origin's head stylist Luis Espiritu as a guest speaker.

Wishlist Wednesday: Birthday

It's my birthday on Saturday so I thought about doing a wishlist post cause I haven't done one in a long time! Reading back on my old wishlist made me appreciate how much I've changed the past two years. The things I want this year are much simpler and definitely more realistic. I feel like right now, it is better to get what you want (for the meantime) than torture yourself over the things you can't have. Baby steps.   So as of now, I don't really want anything lavish. For starters, I want

1) A boxing membership at Empire Boxing Davao.   I got into boxing late last year and I love it! However, I found out recently that my boxing trainer at the gym will be away for a few months to train for his MMA competition. In comes Empire Boxing. They opened just a few months ago and I've been wanting to try ever since! They have muay thai, which is kickboxing, something I see progressing into since I box and need to lose some thigh fat. They also have conditioning which is specific to your needs (strengthening the lungs, weight loss, etc) which I also want to try. My trainer makes me do some conditioning exercises before boxing which serve as my cardio warm-up. It differs day-to-day and I love that cause I hate repetitive cardio (eg treadmill, elliptical) cause I easily get bored. The thing is, prices can get pretty steep cause you're paying per session and because training is one-on-one (they have unlimited boxing and conditioning though for around P3000 but I don't think I'd be able to fully maximize it since they're on the other side of town). Ah, I wish Empire would read this and sponsor me! *wishful thinking* If not though, I wish someone would give me money to enroll!    You know Farrah's changed when she's into fitness..but don't be too sure just yet.

On Happiness

The other day while commuting, I sat next to a man and his daughter. The man was ordinary, a construction worker perhaps, and he was carrying his daughter's bag. His daughter was probably around 6 or 7 years old and was really skinny. She kept looking at me. At one stop, there was no more room left but someone wanted to ride so the dad told his daughter to sit on his lap. The passenger that entered was a very negative entitled woman and she sat next to me. She was huffy cause she had lots of things and there wasn't any much room in the aisle for her to pass. She was obnoxiously ranting out loud (obviously wanting the father to hear it) that there wasn't room anymore and the father should've just moved to sit next to me. Do you know how it feels when you're enjoying a sunny day and someone just blocks in on your sun? That's how I felt the minute the woman entered and sat next to me.

Cute Homecoming Dresses 2014

  I'm all for maximizing clothing--wearing a piece in more ways than one, wearing one type of clothing in ways you never thought possible. For example, these cute homecoming dresses from dressv.com can be worn to occasions other than just homecoming! For instance, June is famous for being month for weddings, but there are also a lot of people that get married in July (duh Farrah, people get married all year round!!) In fact, my cousin's getting married the day before my birthday! If you're attending a wedding or even if you're not, here are some tips I can give you to wear dressv.com's homecoming dresses for any occasion.

Emma

It's July already but this is my first washday outfit post for the school year. I haven't had the chance to take photos cause I usually just choose to dress in some variation of gym wear (aka I wear my trainers to school) so I wouldn't have to lug around a lot of stuff. However, I decided to skip a session Wednesday last week to make time for my blog(!!!) and try out Saging Repablik with my bestie, Ayessa.

Almost all my classes this semester are in just one room (I knowww, super high school ang peg!! I love changing rooms cause I get to spot cuties when going around but oh well) and it can get really chilly there so I opted for something that involved a sweater. I actually planned on blogging this outfit a long time ago but never got the chance to so I saw that day as the perfect time to wear it out! 

Here's a photo I got online. It's not the original photo I took inspiration from but it's similar

 

It's inspired by something Emma Watson wore that I saw on my StyLIZed book. I chose to wear my sleeveless denim polo from Cotton On inside and just let the collar peek instead of a full-on polo cause the weather can get unpredictable and it might get hot later on (Actually, I just didn't like the polo's collar. HAHA. dami pang sinabi noh?). Good thing the outfit went well with the whole feel of Saging Repablik!

What do you think? Is this look a yay or a nay? :)

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