tagaytay, ukay-ukay and a happy high

I went with a few of my cousins to Tagaytay for some mountain air, mushroom burger and civet coffee. It was good, clean, fuss-free fun, spilling over from the cheery Holiday spirit.

We found this lovely little inn with a coffee shop, in which we enjoyed a splendid view of the lake ...


... and I had a blast at the trip to the ukay-ukay stores.


I got me some tops for P120-150. The gray one cost me a mere P50. I also got that pretty dupatta (Indian scarf) above for P150. A really happy thawt.

Oh, about the civet coffee ... We dared each other to at least have a sip of the exotic drink ... but that didn't happen ^_^ We already stuffed ourselves with mushroom burger and dessert, we just didn't have any appetite left for it.


I'm still intrigued about how it tastes though (I've been told it's really good). Perhaps I could work up the courage to taste it the next time I visit Tagaytay.

girls talk: apparel and accessories shopping

This week on Girls Talk: What I often look for in the apparel and accessories section.

Apparel. Right now I've got a thing for leggings. I'm so glad they made a comeback.

Leggings are like that perfect pair of jeans, but lightweight, more comfortable and much softer. They can go for different degrees of casual - from overly rugged to smart-casual. They can also make your legs look skinnier.

What I look for to go with leggings: A long-ish tunic or babydoll top.

I don't think too-short dresses or skirts are appropriate for someone my age (and size, haha). Since I'm now over 30, I don't want to dress like a teenager. Throwing on a pair of leggings under a short skirt / dress achieves the right look.

Accessories. I don't normally buy accessories, since I can make my own (A good rule to go by: "Don't buy anything you can make"). If I find a piece I like, I'd take a good look at it, and then make my own version at home. It saves me money and provides an outlet for creativity.

These days I go for chunky necklaces, statement necklaces and / or large dangling earrings (NOT to be worn at the same time of course).

So this is this month's last installment of Girls Talk. Check out other ladies' shopaholism at Beauty Queen Gene.

Looking forward to our December topics. ^_^

glad not to spend much on clothes

Considering that I don't have what anyone would consider anything near a stable income, I've learned to find fashionable, wearable joys at sales, tiangges and second-hand shops. I don't mind buying - or receiving - second-hand stuff, as long as they're still in good quality. I hear ukay-ukays and thrift stores have become increasingly popular since people have become more financially hard-up; even the so-called "rich folk" have become patrons. These days it's not so looked-down-upon to be a "cheap shopper" since a some celebrities and fashion icons admit to buying their garb from tiangges and ukays.

At the start of the year, I treated myself with two sale dresses. They're actually brand new but very, very slightly damaged - nothing a needle and a bit of thread can't fix - but they're really, really gorgeous, my type of wearables. They make me happy even a month after they were bought.

A few weeks ago, My sister came home from a short visit to our Mama in LA, bearing gifts of bite-sized chocolates and thrift-store clothes. She got me a couple of beach-y blouses perfect for the coming heat wave. She also had two mid-length skirts that she thought I wouldn't wear, but I took them because I saw their potential to be turned into blouses or short dresses. I like i like i like i like.

Just this week, my mother-in-law did some clearing out in her house and asked the Hubby and me to come over and see if there was anything we wanted to take home. We checked out the stash of clothes and surprisingly, we found stuff we could see ourselves wearing, i.e., not too "oldies", not frumpy at all. I got me a couple of shirts, blouses and tank-tops, all still in excellent condition. I even found me a vintage-style formal-ish dress.

And while we were there at her house, we picked up a package from the Hubby's aunt in the 'States. In it were some clothes she bought for us - clearly new; the tags were still on. Mom joked that they were prolly bought on sale, but we didn't mind at all. I was especially glad because I was just thinking of shopping for shirts and thin blouses for the summer, and now I don't have to.

Even if they're not all new, they're new additions to my wardrobe. I'm not too ashamed to be so cheap since I know how to put a fresh, stylish spin to to ukay fashion. I'm glad that I haven't had to spend much on clothes this year yet. And I'm happy to acquire "new" wearables even though I haven't had much of a budget for it.

cute blog: fifi lapin

I've been following Fifi Lapin's blog for some time. Her ultra-cute site combines some of my likes: art, fashion and bunnies.

Image property of Fifi Lapin.

Fifi is an heiress with long, silky ears and a fashion icon. According to Elle Magazine, she is "the world's most stylish bunny". She posts charming fashion reviews and runway photos, but the most attractive part of her site (in my opinion) are those sketches of herself wearing designer clothing - with posh accessories to match!

Image property of Fifi Lapin.

Her flair for fashion has made her so famous, that lately there have been Fifi Lapin lines of postcards, T-Shirts, greeting cards and LeSportSac bags (I received a Fifi Lapin print purse or case of sorts for Christmas from my friend L. I was so thrilled!)

Fifi has a shop where you can purchase her prints. She also hosts contests every once in a while with cute Fifi stuff up for grabs.