Damaged Duffle Jacket

December 27, 2009 – 12:00 am
Filed under women's clothing

Leyn,

Hello idol! Avid reader here! I hope you’re fine. Anyway, I am quite in trouble. I bought a like-new jacket from a thrift store. Before I use it, I washed it and totally forgot to wash it with care. Now it is messed up. (Please check the attached picture.) I am wondering if you have any idea to make it still look presentable or cute without people noticing that I messed it up. Thank you. More power.

P.S. Happy holidays!

Tutubi

Dear Tutubi,

Hey there, thanks for reading my blog. :) I’ve checked the attached image of your duffle jacket and I noticed that the leather strings’ surfaces were peeled off. Based on experience, one of my leather bags was also damaged like your jacket. I tried coloring the white parts with a pen but it just made my bag look gross. Haha.

I understand that you bought it from a thrift store (perhaps to save money from shopping) but if you really want that jacket, there’s no other way to fix the dented parts but ask a seamstress to repair it for you. It’s either you remove the strings completely or replace them with the same style. At least you still have the chance to change the color, buttons and its material so you won’t encounter the same washing difficulty. I really suggest you remove the scraped leather because the damage is obvious. Detailed sewing might have been done to attach the strings and if you’re not careful enough, the damage will just turn worse. If you think you can remove the strings by yourself, then that’s okay.

Well I know this is frustrating but just let your creativity work by refurbishing your jacket. Light gray or white looks better than brown strings so now it’s up to you if you want them replaced or not. It could cost you a hundred for small repair of ropes and toggles. You can come up with something like shown below:

Happy Holidays my dear.

Love Lots,

Leyn

Wedding Guest Attire

December 15, 2009 – 4:00 am
Filed under women's clothing

Hi Leyn,

Hope you’re doing fine. I was searching the internet for formal wedding attires/cocktail dresses, when I found your blogspot. It’s really cool & interesting.

I would like to ask for your advice as well. I am attending a wedding by the end of the month of my high school guy friend.  I’m not the fashion forward type, just a simple dresser (jeans, polo shirts, sneakers. BTW I’m a girl, late 20s). The wedding ceremonies will start by 4 pm, and the attire should be formal (american style). I tried to look this up on the net, but I’m not quite sure yet how it is defined sa Philippine setting.

I stand at  5′2″, morena type, have big arms, flabs on the stomach &  a little heavy on the thighs..Obviously, I don’t have the perfect body, but of course I still want to look good on the wedding. Do you have any idea what I should wear? What shoes & accessories should I invest on? I want to look simple but elegant…Where can I find affordable ones?

Appreciate it very much if you can help. More Power! Thanks!

Sincerely,

T

Dear T,

I’m doing great here. Good thing you landed on my page. Now, let’s enumerate the ideas:

American Style

First, think of an American stereotype movie with garden wedding scenes. Attendees are usually dressed up in simple and short cocktail dresses so basically, it’s not far from a Filipino style wedding (except that men should wear tuxedo instead of barong tagalong.)

Wedding Theme

Second, know the wedding’s motif. The theme might be pure white, pink, purple etc. Your dress should at least blend with the wedding’s motif to avoid catching too much attention. If you want a safe color that looks proper in any motif, try beige or any earthy colors to also match your complexion.

Cocktail Dress

Next is to apply basic fashion for fuller size shapes. I’ve mentioned before that darker shades of clothes are more appropriate for plus size figures. Plus according to some fashion experts, wearing black or dark colors in wedding events are okay as long as you’re not part of the entourage. Know what style/cut of dress will flatter your figure. If your bottom or thighs look heavy, try fitting a knee length empire cut dress. In this way, your hidden flabs around your waist won’t be noticeable and you can freely move throughout the event.

Blazer

If having bigger arms is a problem and you’re not comfortable exposing them, then look for a dress with butterfly sleeves and show off some shoulders. As an alternative, a tube/sleeveless dress is fine then you can match it with a black blazer. No shawls please.

Mid-Heels and Elegant Accessories

Wear an open toe mid-heel sandals with a touch of gold or silver. Your sandals doesn’t have to be expensive but there are lots of sandals that looks cheap and sirain so be selective when you shop. There are so many good finds in VNC, Celine (P700-P2500) or Landmark (P300-P900).

In my opinion, accessories, hairstyle and make-up make a difference. With your skin tone, neutral colored make-up fits better and don’t forget to apply bronzer on your cheeks. Smear a flesh lip gloss over a brownish shade of lipstick.

Borrow a simple gold jewelry set from your mom or friend because big plastic accessories are not suitable with formal occasions like this. Lastly, carry a clutch instead of oversized shoulder bags.

I can’t cite several stores because it depends on your budget. Though one store I can think of is People Are People (P900-P2000), they sell cheaper cocktail dresses compared to other boutiques. You can come up with looklet fashions like shown below. (Ignore the system generated models, they’re annoyingly skinny.)

I bet other high school friends will also attend the wedding so make sure you look best on that day. Good luck. ;)

Love Lots,

Leyn

Shala Shorts

November 30, 2009 – 12:00 am
Filed under teens, women's clothing

Dear Leyn

Im only 15 and 5 feet tall at medyo chubby ako, ano po ba ang magandang fashion ngayon para sa shorts dahil laging shorts ang suot ko tuwing aalis ng bahay at ano po ang mababagay na sapatos at damit. Mag bigay ka ng magandang store sa SM at bigay ka ng fashion tips para sakin.

Thank you and God bless you.

love lots
Kath

Dear Kath,

Oh hey kid. Hehe.

The tops/blouses appropriate for shorts depend on the shorts’ length, prints and style. You should be collecting different kinds of short pants so you have a variety of options. For example, if you wear knee-length shorts, a casual shirt fits better than a dainty looking blouse. On the other hand, if you prefer a girly outfit, most chic blouses look better on mini shorts unless you wear the high-waist style.

Plaid Shorts
Match it with a loose casual top for a laid back look. This fashion is suggested if you just want to stroll in the mall, play sports or tamang chillax lang with barkada (lol. wattaterm). For shoes, match it up with slip on sneakers or the friendly flip flops.

Mini Shorts
A safe fashion because any type of top/blouse will do. Just be careful with how you pick colors and prints so there won’t be too much going on. To look fashionable with mini shorts, I advise Hem Vest style, off shoulder or a ruffled blouse then wear the latest ankle cuff sandals.

High Waist
Just like the mini shorts, you can wear any blouse with the high waist cut depending on your figure. With your shape, I recommend a butterfly sleeved blouse then tuck it in on the upper waist part to emphasize the shorts’ style. You can pair it with ankle cuffed heels or ankle boots if you’re comfortable with high heels.

Regarding the stores, mid tier brands like People are People, F&H and BAYO sells good pieces especially the latest style of tops. Save on your preferred shorts and foot wear because they’re always available in department stores in cheaper price.

That’s it, these are just basics. :)

Love Lots,

Leyn

Hair Care Conditioner

November 18, 2009 – 4:26 pm
Filed under beauty & wellness

hi Leyn,

I just came across your site while googling. Naghahanap kasi ako ng okay na conditioner for a daily commuter like me. I ride the tricycle, fx and jeep everyday kasi going to work. Ung fx ok lang kasi aircon pero ung tric & jeepney ride nag aamoy usok ung hair ko.  =(  I tried ung hair refresher sa Bench but I didn’t like the smell e. Gusto ko ung long lasting scent na conditioner na medyo fruity ang smell. Can u recommend anything? Thanks2x!

Cheppy

Dear Cheppy,

I asked some reliable people about conditioners to at least attest with the products that will be mentioned. You might have already tried a lot of the common grocery brands like Palmolive, Rejoice, Sunsilk etc so I’ll no longer mention them one by one. The citrusy scent that you want to achieve will also come from the shampoo you use. Anyway, here are some conditioner brands you might want to try:

Pantene Glossy Shine

Talking about the common grocery brands, if you want a low maintenance and easy to find product, Pantene Glossy Conditioner is suggested.

The Body Shop Honey Moisturising Conditioner

A rich and deeply moisturising conditioner that helps put softness and shine back into dry, tired or damaged hair, leaving it feeling soft and more manageable. With regular use, it will help improve the condition of the hair.

Kiehl’s Olive Oil Nourising Conditioner

With Avocado Oil, Lemon Extract, and Olive Fruit Oil specially formulated for dehydrated, damaged hair.

St. Ives, Swiss Formula, Extra Shine Rasberry & Jojoba Conditioner

St. Ives combines raspberry extracts and vitamin rich jojoba in formulas for shinier healthier-looking hair. It will leave your hair feeling revitalized and full of shine.

Currently, I’m using Alberto VO5 Herbal Escapes Pomegranate & Grapeseed (citrusy) and Dove Moisturising Conditioner (musky) because these are the only available conditioners at home. I’m contented with their long-lasting scent and how they soften my hair so personally speaking, I also recommend these. But take in mind that just like lotions/soaps, shampoos and conditioners also have different effects on different hair types so you have to know the brand that suits you. :)

Love Lots,

Leyn

Smart Casual Men

November 12, 2009 – 6:22 pm
Filed under men's clothing

Dear Sosyalera,

Hi, first of all. I’m a fan. hehe

I would like to ask for a trend tip from you for this holiday season since we don’t have winter here in Phil. What style do Filipinos have this season?

Also, I recently read about you email sender about smart casual clothing tips. coincidentally I was wondering of the same thing so i allegedly read it, but no tips were found for men. that’s why I wrote.

I work for a business outsourcing company as a lead generation specialist. I lead a small group of 6 people but we’re just of the same age (some are even older than me). our dress code is smart casual, but i don’t want to look too simple and too corporate with my appearance. I usually gear up a shirt and a blazer/jacket or sometimes printed long sleeves on jeans these past few days. my personal style is on the rugged-vintage-punk-edgy side and I love to experiment with clothing styles and accessories(recently i bought a plum and cream stripes scarf).

I’m a 21yo guy, 5′8 and slim med. built body. I’d like to know more from your point of view.

Thanks and more power!!!

adrian

Dear adrian,

We all know that a couple of typhoons destructed our country so apparently, Christmas season for this year started quite late. People are still in the recovering process and most of us are trying to lessen our expenses but without neglecting the spirit of the season. Relating to fashion, people now settle for simple but elegant styles to avoid over spending. Nearly everyone’s trying to be practical and creative in re-using some old clothes. No worries because even on the latest runway reports, neutrals and simple pieces are worn together to form a fashion.

3/4 Shirts

I don’t see anything wrong with your typical outfit but your taste with colors, quality and combination judges it all. Start with collecting shirts with solid shades. Solid-colored Tops can be easily matched with other clothes like jackets, ties and scarf. If you don’t want to look too corporate nor casual, then you have to fold your long-sleeves in 3/4.

Jackets

I hope we can soon feel the cold Christmas breeze so we can use our fashionable coats and jackets. Blazers are okay even with jeans. But there are still other styles out there that surpass the casual look but don’t appear too formal like the Two-breasted style Coat.

Neck Ties

Thin Neck Ties are trendy. They look modern than the usual 3.75” wide ties. Also, make sure to pick the reversible design so can you have two prints in one tie.

Skinny Belts

Same with belts. Skinny width belts are in.

Shoes

Your shoes also carry the entire outfit so start collecting pairs with quality. Aside from the classic black leather, Boats Shoes are must-haves this season. You have to invest on seamless looking shoes. You’re no longer in college so quit the dirty type of sneakers.

Body Bags

Doctor bags are useful and spacious but if you’re not comfortable bringing one, spot for an over-sized Canvas Body Bag for everyday use. It will be good enough for your laptop, books and gym clothes without looking too metrosexual.

Accessories

Who says wearing jewelries and baubles are just for ladies? Men should also have their own set accessories. A silver or vintage watch plus white gold chain bracelet can add classiness to your simple clothing.

To sum it up, I’m just recommending neutral colors, simple pieces and materials that don’t easily get creases. These are just like my suggestions with the winter clothing I posted before, minus the thick fabric of course. Don’t combine clothing as if there’s too much going on. Avoid shirts/jackets with too many extra pockets. You can experiment but don’t exaggerate.

Thank you so much for reading my blog. More power din. Lol. :)

Love Lots,

Leyn

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