Tragic Kingdom

I’d say I got into a love squabble with Edward Scissorhands, but I’m not that twisted and I lack the sense of humor to back it up. In fact, I nearly titled this post Black Hole Sun just because my dress is black and it’s got some holes in it. Hahahmmm..NO! Lately, I’ve been treading the waters of yesteryears, from my choice of music to TV series and now fashion. 

I’m a proud 90s kid, I’m only a month shy from being dubbed as a 90s baby, FYI.  Cabbage patch dolls, Polly Pocket, Jenga, Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys (..and how I’d pair them up in my head as a little girl made me swoon), Beanie Babies and Gameboys. The list continues.. In my head I’m conjuring up images of sugar, spice and everything nice being concocted in a cauldron, as if I saw life through a huge View Master, flashing holograms right before my very eyes.

Style Staple cut-out maxi dress | Louis Vuitton Palermo GM | Salvatore Ferragamo strappy wedges | H&M bangle 

I grew up in the care of an uncle who would put me to sleep in Nirvana and Soundgarden. #truestory Unplugged album naman ‘yon. If the 90s decade had a theme song, it will definitely be Smells like Teen Spirit or Don’t Speak or maybe Semi-Charmed life. I want something else.. I can still remember MTVs heyday when it was pure music 24/7, no fuss, no reality show BS and then my mom would persistently try to park our channel elsewhere. She’d attribute our misconduct from watching too much MTV but really Ma, we were just waiting for the new BSB music vid! At a mere age of 6, I couldn’t really understand what was going on then, all I know is, I find the Black Hole Sun video quite amusing at how it gave a whole new definition to “Barbie-cue”. As a kid it only takes a catchy tune for a song to be dubbed a favorite. Sure I’d sing emptily to the lyrics but it took me at least a decade to realize the songs I once sang to, was all about sex or crystal meth. 

I’ve divested quite a number of hours from work to do an intensive research about this decade to somehow awaken a part of my memory in limbo. From “Are You Afraid of the Dark” to “Titanic” to “Jurassic Park” to “Sweet Valley” and those countless animated Disney films now deemed classic – it was pop culture beefed up! I don’t know why I’m so engrossed with this decade, maybe it’s a hit of the moment – thing. Pun intended.

The 90s fashion probably wasn’t able to leave a lasting impression as the 40s pin up or the 70s bell bottoms, as it was collectively characterized by minimalist aesthetic. Of course I didn’t write a novel for an introduction for nothing. There’s just something so 90s grunge with my outfit and I’m not used to it. Judging from this entry, and this one, you would have concluded by now how much I adore cut-out details. I usually limit my exposure to my back side (may ganun?) but this a keeper since 1) it’s a maxi dress and 2) the cut outs are rather slimming. I was never really the conservative type anyway. I was worried my excess volume might seep out of the cut outs but hey, it’s all about proper posture.

This piece should be the poster dress for balance should such a thing exists. What it lacks in abdominal coverage, it makes up for in length. I can pass for a music festival-goer with the hair and the hat and the sunglasses and oversized purse. Dear Arvie, in case you miraculously find your way into my blog, do know that this dress is poised to run for favorites! :) 

Anything you miss about the 90s? Let's take it to the comment box below! 

This space is the love child of her lust for fashion and her on-again-off-again affair with writing

On Blogging. Once in a while I give my blog a few shots of botox to keep it a-blasé. I tinker with words until I find the perfect ones that would describe my vision for this blog.  For a moment, I thought of deleting my short ‘about me’ spiel in place of that phrase I typed in as my title. Yes that was all me. I just don’t want to take a sudden dip then back out all of a sudden. Blogs are sprouting like wild truffles and I can’t help thinking about the dynamic, compelling reason for such movement (in an interesting way, of course).

With a full throttle of ideas, you got to have a strong will power to pull you back when necessary. My creative process is pretty much like surfing the crimson wave. I’ve said it before yes, long droughts punctuate short sporadic moments of overflowing brainwaves. So when it comes, I make sure I turn my umbrella upside down and try to contain everything. Every drop counts.

photo from tumblr

I was a radio jock back in college; yes it’s just a more sophisticated-sounding term for ‘DJ’; a labor of love I gravely miss. If there’s anything I learned from the experience that I can incorporate to this blog, it definitely is spontaneity and keeping that element of surprise. You can’t keep your show running just by segueing songs after songs after talk and repeat the process until the next jock checks in. Segments are the ultimate saving grace from keeping your show to grow pall on you. I treat my blog as a living art form; something that requires nourishment in the form of fresh quality entries from time to time. I sound the alarm when my latest offering incubates for more than 10 days, that’s near abandonment if you ask me. HAHA #chos

I’ve put some thought into another botox injection for my blog; the oxymoron that is the desire to keep it clean and minimalist without boring me out. Give that glittered background another week before I send it back to the VSFS runway. Speaking of segments, I’ve added a pseudo segment on my sidebar which I’m temporarily calling Microblogging until I find a more interesting name for it. I’d post new entries everyday if schedule permits. While main courses are being cooked, meanwhile I’ll be serving bits and pieces of updates on my sidebar. Take it as an amuse-bouche to a main course or as TV ad to a film presentation or a plug to a radio show. If I can’t maintain regular move-out of main entries, might as well share random photo updates of just about anything! I've been meaning to share this photo but it may cause a scandalous stir if I pin it on my side bar.

*GASPS OF HORROR!!!*

Photo from tumblr

#BTCHSTOLEMYIDEA

I can't help it, Brandon Boyd's my happy pill! Ok I'm throwing bitch fits now ughh jealous rage! I just took a short break from work. Wooah, my insides should seriously simmer down sometimes. Here's to fresh ideas! :)  

Aztec Enchantment

From the woven hammocks to the catwalk, looks like fashion is under some heavy tribal influence. Prints are definitely getting bigger and bolder this year with Aztec and Navajo-inspired prints taking over the fashion scene. Contemporary lines, modern graphics mixed with ancient arts blanched in bright colors in contrasting tones and relaxed neutrals make this trend perfect for spring/summer. Could this trend be any more festive?

Looking for Lola dress | WAGW brown suede floppy hat | The Librarians 

ruby red cut out wedges | Vintage sunglasses from my grandma

Here’s yet another vintage find from Looking for Lola, nobody does sophisticated vintage fashion better than the duo behind the label. They swiftly draw the fine line between vintage and pre-loved clothing. I love the combination of pastel hues and earth tones over the dominant mustard color. The colorful buntings on the straps and neckline add a playful touch to the tribal graphics. This is the perfect slip-on summer dress which is both trendy and comfortable; the best part is, it’s a steal at $15! Woooh, dancing around the bonfire now! 

Chased after what’s left of the afternoon sunshine en route to buy some refreshments outside our village. We got to wrap up my obligatory outfit shoot in 10 minutes, thanks to my sisters Ela for taking my photos and Isa for being the look out! 

 This dress makes me want to braid my hair (maybe add a feather or two?), grab my fringed leather sling bag, slip on suede moccasins and hop on a train to Brrzona. In Pocahontas' language, I now bid you Ana. Okay, time to pick up my bow and shoot some arrows! 

Prepster Hits

To be young and innocent. Remembering my college days, sometimes scantily-dressed and all, kinda made me think why I never wore anything in the likes of this one.  Sure I went to UPLB, where it’s breezy summer all year round and where more than half of the student population goes to class in Havaianas and everything else that works with ‘em. Lazy dressing at its finest! Guilty as charged, let's not even go there..

I can see clearly now the effect of staying 6 days straight at home,with eating punctuating my sleeping habits. But you know, packing on some LBs cannot even keep me from wearing what I want. After all, about 75% of all my clothes do not have sleeves in them! So anyway, I wanted to keep this look crisp and simple. (Read: prep school casual)

TOPSHOP pink rick rack blouse | TOPSHOP brown suede shorts | Lacoste sneakers

On Easter Sunday, I took my siblings out for lunch and Jamba Juice date at ATC. Despite the inconvenience brought about by a very long queue at Banapple, we had a very lovely lunch. Great ambiance and even greater food! They could use a little revamp on their service though. Feast your eyes! 

Chicken Breast Parmigiano. Beef and sausage stew. Snicker fudge cheesecake. White chocolate truffle berry cheesecake. Oreo cheesecake. Banoffee pie.

By sundown, we met up with our parents and some close family friends. I got to see my favorite boy after months :) HE.SO.CUUUUTE! 

PS. Finally settled for a less ego-trippy (-sounding) twitter username by ditching the pronoun. With so many Latinas sharing the same name, I am lucky I got to secure one! I am now @AnaReynoso_ on twitter. Still tripping over that underscore being the last character #OhWell. Flying over to Twitterlandia, see you there?

Pretty Peepers

I guess I’ll be crossing over to the wild side once I put this pair of heart-shaped Lolita sunnies on. I’ve always been on the safe side as far as choosing the right pair of sunglasses is concerned. Sunglasses would always give that make or break impact, trust me. Take the round shaped Baroque sunnies from Prada as an example, I mean, have you seen them on Kryz Uy? One word: perfection! So the next day, I found myself in Greenbelt trying them on. BWAHAHAHAHA! One word: tragic! I looked like a Willy Wonka impersonator gone horribly wrong.

After my streak of consecutive losses over at the Chictopia redemption corner, my sister saw it as an opportunity for a serious intervention. Judging by Isa’s past record, I knew she was the right person to trust. When we were kids, we’d send letters and join contests in Disney Channel, MTV Most Wanted and even Candy Magazine. Guess who won a very cool Disney Buzz package? Isa. Guess who got a huge gift pack from Candy Magazine.. twice? Isa. AAAND THE then-most coveted MTV Most Wanted Request of the Day prize? Isa. What’s really interesting is her perfect aim for the bongga contests, all the above mentioned contests and corresponding prizes were literally of gift packs, no less! Not to mention the numerous blog contests we’ve been joining: Little MissDress Up Jetset Style Package, Patty Laurel’s Belle de Jour giveaway, Vern’s Lucy Hale presscon tickets, Yup, Isa bagged them all! And to top it all off, during the last Bloggers United Bazaar, she was one of the lucky recipients of a huge purple and gold tote that was raffled off. Seriously, someone must’ve slipped a vial of Felix Felicis in her infant formula, she’s always been so lucky!

I didn’t write that long introduction for nothing; it wouldn’t be fair if I don’t give proper credit to Isa, the redeemer. (HEEH I’ve always wanted to use that, profanity aside.) Okay, I’ve been on Chictopia since December of 2009 and though I haven’t fully navigated through the site, the Chic Rewards corner was something I’d always ogle on. You know, it’s one of those someday-maybe moments; like a little girl admiring the display on a [virtual] window. Some years, three hundred friend requests approved, forty posts and thousands chic points later, I was finally qualified to redeem an item. I didn’t know redeeming an item was serious business. Lucky for you if redemption hour falls on a conducive time in your country; you really gotta set your alarm if you want that pair of glittered Litas in your size or that most coveted H&M Garden Collection Kimono dress. I redeemed a top last year just ‘cause no one has redeemed it yet and to test if it’ll ever reach my doorstep. (I live by the mantra everything free has a tradeoff somewhere, some time. ) Somehow it did, 3 months later. The thing about redeeming an item sitting on the gray area of your badly want-want list is that it gives you less to worry about (--if it'll ever reach your doorstep).

As for the sunnies, they weren’t really my first choice. I had my alarm set in time to redeem the Navajo printed skirt but my clicking reflex was anything but reliable. I knew my sisters had a penchant for quirky sunglasses bordering cute so the red version of that pair was our second choice. Besides, I’m a pair of sunglasses shy to finally complete the Kylie Jenner look! (see photo below to appreciate) BUT it was another failed mission so we had to wait for another day to try our luck with the black sunnies. Isa was set to claim it as ours; she was strategically synchronizing Chictopia’s crude countdown timer with our own clock to determine the perfect timing to refresh. My brother and I were laughing at how determined she was in making sure she clicked the refresh button in perfect timing. Ahh you know what happened next, she was laughing her way into Jamba Juice the next day! Okay, I totally sold this deal over a tall serving of Jamba Juice. 

One of the best habits I’ve picked up from home – apart from the use of bathrobe (and not towel as tapis) every after bath time, is the use/abuse of sunglasses. My dad can no longer stress how important these are to our health (more so, our appearance. Heehee ). Apparently, you develop wrinkles around your eyes by squinting too much. I may not have a scientific explanation to back this up, but it makes sense to me. So dear friends, always always protect those peepers ;) 

Take it to the Max

Hemlines are sweeping the floor! I love how the maxi trend backs up the disheveled, unkempt mermaid hair, as I call it. Like it's totally legit (#arte) to not run a comb through your hair when you're wearing something like this. 

Topshop denim button-down polo | Topshop earrings (bought from ABI / Overdose) | Maxi dress from Ross | Looking for Lola leather brocade cuff | Gucci bag

Seven days too late, I wore this last Friday to brunch and a quick stop at the S&R Sale. Hainanese chicken, yummehh!!

April Fool's

April Fool's date with my girl friend Kamille (uyy!)! Bet ya don't remember this Kams, we also went out on a date April Fool's last year when you made me chug down my first bottle of beer. HAHA I love You! Oh, and Dean, thanks for this mala-Johnson-and-Johnsons-pure-essentials photo!

So yesterday, Kams and I killed time in Forever21 & Bon Chon Megamall before taking a cab to Marikina to spend time with our good friend, Nikko Ramos aka Tyler (of Magic 89.9 fame) and our orgmates. Back in my LBFM 97.4 (UPLB's college radio -- country's premier college radio, proud to say) DJ-ing days, Nikko and I hosted a two-hour music countdown program every Fridays, circa 2009 (so did he and Kams back in 2008). 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NIKKO, you will always be my most stylish college radio show partner! :)