Walk the talk

My Heels story + Contest

All Photos by Zedrik Europe

I wasn't always into heels this much. About a year ago, I remember being more of a sneaker (or any flat shoes for that matter) kind of girl. I would immediately brush off the idea of wearing heels when it was suggested and would only give in if there was a super important formal event I needed to attend.

Fast forward to now, I sometimes find myself wearing heels almost everyday in a week. Even if it's just a casual window shopping sesh at the mall, or a quick dinner date with Miguel after work, I would still opt for heels. They might be torture, but if you find a great pair with just the right height and fit, you'll be hooked.

Heels, for me, can put some fancy or edgy (depending on what kind of heels) vibe in any outfit. Imagine a plain white shirt with light denim jeans. Imagine it being paired with sneakers, versus being paired with heels. It gives off a completely different look. I'm not saying sneakers aren't cool, they are and I love them but if you want a more put together, #GirlBoss look, heels are your bestfriend.

CHARLES & KEITH is definitely one of my favorite brands when I'm on the look out for new heels and bags to match with them. They got all sorts to fit every personality, I definitely found several pieces that spoke to me and thus, another haul.

Read more and see how I style my heels in my daily grind. Maybe it be a lunch date, chill hangout with friends, or to events.

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Hybrid Events

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A Hybrid event calls for a hybrid outfit.

/ hy·brid / adjective of mixed character; composed of mixed parts.

What's a hybrid event? It's kind of hard for me to explain, it's like those fancy events sprinkled with a little urban street culture. If you're going to an affair like that, you have to look the part, too.

For events like those, I usually combine contrasting pieces. For this outfit, a sleek black body-con dress, minimal nude heels, neat low bun hair, spectacles, and to throw the outfit off the fancy schmancy category, I put on an oversized vintage bomber jacket and a structured leather backpack.

What I'm wearing:

Dress by H&M | Bomber Jacket is thrifted | Nude Heels and Structured backpack by CHARLES & KEITH | Spectacles by Shade.specs | Necklace by Forever 21

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Lunch Date with the Boyfriend

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I'm really not into feminine ensembles but I can't help but lean on to my lady like side whenever I go on dates with my boyfriend. Well actually, if you took out the scarf I used as a headband and replaced the pretty peachy bag with something more dark and hard edged this is a pretty edgy outfit. Hah hah... like I said I'm not girly, so to make up for the overall cheerful hue of this look, I put on these timeless black strappy heels.

I absolutely love this color scheme a lot though. Light denim really looks great with light airy colors. It just screams, "hola I'm so fuuuhresh and ready for Spring!" Kidding. Half kidding.

What I'm wearing:

Nude bodysuit by Topshop | Mom Jeans by Levis | Black double strap heels and peach handbag by CHARLES & KEITH | Scarf by Céline | Watch by Triwa

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Chill sesh with friends

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If there's anybody else I can totally be myself with aside from my family and boyfriend, it's with my friends. They have seen me without make up, in my house clothes, they've seen me wasted, haggard, and all other uglier sides of me. So what's the point of dressing up when I'm just going out for a chill sesh with them?

Now I know what you're all thinking, "chill sesh but you're wearing those heels????" I get you, but like I said before, when you find the right height and fit, it won't be so much of a torture anymore and with jeans that look like you were just washed up from a shipwreck plus a cute little backpack and pastel pink sunnies, well, for me, this outfit is as chill and happy-g0-lucky-vibe as it gets. Besides, the warm camel color of the shoes is really calming.

What I'm wearing:

White halter top by Topshop | Frayed Jeans by Zara | Brown Platform heels, Pastel Pink Mirrored sunnies, and Structured backpack by CHARLES & KEITH

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These outfits basically sum up how I wear my heels on a daily basis. If you're the type who, like my old self, immediately dismisses the idea of heels, I say give it a chance. It opens up a whole new set of styles and looks. Trust me ;)

Which of these looks do you like most? Share it with me as 1 lucky reader might stand a chance to win a shopping spree at CHARLES & KEITH through the following steps:

• Like the CHARLES & KEITH Facebook page at facebook.com/charleskeith.ph
• Like your favorite look from my STORIES through this link: http://bit.ly/CHARLESKEITHSTORIES
• Tag 2 of your friends on the photo you liked

We will be choosing 1 winner of a P10,000 shopping spree at the CHARLES & KEITH flagship store in Bonifacio High Street from the look with the most likes! Contest ends on Easter Sunday, March 27th and winner will be announced on March 28th.

Open to Philippine Residents only

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Special thank you again to my loves Zedrik Europe and Duff Orate. I owe you guys!

How to wear denim this Spring

Photos by Zedrik Europe

Spring is here! In Philippine context, that means we say bye to our cloudy afternoons and chilly nights, and say hello to the blistering midday heat, 6:30 PM sunsets, and humid nights that got us sweating balls.

I've been fascinated with the Autumn/Winter line the local stores have been releasing. The warm camels and maroons, luxurious suede and other cozy materials. However with our current high temperature days ahead, I think wearing the latter would be self-torture. So I paid a visit to one of my favorite stores, Forever 21, and hauled a lot from their light pastel clothing and denim collection... the perfect pair for a bright sunny day.

Read more to see 3 quick looks on how you can style the most versatile of versatile clothes.

Look #1: Street Chill

I don't know what was up with this day but it was just super hot to the point that I really didn't want to dress up anymore. Just kidding, I wanted to dress up, but in the most comfy and I-just-randomly-pulled-these-pieces-from-my-closet kind of way. I wanted to wear less fabric, but didn't want anything tight fitting or something I couldn't move in without worrying if my butt cheeks were showing — thus, the boy shorts.

This outfit was really refreshing and something new to be honest. I remembering vowing not to wear shorts that weren't short shorts. I mean, what was the point of wearing shorts when they weren't short, right? But nah, these felt great. Thank you Kendall Jenner for your inspiration. I also remember telling myself I wouldn't wear two bright colors at the same time. I was afraid I might look messy and not put together overall but I guess that's the magic of soft pastel colors.

What I'm wearing:

Cap by Supahshop | Top & Boy Shorts from Forever 21 | Shoes by Adidas | Specs by Shade.specs

Look #2: Dressy Classy

When people think of denim, they usually associate it with being casual, informal, and other things along that line. If you want to dress up with denim, you might want to check out this ensemble.

I wore this for MAC's event. Good thing I decided to dress up 'cause boy, that was one of a hella fancy event but yes of course, it's MAC after all. I think pairing a clean piece with a good pair of heels and a sleek purse automatically makes something a little bit appropriate for the champagne and fancy finger food. Topped it with matching brown scarf, watch, and belt.

What I'm wearing:

Jumpsuit by Forever 21 | Scarf & Bag by Céline |Belt & Shoes by Charles & Keith | Watch by Triwa

Look #3: Chic Chill

This look is pretty similar to the first look. However if you're the type who's a bit one the frilly lace-y side, you might prefer this one instead.

Boyfriend jeans are usually paired with equally boyish pieces. loose or fitted plain shirts, tanks, or a button down shirt. Why not go for something completely contrasting from the worn down slouchy look of these borrowed jeans? Think: lazy Coachella minus all the crazy fringes and bling + sneakers.

What I'm wearing:

Necklace, Top, and Jeans by Forever 21 | Shoes by Adidas

Which of the three looks do you prefer or scream 'you'? Do you think these ensembles are sunny day friendly enough? Let me know in comments below!

Also, be sure to check out Forever 21's racks when you can. Last time I checked, They have loads of new denim and beach/music festival appropriate pieces (and a lot are coming by the way).

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Special thanks to my friends Zedrik Europe for taking all these breathtaking photos and Duff Orate for assisting me during shoots. It took us three days to create all these photos and it wouldn't be possible without these two ♥

Flash Flash, baby ft. Clothes Buffet Manila

A few weeks ago, Clothes Buffet Manila sent me a big zip bag stuffed with loads of clothes. Some of the pieces were so me, some weren't so Ida-ish. However being an experimental girl, I tried styling each of the clothes sent to me by combining it with pieces in my wardrobe. Want to see how I styled them? Well, read on baby girl (or boy??).

Piece #1: The Statement Shirt

Statements shirts appeal to the sight. I dressed up this piece by pairing it with something that would appeal to touch. I added different textures, namely fur and lace. It's always good to experiment with different materials, just don't go too crazy with your color palette if you plan to texturize your look, which is why I stuck to the safe side by going all black on this ensemble.

Fur Jacket by Terranova | Lace trimmed shorts by Zara

Piece #2: The Quilted Skirt

From all black to colorful neutral (lol, is there such a thing?). What I mean to say was that for this outfit, I wore more than two colors but still stuck to the more subtle, non-shocking colors. Maroon, navy blue, grey, with a hint of faded yellow on my shirt's print.

I found the material of this skirt very dressy so I balanced it out by wearing a very 'I don't care what I look like' loose vintage shirt which I then knotted up front to keep my waist's shape. Who says you can't look cool yet feminine wearing your dad's shirt?

Shirt by Nike 

Piece #3: Gold Lion embellished body-con cutout dress

I personally don't like complicated and intricate cuts on my dresses. Not unless the complicated-ness is around the shoulder (straps) and back area then it's fine. However, styled well, these kinds of peices might just work. For this piece, I wore it on its own and accessorized with metallic pieces to complement that little lion detail on my waist, I then topped with whole look with a hat. Keeping it clean and simple, this dress speaks for itself.

Hat by River Island | Watch by Marc Jacobs

Piece #4: Sequined Bolero

This piece was quite a challenge to style for me. Why?

1. The puffy sleeves made a kind of kiddie impression to me
2. Sequins have a high risk of coming off as tacky when not styled carefully

Fixing the kiddie dilemma, I thought I'd build a mature look out of it. As for the tacky dilemma, a straightforward and uncomplicated piece. So I paired it with this slitted fitted maxi skirt to address both dilemmas. Quite nice for formal events I must say. Although I might need to replace my skirt with a more streamlined one.

Skirt acquired from a bazaar | Watch by Marc Jacobs

Piece #5: Knit Sweater

Here's a versatile piece that I love so much. You can practically dress a sweater with anything (especially a plain and neutral colored one). Shorts, pants, or if it's big enough, you can wear it by itself like a dress. Just to be different from how I usually style it, I paired it with a high waist, knee length fitted skirt and to balance out the girly-ness in this look, I topped it with my favorite New Era NY cap. Wear it with sneakers or heels, sweaters go with anything.

Cap by New Era | Skirt by Bershka

And that's my styling take on these pieces! What did you guys think about the outfits? How would you have styled the pieces mentioned to fit your style? Tell me in comments below <3

The Clothes Buffet Manila is currently happening in the Elements Tent, Eton Centris until tomorrow. A great chance to go crazy shopping without even looking at the price tag! Check their site to know more details about it.

Wild Heart

I know this post may be a bit untimely. What with the cold weather we have lately, but I just wanted to show you guys another side of me. From denims and leather booties to something more delicate like lace and crochet tops.

I'm not sure if you guys have noticed, but lately I've been slowly but surely shifting my style (see my instagram). I've been collecting clothing articles that I don't have yet and opting for styles I don't usually wear. If I was still my old self, I'd definitely pair this crochet top with something of the likes of denim cut-offs.

Wanderland 2016 is also coming up soon! I've been there last year and I must say people really make an effort in coming up with out of the box boho outfits. Perhaps this oufit may be one of your pegs?

Top: Naya Crafts | Shorts: Zara | Shoes: Soludos | Necklace: Edge Co | Bag: Mumi | Mandala Tapestry: Armstrong & Smith

Excited for this change in me and I'm also excited to show you guys more of the styles I'll be going to explore!

'Til the next ♥