Project 365: shipwrecked!

sorry for the long overdue post; i've been focusing a bit more on my more public blog (meaning more than 3 people know about it), as well as on some YFC activities, and my 12-week "Artist's Way" journey (i'm in week 7 already)!

anyway, i would like to confess to you that i have somehow abandoned my Project 365 (did a tear just slide down your cheek?).  beyond my allowed Christmas shopping (courtesy of my dad), i bought a National Geographic shirt, and made two mini ukay2 shopping trips. they all probably amounted to less than P1,500 though, and a third of my purchases I gave to my mom.  once you start spending again, it's really difficult to control it! shopping sprees = NO-NO.

now i'm still going to do my best to refrain from unnecessary shopping, but i'm already foreseeing actual needs in the future (i.e. bridesmaid duties, swimming, Pinatubo trekking) so i won't pretend to all of you that i was able to tough it out for 365 days.  but props to whoever can!!! it is INCREDIBLY difficult, but even more rewarding when accomplished.  I did for 32 weeks, and i'm very proud of that (i did have a minor slip though--remember the necklace?).

it's pretty amazing, now that i think of it.  a lot of the things i was tempted to buy during that time frame, i now hardly care for. and that thrill of buying something? it plateaus and dives once you swipe that credit card or hand over that wad of cash. i experienced it when i make especially large purchases, but even with the smaller ones. truly, it isn't what you've got, but what you make of what you have. 

so let's support each other! who needs fabulous fashion when you've got even more fantastic friends?!!??!

DIY: inspired by Alexander McQueen

(yet another overdue DIY post)

i receive a ton of email every day, maybe half of which are all related to fashion.  anyway, i remember receiving one about nail polish trends sometime in June.  one of the girls featured there was Drew Barrymore.  anyway, the nail color article was interesting enough, but what really caught my attention was Drew's Alexander McQueen dress:

i don't really go anywhere so I'd never really get a chance to wear something like this.  and even if i did have an event to attend, chances are that the McQueen brand people wouldn't be willing to just lend me this dress.  but i loved it so much that i knew i had just one option: DIY!!!

i've had this lace dress lying around for months.  one of my last purchases before i started Project 365.  i bought it at an ukay-ukay near BIR Intramuros for Php 50.  Btw, the owner of the place was Ilocano and they played Ilocano music in the store.  the ukay was also very decent--spacious, clean, well-ventilated. aaanyway, i bought it because i saw some potential in it.  i especially loved the crochet detail on the neckline.

however i try to pretend not to care what everyone else thinks about me, i'm still an insecure girl.  and whenever i'd try the dress on (after washing in boiling water and detergent, mind you), my ate cla would always say "yuck" or something along that line of thought.  so i knew i needed to do something to try to elicit a more favorable or at least neutral response from the people who would be seen with me while wearing it.

i decided to try to make my version of the McQueen dress.  first I carefully cut out the lining (too lazy to rip the seams), making sure not to snip the stitches so the dress would remain intact.

then i prepared a dye bath--using 4 packets of black Venus dye this time.  i figured it wouldn't matter so much if it was in a small basin. in the event that there would be unevenness in the color, it would look like the intended result, much like the intricately designed lace of the original dress.

unfortunately, i learned through this experience that color fastness is something better achieved, not just with quality dye, but also with a proper process.  but since i had neither, i ended up with gray lace.  the only thing that did turn black enough was the crochet trim on the neckline and at the hem of the dress.

i tried to see what it would look like with yellow fabric underneath, but gray doesn't make the color pop out as much.  so i decided to just use the crochet trim instead.  i had 1 1/4 yards yellow cotton voile lying around at home (i often have fabric-buying urges)--also one of my last purchases before Project 365--so i didn't even need to buy that.  i cut out a simple pattern for the bodice using a hybrid of the lining (which was more loose) and my bias dress pattern from FIP (more fit).  since cotton voile is pretty sheer, i used up all my fabric to make two layers (i'd suggest at least 1 1/2 yards next time, especially since bias uses up more fabric).  

with the help of my trusty portable Brother sewing machine (which we got several years ago from credit card points), i was able to make this top:

it's definitely one of my favorites :) it's dressy but i can also wear it with jeans.  i can belt it, tuck it in, or leave it as is. DIY rules!!!

DIY: pseudo chambray shirt

back when i made this a few months ago, i had been reading about the resurgence in popularity of the Chambray (a kind of cotton aka Cambric) shirt among the fashion crowd in the West.  Denim shirts of various washes were also a big craze (and i guess still are depending on the styling).

this was my inspiration:

not having the cheese to afford yet another item, and also having an abundance (okay 4 is not exactly that much) of white collared shirts, i decided to DIY instead.  here's what went on:

one of my white shirts was less traditional than the others.  it had a different kind of yoke and huge sleeves!  i liked it for a while but then i realized that i would sometimes look like i was swathed in hospital bedsheets.  this was the shirt i decided to dye, using the Venus dye available at National Book Store (i know, sorry but that's the only one i know of.  i'm searching for dyes online but it's gonna be real costly what with the $ and the shipping, etc.)

i used two packets but you can go darker if you want.  if you're not really sure, i suggest you go light first; you can always intensify the color later.  now, having limited resources and a slightly overbearing mother, i couldn't follow the instructions to the letter.  but i think it went ok. 

it would be a lot better if you use a bigger basin though, to keep the fabric from clumping.  mine did, and at the underarm area too! it's not that noticeable but if someone looks very closely, you'd think i had sweat stains even if i had just put the shirt on.

and voila! don't mind how i look though. haha.  you can belt it, tuck it in, leave it untucked, or unbutton it too :D hope you like!  DIY is pretty easy.  the first thing you need to do is just determine what project you want to make and i'm sure you'll find SOMETHING in your closet or somebody else's wardrobe that you can reconstruct.  it's so rewarding and pretty cool too.

coming up

sorry about the complete lack of posts lately. been quite busy.  not too busy to be frugal, on the contrary in fact! just too busy to blog about it.  here's what you can expect soon:

my current projects:
since necessity is the root of all invention (or something like that), i came up with 3 new articles of clothing! the first is a modern white button-down which i turned blue, the second is a green maxi dress using fabric i already had (it's just practice for the blue one that i really intend on wearing but i'm writing it down here to make it look like i've been extra productive), and the third (my favorite) is a top inspired by an alexander mcqueen dress worn by drew barrymore.  i'm really excited to wear the last one! the first, i already have 2x, the 2nd, i can't figure out when to wear hahahha.

Christmas shopping:
so, as predicted, my dad is giving me a bit of shopping money for Christmas.  mukha na daw akong pulubi joke!  but i plan on using this wisely.  i've already spent almost a quarter of it (i'll show you on what), so i'll be listing the stuff i plan on getting too. 

Christmas gift ideas:
i didn't anticipate this, but i've all but used up my gift budget for the year--and it isn't even Christmas yet!  i have so many wonderful friends that i couldn't help but show them my appreciation earlier in the year.  so now i need to get creative (fast) for the yuletide season.

Wedding planning:
no, i am not not single anymore.  i'm referring to my ate but since i am helping her with the details, i figured i could post something about frugal weddings.  not that that's what my sister is gonna do--she can afford to go all out.  but i'm anticipating that i either won't have enough resources or won't want to spend that much on a grand event.  simple is good, but also difficult (especially when your family is as big as mine).  so we'll talk about tips and ideas on making it a fab and frugal affair all the same, without hurting anyone's feelings.

Pampanga roadtrip part 2: the cursed necklace

i cracked.  after 119 days straight of zero fashion retail therapy, i succumbed to the sweet beckoning of this candy-colored floral necklace at Accessorize (on sale for 70% off).  i'm so so so sorry! i let you down, and i let myself down.  and, what's worse, i am already itching to find an excuse to purchase this pair of gold and coral Ipanema flip flops. damn you, consumerism!  mind you, all my flip flops have been worn to the ground and i really have no choice but to wear other types of footwear when going on even the simplest errands. poor me  (how's that for an excuse??? *googly eyes*)

anyway, i'll leave it up to you to decide on an appropriate punishment. but before you make your final judgment, let me first defend my case.  i've been really like-you-wouldn't-believe stressed at work the past few weeks and have been so busy that i couldn't even get a back massage for the thickening shoulder muscles.  also, the components of the necklace are quite difficult to find in the country so i'm sure i wouldn't have had an acceptable DIY option.  third, it's so cute, i can get ideas for future pieces from it hence, helping me actually earn in the long run.  last, it looks great on me!  so, now you've had the chance to see what's going on in the mind of an almost-reformed shopaholic, you may announce your verdict.

i must say that, even though i cracked with the necklace, there were tons of opportunities yesterday alone that took most of my willpower NOT to take out my wallet.  i'm in no way telling you to buy buy buy and acquire acquire acquire but, in case you were in the market for the following items anyway or are just planning your next purchases (mine will be on Christmas, then Summer 2011), here are a few options you might want to consider:

Primadonna bags

it was my first time to enter their shop (i believe the brand is also available in Megamall, among others), and i was immediately drawn to the bags.  usually, the ones we have here, even the higher-end local brands, are too overdesigned.  too many trendy details but not enough attention is given to the things that really matter.  and, more often than not, these are so trendy that it would be passe to keep using them after the season.

here's one of my favorites, which costs less than P900:

here's the design on the other side.  it's 2 bags in 1! (available in 3 different sets of colors)

now, i can't speak for the durability of these Primadonna items yet, seeing as i don't have one piece from the line, but if i were to buy based on looks and price alone, i'd get one or two pieces from their current selection of shoulder bags. very classic and fashionable at the same time.  in case you haven't heard the memo, ladylike bags are all the rage this season.  and guess what, they were never out anyway! maybe they haven't been as much in the spotlight in the last few seasons as they are now but i tell you, these bags are quite similar to the ones i've seen my mom carryin in her old photos.  in fact, i just inherited my first designer bag from mother superior and it does look eerily like the ones on the runway, albeit the latter has less scratches.

here are other options from the brand:

Follie shoes

now i wouldn't say that all the pieces were great, but i did find a really cute and affordable one that was also quite comfy too.  these three charactersitics can rarely be found in the same item and i really was tempted to start counting my bills (i left my card at home to help keep myself from spending).  but i figured, there'll be other opportunities.  for now, i'll just have to locate a Metro department store that's not in Pampanga.

hey, if i can't buy them, at least i can write about them, right?

oh yeah, here's a photo of me wearing the culprit necklace.  i fished it out of my bag on the same day i bought it, right after my hwa rang do session. then i wore it again to work the next day.

also shown is TJ's incredibly hot hot hot Fossil watch, which he got for P4k (nka-sale na un sa lagay na un ha).  i borrowed it for an hour :D isn't it pretty? i have an affinity for male watches, as long as they don't overwhelm my tiny wrist, which is always the case with my dad's watches, unfortunately :(

to all my readers (if indeed there are any. magparamdam naman kasi kayo!) contemplating going on Project 365, i really hope that i didn't disappoint you too much.  i'm still planning to continue this mission, regardless of my small slip.  hey, we all make mistakes right? but the important thing is picking up the pieces and really striving to correct our wrongs and to live the best way we can, regardless of our dark past. amen?

rainy days

during the summer, i had nothing to wear--everything was too warm.  now that it's rainy season already, i still have nothing to wear--they're all NOT waterproof. darn weather. anyway, as is the custom come july-october, i am obsessing over rainboots.  there is really a poor selection available in the country and most of those i see online are way over my budget.  it's really frustrating because it rains here all the time and we Filipinos insist on shying away from the rainboots because they are supposed to be baduy or whatever.

well, i have a pair of psychedelic green rainboots. mind you, they were the subtlest ones available already, but at least i can hold my head up high whenever Taft Avenue turns into a raging river.  i really wish some company would come up with simple but lean rainboots though; the plain ones currently sold by Advan are way too macho chunky for my taste.

anyway, i saw this pic of the gossip girl set and i thought, "God, i wish i could look that hot in the rain!" hahaha.  so i'm adding a clear umbrella, nice trench, and stylish rainboots to the things i CAN'T buy anyway.

PS -  don't et mad at me but i'm seriously thinking of abolishing Project 365 in favor of a Trinny and Ssannah-esque wardrobe overhaul. once i get the funds, i mean

DIY: draped skirt

so i was chatting with keet earlier today and we got to talking about a lot of different, wonderful things, including the skirt that i was wearing at work that very hour.  of course, she couldn't see it.  anyway, i'm really proud of this skirt because i only bought it for P20 at a nearby thrift shop aka ukay-ukay, but now it looks like a thousand bucks! i know, i know, whatever happened to humility right? hahaha. i'll just show you...

thanks to my office mate Jonas for taking the pic!

anyway, this skirt is a bit avant-garde so it really isn't for everyone.  my own sisters hate it.  but my female office mates like it, and so do several of my other friends so there you go.

turning your own plain skirt into a couture piece is easy enough.

You'll need:
- a circle skirt, preferably in a soft/flowy fabric to produce better drapes
- dressmakers' pins
- sewing needle, thread in the same color as the skirt, a pair of scissors

Instructions:
1. fit the skirt and try to imagine where you would like the draping effect.
2. using the dressmakers pins, just bunch up the skirt in certain areas and pin tiny parts of the fabric together.
3. make sure to check in the mirror if you're getting the look that you want
4. once you're finished draping with the pins, take your needle and thread and sew where the pins are positioned.
5. remove the pins and voila! you have a draped skirt that's one-of-a-kind.

*tips, you can go shorter too, to create a more bubbly look.

hope you found this DIY article useful.  will try to come up with more. y'all know i love to get crafty and all.

Project 365

i cracked. this long weekend, i bought training shoes and a blazer for work at the Megamall sale.  then, i finally succumbed to the perfume debate (more on that in a different post) and bought eau de toilette for the first time ever. i also bought a dvd and 1 1/4 yds of cotton voile for fun.  in short, i almost burned half a month's salary in 3 days, and had to readjust my budget so that it won't look like i'm exceeding what was originally allocated. hahaha. so this is what politicians do to cover up their luxury binges.  there is one exception though: this is my money where as they are using the people's money.

anyway, i figured every now and then, we all have the need to spend money.  we all need to pamper ourselves sometimes.  however, that doesn't mean we have to go bankrupt! maybe we make a few slip-ups once or twice in a blue moon, we crack under the sheer force and weight of commercialism and extremely clever advertising.  no worries! whenever you take a fall, you can always choose to rise and continue walking towards your destination.  and that is exactly what i'm trying to do.

if you know me at all, you'll also know that the biggest portion of my paycheck (next to the savings) goes to the apparel department. albeit, my annual expenses in this category can't even buy a decent piece of anything in Greenbelt 4, it still constitutes 7% of my entire annual income.  note that the Republic of the Philippines only spends 1-2% of its money on health.  that translates to me giving more importance to what i wear than the RP government does to health care. that's huge!

hence, i am embarking on a new project (another one?) to keep me from buying any clothes, shoes, or accessories for 365 consecutive days, beginning today.  i will have to make do with whatever is in my possession (or that of my family) for an entire year, and am only allowed to make a purchase during the Christmas season, should my dad decide to sponsor our holiday clothes (as has been tradition).  i will still be allowed to purchase the necessary grooming products, but no make-up and no more perfume either.  the only other things i may spend on with my own money during this 365-day period are alterations/repairs, and the following: 1 pair of black tights, a striped shirt, and a sports bra.  that's it!  this will be a challenge in styling as well as penny-pinching. hope it works!

  

growing out phase

it's growing out a bit. i'm attending a wedding on may so i'm thinking if i should get it cut again. but the cheapo/ms.frugal in me insists on looking for a styling alternative so i don't have to spend more. haha. we'll see.

this is me the day after the haircut, on our way to Cauayan, Isabela.  the issue with short hair when travelling is that it gets messed up when you sleep.  and you need 30 seconds and a mirror to fix it. but when you do fix it, you kinda look quite poised and elegant when you step out of the car on your way to the nearest restroom. and guys suddenly pop out of nowhere and carry umbrellas to shelter you from the rays of the sun, just like they did to celebrities at the rainy Golden Globes. well, i think these guys were instructed to do that too; they did it to everyone who got off at Mrs. Gaddi's cafe place.

this is me last April 10 (with nanay- my maternal grandma- and my cousin jason). the waves are growing back out a bit but are still manageable with the existing products i have.  bangs are growing a bit long though.

Outfit of the Day (OD)

I would like to feature the looks of regular people on the streets in this site too, ala The Sartorialist.  However, I won't always have the luxury to take pictures (and, to be honest, I'm not that adept in photography either).  So, for now, my outfit will have to do.

gray tank top from Greenhills tiangge (P100)
ecru crochet cardigan with cropped kimono sleeves from a 2nd-hand shop in Ortigas (on sale for P50)
straight-cut MNG blue jeans (on sale for under P1000)
my black Figlia "scuba" wedges (on sale for P750, i think)

accessories: long chain necklace with my 3 lucky pendants, my silver promise ring, lilac Timex sports watch
hair: side braid (very in for spring 2010!)
face: no make-up but with sunscreen, curled lashes, and a swipe of my favorite lip balm (Burt's Bees)

i know, i know.  no picture!? i'll try to take one later :)