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

Quality vs. Quantity

Happy new year, lovely people! With the new year comes a new set of resolutions.  I prefer to call them "promises" to myself (somehow it has a nicer, more definite ring to it).  And one of these promises is that I will prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to shopping.

You see, I do have a lot of clothes and it's only lately that I've realized that throughout the years, I just bought and bought without any regard if they were investment pieces or made of good quality.  In other words, I bought for the short-term and not with the end goal of building a really great wardrobe. While I have some surprisingly classic investment pieces, it seemed that quantity, and not quality, was still the overarching theme of what I have.  And the same goes for my shoes, bags, sunglasses, makeup and accessories.  And now that we're growing up and with a new year, I guess it's the perfect time to make a change. 

(This realization has also been inspired by the article "Invest in Your Wardrobe" which I have reposted here.)

So here are my top picks/ classic must-haves for starting my year with this promise: 

1. The Oversized Gold Watch  

A gold men's watch is a big trend now (hello, arm parties!) but I also see it as a classic that will last for years. I decided to upgrade the cheap gold watch that I've been wearing to this chronograph watch from Michael Kors. It's not exactly Rolex or Cartier-expensive but it's not too cheap either. And just because I'm on the hunt for quality doesn't mean that I'm not watching out for opportunities to save.  So instead of buying this here in Manila, I asked my friend Alice to buy this for me in the States, which saved me more than 100%.

2. The Red Pants

As I've shared with you in this post, I've been on the hunt for red pants and  I thought I scored a good deal with the pants I found for P595.  It was only later on as I was wearing them that I realized that the fit wasn't that good, the stretch denim made the pants tend to fall down as I was walking, and the pockets were peeking out.  All in all, I wasn't too happy about them. So I decided to practice my "quality over quantity" principle and got myself a pair of colored denim pants from Zara. Although the color isn't as bright a red as the cheap ones I bought, I do love the coral red color of the Zara pair. It's nearly five times the price of the cheap pants but what I really paid for was the quality and the fit. 

3. The Black Ballet Flats

The search is over.  (Or at least until I finally get my hands on a pair of Repettos).  I have found my perfect pair of black ballerina flats with Topshop's Malachy3.  It's 100% leather
and I can't wait to wear this pair to death.

4.The Breton Shirt / The Striped Shirt

I have amassed quite a number of striped shirts, especially Breton shirts. Perhaps this is something where it's ok to go lean towards quantity instead of quality? Anyway, since is a classic that I see myself wearing for years, I upgraded from my usual department store and bazaar shirts and got myself a piece also from Zara. It's made from organic cotton, and feels very soft and comfortable.

5. The Bright Pink Lipstick

When I was a teenager, I read somewhere in Vogue that a girl only needs five lip colors. And one of them is a true pink color. That's true now, as it was in 1995. And for me, that true pink lipstick is none other than Nars Schiap. It has the perfect semi-matte formulation, doesn't feather, and is very long-lasting. I don't want to wear cheap lipsticks again!

6. The Aviators

There are only a few sunglasses that every girl must have, and one of them is a classic pair of aviators. And of course, for aviators, it has got to be nothing else but Ray-Ban.I chose mine in the uber-classic Arista lens with a gold frame in an updated size.  I love how the lens change color depending on the sun level.  I love how it makes me look classic but trendy at the same time. I know I will love this pair forever. 

I know I won't have an easy time staying away from my old habits when it comes to shopping.  After all, these habits have been with me for years. I guess I'll always be on the look out for good, bargain finds.  But now, I want to be more conscious of what I buy and how it fits in my wardrobe, in my room (which I keep forgetting is a finite space!), and in my life---whether they're cheap or expensive.  

I'm not saying that expensive items are necessarily better. But we can't deny that usually, those that are of good quality come at a price.  And I've also realized that most of the time, expensive stuff have a built-in "shopping chilling effect"---meaning, since I'm not paying dirt cheap prices for them, then I'd be more likely to consider if I really, really want/need them (instead of impulsively buying them just because they're super cheap). 

What about you---what are your promises/ resolutions for the new year (whether it comes to fashion or otherwise)? I hope we all get to fulfill them :) Cheers! 

Invest In Your Wardrobe

{Via}

I found this article very helpful and meaningful to me, especially in light of my promise to myself to prioritize quality over quantity when it comes to shopping. It was written in Fall 2008 but it's still as relevant as ever (in fact, four years on, one can still pick up a few tips from the wardrobe investment guide at the end of the article).  The prices may be relative (what is very cheap abroad may be high-end in the Third World) but the message is the same. Quality over quantity.

I hope it inspires you too.

Cheers!

*********************************************************************************

Invest In Your Wardrobe

The same way we've forgotten how to save our pennies, we've forgotten how to invest in our wardrobes. For the past decade and more, we've been on a reckless spend-o-rama, maxing out our credit cards with cheap, chic, disposable fast fashion.

But now -- with rising concerns about the economy, the environment and worker exploitation in developing countries, not to mention a season of temptingly timeless modern classics -- investment dressing is chic again.

Good thing, too. All those cheap Prada knock-offs were not only clogging up the landfills, they were overflowing the closets in our tiny condos, too.

The investment dressing trend is major news all over, according to everyone from the editors of fashion magazines to tastemakers like Holt Renfrew fashion director Barbara Atkin, to the designers themselves and right on up to politicians.

Just last week, England's House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee released a report that condemned cheap and chic insta-fashion, calling it "costly and socially unacceptable."

The report pointed out that clothes from retailers like Britain's uber-popular Primark and Top Shop are so cheap that there is no incentive to repair them, or even to hand them down or recycle them. And that, they say, is just wasteful.

Of course, the Brits aren't the only ones who have been revelling in a frenzy of cut-price poly blends. International chains like Spain's Zara and Sweden's H&M have conquered the retail world by not only knocking off designer duds minutes after they appear on the runway, but completely restocking their stores with brand new fashions every two weeks or so.

That's right: Where once there were two fashion cycles a year (spring and fall), now there are two a month. When clothes are this cheap, why not?

The thing is, when a dress costs only $20 or a pair of jeans is a mere $15, someone is paying full price for it, even if it isn't you.

That someone is typically a garment worker in a developing country like, say, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. There, millions of people -- most of them women and children -- work brutally long hours sewing clothes in squalid situations for less than $10 a week, which may be the legal minimum wage, but it's not exactly a livable one. That's all manufacturers can afford to pay, though, if they want to keep prices as low as customers demand.

The other way clothing companies keep costs down is to use cheap fabrics, typically energy-wasteful cotton or non-biodegradable synthetics. Producing these fabrics can create massive amounts of pollution -- especially in regions with lax environmental standards.

Admittedly, it can be easy to forget about conditions half a world away when you're looking at an adorable blouse that costs little more than your morning latte. To bring the harsh reality home, consider this: A closet crammed with cheap, disposable clothes is more expensive than a wardrobe of well-made, long-wearing classics.

It comes down to the cost-per-wear formula. Take the cost of your garment, divide it by the number of times you wear it and that's what its actual value is.

For instance, a $20 top you wear once has a $20 cost per wear. A $500 jacket you wear every week for a year has a $10 cost per wear. The better value? The $500 jacket. Besides, those inexpensive garments just don't last -- which is why, back in the day, fashion guidebooks always used to say that women on a budget can't afford to buy cheap clothes. That's definitely something to consider given the current economic meltdown.

Something else worth considering: One of the reasons we all fell for fast fashion in the first place was to express our personalities through our clothes. Ironically, all we've managed to accomplish is looking like everyone else out there.

We've also devalued the very designers and labels we've been ripping off.

Given all that, it should come as no surprise that there has been a backlash against all this gross over-consumption of clothing. Just as fast food inspired the slow food movement, so has fast fashion inspired a new "slow fashion" movement that encourages shoppers to buy locally produced, ethically made, high-quality clothing that will last more than one season.

In fact, that's how the world's most stylish women have always shopped.

French and Italian women don't buy a lot of fast fashion; instead, they are famous for having a few well-made basics that they update with well-chosen accessories. They look inside North American women's closets and wonder how on earth we manage to dress ourselves with so much junk. Men don't typically buy a lot of fast fashion either. Instead, they often expect to get a decade's wear out of a coat or suit, so it has to be top quality -- and that's why menswear stores offer expensive, beautifully made clothes and complimentary tailoring.

Meanwhile, we women have been dressing ourselves in nasty, flimsy, scratchy, badly made and ill-fitting clothes, all for the sake of being on top of a trend that lasts about two minutes.

Sure, we want to have fun with fashion, and fast fashion can definitely be fun. And it's great for teens, who are still trying on new styles to learn what suits them best and have small allowances to pay for it in any case. But for the rest of us, shouldn't we know better by now? Shouldn't fashion be a bit more luxurious than this? Shouldn't it make us feel good? Shouldn't it be, well, nicer?

Luckily for all of us, this fall is all about beautiful, modern, updated classics, the kind of clothes you'll want to wear for a good, long time. Atkin calls it "stealth wealth," clothing that is elegant and carefully crafted, but doesn't shout its pedigree with all-over logos and bling.

And yes, it can be expensive, but maybe it's time to bring back another outmoded concept: the idea of actually saving up to buy something special instead of racking up more debt on a whim.

This is a great season to begin investing in your wardrobe again. It's a great season to invest in the building blocks of a timeless wardrobe, in luxurious fabrics, beautiful colours and flattering fits. It's a great season to invest in creating your own unique style, and not following the same trends everyone else is.

It is, in short, a great season to invest in you.


YOUR FALL 2008 INVESTMENT GUIDE
This is a great fall to shop for wonderful clothes that should last a coupleof seasons at least. But before you whip out the credit card, remember, notevery piece out there is worth the big bucks. Some garments are merely fadsthat will last a season. Other styles are so outrageously new it's too soon totell if they are going to have lasting power. Here are 10 Fall 2008 piecesworth investing in and 10 trends you might be better off skimping on.

INVEST IN:
A fabulous, slightly crazy signature piece
A great couture coat
A pencil skirt
A beautiful blouse
A classic shift dress
A well-made, perfectly cut, straight-legged slouchy trouser
Anything in charcoal grey
An oxford or loafer-style pump
A structured leather handbag
A great piece of costume jewelry

SKIMP ON:
A nutty new trend you're not sure about
A fun, colourful faux fur jacket
A flared miniskirt
A crafty knit sweater
A boho floral frock
An MC Hammer-esque trouser (baggy, tapered, cropped)
Anything in teal
Fringed suede booties
A novelty handbag in neon brights