Category Archives: teens

College Student Fashion

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Posted by leyn on May 18, 2010 – 12:00 am
Filed under teens, women's clothing

Good day Ms. Leyn,

I know that you already have a lot of queries asking for tips on  clothing for petite people, but I always find that the description of these petite people differ from my body type. I don’t exactly know what body type I am so I attached a few pictures that I hope could help you.

I’m around 5 feet tall (give or take 1 inch) and skinny like most people around my age.

Any tips on dressing up would be of really great help because I will be entering college this June and since I come from 13 years of schooling with uniforms, I don’t exactly know how to dress myself continuously every day as i’m used to usually wearing house clothes after school and just the plain t-shirt and pants kind of clothes when I’m out. Hopefully you can give me tips on what would look nice on me and what to stay away from.

Thank you for taking your time to read this, and I hope you choose to reply to this e-mail through your site :)

-collegedazed

Dear collegedazed,

Hey there, I saw your pictures and you’re actually cute. Can you date my single guy friends? Lol. Just kidding.

You know what, if ever I’ll be given a chance to change my body built, I’d choose being petite because small girls look cute when dressed up. Looking at your pictures, I believe you can be in any type of clothing because you’re long-legged regardless of being small. If you didn’t mention your height, I’d actually think you’re 5′3.

First, always remember these clothing tips for petite girls.

Second, check what’s in your closet. Set aside your old ‘junks’ and gradually switch to stylish clothes instead of the usual jeans and baggy shirt outfit. These are the basic must-haves in your closet:

Shirts and Tank Tops
Collect all plain colors and style for your basic top. Kahit bili ka nalang ng mura like Get Laud or plain shirts from Department Stores. Tipong 150 pesos each.

Jeans
Use your favorite jeans but I suggest that you put them on like twice a week lang. This year, skinny jeans and semi-fit pants are still in trend.

Blouses
When you’re in jeans, wear dainty blouses instead of plain t-shirts. And when I say be dressed in blouses, that doesn’t include boyish shirts with prints, okay?

Dresses and Skirts
You can wear dresses as is. With skirts, floral, geometric prints and detailed designs are perfectly matched with plain tops.

Shoes
Always have with you at least 2-3 pairs of shoes. From what I know, college schools are strict with dress codes so replace your flip flops with strap sandals or ballerina shoes. Just wear your sneakers during PE Class.

Once you’ve started organizing the clothes mentioned above, you can survive wearing different styles everyday:

So make sure that you buy clothes that you can mix and match. The key is to be particular with colors. Don’t just buy something because you liked it, isipin mo if you can also match it with your other clothes.

There you go, 1) start from organizing your closet, 2) keep aside the outdated garbs and 3) buy yourself the basic school clothes mentioned above.

Welcome to college!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Prom Fashion for Petite Girls

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Posted by leyn on January 24, 2010 – 7:00 am
Filed under shoes, teens

first time ko lang magsulat dito, and i’m really hoping for your help para sa js prom namin. i’m very short, almost 4′8” lang height ko, medyo chubby din ako pero ok lang naman. i have my curves and di din ako flat chested. i can’t decide about the style, those dresses i found in the net are all appropriate for model-like girls. what type of dress can help me look taller, and how many inches of heels should i wear? i also want  to show off some skin, i don’t want to look so conservative. thanks in advance, more power. :)

-xoxo, F

Dear F,

I get that your main issue is your height but good thing that you’re willing to wear any style for that night. I’m going to make this short for you. Take in mind some helpful hints about fashion for fuller bodies when buying the dress:

  • Mini length skirts/dresses can highlight the shortness of your legs so pick the 1-inch-above-knee or knee-length style when you plan to wear a short dress.
  • Wearing high heels is the most convenient way to make you look taller. I just have to warn you that heels may feel uncomfortable after a couple hours so buy cushioned shoes to avoid swelling feet. Some girls can stand wearing 5-inches heels, which is better, but you can wear at least 3″.
  • Avoid fabrics that are prone to creases and folds particularly on your bust and abdomen part.

Dress
You have to accept that 4′8″ height is really short and even though you’ll be particular with the gown’s length, that’s not enough to make yourself seem lofty. So I recommend that you simply have to think of a fashion that’d make you look catchy and classy instead of pressuring yourself to appear elongated. Why not try balloon gowns like the ones I’ve mentioned on a previous post.

Since you’re cosy wearing any sort of dress, a tube dress would be fine especially if the skirt is flowing, ruffled or layered. Wear a girdle inside your gown and flaunt your curves and bust line. It’s acceptable if you wear a long gown but I think a short cocktail dress is better to expose your legs and high heels shoes.

Shoes
Instead of trying hard to be tall, just concentrate on selecting a fashionable pair. Wearing 5″ shoes is okay but you might not enjoy the night if you’re not used with wearing super high heels. Avoid ankle shoes because it gives a division between your legs and feet. Pick flashy colored mules like red or cobalt. Below are sample of stunning heels though they measure 5”.

Don’t get intimidated by the gowns worn by models on the internet because they may possibly look good on you when you fit the pieces in actual. The best way to find the right dress is window shop. You can also check some of my past answers for Prom Dress ideas.

More power din. Hehe.

Love Lots,

Leyn

Stores for Prom Dress

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Posted by leyn on January 22, 2010 – 4:37 am
Filed under brands, teens

Dear Ms.Leyn,

Hi! It’s my first time to see your site and after I’ve read some of your blog entries, I think you just got a new fan. Hehe. No doubt, you’re really good. No wonder many people like you and your webpage. You’re page is really interesting and it has certain informations that could really help us in our daily lives, not just a typical fashion-blog.

I emailed you because I love your page and your fashion taste. I came to ask you some questions Ms.Leyn. I’ve read your 2 blog entries about prom and I still have some questions in my mind, if you don’t mind me asking. Hehe. I’m 15 yrs. old and currently a senior HS student. I’m 5′6 tall, quite chubby and has fair skin complexion. Our prom will be on February. Last year’s prom theme was a ‘masquerade ball’. We’re not really allowed to wear short dresses for prom because we’re in a Catholic school, so I wore a long gown last year. But on this year’s prom, we’re already allowed to wear cocktail dresses maybe because of the recession thingy, or for us and our parents to save money and be more practical. They do have a point, don’t they? So here’s my question. Can you suggest some stores/boutiques with pretty and affordable cocktail dresses for prom? My budget will range from 2,000php – 4,000php. I’m not really a girly type of person and I personally don’t like pink and florals. Some people say I’m boy-ish and I got no problems with that. But despite those things, I love fashion. I love Gossip Girl and I also love wearing dresses and heels. But not those pink and floral stuffs. Hehe. So on our prom, I like to wear something simple but elegant. Or maybe something glam with a little bit of drama.. I have a dress in my mind and I really love it. I hope you can still remember the yellow dress that Serena wore from Season 1 on Handmaiden’s Tale. Do you think it’s appropriate to wear something like that for prom? And can you give me more suggestions on what to wear and where to have my hair/makeup done for my last prom?

I’ll be waiting for your response, Ms.Leyn.
God bless and more power! :)

-ShimMinHyo

Dear ShimMinHyo,

Hey thanks for taking time to browse my site. I really wanted to maintain a serious fashion blog before but I can’t get rid of my kengkoy side so my blog ended up like this. Haha. Anyway, I hope I can help you with my suggestions but I won’t admit that I know all the stores in the metro so pardon me if I can only give a few.

One thing we usually fear is that someone might be in the same dress we’re wearing on the prom night. That’d be a total disaster. Ang dyahe diba. So I think you should be looking on stores that aren’t “too mainstream” and check for boutiques that sell dresses with only few stocks per piece. As much as possible, don’t buy in common stores UNLESS you’re planning to alter or re-construct the dress. But of course, that takes effort, time and additional budget for extra work.

Anyhow, here are my picks:

Serendra Shops

  • Shops in Serendra like Peppered Cherry, Souk and Backstage sells unique dresses with price starting from 1,500 pesos. There are other stores but I forgot the names. Yun nga lang, these are smalls boutiques so your choices are limited unlike when you shop in malls.

The Ramp Crossings

  • This shopping street has different brands like BYSI, French Kitty, Salsa Trend, Ilaya Couture, Dressing Room, Lucca etc. Crossings department store is located inside Trinoma and Shangrila Mall.

Rustan’s

  • Some people get intimidated going inside Rustan’s but there are affordable clothes available here. Check out stalls like Culte Femme, Sinequanone and stores by local designers naming Luna by Jojie Lloren. There are also mid-class brands for shoes like Substance and Lady Rustan’s, a pair can cost you from 900-2500 pesos.

Basically, I’m recommending stores where people rarely shop. I bet you’ve already gone through these stores but this time you need to be patient in looking the dresses one-by-one. There are also good designers in town but the idea might cost you expensive.

The yellow gown Serena wore from GG Season 1 is a good choice, I commend you for that. You can copy the Yellow-Black combination. You’ll look like a beauty queen because the gown is appropriate with your curvy figure and tall height. That dress is a Valentino but a keen eye when shopping won’t give you a hard time looking for a gown with the same style.

And regarding hair and make-up, honestly I cannot cite the best places because I no longer hand over my styling with public salons. One thing more, I’m not sure where you reside so it also depends on your location para hassle-free. I heard good remarks about Piandre so check their reservations and packages (quite expensive though). Menage Salon sucks at styling (price starting at 1000 pesos), I tried there once at nagmukha akong butterfly with Goldilocks curls. But partly it was my fault because I entrusted everything to the stylist. Before someone do your hair and make-up, you should have already planned what prom look you’d like to achieve so they won’t just experiment on you. Concentrate on your eyes because natural shades are the latest trend for cheeks and lips (peach, bronze and pale pink).

You know what, 2k-4k budget is not bad na. I remember my first prom, I wore a 900 pesos worth of gown. Hahaha. But as I’ve mentioned before, that was a decade ago. Lol. Anyway, I hope you find one like Serena’s. Really pretty pretty choice. ;P

Love Lots,

Leyn

Off-Shoulder Style

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Posted by leyn on January 18, 2010 – 11:00 am
Filed under teens

Hi Leyn!

February is fast approaching. I’m a hs junior so that means it’s time for promenade. It’s actually my first time to attend this and I still have no idea what to wear that’s why I’ve decided to email you to ask for some of your advice, hoping you could help me :)

Our principal has decided that we’re going to have Cocktail Party as our prom’s theme. I’ve started getting some ideas on Tumblr. FashionFever’s got a collection of awesome pictures of girls with great fashion sense. I just love their style. :P I also think this looks wicked awesome. Neutral colors are awesome. I think metallic blue, black, and/or white look great.

I’m kinda short and I’m not really thin so it would be nice to wear a dress without showing off too much skin. What do you think? Also, I think off should dresses are nice, but I don’t know. I really need your aid regarding this problem.

And I’m wondering if you have any ideas on hair styles for prom? I don’t want to have my hair get tied up since I have a round face. I think soft curls are great.

I’m pretty sure you’ve already experienced prom and you’re a genius in fashion that’s why I’ve no second thoughts in sending you this email, hehe.

That’s all :P   Will be constantly visiting your site to check for your response.

- mika

Dear mika,

Uh, yes. I experienced attending a prom night but I think that was a decade ago when everyone was still baduy and there’s less internet for a neat fashion research. Haha. That’s why you’re lucky to have resources by this time. Anyway, I checked the tumblr account you included and the pictures are great. By this time, you should have already decided on what color you’ll wear but for the meantime, let me give further tips about the cocktail dress styles.

Honestly, I don’t have much to say since I’ll just be repeating your ideas lang (off shoulder and soft curls hairstyle) which I have already advised with a past entry. You just need to be particular with the details of your off-shoulder gown like its skirt, color, laces etc. You mentioned that you’re not that thin but it’s for you to decide what fit suits you best because I don’t know your body type. Here are my picks:

Off-Shoulder Dress

I assume most prom goers are into tube and spaghetti strap dresses so an off-shoulder gown is not a bad choice. Be particular with the details and design then pick bright colors that match your skin tone. An Off-shoulder dress is perfect for curvy hour glass shaped bodies.

One-Shoulder Dress

Another style that you can consider is the one-shoulder dress for a sexier feel. Pick a pleated type of skirt if you want a flowing dress or a pencil cut for a classy look.


Assymetric Dress

Its assymetric cut, ruffles and drapes can conceal your flabs and unproportioned figure. Plus, its design adds a glam factor and is more fab than the usual straight gown.

Sounds cliché but the perfect dress for your prom night depends on your confidence so pick the right gown and enjoy the night without thinking too much about your appearance. I can’t specifically suggest colors but I assume you already know the basics.

Stick to the soft curls hairstyle. Long loose curls to be exact. There are curly styles that look awful because of too much hairspray so they end up looking like Goldilocks. So use a hair mousse instead of the strong sprays. I just hope you have already grown your hair long enough for this hairstyle.

Then for the final touch, add a jeweled hair clip or thin headband (CRU in Powerplant Mall and ALDO Accessories sell pretty accessories). Don’t buy the plastic ones so you won’t look cheap. Hehe.

Enjoy your first prom night!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Grad Ball/Prom Rocker Look

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Posted by leyn on January 11, 2010 – 9:00 am
Filed under teens

I’m writing to you again, I’m here because of my prom-problem, grad-ball nadin. I’m planning, during prom that I’ll be wearing a gold and black dress, a tutu dress perhaps or whatever fits my figure, then a leather jacket or blazer, would that be inappropriate? For grad-ball, I don’t have a clue. Suggestions? I don’t like too girly dresses, as in flowy flowery and flashy, i think that’s too casual. HAHA. More on gold and canary yellow ang plano ko kasi I’m dark.

And 2010 fashion forecast?

Plus shoes pa pala, hahaha. I have scars pala sa legs kaya I’m kind of insecure about it although I have the height and the proportions to go for the short dresses. And I love short dresses.

I’m desperate for an attire since this is technically our first prom since it got canceled last year.

xo,
-mich.

Dear mich,

I saw the photo you sent me and it’s a good thing you were able to come up with a Christmas party attire (though I think black jeans should’ve been better) and thanks for updating me. Moving on, I suppose I get what look you’d like to achieve on your prom-slash-grad ball. It’s not the usual pink and princess-y style so a Taylor Momsen style will be a good inspiration.

A tutu dress or an ostrich skirt is a good choice. Although the tutu looks more glam than the ostrich design so it still depends on your choice or what’s available on stores. You can pick a black skirt then add the touch of flashy gold with your top (in case you’re planning to wear a 2-piece clothing).

Having scars on legs can make you feel uncomfortable so I suggest lace leggings. As I’ve mentioned before, laces are making a comeback this 2010 so consider this idea.

Wearing a jacket or blazer will just make you look casual and overdressed. I don’t recommend too much layering of clothes. As a top, you can wear a corset to match the tutu skirt if you’re not wearing a 1 piece dress.

For accessories, I still recommend elegant jewelries for earrings and bracelets since a prom is still a formal party. Complement your gold-black attire with a black bib or layered necklace.

And for the shoes, a pair of ankle style shoes (whether boots or sandals) can match the rest of what was mentioned. Classic Black pumps could be your second option.

To help you picture the idea, here’s a looklet example:

The skirt’s quite exaggerated and there’s no available corset but imagine something like that. The suggestions above are based on the 2010 fashion forecast. I just wish you won’t have a hard time looking for these items when you shop.

Good luck!

Love Lots,

Leyn