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Showing posts from 2018

LOOKBOOK | Tropical Christmas

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I know, how odd, right? When we say Christmas we most certainly think of snow and pine trees and all that. Yet here I am in full tropical gear-- tropical print shirt , linen shorts , and boat shoes. And what a major mismatch with the backdrop! Haha!

DINING | Felix Restaurant: A little inconsistent but overall still good

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Inside Felix Restaurant at Greenbelt 5. Felix Restaurant is a casual dining restaurant at Greenbelt 5 in Makati City. Been here a few times and here's a roundup of my experiences so far. Interiors and ambiance Four plain, circular chandeliers hang from the restaurant's high ceiling, providing warm, ambient light to the space. The walls are painted white, with some dark brown accents. This color scheme seamlessly extends throughout the cushioned wooden chairs and marble-top tables, interrupted only by the bright blue couch-style seating lining up its walls. Nice touch actually.

LOOKBOOK | Not Monday blues but Monday browns and grays

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I don't know why blue is associated with sadness when it's such a beautiful and happy color. I mean, think of blue skies and the ocean. I think gray communicates gloom much better, all the more when you throw in some brown to reflect the color of death. In plants, that is. But why all this despondency? Because it's Monday!

FRAGRANCE | Alizarin EDP by Penhaligon's: Strong but not strong

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This one is my wife's actually and is in fact listed as a woman's fragrance on Fragrantica . I tried it and was surprised to find it quite masculine. The classification is definitely off in my opinion. I've worn it a couple of times now to test it, and I must say that Alizarin EDP by Penhaligon's is a love for me.

FRAGRANCE | Sikkim Girls by Lush: Unapologetically floral

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I see that Lush has been steadily repackaging its fragrances of late. Gone are the quirky artworks adorning each bottle and we now have a generic rectangular bottle sporting a generic white label with a uniform hip font in its stead. Fine. But there's still love in Lush as I realized after seeing a bunch of their fragrances (in their new packaging) in a circular display at one of their stores. Despite the move towards uniformity, the attraction is still there. Or I simply love fragrances. The last Lush fragrance I had was Dear John , which was pretty decent and inexpensive. It was time to get acquainted with other stuff. After sniffing through everything, one of the purchases we ended up with is Sikkim Girls . My wife and I were meant to share them, having all been branded as unisex.

LOOKBOOK | Relax...but suck it all in

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End of the week. Time to loosen up and relax. Here I went for what are essentially still joggers but in a fabric with patterns typically seen only in business wear, like plaid . The fabric is very soft, so you feel very relaxed in it, more so with the pants's loose construction. Okay, they may not technically be joggers after all, so let's just call them drawstring pants. 😉

FRAGRANCE | A delectable gourmand in Hanae Mori HM EDP

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Another spate of blind buys. After going through my not-so-short shortlist I took a chance with a Japanese name this time— Hanae Mori HM EDP . Packaged in a tall, slender bottle of frosted glass, with a plastic cap resembling a bolt and nut, Hanae Mori HM already looks promising at the onset.

LOOKBOOK | The stiff and loose dichotomy

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Why so serious? I don't get to wear them often but I'm really loving these kimono cardigans from House of Nippon , which come in a variety of prints that it feels like I can never have enough. They're very fashionable and perfect for lightweight layering. This time we go brown and with a stiffer fabric so the sleeves stay in form. This one's also a little long for that extra swag as you saunter your way around town. In direct contrast to all this stiffness, I wore some loose-fitting trousers that are a little high-waisted and ankle-length . Not that I had had enough of fitted pants but let's just say we also need to expand our horizon a bit, try something we're not accustomed to.

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Tempo EDP by Diptyque

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Vial Trials  are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them. This sample, Tempo EDP by Diptyque , has been with me for several months now. I love that it's a 10ml sprayer, which is quite generous for a freebie (I must be a very good customer then). I love it so much that I still haven't used it, as if it were something so precious I didn't want to part with. But I have to use it, so here goes.

LOOKBOOK | Finally, Gudetama!

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Depressed egg but happy me! I have long been pining for a Gudetama t-shirt , jealous that Kwittiegirl can simply pick at liberty any design from Uniqlo. Yes, that depressed egg of a Sanrio character has beguiled me with its kawaii, and it frustrates me that Uniqlo only has it in female tees. But as luck would have it, The SM Store now has Gudetama t-shirts. For guys! To be honest, the quality is not as great as Uniqlo's--the fabric, print, fit--buy hey, for only Php 350, I think I'm good. With much glee I can easily pair it with jeans or shorts. Ha!

LOOKBOOK | Rips, patches, and spikes

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Doing the " smungay " pose. Ah, I guess this could be what you would call a "rock and roll" jacket. Ripped denim, patches, spikes --yeah, very "rock." I acknowledge it's a jacket that I don't really need but wanted anyway. As if it were the perfect justification, it was on sale, so I got it.

FRAGRANCE | Vera Wang for Men EDT: Classy and understated

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Let me just start by saying how gorgeous of a bottle this is. It's simple and elegant, the perfect representation of what this fragrance is. Vera Wang for Men is the only men's offering in a line of some 20+ fragrances from the designer most famous for her wedding gowns.

FRAGRANCE | Pink Pepper Leather EDP by ScentSmith Perfumery: A sweet and spicy delight

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Earlier in September I came across ScentSmith Perfumery at Greenbelt 5. After Hayden Kho's foray into fragrances --which I really liked, by the way--went kaput, I'm happy to see another brand contributing to the growth of the local fragrance industry. I left the store with a couple of bottles in tow, one of which is this EDP called Pink Pepper Leather .

DINING | Charito by Bag of Beans: A destination unto itself

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Just one of the many pretty spaces at Charito by Bag of Beans. Bag of Beans restaurants are aplenty in Tagaytay, and opening another one may feel a tad too much already. But no, as their fifth one offers something different--at least in terms of design. Named after its owner, Charito by Bag of Beans attempts to "level up" its already templated formula by going a little upscale. Had the chance to try this two year-old resto, and here's a rundown of our experience.

LOOKBOOK | 1 of 36 views of Mt Fuji

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One of the pieces I copped at last month's  Uniqlo Manila flagship store opening was this t-shirt with a Japanese scenery print with the famous Mt Fuji in view. I haven't given much thought about it other than it's a nice design. Apparently it's part of the Hokusai Blue Uniqlo UT collection , which is rooted in some interesting history so to speak. From the brand's website:

LOOKBOOK | Wearing the tropics on my sleeve

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I realized that this tropical print bomber jacket is one jacket that's not very easy to wear. Yeah, the print is very eye-catching but it seems to clash with almost everything I try to put on. Black is obviously a safe bet but it can't always be black. Here I tried red. I took a cue from the red stripes around the jacket's collar, cuffs, and waist, so I guess it would work.

FRAGRANCE | Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels: A classic green through and through

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And so my blind-buying spree continues with Tsar by Van Cleef & Arpels . It's been around for nearly three decades now and shame that this is only my first encounter with this classic. From both box and bottle alone, one can instantly glean that this is a green fragrance. It's a handsome bottle, by the way; pretty basic but handsome. It's not a heavy one either. I love the sprayer, too, which delivers a fine and even dose of juice.

LOOKBOOK | Halloween 2018: Betrayus is my name

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Putting up a brave face, this kid. But she would never look at me. I don't know why. And just like that, Halloween celebrations at the office are over. As with last year, our department was supposed to skip the workplace decorating contest again this time--until our HR asked our boss to reconsider because we were the only ones not joining. And so we "had to" join. This year's theme was " Now Streaming ," in particular series that are available on either Netflix or iflix . Because every popular show was already taken, we searched through what else is available and ended up with Pac-Man and the Ghostly Adventures . Who knew there was a Pac-Man series! I wanted to be Pac-Man because I'm always eating. I think it's so me. I even used to be called by that name back at my first job. But no, I was relegated to being the villain once again. Voldemort for Halloween 2014 , Loki for Halloween 2016 , now I'm a ghost. And it has a name-- Betrayus .

LOOKBOOK | Another case of the blues

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I haven't worn a suit for quite some time, so I thought of taking this blue number out for a spin. It's not as noticeable in the photos but it's not all blue because it's got a white microdot pattern. Talk about downsized polka dots.

FRAGRANCE | 1920 The Origin by Tous: Another love at first sniff

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I've never heard of Tous before but I'm glad I stumbled upon it at a mall fragrance store. Read up a bit and learned that Tous is a Spanish jewelry house founded in 1920 and that their foray into cosmetics and fragrances only started in 2002. There were only a few of the brand's fragrances at the store and 1920 The Origin was the first that I sniffed. And that was it--I instantly wanted the fragrance. Although not exactly the same, it somehow reminded me of my favorite Terre d'Hermes . Just a wee bit, which I think is because of the citrus.

LOOKBOOK | A wonderful, dizzying mess of crisscrossing lines

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Bold geometric patterns in clothing don't always come in colors. Although it's mostly the case, black and white can be just as bold, like this pullover here. Its crisscrossing lines that never end in harmony result in a wonderful, dizzying mess.

FRAGRANCE | Soft by Al-Rehab is no softy at all

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Because Armaf's Club de Nuit Intense Man was such a hit with me, I'm here trying out fragrances from other houses from the Middle East. And my, is it a whole new world out there! This post is about Soft by Al-Rehab , which is marketed as a unisex fragrance. It's a pretty nondescript name for an EDP, with cheap packaging to go with it. But don't be fooled because it's a cheapie that packs quite the punch.

LOOKBOOK | Joining in the madness of opening day

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Wanting to belong. I'm a fan of Leeroy New's work, by the way. So I found myself sneaking out during lunch last Friday to check out the just-opened Uniqlo Manila flagship store , touted to be the largest in Southeast Asia. This is so not me because I typically avoid crowded spaces and I hate long lines. But I guess I love Uniqlo so much. Besides, I didn't think the crowd would be that big at lunch time. I reckon it would be much worse in the evening and on Saturday and Sunday. Turns out I was somehow right because there were no more lines at the store entrances when we arrived. And because there was just so much space, it wasn't as chaotic inside. The lines at the cashiers, though, were really long but were moving at a relatively decent pace. Staff were already approaching queueing shoppers to remove those magnetic sensors before they even reach the cashier.

LOOKBOOK | Anchoring a look on a micro-patterned jacket

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Man, do I look so bored! Anyway, here I am basing an entire look on a jacket I haven't worn yet. It's a lightweight piece with micro-patterns in wine and gray, so we take after one of these colors. I picked gray, which I used for my pants and socks.

FRAGRANCE | Aramis Havana EDT: A definitive masculine classic

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So far, so good. With my blind buys, I mean. After Guerlain Habit Rouge and Armaf Club de Nuit Intense Man , here comes Aramis Havana . I'm on a roll! Released in 1994, Aramis Havana is undeniably masculine. It's in-your-face masculine. I understand that there are purveyors of the thought that fragrances shouldn't be defined by gender. However, by all these marketing standards that have shaped our perceptions over the decades, Havana is definitely a men's fragrance.

LIFESTYLE | New mall find: ScentSmith Perfumery (Greenbelt 5)

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Perfumes on display at ScentSmith. It's always a joy to discover new scents and brands, and it's even greater joy when it's a homegrown brand that you stumble upon. Well, hello there, ScentSmith Perfumery ! Located at Greenbelt 5, ScentSmith has been on soft opening since August. The store--their first--sports a sort of industrial look with bare concrete walls and floor, exposed dark-painted beams, and metal shelves. The look is reinforced with dark brown bottles, which both serve as decor and product packaging. Lighting is warm and ambient.

LOOKBOOK | Office-casual peacock

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I'm such a peacock, yes. So let's take this forgotten peacock feather printed shirt for a spin, which I haven't worn in a really long while. About time, right?

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Blenheim Bouquet by Penhaligon's

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Vial Trials  are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them. As with my post about another Penhaligon's fragrance-- Sartorial --this blog post is a little different because the fragrance I'm reviewing here isn't a sample but part of a scent library trial pack I bought containing five men's and five women's scents. So Blenheim Bouquet was apparently launched over a hundred years ago in 1902, an enduring classic, with a whole range of men's grooming products to boot.

LOOKBOOK | When your shoes are your bling

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I think it's safe to say that I have a pretty wide range of tastes when it comes to shoes. I do formal lace-ups, I do loafers, sneakers, espadrilles , and even metallic silver shoes . And then I realized I haven't tried gold yet, so let me try some metallic gold shoes  then.

FRAGRANCE | Club de Nuit Intense Man by Armaf: A solid fragrance on its own merits

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My love for fragrances--or might I say, increasing obsession for fragrances--has led me to discover brands I've never even heard of before. And boy, do I enjoy these discoveries! Armaf is one of these brands, which I stumbled upon while going through an online perfume store. This Dubai-based house intrigued me, especially with its fairly cheap price range. Convinced with reviews I've read, I took a gamble on Club de Nuit Intense Man , touted by many as a "clone" of Creed's bestselling Aventus. I haven't tried Aventus, so I'm reviewing this juice based on its own merits.

LOOKBOOK | Cuban feels again

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I'm wearing this printed Cuban shirt again. The last time I wore it I followed a brown color scheme where I paired it with khaki pants, brown belt, and brown shoes. It's probably the most obvious route with this shirt's print.

LOOKBOOK | Cornflower and peaches

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Casual and summery. Too casual even. It starts with the oversize Cuban shirt --clean but not crisp. Instead, it's relaxed and flowy. Then the cornflower blue ankle pants , with a rather roomy fit but not as boxy as the top.

LOOKBOOK | Baby steps in print on print execution

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A study in contrasts. I think I can say that I am able to comfortably mix colors, match a tie with a shirt, dress an outfit up or down, but one of the things I'm never comfortable with is mixing prints . Like, how are you supposed to put two different patterns together and create harmony? How do you find the right prints that would complement each other and not end up in an ugly clash? Sure, there are tips and all but it's a whole different thing when you're actually trying to do it. The confidence just escapes me while I'm stuck in perpetual awe at just how well brands like Etro come up with the best print on print ensembles out there.

FRAGRANCE | Guerlain Heritage EDP: A wonderfully blended juice with spectacular performance

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It's been years since I tried a Guerlain fragrance, and that was L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme . I liked it enough but I never really went crazy over it. It was a fairly good introduction to the brand nonetheless and I told myself that I wanted to try their other fragrances. However, I haven't come across any local store that carried them--until I set my sights on eBay and found a few listings from a local seller. After much thought and banking on nothing but reviews, I made a blind buy with Guerlain Heritage . I got the EDP version and did not regret my purchase at all.

LOOKBOOK | Office guy on lunch break

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Nothing much here, just wearing "normal" office clothes. But I thought the blue shirt and grayish brown pants make for a good combination, further complemented by brown leather. No tie, though, because no one here seems to wear them anymore.

DINING | Vina Trang: Straightforward, authentic Vietnamese cuisine

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Vina Trang's bun thit nuong . Apart from Hanoi's charming Old Quarter and that glorious Ha Long Bay cruise experience, one of the things I love about Vietnam is the food. That perennial clean taste and consistent use of vegetables in nearly every dish is something I can't seem to get enough of. Oh, that walking food tour we had last year was just absolutely great! We do have a few Vietnamese restaurants here in Metro Manila but I haven't come across anything that really floored me. And then we stumbled upon Vina Trang in Century City Mall in Makati.

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: Sartorial by Penhaligon's

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Vial Trials  are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them. This entry is a little different, however, because the fragrance I'm reviewing here-- Sartorial by Penhaligon's --isn't a sample but part of a scent library trial pack I bought containing five men's and five women's scents. Sartorial is love at first sniff for me. Right off the bat there's this delectably sweet and warm accord, tempered by a pleasantly light, sort of mentholated, spicy-floral blend. I realized the mentholated effect emanates from the metallic note, which is something I normally despise but surprisingly in this case I love.

LOOKBOOK | Another dressed-down Barong Tagalog

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Wearing a Barong Tagalog--with rolled-up sleeves. Regarded as the country's national formal wear for men, the Barong Tagalog sure is a thing of beauty. Whether they're cheapies from Divisoria that cost only a few hundred pesos or expensive designer pieces, you can't discount the Barong's innate elegance. I got to wear one again last Friday when our department celebrated the culmination of Buwan ng Wika (Language Month). While it's a celebration often confined to schools, we've been at it for three years now. It's something I actually look forward to each year.

LOOKBOOK | White pants and "bravery"

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I know some people are uncomfortable, if not totally averse to, wearing white pants . They say it's difficult to wear and all that. But you just put them on, right? Of course you do. White, much like black, is so versatile you can pair it with almost anything. The thing is we usually relegate white to tops (Hello, white t-shirt and white dress shirt!) but seldom to pants. Or never. Because we're so afraid of our clumsy o'l selves.

LOOKBOOK | Some kimono cardi comfort and pinkish hues

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So I got myself another one of those kimono cardigans from House of Nippon . They're great for lightweight layering . Because the fabric's thin enough, they're perfect for the tropics while affording the wearer just a bit of warmth. And swag.

TRAVEL | Anya Resort Tagaytay: Nice place but still rough around the edges

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Welcome to Anya Tagaytay Resort! When you're a property brandishing your inclusion in the exclusive  Small Luxury Hotels of the World , which of course you should be proud of, you better live up to your own hype. Anya Resort Tagaytay is one of only three such properties from the Philippines that have been accepted into the brand, which entails approval by SLH's board of directors and an annual visit from its team of mystery inspectors "to ensure consistently high standards of quality." We tried Anya Resort Tagaytay for two nights and came in with fairly high expectations. Here's a rundown of our experience.

FRAGRANCE | Cheap thrills: Christine Lhuillier Parfumerie's Black Leather and Black Bamboo

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A Christine Lhuillier kiosk at Glorietta. I'm a sucker for fragrances, be it something boozy and spicy like Penhaligon's The Uncompromising Sohan , something dark and warm like Burberry London , or a light and fresh juice like Penhaligon's Castile . Admittedly most of them don't come cheap. Believe me, it's not like I intentionally seek out only expensive fragrances because there are also some that don't work with my body chemistry, no matter the brand or how pricey they are. That or I simply don't like them. Proof of this is how I discovered Christine Lhuillier Parfumerie , which carries a wide--and I mean wide--array of fragrances that include body sprays, EDTs, EDPs, and room sprays. It's no prestige brand by any standard, and you can find them at kiosks at different malls. There's some effort, however, in their branding and presentation. Their kiosks, for one, aren't your run-of-the-mill counters because theirs sport a distinct shabby

LOOKBOOK | Keeping warm with an ethnic woven poncho

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This monsoon season had me reaching out for jackets, hoodies, and what-have-you because it gets really cold in the office. Now let's throw in a poncho into the mix. I got this ethnic woven poncho from House of Nippon  (just find them on Instagram), where I also snagged my printed kimono cardigan a few months ago. It's nice and comfy, not to mention that it affords the wearer a certain kind of swag, probably because of its long and draping effect. And of course, it does the job of keeping you warm.

LOOKBOOK | Athleisure comfort for the rainy days

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I do wear joggers quite often. I even pair joggers with an office shirt and wear it to work. But never have I worn something that completely matches my top. Until now.

LOOKBOOK | A touch of summer in monsoon weather

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Who says we all need to dress up dark and dreary during days when it's gloomy and rainy? We could all use some color or summer element to usher in some cheer, couldn't we? Here I'm taking my tropical print bomber jacket for a spin. Aside from the green, the pops of orange and smaller streaks of blue provide much needed color for the rainy days. It's all still anchored on black, though, so I'm not completely out of touch with the weather.

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: The Uncompromising Sohan (from the Penhaligon's Portraits Collection)

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Vial Trials  are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them. Here I'm writing about The Uncompromising Sohan from the Penhaligon's Portraits Collection . I admit that I was taken aback by this fragrance when I first tested it. I felt like it didn't agree with my body chemistry that it smelled pungent on my skin, like BO. I tried it again, same reaction. Then I finally decided to wear it one Saturday out to the mall and only then did I start to appreciate it. It helped that Kwittiegirl said it definitely does not smell like BO.

LOOKBOOK | Cheer up with head-to-toe pastels

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Happiness in tiny hot air balloons. It was our big boss's birthday and we were asked to wear pastel colors . I know a baby pink or mint green top would be fine but why settle for just one piece when you can do your whole outfit in pastels, shoes included?

FRAGRANCE | Vial trial: L'Eau de Tarocco by Diptyque

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Vial Trials are my reviews of sample fragrances given out by sales people from various store purchases. Compared to my posts about full bottles--which are mostly positive because I already like them in the first place, that's why I bought them--Vial Trials are hopefully less one-sided since they were just given to me; I didn't pick them. In this installment is L'Eau de Tarocco by Diptyque . Although I love Diptyque, the last one I reviewed-- Tam Dao --didn't impress me that much, so let's see about this one.

LOOKBOOK | Spicing up your vacation wardrobe with matching prints

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Have you ever experienced seeing something on display, falling in love with it, then buying it but have no idea when or where you're going to wear it? So I saw this printed long-sleeve shirt with matching shorts on a mannequin and felt exactly just that. The print, though dominantly floral, felt quite different from the usual summer prints I see. So I got both pieces even if I really didn't know whether the right occasion to wear them would come soon. Or at all. It didn't help that they're in a satin fabric , which makes the set even "harder" to wear. I mean, cotton or linen wouldn't be much of a problem, but shiny o'l satin?

LOOKBOOK | Lightweight layering

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With the rainy season kicking in, we're expecting jackets, sweaters, and hoodies to find their way out of people's closets once again. But since it never really gets too cold in this country, perhaps we could go for some lightweight layering .

LOOKBOOK | Happiness with Uniqlo's Doraemon x Takashi Murakami collection

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Yes, this is happiness! Doraemon fans--or practically anyone who likes cute stuff--are sure to love Uniqlo's Doraemon x Takashi Murakami collection . Minions , Marvel , now this. Oh, Uniqlo. Although the t-shirts are for men and women (but in men's sizes), Murakami's characteristic flowers may not appeal to every guy. I myself shied away from some designs, considering I'm no stranger to wearing floral prints . But there's still a bunch of different options sans the flowers, or too much of them.