Dear Ms. Leyn,

Hi Ms. Leyn! Kamusta po? I hope you’re doing fine. I emailed you because I want you to know how helpful your page is. I’m a long-time reader of your blogs and ever since I first visited your page, it’s been my habit to check just to see if you have a new post! Haha. Yes, it’s true. I really enjoy reading this blog, I find it very interesting and helpful.

I’m a college freshie and we have this event on Friday. It’s the first event which will be held outside the university and we’re all invited. At first I thought we’ll wear our uniforms but yesterday they announced the dress code and it’s semi-formal. They indicated that girls should wear cocktail dresses. No miniskirts, plunging necklines, t-shirts, shorts, and slippers. My problem is that I don’t have an idea on what to wear on this event. I’m pretty sure that everyone already has an idea on what to wear for the theme “dress to impress”. I don’t want to stand out that much but I don’t want to look manang either. Another thing is that I don’t know where to buy the dress. I’m also on a limited budget so I guess my budget for the dress is just up to P1,300.

I hope you can help me with this, Ms. Leyn. I’ll be waiting for your response.

Sab

Dear Sab,

I’m doing great. Thanks for asking.

Anyway, I think someone already asked me the same problem but it’s for a prom event. First, I advise you to do a bit spying on your friends’ outfit this coming friday. Hehe. So you’d have an idea what are their styles. From there, think of what fashion you’d like to wear: something classy? young? or fab?

Classic & Sophisticated

Wearing something classic and simple is safe, cheaper and won’t go out-of-date. A Little Black Dress can save you on that day. Then wear some bold accessories for an updated look – like bangles, stoned necklaces, layered necklaces or fringe earrings. An affordable black dress can cost from 800-1500 pesos.

Hip & Young

Since this is for a school event, I think it’s okay for you to wear something youthful and colorful like bright colors, patterned prints with flowing skirts. If you choose to be in a printed dress with bold designs, you’re good to go with just a simple set of jewelries.

Something Fab

Well in case you’re not satisfied with the classic or teen-y style, then you have to shift to an updated fab dress. The style may sound vague so it’s still up to your taste what looks good on you – it may be a mini dress with leggings, a shoulder padded dress, a cocktail dress with black blazer, etc. Just don’t forget to wear high heeled platforms and layered bracelet cuffs.

It would be better if you already have a desired look in your mind before shopping. It will save your time and energy when you plan your style ahead. I cannot suggest specific brands you can check because dresses are available everywhere (kahit sa department stores and thrift shops). You can also browse some of my previous answers for store reference. I believe it’s not about the brand but your taste in clothes. Always remember that your dress color should complement your skin tone and its fabric must flatter your figure.

Good luck and enjoy your weekend!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Good Day, Ms Leyn! I am a freshman college student taking up Tourism. I’ve been reading your blog posts for a long time and I find it very helpful and informative most especially to the younger generation. Just like your other fans, I would like to ask for some help and advice regarding my problem.

Weeks from now I’ll be attending a seminar with my fellow batch mates in a hotel. Our professor told us to wear a corporate attire during the seminar instead of wearing our uniforms. My problem is this is my first time attending a seminar and this is also the first time I’ll be asked to wear a corporate attire. The only idea I have in mind about a corporate attire is the usual attire of those people who works in an office like those slacks and blazers. I really don’t have an idea on what to wear for that seminar. I want to wear a corporate attire that looks formal yet chic and not old-fashioned. I hope you can help me with this Ms. Leyn. Thank you and God bless.

- V

Dear V,

As what you’ve said, slacks and blazers are like ‘the standard corporate attire’ so it’s acceptable if you wear them on the seminar. But just for a more stylish look, I advise you to wear a semi-formal dress with short sleeves, above-the-knee length and minimal prints. Pair it with a classic black pumps and you’re off to go.

Here are other dress samples and notice how a simple black purse and a pair of black shoes complement the dress. So be careful with the colors you pick. Safe shades are maroon, teal and other earth colors.

If you find the style a bit liberated, you can wear a blazer as a cover-up and it will also make you look “more professional”. Brush up your hair, accessorize with small jewelries and apply light make-up. From what I know, tourism students are advised to look presentable so make sure to look good especially on events like this.

Thanks for being a reader of my blog! Spread the love!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hi Leyn! I’ve been reading your blog ever since! Your advices are indeed helpful and I am meaning to ask for an advice, too

2 weeks from now, we’re going to have this party at school, the problem is, I still don’t know what to wear. We are ought to wear formal attires, but sleeveless & above-the-knee dresses aren’t allowed. I’m petite, dark, super tall, long haired. just imagine an ugly bitch! I’ve been wandering the web but still can’t find what would fit me best. I’m a bit desperate now. I hope you can help me?

- PIA

Dear PIA,

What kind of party is that? No sleeveless and short dresses? WTF. You’re in trouble. LOL. Kidding.

I didn’t quite understand what you meant with petite then super tall? Mali yata. Don’t call yourself ugly because you will definitely feel and look ugly if you think like one. Anyhow, with your case, the styles I can suggest are draped skirt cocktail dresses with sleeves. Here are my picks:

Match your knee-length cocktail dress with a pair of black pumps to elongate your legs. I am thinking of suggesting Maxi Dresses but long gowns with sleeves may look overrated. You will never go wrong with the classic black high-heels.

For accessories, just carry a small purse for the formal-look and simple set of jewelries. If you want ala-Serena Van Der Woodsen look, maintain a down straight hairdo or tie your hair up if you prefer to look more formal.

Just a tip, if you’re doing a little fashion research on the web, do not Google search like “dresses for formal party” or “formal attire for petite girls”. You might be landing on styles posted last 2003. Be specific on the actual dress you want to draw idea from. You should check out decent fashion brands (Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Juicy Couture, Chloe, Marc Jacobs, D&G etc.) and look at the updated collections one-by-one. From there, you will have an idea what are the IN styles, colors and designs.

And lastly, get yourself some confidence girl. You won’t ask for an advice if you don’t want to feel pretty.

Time to shine!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hi Leyn,

I always visit your site and read about those interesting articles. I learn a lot from your blogs, so thanks for that.

I just want to ask for your help about those what they call vintage accessories. Cause i have few of those accessories and I don’t know if I’m wearing it with the right clothes. So please help me find the right clothes for those accessories

I attached a picture of one of my vintage accessory, just to help you picture it in your mind

ANNA

Dear ANNA,

I’m not sure if you sent an e-mail twice but sorry for this super late reply. I hope you still read my blog. Lol.

Anyway, vintage accessories are really in right now. And these lovely pieces can be matched with almost any type of clothing so the style is versatile. So that everyone knows what I’m talking about, here are the necklaces I’m referring to:

As I’ve mentioned, you can wear them with any style – jeans, dresses, casual shorts, but i think you need to match your vintage necklace with the right colors. Actually, any color will do but basing on my taste, here are my picks:

For example, check out some cute dresses with peach or pinkish colors. Florals and small prints are trendy.

If you’re the jeans type of person, you can wear a loose-fitting tank top (or jersey) and skinny jeans. Upgrade your casual outfit from the usual plain shirt and wear something sleeveless.

Vintage charm accessories are better off with simple dresses (without so much details and intricate designs).

Vintage-looking necklaces like shown above are available in department stores for 150-200 pesos. I saw a stall named Funky Chic (not sure) in Robinson’s Place Manila that sells necklaces like these. The one with a camera pendant costs 180 pesos. It’s actually cheap compared to genuine vintage accessories sold in vintage stores.

Anyhow Anna, thanks for frequently reading my blog.

Love Lots,

Leyn

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

Hi Leyn,

I’m Cleo and I’m 24 y/o. I’ve been a follower of your blog since time immemorial :p Charos lang. Basta since blogspot days eh reader mo na ko. Pati nga twitter & tumblr mo eh pinatos ko na rin sa pag-follow =)

Anyhoo, I’m writing you an email to ask your help about fashion. A designer friend of mine invited me to attend the Philippine Fashion Week on the 28th at the SMX Convention Center because she will be showcasing her designs on the said event. Problem is, I haven’t been in a fashion show before. I do watch some on TV but never attended one in the past. I don’t want to look like I’m trying so hard to be a fashionista. Ayokong magmukhang I’m overdressed. We also plan on going out for some drinks after the event. What can you suggest for me to wear on the 28th? Okay lang ba mag-dress?

Btw, I’m only 5′1, fair-skinned and medium built.

Thanks so much for the help and stay pretty

Thanks,
Cleo

Dear Cleo,

Thanks for your continued support even though my blogspot is already dead. Hehe.

For the upcoming Philippine Fashion Week, it’s better to put on something from the S/S collection since this year’s PFW theme is ‘fashionable chic’. If you’ll be present as a guest and will merely watch the show, a simple cocktail dress and open-toe high heels is the safest outfit you can wear. Wearing a party dress with inflated designs and atypical style can make you seem overdressed. It’s not necessary to be in a super fabulous dress unless you’re one of the front-row guests. Remember, most people who attend such events are fashionistas so be careful with your get-up.

Little Black Dress
A simple yet sophisticated LBD doesn’t go obsolete. Whether you choose a tube dress or with sleeves, the style is apt for the said event.

Cocktail Dress
If wearing black is not your thing, then you can switch to a cocktail dress. You can choose from either a plain tube, bondage or bodycon. The simpler the prints, the better. Tulip skirts are still trendy nowadays.

Black High Heels
Your shoes can carry your entire outfit. Still, black high heels with cut-out or strap design can make your simple dress fashionable.

Relaxed Get-up
I might be attending the PFW but I’m gonna be there to take pictures. So in case you’re planning to go there to do a lot of walking just like me, you can consider wearing a playsuit or something laid-back. Like a clean white top and black harem pants. Match this outfit with a pair of detailed flats.

Lastly, don’t forget to wear the latest accessories. Layered chains, black studded necklaces and thin layered bangles are hip this season.

Basta don’t catch too much attention and stick to the updated but classic styles. Good luck and enjoy!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hello Ms. Leyn:

Hope this email finds you well.

I have been a long time lurker in your blog and this is the first time that I mustered the guts to ask for your advice. You see, I’m attending a friend’s wedding next week and bought some items on line. Now that I have them I’m not so sure if the shoes can be paired with the dress. I am attaching them both for you to see. Kindly give me ideas on the accessories to use, as well as the kind of shrug/bolero that I have to wear during the church ceremonies.

Thanks in advance!

Rowena

Dear Rowena,

Hello there another lurker.

I already checked the attached picture. The dress looks wedding appropriate naman and the shoes look stylish but I don’t think they look good together.

For the dress, I think you should pair it with black open-toe sandals, though it’s still up to you if you want to change your shoes. Your current strap shoes won’t get easily noticed because you’ll match it with a long dress. Kaso, I just think black sandals are more fitting. The shoes you have there are way better with a shorter dress.

As for your shrug, buy the kind with short sleeves. A long-sleeved shrug can make you look super covered because of the maxi dress. I think the most appropriate color you should pick is black.

For accessories, wear a simple set of silver or white gold jewelries. Avoid big accessories because your dress have bold prints already.

Hope this helped you a bit!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hello Leyn.

First time kong mag-email sayo and tong problem ko is about swimwear. Alam ko nakapost ka na about swimwear pero here’s my problem.Magsswimming kami sa May 8 pero hindi ko alam yung susuotin ko maliban sa tshirt at shorts.

Ito kasi ang problema:
- mataba ako.
- i have dark ua. so hindi ko talaga siya pwedeng ibuyangyang sa public. hindi rin naman ako pwedeng hindi magtaas ng kamay.

So, may ma-isusuggest ka ba sakin (at sa ibang girls na may same prob) na pwedeng isuot pag lalangoy. thanks. And sorry kung ngayon ko lang kita naemail regarding this, tapos sa sabado na pala yung trip.

Love,
beachbeach

Dear beachbeach,

Ayan, medyo rush response ‘to kaya maikli lang. Hmm, if you define yourself as “mataba”, you still have to classify yourself whether you have an hourglass, apple or pear shaped body type. This is if you plan to be in a swimwear under a shirt or cover-up.

Since your issue is about your dark ua, you might not be comfortable wearing sarongs or anything sleeveless. On the beach, you can wear flowing ponchos, a white tunic or handkerchief dresses instead. Its shapeless style can conceal your figure and then just show some legs para hindi ka super covered.

When swimming, you can use a silk like cover-up na parang kulambo instead of a plain shirt. Shirts tend to become heavier when wet so silky fabric are more comfy and stylish. Clothes like these are mostly available on department stores for about 250-500 pesos each. Invest on the cover-up instead of the swimwear. (Below is an example but it doesn’t have to be that long, just something like that.)

You can wear a tube swimsuit under your cover-up. For a more “summer” look, the colors of your top and under swimwear should be contrasting. (For example: Fuchsia tube and white poncho).

Preparations for the beach are really stressing. But don’t worry, once you’re at the beach, you’ll no longer think of these body problems because you’ll be enjoying most of the time.

Happy weekend!

Love Lots,

Leyn

hi leyn!!

it’s summertime right? so my super friends and I are planning for a summer getaway. well, we’re going to a beach somewhere in zambales i think. swimming of course and island hopping as well. now, i want to ask from you some ideas for super cute outfits for our summer getaway. i’m tall, morena, and skinny.

I know you know better. hehehe. that’s why i decided to send you an e-mail. actually i’m a constant visitor of your site. hope you could give me some ideas.

Thanks much! more power to your site and God bLess!

–znar

Dear znar,

Since you’ve been reading my blog, I bet you have already thought of a swimwear for the outing. I won’t be talking about the swimwear anymore and let’s move on with the beach accessories instead.

Even though you’re planning to wear a plain back swimwear (for example), you can still look fashionable with Beach Hats. Yun nga lang, I checked that most beach hats even cost the same as a typical swimwear. There are stores that sell such accessories like Girl Shoppe and Accesorize. Price ranges from 350-700 pesos. A white fedora hat can be an alternative.

Don’t forget to bring summer sundresses that you can wear over your bikini or swimsuit. Since you’re on the beach, kahit morena ka, any color is okay. The brighter, the better.

Another option is wearing Coverups.

Aside from your travel bag, carry your things using a summer tote. Something you can bring while you’re on the beach.

Lastly, don’t forget your two-toned wayfarers or classic aviator shades!

You don’t have to buy an expensive swimwear just to be fashionable. You should also prepare your accessories such as mentioned above. I know, going to the beach is about swimming and enjoying the water. But I believe it won’t hurt if you try dressing up a little.

Enjoy the trip!

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hi Ms. Leyn,

I’ll be attending a debut on May (it’ll be my first time) and I’m one of the “18 treasures”. The theme is Hollywood Fashion. But the problem is I’m not into fashion and all that dressing up stuff. I’m just the type of person who’s used to wearing T-shirts and jeans. I’m 23 years old, 5′2” in height, thin (and flat-chested). Can you please help me decide what type of clothes/dress to wear and the accessories and shoes that go with it?

Your advice/suggestions are very much appreciated.

Thank you!

plain girL

Dear plain girL,

First, I’m advising you to check out Instyle.com for the latest Hollywood Fashion and Celebrity Styles. You can get inspiration from that website.

Well, 5’2height and  skinny built won’t have much problem in choosing the right gown. Since you’re part of the program, it’s valid that you’ll be in a fab frock. Actually, I’ve been suggesting these styles from the past emails I’ve answered. And as a recap, here are your options:

Long gowns with simple embellishments are popular with Hollywood stars. You can pair an evening Maxi Dress with a pair of Light-colored Open High Heels to add up height.

Another fashion you can consider is a Cocktail Dress. As much as possible, choose a dress with minimal print or design. Same as long gowns, light colored heels are perfect for mini dresses.

You can look glamorous in a simple gown with an Updo Hairstyle and Simplest Accessories. (Like thin chain necklace, small pearl earrings or a dress watch is enough.) Sport a red carpet fashion with an eye-catching Purse like Hollywood celebrities do.

Don’t feel plain and timid, events like this don’t happen often so you should be in your best look.

Good luck!

Love Lots,

Leyn