my pretend closet: L&S travel purse

Am still hung-over from our recent trip. And I realized I still haven't found the perfect travel purse. Over the years, I've experimented on my collection of purses - mostly the cross-body ones or the ones with handles long enough to hang from my shoulder. But none of them has proven to be the perfect travel purse. I brought my nylon Prada on our recent trip. It rained a couple of times so I was thankful for its water-resistant material. It was also lightweight and surprisingly roomy, allowing me to stuff 3 sets of hats, gloves & scarves, among my usual purse essentials. But searching for things inside it made me feel like a talent-less magician pulling out the oddest non-rabbit things from his hat. I must have unnecessarily panicked a million times, thinking my sunnies or camera was missing after wading through my bag's contents over and over. I did bring a bag organizer - used it during the flight to hold our passports, e-ticket, boarding passes, etc. But I felt it made my bag overly bulky that I took it out during our daily sight-seeing.

So I was ecstatic when I discovered the multiple compartments of the OG bag by Lo & Sons! It has a compartment for EVERYTHING!

Seriously. It has a padded pocket for a laptop, another padded pocket for a tablet, almost 10 other compartments (some zippered, some open)...

... including a pocket for shoes! Yes, shoes!

You can wear slip-on flats during the flight (so it's  easier to go through the x-ray inspection and more comfortable during the flight) then change into sneakers or oxfords with laces or heels when you land! I can also imagine packing a pair of heels in there while I go out & about during the day's sight-seeing then slip them on for dinner & drinks in the evening.

Watch this video of how you can pack all your carry-on essentials into the Lo & Sons OG bag.   

I also love the idea of the key leash! Is it obvious I dig through my purse often for my keys?

And what makes it the perfect purse for going through airports is its adjustable back panel that allows you to secure the bag over your trolley luggage's handle! 

And yes, its nylon material is water-resistant! No need to worry if it rains or if Shamu splashes water on you with his tail!

And despite the extreme functionality of this bag, it still looks stylish and chic! It isn't shown here but it also comes with a detachable messenger strap which I imagine will look effortlessly chic as the OG hangs from your shoulder and your arms can swing freely as you walk (vs. clipped like the leftmost photo below). 

I love that it's a structured bag. Slouchy bags just force you to dig through your purse to find your things (I talked about my Cole Haan crossbody here with several compartments that currently makes it the best-for-travel purse in my non-pretend closet. It is quite slouchy though so I still end up wading through the big compartments.). I also love how the OG's nylon material (and army green color) tone down the structured shape for casual travel days. 

Gosh, I so want to bring the army green one into my non-pretend closet, but sadly, it's still out of stock. The black one is in stock though and I am quite smitten with the lavender lining.

Plus, one of my fave blogs, http://homesuppliesset.blogspot.com/, is offering a 15% discount code in time for Mother's Day (you just need to have it shipped to a US address)!

But I really looove the army green version with the black leather trim (as you know from here, I am so drawn to this color but would prefer if the lining were pink as I posted here. Admittedly, the camel lining the army green OG actually comes with is pretty too)!

I've decided to sign up for the wait list for the slightly smaller OMG.

After all, I'm pretty tiny (5'1") and the OMG can also pack a whole lot of stuff!

Isn't it the perfect travel purse? 

Sadly, it has to stay in my pretend closet until it comes back in stock. Derek Lo of Lo & Sons did email that they "usually give a discount for those who are patient and wait". So for now, I will be patient and wait... :)

Photos from deliciouslyorganized and lo&sons.

Click here for previous posts from the My Pretend Closet series.   

Today, I am loving...

Today, I am loving... my new Starbucks name. 

As some of you might know from here, they always get my name wrong in Starbucks. So many precious minutes are wasted repeating my name over and over and they still misspell it on my cup. Then one day, I blurted out a fake name - Vivian - and they got it right with one try. So Vivian has been my Starbucks name for several years now.

Until two months ago when they spelled it Viviane. So I called for new coffee-shop-name suggestions here. 

And one of my readers suggested Eva. I tried it last week and the barista called out "short Caramel Machiatto for Eva!". I'm not sure if the other patrons noticed it. But it didn't matter. I heard the barista say "forevah" and I couldn't help smile. As naughty as it sounds, the harmless mischief just made my day a little more fun.

So today, I am chuckling... at my fun, new Starbucks name.

Photo from i'mjustsaying.

Click here for previous posts from the Today, I Am Loving... series.

Whimsical Wednesday!

You won't believe who are on the cover of Mega Magazine's February 2013 issue... Betty & Veronica! Turns out it is their first magazine cover ever! How whimsical is that?

I grew up reading Archie Comics. Even Isabella reads them. So I found it so surreal to see them gracing the cover of a Philippine magazine donning couture by top Filipino designers. On the cover, Betty is in a Veejay Floresca creation and Veronica's gown is by Cary Santiago.

Here, Veronica is clad in a daring ensemble by Inno Sotto and Betty's dress is from Furne One.

The newly-launched MAC Archie's Girls color cosmetics collection is what got these comic book icons on the cover of Mega.

It's so adorable how the Betty color collection captures Betty's sweet girl-next-door personality in pinks, peaches & sheer plums... 

A stark contrast to Betty's collection, Veronica's is seductive in vivacious reds, blackened plums & deep violets... The contrast nodding to the epic rivalry between Archie's girls.

Both collections celebrate the distinct personas of these two beloved characters. Not only through the color palettes, but also through the variant names. Betty's collection included names like Girl Next Door, Summer Sweetheart, Pep Pep Pep, Stay Sweet and Kiss & Don't Tell. Aren't they characteristically Betty?

On the other hand, Veronica's collection included names like Daddy's Little Girl, Boyfriend Stealer, Mall Madness, Past Curfew and Prom Princess.

How can you not swoon over full color cosmetics collections (No, they don't just come in lipsticks & gloss.) that remind you of your girlhood with your nose buried in a double digest - reading about the Riverdale gang's adventures in and out of Pop's Choclit Shoppe? Am not sure if I just missed it, but I didn't find MAC's Archie's Girls collection in this whimsical Mega issue (View more of the collection here). The issue did have a surreal interview with Betty & Veronica, as if they were real people.

Indeed, it was a whimsical issue! Love that even Mega Magazine EIC, Sari Yap, was drawn by American illustrator for Archie Comics, Dan Parent.

So put on some MAC lipgloss, grab your copy of this month's Mega issue & maybe even a Betty & Veronica Double Digest, and have a whimsical Wednesday!

Photos are my own and from here & nitrolicious.

Click here for previous posts from the Whimsical Wednesday! series.

Happy Hearts Day!

What do you have up your sleeve this Valentine's Day?

Will you be heading to a romantic destination?

Or will you just be staying in?

Whatever you're doing today, I hope your day is filled with the things you love and spent around the people you love the most.

Happy Hearts Day!

Photos from acupofjo & annnniegirl.

Click here for previous posts on Valentine's Day.

unlikely black pairings

It isn't intuitive to me to pair pastels with black - like seafoam green is effortlessly paired with black in Mango's January 2013 Lookbook. Even though Michelle Williams inspired me here, I still haven't been able to actually do it.

Moreso, spring floral prints. I've paired them with stripes (inspired by this), but not with black. Not yet.

Maybe I need these pieces the Prabal Gurung for Target Collection as my training wheels.

He incorporated black within the floral pieces - via the collar, neckline, arm & waist bands...

... so I don't need to struggle with breaking old design sensibilities by pairing a floral with a separate black piece.

Love this colorful print called Nolita with the black details! Gave the print an attractive edge.

Also love these shorts! 

It's funny that the very reason I struggle with pairing pastels or florals with black is precisely what makes the pairing so striking. While in my head, feminine, delicate colors & prints don't go with masculine, tough black, my heart says yes to the edginess that black gives the otherwise old and somewhat Stepford Wife feel of pastels & florals.

Okay, I resolve to try harder to break my ancient style sensibilities and mix my pastels and florals with black this week. Maybe I can start with pairing my florals with a small black piece - like a black belt?

Will you mix things up again with me?

Prabal Gurung for Target Collection will be out from February 10 to March 23, 2013. Hoping I can score these pieces via Target.com. View more of the collection with prices via nitrolicious.

Photos from nitrolicious.

Click on the following links for previous posts on breaking ancient fashion rules:

... mixing gold & silver and gray & brown

... mixing prints

... mixing glitter & knits or basics

... mixing gray & yellow

... mixing brown & black

... mixing florals & animal print

... mixing army green & feminine prints

... mixing stripes & florals

coat your blessings

Throughout December, I was captivated by so many different coats. 

It didn't help that the past December was oddly summer-hot. Neither did the fact that I no longer had my winter-cold office to wear coats to. 

But because I promised to be thankful here, let me recount my coat-blessings: I am thankful for all the gorgeous coat eyecandy that filled this post - they did make me smile. I am thankful for our winter-cold church that allowed me to wear a coat every Sunday morning. And I am thankful to my friends M & C for hosting our recent Tagaytay vacation that let me chill in a coat.

Especially since, on my last trip to Hong Kong, I luckily found this jacket of Olivia Palermo I had been pining for from here!

Photos from americanhoney & manilafashionobserver.

Click here for a previous post about more of Olivia Palermo's gorgeous coats.

happy new year!

Straight from this Kate Spade book, Things We Love, I am wishing you a year filled with just that!

May you have a year filled with celebrations...

The courage to chase your dream...

Everydays filled with the little things that delight you - like stripes and lots of kisses!

Curiosity and destinations to be curious about...

And a whole lot of sparkle!

Have a wonderful New Year everyone!

Photos from heritage.

some stylish kids

I am normally not a fan of kids dressing up like grown-ups. I prefer kids to dress like kids because they grow up too fast as it is. I prefer that their childlike quality is preserved for as long as possible. But oddly, I am enamored by these really well-dressed kids.

Loving the mullet dresses of these two. 

On the fence on the black one though. Not sure kids should already wear black. Am attracted to this mustard & gray color combo though...

What about this kid in these adorable brogues?

Am even drawn to these tiny snakeskin Celines.

Good thing I'm done shopping for all the kids on my Christmas list! Or I would be in a real dilemma with all these stylish, grown-up kids' clothes around.

Photos from annnniegirl & garancedore.

Click here for a previous post about avoiding conversations about how they look when talking to little girls.

a wish come true

Remember how I was wishing for a Tiffany & Co gift here and here? Well, I got my wish this Christmas!

The hubby got me the perfect (for me) pair of sunglasses! You see, I have the traditional Filipino's pango (flat) nose. I hardly have a bridge so I can never wear shades without nose pads. Because I've so wanted nose-pad-less shades, I used to buy one every now and then but the rim would rest on my cheeks and after wearing them a while, the shades' bridge would eventually sink to my low nose bridge and I would look like a grandmother peering out on top of my glasses. And if I bowed my head, the sunglasses would surely fall to my lap because it wasn't clutching my nosebridge at all. Plus, I might also have an odd-shaped head, 'coz I can never raise my shades up to my head like a hairband. It would always pop out!

Because of a number of disappointing experiences with nose-pad-less eyewear, I'd given up even trying them on already.

But these Tiffany shades rest perfectly on the bridge of my nose. And even if I bow down, they stay stuck to my nose. And I can wear them like a hairband when the sun goes away! So perfect for me! :)

As if perfect wasn't perfect enough, it has all these perfect little details... The Tiffany key... 

... and the Tiffany blue color peeking out through the sides and the frame's insides.

And the subtle branding - a tiny T&Co. - on the inside of one of the temple tips...

But to tell you the truth, this gift had me at hello. I saw the iconic Tiffany blue box and I was already smitten! 

I already knew whatever was in it was a wish come true!

Photos are my own and from here & here.

Get your own pair of Tiffany eyewear at Adora in Greenbelt 5.

my pretend closet: boyfriend pajamas

I am so drawn to these vintage-style - or as J.Crew puts it, "borrowed-from-the-boys classic" pajama sets. Am not usually a pajama set type of person: I wear a tee with my typically printed pajama pants. But I am loving these sets with a boyish charm!

There's always something sexy about borrowing your man's clothes - whether it be his crisp, white shirt or jeans. And boyfriend pajamas are no exception. Especially this nightshirt version.

Too bad my SIL already left New York when I found these PJs. I hope I can bear to wait 'til she flies back there to order them from J.Crew. For now, I am willing them to stay in my pretend closet rather than in a tempting (but not shipping-cost-free) box to Johnny Air Cargo. 

Photos from annnniegirl, acupofjo & j.crew.

Click here for previous posts from the My Pretend Closet series.

Today, I am loving...

Today, I am loving... my early Christmas gift from my buddies K & C! It's not exactly from Tiffany's, but it's in a lovely Tiffany blue color - my purrretty Matroyshka necklace!

I was already smitten because as you know from here & here, I have a thing for Matroyshka dolls. To my wonderful surprise, it didn't just look like a cutely fat Matroyshka, but it was an actual nesting doll!!!

I was in love!

So I wore it everyday after that.

To a friend's birthday dinner...

To the Sting concert...

On errands the following day...

Today, I am totally loving... my adorable Matroyshka necklace present! Super thanks K & C!

Photos are my own and from annnniegirl.

Click here for previous posts from the Today, I am loving... series.