OoTD and the Lawyer Attache



Tyler top (at 60% off!), Elle skirt (scored for only Php150), Dolce Vita pumps




Closer look at my top. I call it the "asymmetrical panuelo".

 My officemate brought along one of his Christmas gifts, a Samsonite leather attache case. We got such a kick out of it that we decided to play around with the attache case and took some modelling shots with it:

Here's how the briefcase looks like when open. My Pet Lawyer went along for the ride.

Looking silly. I think the attache case size will overpower shorter women.

Here's the attache case with the owner.

To the lawyers out there, do you still use an attache case? What brand do you use?

Thanks for stopping by!

Corporate Beauty: The 5-Minute Face

I'm not an expert on makeup. However, every once in a while, you will need to look presentable for meetings and hearings. Here are my tools for my 5-Minute Face:

MAC Charged Water Skin Hydrating Mist (cannot live without this!)

MAC Prep+Prime in Neutralize (alternate with BB cream)

Makeup For Ever Duo Mat (Good coverage)

Chanel Joues Contraste in Rose Petale (Nice glow and not candy pink)

MAC Eyebrow Pencil in Lingering (on the hunt for K-Palette eyebrow liner)

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Ebene (on the hunt for K-Palette eyeliner)

MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner in Petting Pink (or any other lip balm)

Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle (what Vanessa Paradis was wearing in her Chanel ads)

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in La Caline (the matte texture and neutral shade makes it more natural)

I mist my entire face with the MAC charged water and wait for it to settle. Afterwards, using my fingers, I pat on the MAC Prep+Prime in areas which need more coverage. Using a kabuki brush, I swirl the Makeup For Ever Duo Mat all over my face. To add some brightness to my face, I brush on a bit of the Chanel blush.

I fill up my brows with the MAC Pencil and line the upper part of my eyes with the Chanel eyeliner. Then, I dab some of the lip conditioner on my lips and use one of the lipsticks mentioned above.

Finally, I set the look with another spritz of the MAC charged water and the Makeup For Ever powder.

I know some may complain that there's a lot of steps involved. But with a little practice, you can achieve a clean everyday look that's not too "made up" and very appropriate for the office.

Thanks for stopping by and let me know what you use for your own "corporate face".

Corporate Outfit: Something Borrowed

The nice thing about having sisters is that you can, if you are lucky enough to share the same style and size, share clothes. My outfit revolved around this pretty skirt from Kamiseta, a local clothing brand, I borrowed from my younger sister:

The texture is really pretty in person and the skirt has a nice scalloped hem which gives the skirt more visual interest. I paired it with my own Wanko sheer blouse with a pretty detailed front:

And here's how the entire outfit comes together with my black Stella Luna heels.

I like how the entire outfit is very neutral but still very interesting.

Thanks for stopping by!

Apologies for the Long Break

So, uhm...I checked and the last time I posted on this blog was last October 2.

Where did the time go?!

Oh yeah, during that interim, I worked on deadlines, took a vacation, continued my diet, started an exercise regimen, attended several weddings (I was a bridesmaid in one of them!) and went Christmas shopping (for myself and others). So my real life overtook my virtual little blog.

Here's hoping I can get back into the blogging groove starting with an outfit post tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Casual Friday: Testing out Skinny Jeans

Never say never. For a casual Friday look, I decided to raid my mom's closet and purloin one of her skinny jeans. Now, I just need to explain something. Skinny jeans are not something I would normally choose for myself. In fact, when they first came out, the thought of wearing skinny jeans added a couple of wrinkles to my face. So when I was feeling bored with my closet choices, I decided to raid my mom's closet and check out her clothes without permission because that's what dutiful daughters do.

My mom and I do not have the same built. She never gains weight in her legs. She used to tell us about how her skirts were really short when she was still single. Unfortunately for me, I didn't get the skinny legs gene. 

Anyway, I still decided to bravely explore her closet and check out her skinny jeans. And here's the look I made using my mom's skinny jeans and my other clothes:

Uhm. It's not so bad after all. The skinny jeans I "borrowed" were made of a stretchy fabric and had a fabric waistband which was very forgiving. Good for avoiding the muffin top. I'm wearing the same Plains and Prints cardigan I wore here. My striped tank is a gift from my mom. The "necklace" I'm wearing is the detachable charm of a black dress which I recycled.

Here are some of the things I realized from this skinny jeans experiment:

1. Wearing your skinny jeans with heels elongates the legs and makes you look taller. I am wearing Stella Luna heels in the picture. These heels are about 4 and half inches tall with a 1.5 inch platform which allows me to comfortably wear them all day. 

2. A longer top keeps the look balanced and prevents you from getting conscious about your skinny jeans. I really am very conscious about my bottom half but the long top I'm wearing skims across the biggest parts of my thighs. The cardigan fabric was also not too clingy but drapes over the body for a nice silhouette.

3. Don't be afraid to try new things. What surprised me the most was that skinny jeans when done right could actually be very flattering. I received many compliments for my outfit today from people who commented that I was looking slimmer.

I may experiment with skinny jeans some more in future outfits. At the end of the day, if what you're wearing doesn't work, you can always take them off that night and start anew in the morning.

Thanks for stopping by!

Corporate Fashion: Black Suit

You really need the essential pieces in your office wardrobe. One of them would be a black suit. I took a break from sartorial experimentation to don a simple black suit since I had a hearing and had to conduct a cross-examination of the other party's witness. Here's what I wore:

Black suit by Theme, Scarf by Forever 21, Shoes by Nine West

The picture was taken at night since I got back so late from my hearing. My basic black suit is from Theme, a brand known for their corporate wear. You can find their stores here in the Philippines as well as in Singapore and Hong Kong.

The scarf is from Forever 21. You can't see it too much from the photo but it's a leopard print in gray. I like adding scarves to jazz up my suit. Unfortunately, it leaves me open to joking remarks from my office mates as to when my next flight would be as they associate scarves with flight attendants.

Wearing my basic Nine West peep toe pumps.

If clothing was armor, then the black suit should be one of the first lines of defense.

Thanks for stopping by!

Corporate Fashion: Dressing for the Rainy Day

Last Tuesday, I woke up to howling winds and heavy rains. By 7 am, power in our house went down so I had to scramble to assemble an outfit for work. Lesson learned: prepare your outfit the night before. Typhoon Pedring raged across the metro causing havoc in its path. And here's what I wore to work:

As you can see, I obviously dressed for comfort.

My gray jacket is another export overrun find. It's by a brand called Apt. 9. Did some internet research and this brand is available at Kohl's. You can get my jacket in black for USD48.10 (on sale from USD 74). I got mine for way less. Other color available was an olive green. The jacket is in a ponte material which has a very knitty feel to it. It kept me warm throughout the day so was pretty happy.

I added the floral printed top to put in a better mood in the dreary weather. I love how the floral pattern transforms me to happy summer days. The ruffle at the neck adds a nice detail. I plan to wear the top with jeans in the future. My top had no label but you can find a similar one in a different print at Banana Republic.

My black pants are another K and Company sale purchase. Invest in basics like these for your office wardrobe.

Finally, my shoes. Ah, the perils of dressing in the dark. Struggled to find pumps to wear and just grabbed the nearest pair. The shoes are O Oscar by Oscar de la Renta. It's his lower-priced line which does not seem to be available. They're round toe, patent platform pumps in BROWN. Sigh, it's a good thing it's not so noticeable in the picture. Yes, I know that I black and brown can be worn together.

Thanks for stopping by!