First Exhibit Ever

Hey everyone! Just a quick post, yesterday I went to the exhibit I talked about in the previous post.  This is my first time to have my photo exhibited, so it's quite a milestone for me. What's more, the one who contacted us for this exhibit said they're thinking of putting the photos in a coffee table book. I'm so excited :)

Have a great day ahead!

I Love Taguig!

Its been a month since I last blogged. Wow. Last night I was talking to some photography people and the conversation drifted to blogging. They all seemed proud of their blogs, while I didn't even want to mention mine. I am such a bad blogger. Why haven't I blogged for the whole month? I don't know. I was trying to think of what to blog about and thought of sharing some of the things I've been busy with this past month. I was recently invited by the city government of Taguig to be part of a team to shoot certain landmarks as part of their new campaign called "I Love Taguig". Taguig is relatively the new concrete jungle in the making here in Metro Manila, next to Makati and Ortigas, and the new mayor is looking for ways to further promote the city. I worked for a short while in Taguig before and was surprised to find that there was actually more culture there than just the office buildings most of us usually associate with the name of the city. Here are some shots I took of Taguig:

Since this post had nothing to do with fashion, and this blog is trying to be a bit more about fashion, I took some photos of kids skateboarding at night in the parking lot and kind of liked the effect.  It looks like it can be used for a local jean brand.

Have a great day everyone!

Highlights: Lyle Ibanez at the Philippine Fashion Week

Some photos I got from the Lyle Ibanez show:

What I liked about this show is the androgyne of the men's clothes. I can totally see myself wearing these cowl necks and glitter shorts.

Highlights: Freego at the Philippine Fashion Week

Here are some photos I took from the Freego show:  

 Every year my cousins and I go and support this jean brand and Wrangler by watching their shows.  I like this year's show better than last year, but I wasn't able to catch the whole thing because I was late.  Not being biased here but I actually believe Freego jeans are really rational for your denim needs. They have a good selection of jean variety to choose from, and the price is ok for their quality.

Black and Gold Stripes

The other day me and my brother coincidentally wore an outfit that looked so similar to each other I couldn't help but take a photo of it.  We both wore a black and gold striped tee with dark jeans, and we looked like crazy adult twins dressed up by obsessive compulsive parents who always want things to match.

Yesterday I met with an editor at a new magazine, it isn't final yet, but we might tie up for a shoot.  I hope it pushes through.  I saw the maiden issue of the mag and I liked it, though it's 80% catalogue and just 20% editorial. I think the people working there were nice too, so I really hope it pushes through.
Right now the country is expecting to be hit by another typhoon. It's already raining outside, and though I should be worried about the calamity, my mood is great.  I'm beginning to think I like rain more than the sun these days. 
Keep warm, or cool, wherever you are!

FAB Bazaar

I went to a fashion and accessories bazaar yesterday in the World Trade Center, or the FAB bazaar.  I ended up spending approximately three hours walking around, and later realized that I didn't spend anything for myself (except for some ferero rocher gelato and parking).  I was hoping to find accessories for myself, instead I went home with my hands full of packages for Christmas gifts for my sisters.  Quite too early for Christmas shopping, no?  In Manila I think it's never too early.  As early as September a lot of people are already preparing for the holidays.  I can even hear the church near us playing Christmas songs through their organ right at this moment.

Anyway, I recommend you to visit the FAB Bazaar, if you can.  They're staying until today, October 10, and they open at noon and close at ten.

Here are some designs from students of the Fashion Institute of the Philippines:

 It's a very lazy Sunday morning here in Manila, and I plan to get back to bed right after I post this. Good night! :)

October October

It's already October, and there are so many things I'm looking forward to this month.  First, there's halloween, then there's Philippine Fashion Week, and then there's this photog contest with Manila Bulletin. I was looking for something to wear to this year's halloween and I saw this Aladdin like vest in our ataul, which I realized I could still use when paired with more basic stuff, so I won't look like I'm already trick or treatin'.

Halloween is such a kiddie thing but I always find myself wearing some weird costume on that day.  Two years ago I went as a nun, and last year I was a boring witch.  I'm still thinking of what costume I will be in this year.

Have a great week ahead!

Papemelroti Vintage

I passed by the train station yesterday and noticed that a man I regularly see hanging around there was no longer there.  He's about sixty, with salt and pepper hair and always sitting on the stairs with his backpack.  I was a regular user of the train during my student days, and had the weird belief that my days were somewhat better when I spotted him in the mornings.  He wasn't like the other beggars, he looked cleaner, or rather fairer, and he was always smiling, which drew me to giving him whatever food or few changes I had with me.  I'm not even sure if he was a beggar, but he never refused anything I gave him.  Anyway, I pondered on my memory of the old man for a while yesterday and ended up with no conclusion as to where he may be now.   

I was only planning to blog about a blazer I got from Papemelroti Vintage, and instead bombarded your screen with blabs about my random thoughts. Back to the jacket, I stumbled upon Papemelroti Vintage earlier this month. It's a store along A. Roces Avenue (right above the Chocolate Kiss Cafe) and they sell vintage stuff which according to the store keeper used to belong to the Papemelroti sisters.  Papemelroti is a brand here that's known for selling stationery and other paper products, they've got stores in almost all SM malls, and I was surprised to find out about this different store.  Do drop by if you're ever around the north area. They're very near Tomas Morato. 

I saw this blazer and really liked the buttons.  It's by a brand called Nipon Boutique, which according to my research is a line that no longer operates.  This info just adds to my impression of this jacket being very vintage. Love it.  :)
Til my next post,
Jane

For the Love of Shorts

Love love love how these ladies make these shorts look so chic.  These are just some of my faves from the recently concluded NY and London fashion week.

How about you? What were your favorite looks?

(source: thesartorialist and fashiongonerogue)

It's Always a Weekend

Just this past Saturday, I decided to bring out my very vintage Bruno Magli ostrich leather bag with me.  It used to be mom's, but when one of my sisters volunteered to clean up mom's closet she decided to take it.  When it wasn't "in" anymore she got bored with it and now it's mine.  Fashion comes, fashion goes. I'm always the basket for hand-me-downs... but I'm not complaining.

I'm surprised it's still in very good condition even after all these years.

 I've noticed that many of my posts start with "this weekend..." Anyway, this weekend my brother and his friends planned to surprise Tim and Mary, my brother's friends who are both celebrating their birthdays soon, under the guise of a Mooncake party (complete with moon cakes and dice bowl games.)  Tim was the guy we took photos of with the graffiti wall, and Mary is kind of like my brother's best girl friend.  They all belong in the same group. They've been friends forever.
To make it seem more special, my brother decided to bake up a bunch of cupcakes, which I ended up doing more of since we both know I can't leave him in the kitchen.  He can be a havoc sometimes.

We even put up chinese lanterns outside to add some chinese flavor, since the Mooncake festival is a very traditional Chinese thing...

Good food and company always makes me wish that weekends never end. Now we have to get back to work.

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Back to Work

Yipee! Okay, I know this isn't like winning a photo contest or anything, but a photo I submitted to BBC has been chosen to be part of their photoblog.  Check out the link here. 

I took this photo over a year ago, when me and my friends were taking a class on photography.  I wasn't able to use the photo then, but now I'm glad I didn't delete it.

It's just another manic Monday, but I hope everyone will have a great week ahead! -Jane

Sunny Mornings, Rainy Evenings

My weather channel lately has been very predictable, though it's sunny in the morning, we can always expect downpours in the evening.  I recall days when I was still studying and rainy nights were so often, that I feel so drained and fall asleep as soon as I hit my bed without even looking at homework.  Now I'm experiencing it again, except this time I'm not coming home from school. 
What's bad is traffic can be a real horror when it rains here.  There's always a problem with the drainage system (which has never been fixed properly, nor will ever be in the near future), that scares the hell out of me when we're driving. Sometimes I feel like the water can almost get into the car, and that bugs me because I don't know anything about fixing cars and that might leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere.  Anyway, because of this, an hour or so of my time ends up being eaten much while in traffic every night.   My apologies for not being able to blog lately.. I've also been doing someone's website during my free time, and I'm really glad that person liked it.
On an entirely different note, I saw an article in the paper yesterday about Bekimon, the youtube star, and I can't stop laughing. If you're Filipino and love bonggang humor, you should watch this -  Bekimon's video

Have a great weekend!

Sabado Night

Just a quick post of what I wore last Saturday night:

In fairness I really like the effect of this photo, though the way the light touches the face is very..."Are You Afraid of the Dark"-ish. 

Happy Monday morning to everyone!

Waka Waka Dream

A few weeks ago I had a dream conversation with some friends. We were wondering why dreams can be so weird, some dreams are understandable, while some completely make no sense.  Some seem lifelike, while others just really boggle your mind. Sometimes I've had dreams that have no words, like a silent movie that has no meaning. Isn't it crazy how our subconscious can tell us things through our dreams?
Do you dream in black and white or in color?

Channeling 90's Vibe

Jane tries to channel a bit of the 90s:

Born just a year before the 90's, I was too young to experience the shoulder pad era.  Not that this shirt has shoulder pads, but it looks like it belongs in the same category.  I was sorting through mom's things (which I love to do) while she's away on vacation and found some stuff that I could still actually wear, with the help of some accesories.  

Elle and Sedaris

I had no idea one could find a great book at a bargain in National Bookstore. Among the piles of over-commercialized self help books and teenage vampire novels, I found this Elle Style of the 1980's book, at 75% off. It was lost underneath the pile, practically almost on the floor, that I wouldn't have seen it if I were in a hurry. When I saw it, I almost gasped. I felt like it was waiting for me.

The 80's has contibuted so much to what we know is fashion today.  It was a decade of individualism and extremes, and this book filled with photos covered much of who were in the frontline of fashion design then, such as Azzedine Alaia, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix, and of course, Karl Lagerfeld.    

Aside from this Elle book, I also got a copy of David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice.  Amazing book. His humor got me literally rolling on the floor laughing. I finished the book in just one sitting.  I found out about him when he came here to do a book signing.  Check out his works if you've got time.

I'm off to work for now, til later, tata!

The Owl

Meet my newfound friend, the owl.

Lately I've been feeling a lot like an owl myself.  I'm having trouble sleeping, and I'm not sure if it's because of stress or the lack of it...and no, I haven't been drinking caffeine either.  Sometimes I wake up early in the morning, way before my alarm, then I have trouble getting back to sleep. Does that happen to you? And does it bother you?

On a different note, I just saw in the news that one of my favorite comedians, Neil Patrick Harris, or Barney in How I Met your Mother,  is having twins with his partner David Burtka.  Isn't that amazing?