50 for 50 Project: Week 3

I just finished Week 3 of my 50 for 50 PROJECT! As the weeks go by, I must admit that it's getting harder to come up with outfits from just the 50 pieces of clothes that I've set aside for this project.  However, notwithstanding that, I'm surprised that there are still pieces that I haven't even worn once, while there are some that I keep on going back to.

50 for 50 Project: Week 2

For the second week of my 50 for 50 Project, my pencil skirts have proven to be one of my closet's top staples. Time and again, they are simply reliable and possibly the best thing either for formal or casual work wear, and can even be relaxed for the weekend.

 
 #7. Work Outfit

SM Classics white button-down shirt

Studio fuchsia silk pencil skirt

Thrifted denim motorcycle jacket

Strappy black heels from bazaar
Studded belt from SM Department Store 

Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell, Revisited

After a year of wearing bangs, it's time for a hair update. And where else will I go but to Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell, and to get a cut from Mr. Alex Carbonell himself.  As you've read here, I went to Alex about a year ago to get bangs.  Now it's time for a revisit.

As usual, I was welcomed by attentive and courteous staff at the reception/waiting area. I booked two days in advance and I like that they even texted to remind me a day before to confirm my appointment. This practice also reminds clients, just in case they forgot about the exact time of their appointments. 

I told Alex that I wanted to grow out my bangs and get some long layers.  I readily confessed to him that  over the year, I went to stylists from Fix Lab and Fix salons (also Studio Fix's sister salons) which were conveniently nearer to me and since I only had my bangs trimmed. In my last trim, I got full bangs, which you can see in this picture from October. 

However, the full bangs became problematic now that I'm growing them out.  It seemed like all the volume was on the top of my head.  Also, I badly, badly wanted to have my hair colored professionally. The last time I did so was years ago and it was just a full color job, with no highlights.  Since then, I just had my hair colored DIY from a box. The only advantage of having hair colored that way is that it's super cheap.  Now that my colored hair has grown out, I hated the brassy coppery color along the ends and of course, the roots growing back.

Here's a picture taken of me on the day of my cut with Alex, with misshapen bangs and hair color which badly needed correcting.

For a Wednesday afternoon, I was surprised to find that there were a lot of clients in Studio Fix---a testament to Alex Carbonell's growing loyal clientele and to how much Studio Fix has grown in just a short time. The first time I've had my cut there two years ago, it seemed like it was the only establishment open on the 4th floor.  Here's another "before" photo:

I love Studio Fix's attention to details like plastic covers for the clients' bags

Then Alex cut my hair.  As always, he worked his magic with just a few snips here and there. Case in point, my problematic growing-out bangs. I think he just made about two snips to my bangs and yet, those two strokes made all the difference. The thick volume was instantly gone and right away, I had more manageable bangs that I know would transition effortlessly as I grow them out. 

Then we came to hair color, where Alex once again proved why he's one of the best, if not the best, hair expert in town.  I told him I want something "drastic"---meaning I want a bold, blonde-ish color. Ash blonde. I could only articulate what I wanted using key words.  But it seemed like he knew right away what I was talking about. He said something about J.Lo's hair. I haven't watched American Idol in ages so I had no idea what he was talking about. So I just told him I trusted him.  Then he wrote up an order form for my hair color and turned me over to his assistant, Ellie, who performed the coloring at Alex's precise directions. 

Ellie instantly recognized me from my blog post on Studio Fix, which I really felt happy about.  It's true, "Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell" is one of the top search terms on this blog! :)

Chatting up Ellie as he worked on my hair, I instantly got the sense that he was very experienced and well-trained---an impression which I get from all of Studio Fix's staff, from the girls in reception to the assistants washing our hair.

Ellie executed hair color instructions from Alex which seemed so complicated that I won't even pretend I understand it.  It was a combination of highlights and full color, placed at precise areas and with varying amounts, which I found quite novel since it was actually the first time I had my hair foil highlighted.

I came in at 1:30 in the afternoon and all the highlighting and coloring were done by 5:30.  From the the three hours of sitting, I was able to learn many things from Ellie---like the fact that Studio Fix color their clients' hair using the Schwarzkopf brand (and with no ammonia at that) and the fact even visiting international hairstylists have marveled at the "pyramid" technique that they use for highlighting and coloring. Also, Alex suits a color job not only to each client's preferences but also to her skin tone, which makes the hair color and highlights unique and matched to each client.

After waiting for the designated time for the color to work into my hair, I also got the most amazing head massage ever while my hair was being shampooed and conditioned, something that I also remarked on the last time I was there. In the end, the 3 hours of sitting was all worth it when I saw how the color came out after it was blow-dried. It was EXACTLY the shade I wanted and it was amazing how they came up with it knowing that they used a mix of different shades and textures.

.

Once again, Alex Carbonell has worked his magic. Alex told me that I haven't left the salon yet and there was already another client asking for bangs similar to mine! Before I left, I had my hair styled with a curling iron (mainly because I wanted to see how I would look like if I have my hair permed).

 

Then of course, my real test of a good haircut (and now, also good hair color) is how it looks like the the day after, when I've already shampooed and styled it myself: 

Since it was the first time I had my hair highlighted in a salon, I thought I would be charged both for the highlights and hair color---so I was expecting to pay upwards of P5,000 plus Alex's haircut fee of P1,200. So I was super pleasantly surprised to learn that my total charge was only P2,350, which is the fee for full color for medium length hair---and because Alex waived the haircut fee!

Another quick note on having hair color done professionally.  I had this notion that having highlights and color done in salons is super expensive, especially for a salon of Studio Fix's level.  In fact, I first thought of just having my cut in Studio Fix then just having the color done in a Fix salon, which has cheaper prices for color services.

But after having my hair colored and highlighted in Studio Fix, I thought that I got really great value for money. For the amount I paid, I got exactly the great hair color I wanted in the shade that's perfect for my skin tone, with each and every strand meticulously colored/highlighted, and had an amazing head massage to boot---and all at the expert hands of Alex Carbonell and his well-experienced colorists and assistants.

Oh and to preserve the job on my newly-colored hair, I'm now using Pureology shampoo (P1095,  available in Studio Fix, Fix Lab, and Fix salons). It has anti-fade ingredients but what interests me is that it has no sulfate (a chemical that's harmful for the scalp and found in most commercial shampoos).

Lastly, I don't know if I was given the free haircut because of my blog post but nonetheless, super thank you to Studio Fix! For my readers, I don't have anything to disclose---my only relationship to Studio Fix is that I'm a client and I gave good, raving reviews only because I was really, really satisfied with the level of service that I received. At the end of the day, I'm just happy to share with you how happy I am with my cut and with my hair color and I know I will be back for touch ups and other services.

Here's a picture of Studio Fix's services, which I took because I know so many are asking (please click to enlarge):

Stay Fabulous! Cheers! 

My other posts on Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell:
Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell and A Hair Story

Color & Hair Treatments at Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell

Studio Fix by Alex Carbonell 
Level 4, Greenbelt 5
Makati City
Telephone: 632-5013062 and 632-5013064

Sunset Goddess Manila

Hi!

Welcome to the new Sunset Goddess Manila, my lifestyle blog. As I've mentioned in this post, I've decided to maintain two blogs separately for travel and lifestyle. My original blog is now Sunset Goddess Travels, without all the non-travel posts. On the other hand, this lifestyle blog retained the name Sunset Goddess Manila, where I've migrated all my non-travel posts.  Does that sound confusing? Well, just bookmark both URLs of my blogs! :)

While I was able to export the non-travel posts including the comments, unfortunately I wasn't able to migrate my existing followers as well.  So please update your subscriptions/ feeds, if any. And add up Sunset Goddess Manila again on Google Friend Connect, which you will find on the sidebar :)

For my travel blog (and for travel posts that you can't find here on Sunset Goddess Manila), please head on over to:

www.sunsetgoddesstravels.com

50 for 50 Project: Week 1

It's the first week of my 50 for 50 Project, and I must say that it's really so freeing to be limited to only 50 pieces of clothes.  When I first chose the pieces, it seemed like they were too few and I had a hard time narrowing down my closet to just 50.  But now, I'm just on my first week and I've realized that 50 is actually a lot and that I can even come up with 50 outfits without repeating some of the clothes. First week in and I think I've already gained enough courage to go full on and do the 30 for 30 remix by the time April/summer rolls in :)

#1. Wore this easy pairing for errands and a supermarket run. 
(You can't go wrong with a white shirt and denim cut-offs for the weekend!)

J. Crew white Tshirt

Random denim cut-offs 
Bag from bazaar
Sandals from bazaar
Ray-Ban aviators

#2. Gray and black Monday work outfit
Alexane little black dress

Apartment 8 light gray cardigan

Belts from SM Department Store

Blue bag from bazaar

Topshop ballet flats 
Ray-Ban aviators 

 #3. Coral & Black work outfit
Tomato coral top
NY Square black zippered skirt
Random black belt
Black bag from bazaar
SM Department Store wooden coral and turquoise necklace

Topshop ballet flats 
i2i sunnies 

#4. Red and White work outfit
Kamiseta white cotton top

SM Classics white pencil skirt
Alexane red blazer
Tomato belt

 SM Department Store ballet flats

Camel bag from bazaar

Forever 21 earrings 


#5. Casual Friday  
Embroidered peasant blouse
Levi's dark jeans
SM Department Store embellished flats 
Furla bag

 #6. White for the Weekend
Kamiseta white cotton top
Tomato white pants
Bayo blue satchel
Yellow flats from bazaar
Wire cuff from bazaar
Cotton On sunnies

50 for 50 Project: The Pieces

I've talked about my inspirations, now here are the pieces of my 50 for 50 PROJECT. For the next two months, my closet will be made up of only 50 pieces of clothing.  These 50 pieces incorporate elements of my wardrobe in general, as well as the colors I'm into right now: colorblocking brights, bow/tie-neck blouses, animal print, stripes, pencil skirts, and red/coral.

1. Thrifted sheer Victorian blouse, 2. SM Classics white button-down shirt, 3. Alexane bow tie blouse, 4. Gap denim chambray shirt, 5. SM Classics blue & white pinstripe shirt, 6. Navy blue button-down shirt, 7. H & M peplum blouse, 8. Embroidered peasant blouse, 9. Kamiseta white cotton top, 10. Blanc et Noir white lace blouse, 11. J.Crew white Tshirt, 12. Zara breton shirt, 13. Red & white striped shirt, 14. Black shell top, 15. Soiree sequined black top, 16. Black lace blouse, 17. Tango T & M poncho, 18. Tailor-made red blouse, 19. Tomato coral top, 20. Tomato turquoise top, 21. Apartment 8 light gray cardigan, 22. Cobalt blue cardigan, 23. Alexane little black dress, 24. Encore blush shift dress, 25. Carioca tiger print kimono

1. Zara black cropped jacket, 2. Alexane blue nautical jacket, 3. Atmosphere leopard print bolero, 4. Alexane red blazer, 5. Folio yellow blazer, 6. Forever 21 pink blazer, 7. Episode beige blazer, 8. Zara white boxy jacket, 9. Thrifted denim motorcycle jacket, 10. Tomato white pants, 11. Black leggings, 12. Zara red denim pants, 13. Levi's dark skinny jeans, 14. Bado zebra print skirt, 15. Redhead floral print tulip skirt, 16. NY Square black zippered skirt, 17. Soiree black faux leather skirt, 18. Studio fuchsia silk skirt, 19. SM Classics red pencil skirt, 20. SM Classics white pencil skirt, 21. Tomato lace circle skirt, 22. Bench plaid walking shorts, 23. White short shorts, 24. Denim cut-offs, 25. Banana Republic beige shorts

Cafe Publico

I made another resto discovery last week: Cafe Publico, which opened in Promenade, Greenhills just over the holidays.  When I saw the interiors of the restaurant, I was instantly taken in. It seems to be inspired by public squares in Italy (which I simply love), complete with a mini lionhead fountain and a sky-painted ceiling, bringing the look of the outside in.

50 for 50 Project: Inspirations

This weekend, I was once again inspired to do a closet makeover---and this time, I was looking for a permanent solution to the constant struggle that I wage with my closet.  As I've declared in my previous posts, I want to live the principle of quality over quantity when it comes to clothes and other material things in my life and to keep in mind the goal of investing in my wardrobe whenever I make purchases. 

Mainly this resolution was brought about by the following reasons: 
- I've realized that I'm so tired of fixing my closet almost every weekend because the clothes inside are already overflowing.  
-I'm so tired of racking my brains for what to wear for the workweek, even when I have a closets full of clothes.  Yes, closets.  I have a main closet in my room and several little closets and pieces of "wardrobe storage" placed all over our apartment and in storage areas in our apartment next door.  This means that I already have A LOT of clothes, and yet I don't get to maximize them since I don't get to see all of them and sometimes, even forget about the pieces that I already have.  
-And most of all, I'm so tired of constantly feeling that I need to buy new clothes, despite the fact that I already have lots of them.  

I've realized that the way I have built up my wardrobe is not a sustainable way of living ---not for my time, and definitely not for my money.


The 50 for 50 Project

Before my weekend closet project came around, I searched for several sources of inspiration. And I found something quite interesting: The 30 for 30 challenge of fashion blogger Kendi Everyday.  The challenge is simple:

1. Take 30 items in your closet.

2. Make 30 outfits. Remix the 30 items into 30 or more outfits.

I love the premise. I love her post on Less is More, and I feel that this challenge is really what wardrobe quality over quantity is all about, and I felt that this will really be a great tool for my goal of "shopping my closet" and making the most of what I already have.

So the weekend came along and I purged like a madwoman.  I found myself in the midst of a sea of clothes and I told myself, "I can't live like this anymore!". I'm happy to report that I purged my closet of more than 2 garbage bags-full of clothes---and that's from my main closet alone. I stored them and I've made a pact to myself that I will not let this this year end without me shipping out boxes of those clothes (and all other clothes wasting away in other closets) to the province, to be given out to people who need them more.  

I was on a high from getting rid of about a third of my clothes (not yet including dresses, which are stored in another closet) and yet, I felt that limiting myself to just 30 pieces was too drastic for me and I might have withdrawal symptoms. So what I'm going to do is to work with 50 pieces.  Thus, my very own 50 for 50 Project.  In Kendi Everyday's 30 for 30 remix, shoes are also included in the count but NOT bags and accessories.  I've decided I won't include shoes yet for this remix, as well as gym stuff and clothes for an upcoming beach trip. 
50 pieces for 50 outfits.  That's about eight weeks of workday clothes and weekend wear.  I've got to admit that at first, it was hard for me to narrow down my wardrobe for the next two months to just 50 pieces, considering that I was coming from closets full of clothes.  Then I realized that this was precisely the point---to work with a limited number of pieces, to be creative, and to realize that a well-edited wardrobe is the permanent fashion solution that I am looking for. 

Oh, another key aspect  is that there won't be any shopping for new clothes during the challenge.  The idea is that there is no need to shop for anything since the 50 pieces is all I need (well, at least for the next two months---if i achieve this, then it will be a milestone for me because I don't think I've ever gone a month without buying at least one item). 
I will feature the 50 pieces in a separate blog post and will give weekly updates of the outfit mixes.  As of the date of this post, I'm already on my second outfit.   One of my initial reactions is that it was simply so liberating to wake up on a Monday morning knowing that I only have a few pieces to choose from.  Yes, I have to work with a limitation but at the same time, I find it also so liberating. I hope that makes sense!


More Inspirations
My 50 for 50 Project (and the goal of building the Perfect Wardrobe) is inspired not just by Kendi's 30 for 30 remix challenge, but mainly by the following sources.  When you read them, you will understand why I've been so inspired: 

1. Dead Fleurette
I have found so much inspiration from this girl from Norway. We have different styles but her minimalist approach to building  the perfect wardrobe is something I'm aspiring for. She's inspired me to make minimalism and simplicity as the manner in which I want to invest in my wardrobe.  What I am striving for is minimalism ---yes, minimalism---even if my style is feminine, classic, or "maximalist"; I want simplicity to be the system by which I wear my clothes and purchase the items that will go into my closet.   Eventually, I want to pare down my closet only to clothes that I truly, truly love.

• {The Long Way to the Perfect Wardrobe Part 1 and Part 2}
• {On Minimalism}
• {Closet Organization}
• {Secret of French Girls by Ellen Wallace}

2. Assembled Hazardly {A Question of Finances}
3. Domestigeek {No New Clothes for 2012}
4. Manila Fashion Observer {The Art of Wardrobe Building} and  {The Art of Wardrobe Building Part II: Top Ten Essentials}
5. Reluctant Stylista {A Guide to Shopping for Investment Pieces}

Growing up, I thought that it was all about acquiring more and more.  As far as I can remember, I've always been a clotheshorse---in high school, I would save my allowance just to buy clothes.  In college and in law school, I avoided repeating outfits as much as I can and I've always wanted to be in tune with the latest fashion trends.  That means,  a lot of money spent on clothes.  What more when I became a lawyer and now have my own money at my disposal.  I don't think I will ever lose my love for clothes and fashion, but I've just realized that there has got to be a point when all the shopping for new clothes has got to stop---especially for trendy but cheap stuff. Also, it didn't help that I was in a job and workplace where the stress was so high that it was constantly used as the ever-dependable excuse to treat oneself to the reward of more shopping and acquiring stuff.  

I think that it's only at the moment the mindless acquisition of clothes stops (or bags or shoes or whatever) that the more important task of investing and building in a really great wardrobe can really begin.  

But I know that going through those acquisition-centric fashion phases were necessary steps for me to find what works for me and for me to really appreciate what it means to have personal style.

The goal of my 50 for 50 Project is not really to come up with a list of the top 50 (or 30 or 10) items that a girl should have in her closet.  That is something that is ultimately personal---if not the most subjective, sartorial decision that every girl has to make.  My take on building the perfect wardrobe is that it's a process---it's not something that can be rushed and finished as soon as one acquires the 1 to 10 or the A-Z of fashion items from a list or style book.  And more importantly, the process of building the perfect wardrobe and going through the 50 for 50 challenge are all tools to achieve, ultimately, the goal of great personal style.

I am a girl on a quest. Wish me luck! Or better yet, go on this style challenge with me :)



Images: Pinterest, blogger's own, Polyvore