How to Wear the Summer's Bright on Bright ColorblockingTrend

I know, I know, the official weather bureau had already declared that summer is officially over :( Boohoo! But living in such a place as Manila, somehow, I still believe that the Philippines is really the land of eternal summer, interspersed with some rainy and stormy days every now and then. And it just took today's hot and humid weather to vindicate my belief that, yes, the heat is still here even if the rainy season has officially "started".

Yellow Chill sweetheart neckline tube dress
Fuchsia pink bazaar cardigan
Baby blue SM Department Store belt
Red 168 Mall sling/shoulder bag
H & M bangle set
Gucci sunnies
Charles & Keith peep toe heels

And so I share with you some of what I wore this summer, focusing on the colorblocking/ "bright on bright" trend. Once in a while, I ask one of my closest friends who's immersed in the fashion industry what's the "it" trend and she mentioned just one thing to me. "Bright on bright". Here are some of my tips on how to wear this trend.

1. Work with what you already have. This is my first and most important tip. Well, important for me because I've vowed to maximize the items I already have in my closet. But if working on your existing pieces will also save you money AND make you up to date, isn't that a really good thing? :) This trend is not about patterns nor about textures but about colors. So unless your wardrobe is mostly black and neutrals, I'm pretty sure you already have existing pieces that you can tap for this trend. Think bright, solid colors. And yes, you can even bring out your neons too :)

Everything that you see in these outfit posts were items I shopped from my closet (and this top was even raided from my aunt's) :)

2. Go full-on bright on bright. And be happy! I read somewhere once that when you're feeling down, wear a solid, bright color and it will instantly lift your mood. I've deliberately done this on sad days and I can really swear this tip works! :)

I've also been lucky enough to have been able to work in a firm which didn't really have a very strict dress code, which one would stereotypically associate with a law firm. Yes, I'm a lawyer and I wore these outfits to work and I got nothing but compliments for wearing such happy colors. A welcome alternative to the classic black, certainly and quite right for the summer :) (Although I made sure I didn't have client meetings when I wore these outfits :)).

3. Pair a bright skirt and a bright top. Or a bright dress with a bright cardigan. And add a third bright color with a belt. And if you dare (like me!), add another pop of color with a bright bag:)

My tip is to stick to bright colors that don't clash---but I won't be able to tell you which colors will clash with what colors because it will all depend on the shades and the overall look. So I just say, trust your color instincts (and if you don't have one, well, practice!) The color possibilities are endless. I have even paired blue, red, and white (although I've been good-naturedly ribbed for wearing the colors of the Philippine flag).

Here, i even wore four colors :) Blue, yellow, pink, and green :)

And I even wore bright accessories too :)

4. If you want to edit the brightness, then go neutral with your accessories. Go bright with your clothes, then tone it down with neutral bags and shoes. And please remember, this is not the era of your grandmother where your bag has to exactly match your shoes! I paired my bright ensemble with nude peep toes and a black structured bag.

Lemon yellow Kamiseta ruffled blouse
Hot pink high waist Landmark pencil skirt
Green Celine belt
Black Longchamp leather bag
Prima Donna nude peep toe heels
Accessories from everywhere

When everything else is bright, keep the accessories neutral

With H&M bangles

5. If you're not color brave enough to go all out bright on bright, then colorblock with small pieces. If you think that the bright colorblocking trend is too much for your palette or for your work environment, then you can start small by colorblocking items such as your bag and your shoes and/or accessories such as your belt :) Or pair a bright, solid scarf with a belt or a bag. Try two colors first then gradually move on to three colors in each outfit.

6. Wear this trend all year. This trend is perfect not just for the summer. Won't you want to wear happy colors when the rain is pouring too? :)

As in all things related to fashion, just have fun and play with it :) And summer may be officially over but I know that its colors and the joy it brings to my spirit will never fade. :) Wishing you all all the brightness and happiness of summer all year through! Cheers! :)

Afternoon Tea at the Makati Shangri-La

Inspired by blog posts on afternoon tea which I am devouring for purposes of a trip I'm planning to go on this year, I am now reminiscing on my most recent afternoon tea in our very own Makati Shangri-La.

One Sunday afternoon in February,  I attended a wedding of my college friend. Since the wedding finished unusually early (around 2 pm), we decided to proceed to Makati Shangri-La (the reception venue) and just spend the rest of the day having afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge (which turned out to be a really good choice since the lauriat reception dinner started past 8 pm already).

I simply love the grandness of Makati Shang's Lobby Lounge. I love how the afternoon light streams in from the floor to infinity windows. Certainly one of my favorite places in Manila. One afternoon to escape the hectic pace of the city. This is a place to relax and certainly, to indulge ourselves.

And the wonderful ambiance was only enhanced by a violin and piano ensemble. Our afternoon tea was only becoming lovelier :)

Makati Shangri-La has several tea set choices for afternoon tea: Shangri-La (P650), Filipino (P530), and Classic (P530). Each selection of afternoon teas comes with your choice of Ronnefeldt tea or Lavazza Coffee. They have such a wide selection of teas that it's quite hard to choose.

We ordered the Shangri-La and the Filipino tea set. For my tea, I ordered Caribbean Summer, a fruit infusion, mainly because I like the name :) My companion had classic Earl Grey, taken with milk of course.

Here's what the menu says the the Shangri-La set included: foie gras creme brulee, roasted bell pepper dip with garlic and olive focaccia chips, roasted vegetable quiche with olive tapenade, lobster and saffron mayonnaise on wakame ciabatta, signature sandwich: onion jam, lettuce, smoked turkey, tomato, avocado, and brie on sunflower brown bed. Then for the sweets, it had broken lemon meringue pie, white chocolate and wasabi panna cotta with mango relish, sparkling sacher lollipop, and green tea and strawberry tiramisu. And here's what it looked like. All I can remember is that they were all yummy! :)

And while afternoon tea is not traditionally Filipino, we Pinoys can proudly say that we have mastered the art of merienda ("afternoon snack") and I love how our very Filipino delicacies and traditions have been wonderfully blended in with the very British tradition of afternoon tea :)

The Filipino set has bibingka (sweet rice cake), beef kaldereta empanada (beef stew pie), vegetable okoy (fritters), pan de leche with chicken adobo spread, calamanis tartlet, young coconut salad, rice paste roll, and leche flan. The bibingka was certainly traditional and nostalgic-yummy :)

And of course, the tea was served in gorgeous and authentic bone china. I have been dreaming of having a real tea set of my own and these pictures remind me once again that I want one, whether a new set or a vintage find :)

Having tea at the Makati Shangri-La's Lobby Lounge is certainly one of the loveliest ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. Cheers! :)

Outfit Post
T & M nude asymmetrical dress
Patricia Fernandez handmade bib necklace
Vintage clutch
Charles & Keith leopard print heels

Afternoon Tea at the Makati Shangri-La Lobby Lounge
Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue, Makati City
Prices are exclusive of service charge and other government taxes.
For restaurant inquiries and reservations, please call the Restaurant Reservations and Information Centre at 840 0884
Dress Code: Smart Casual

Lookbook: Everything is Black and White

I wore this on the day I finally decided to take myself on a new chapter. And on such days, how fitting to make things simple, clearly delineating between two opposites. And this is true even with fashion, which is simply a reflection of our daily moods and even our life's stages. Black and white. The past and the future. The known and the unknown. What is familiar and what is new. What is stable and what is exciting. In truth, rarely are things ever so simple. But on this day, I hoped that the clarity with which we can express ourselves through fashion be somehow translated into the weightier choices we make for our careers and our lives :)

Black and white polka dot made to order tie top halter blouse
White Theme linen jacket
White SM Classics pencil skirt
Black Michel Rene belt
Random black patent peep toe heels
Louis Vuitton Montorgueil GM
Gucci shades

*Pictures taken with a Sony Cybershot TX1.

Happy Lemon in Manila!

This summer, we have another tea shop obsession---Happy Lemon! And where else will it open in Manila but in the heart of the tea-drinking Chinese Filipino population---Greenhills (in Promenade, to be exact).

Happy Lemon started in 2006 in Hong Kong and now has over 100 outlets all over Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and now, the Philippines. It was brought into the country by a Chinese-Filipino group who's been friends since their grade school days in Xavier School (hmm, why am I not surprised?). The group is composed of Kelvin Gaisano, Kristine Gaisano, Andy See, Wesley Pardilla, and Edward Go and Chris Tiu, the famous basketball player and TV host. Read more about how they brought Happy Lemon to Manila here.

The Happy Lemon branch in Manila is actually not your usual tea shop. For one, it's located in Promenade in Greenhills, which is a more commercial area and with higher foot traffic, and also the center of shopping and dining in San Juan. Compared to the other tea shops which I have already blogged about, I think Happy Lemon is the most conveniently located. Also, what sets Happy Lemon apart are their drinks with rock salt and cheese. Yes, you read that right. And yes, I'm sure you haven't had this combination in any drink before, making Happy Lemon quite unique. I must say, if you don't like it the first time you try it, you'll soon grow a taste for it. And I know because A. and I have been going back for more.

Aside from the Rock Salt Cheese series, they also have a wide range of drinks such as the Lemon Series, Milk Tea, Mousse Spin (they have a Lemon Yakult drink), Blueberry, Cocoa & Coffee, Fresh Tea, and other specialty drinks. Since the first time we went to Happy Lemon in mid-April, we've gone back countless of times and tried out so many kinds of drinks already! Lucky for us, Greenhills is just near our houses :) The price of each large drink averages from P85-P95. Better get the large size since the serving is not that big as other tea shops.

The first night we were there, there were so many people hanging out inside and outside Happy Lemon. And I noticed that the crowd which hanged out was considerably younger. And each time we went back, the place was consistently packed (especially in the afternoons and evenings) so much so that it now takes us more than 10-15 minutes to get our drinks. But they do have a friendly staff, and will gladly answer your questions on what drinks to order if you're overwhelmed with the choices (and they always remind you how to properly drink the rock salt cheese drinks) :)

I think among all the tea shops I've tried out so far, Happy Lemon's drinks have the most unique and discernible taste. Perhaps it's because the tea flavor in their drinks are stronger and of course, their rock salt and cheese series is a must try, even just once! :) Oh, and if you're ordering the usual milk tea drink, be sure to get it in 100% sweetness as you practically won't taste the sugar if it's just at 50%. We love their Milk Tea with Pudding drink too :)

Happy Lemon is certainly a welcome addition to the tea shop scene in Manila. :) And I'm looking out if these tea shops will give real competition to popular coffee establishments in the long run. Incidentally, Happy Lemon is s located right next to Starbucks Promenade and I must say, (well at least insofar as this branch is concerned), Happy Lemon is giving Starbucks a run for its money. And I love Happy Lemon's slogan too :) How can one go wrong with that? Cheers! :)

Happy Lemon
Ground Floor, Promenade
Greenhills Shopping Center
Greenhills, San Juan