some polka dots i spotted...

Just

some

random

everyday

pretty

polka dots

in

black, gray & white. 

Photos from annnniegirl and pinkwallpaper.

Click here for the down-in-the-dots version of this post. Click here for previous posts from the Some Polka Dots I Spotted... series.

Found: Celine-ish Box Bag

Remember how I was lusting after Celine box bags here?

Well, guess what I found in SM department store yesterday? Isn't it pretty Celine-ish?

Oddly, even though I've been drawn to these authentic camel Celine box bags...

... I decided to get this gray one.

Too bad it wasn't available in more colors like the real thing. Would have wanted a blue-green one or that almond color I've been swooning over here.

But I have to say, at P629.75 (about US$14.50), I wouldn't mind letting undesirable, damaging things - more rainwater, than a cigarette though for me (see related post here) - near my Celine-ish box bag.  

Can't wait to use my Celine-ish box bag!

Photos from manilafashionobserver, baghagdiaries, heritage, here, here, here, here and here.

Color Obsession: gray & yellow

I remember the days when my well-ingrained but ancient design & fashion sensibilities would dictate that cool colors don't mix with warm ones. Remember how I was pushing myself to break my dated self-imposed rules here by pairing gray with camel and silver with gold? Since I started this blog, I've pushed myself to be bolder, to step out of my comfort zone and I've discovered the many beautiful possibilities I never would have even allowed myself to consider in the past. I've certainly come a long way. Now, I not only face the life with a bold "Let's do this!" attitude, but I've also learned not to feel weird about mixing cool colors with warm ones. In fact, I've learned to revel in it. From gray & camel, I've leaped to this delightful combination of gray & yellow.

These pillows make me smile. It's just a simple floral pattern so I figure it's the colors that make it fun. I guess the yellow takes the drab out of gray and the gray tones down yellow's uber brightness and the result is a chic combination.

My kitchen is gray and white like this - more lived in (read: messy) - but with similarly colored dark gray and white cabinets. So now I'm thinking of getting a yellow accent chair for our breakfast nook.

I've always found this kid's bedroom interesting. It seems to be a bedroom that can grow up with the kid. Not overly kiddie that a teenager would hate. The gray and yellow provide a neutral background to the colorful mess of toys of a 6-year-old, but will work just as well when he brings in an electric guitar or drum set as a teen.

This one, just because it's a colored barnyard sliding door, I think I'd love in any color. But it works in gray & yellow too.

And look at the pretty paper possibilities available on Etsy here!

Coincidentally, a friend of mine has picked pewter & marigold as their wedding colors.

But aside from marigold and pale yellow, I've always thought neon yellow looks great with gray (see related post here).

So the past couple of weekends, I've been scouring the mall for a basic gray dress (ideally with a flared skirt). I've already scored a neon yellow belt from SM for just P129.75! But even gray shift dresses have eluded me. I'd also like the blazer of that neon-yellow-nailed woman. Would be nice it was lined in neon yellow so it would peek out when you fold the sleeves! And after seeing Julia Sarr-Jamois' effortless ensemble, I will now add a yellow A-line skirt on my shopping list! Meantime, my yellow belt works just as well with my gray trousers & tops.

Don't you agree that gray & yellow is a delightful, chic combination?

Photos from fromainsley, heritage, 101gramsofeyecandy, here, here, here, here and here. Check out the feature on my friend Ella's wedding logo & save the date invites on their logo-designers' blog here. And sharing a link to another blogger's gray & yellow obsession here.

Click here for previous posts from the Color Obsession series.

Color Obsession: blue-gray

Was exploring this blog I discovered yesterday and was quite drawn to these photos. Because of the blue-gray color. It was only then that I realized that lately, I've been pretty smitten with this slightly darker, gray-er Tiffany-blue color. I didn't notice it then, but on my last shopping trip to Megamall (read related post here), my loot was all blue-gray or sand-colored! The pretty bird-and-birdcage-graphic printed pillows (I bought a lot of these! For the master's bedroom, the living room and even my car!), the new curtains for our bedroom, the fun floral pillowcase for the living room and even that hat I scored (from the fabulous men's section at SM department store where I also found cool leather bracelets in camel and navy!) all had that hint of grayish blue!

Photos from muku via chewingthecud and my own.

Click here for other posts on the Color Obsession series.

Color Obsession: Neutrals & Brights

A pop of color always goes well with neutrals. But I think there are certain neutrals that look best with particular neons...

Neutrals NAVY and NUDE (see the post that inspired this color pairings post from eyecandy here) look perfect with bright ORANGE.

Neutrals NAVY and WHITE are elegant with bright GREEN.

Neutrals KHAKI and MUSTARD are stunning with bright PINK.

Here is where I beg to disagree with Bally though...

I think neon YELLOW is best matched with neutral GRAY.

Whether or not yellow is paired with black or gray, don't you love these awesome neutral + brights pairings?

Photos of the Bally-Rina (the name cracks me up!) collection from Bally. Photo of the woman in striped heels is from FromMeToYou. Photo of the striped heel shoes I've been eyeing from Aldo. And the gray + neon photo is from 101gramsofeyecandy.

mixing it up

Surprisingly, this weekend turned out to be about being bold and finally starting a blog. So am inspired to pursue this throughout the rest of the workweek by boldly breaking some well-ingrained, but quite ancient design and fashion rules. (1) Gray, meet camel and brown. My instincts tell me gray can only go with black, purple or white. But all neutrals go together, right? (2) I am in this Muji clean and simple phase. Subdued gingham, stripes and solids. But the Aquarian in me has always loved a splash of color. And I never thought such a playful, flirty floral print could go with clean, striped lines. (3) Consistent with my "gray goes with cool, not hot, hues" rule, I struggle to mix silver with gold jewelry (or bag hardware). Resist old design sensibilities! (4) Am wired to think fresh flowers are for special occasions. But why not get fresh flowers just to spruce up my living room? (5) Now, I wonder if I can be bold enough to wear this fancy bucket hat I have but have never worn in the hot & humid summer weather of Manila?

What about you? What self-imposed rules are you breaking this week? Will you mix it up with me?

Photo credits: http://www.everythingfab.com/, http://deliciouslyorganized.blogspot.com/, http://101gramsofeyecandy.blogspot.com/