nunuuu

Mannequin 5 SP 4! For the first time in my life, I can't tell which outfit belongs to whom! I need a more high-res picture to judge fairly (because, you know, materials/texture matter and all that.)

Which outfit do you like?


Photo credit: ghol88

OUTFIT 1
So, yes, a lot of pink. I'm not going to diss it entirely on that account, I might fancy the rolled up pants if they're in a rich material. The shirt might be tacky in real life though. But overall, I don't hate it? I don't know. Looks like an outfit a stylist's assistant would wear. Take note, the assistant, not the stylist himself haha. I'd say Matsujun for the hat/scarf/glasses(?) combo, but I'm of the opinion that he's not really a "pink" person these days; he's more into sober colors the past few years. I think I'd love the outfit if it's Aiba's, though. Because pink + glasses + hat is so not Aiba and it'd be refreshing! Yes? But why do I have a sinking feeling that it's Sho's? :))

OUTFIT 2
I'm guessing Aiba: the silhouette of the pants, the subtle knit + leather jacket combo, the shoes. It's possibly chic but iffy about the pink undershirt. And yeah, I want to see this in HQ! I really can't tell haha. What's that brown thing on the upper part of his pants? A print? Also, the shoes might be real ugly with closer inspection. Overall it feels heavy, could have been way better, like, they might be all nice, fashionable items separately, but together, it's just...meh.

OUTFIT 3
I usually like winter knits and things like that but this one is just in a color that I can't...stomach. Especially with that shirt. Or maybe it's the brown pants with the caramel shoes. My toes curl in disgust, but that's because I'm a picky bitch lol. Overall, I just hate the color combination, truly. This might be Nino's? Or, Aiba? (Please, noooo because I have faith in Aiba's style and I don't want to be heartbroken, just like the last Mannequin SP with the ugly layering and the candy shoes.) I probably hate this the most haha. Sorry Nino! It's not you, it's me.

OUTFIT 4
OHNO. Because it's lazy and predominantly black and...yeah. Although I don't really have an image of him wearing hats, or form-fitting pants for that matter, so this could be Matsujun? Or Sho trying to be cool, hat, blazers, and all? Confusing, this one. I totally get the look they're going for in this one, kind of like a metropolitan, Grease/MJ thing, just a little bit watered down. Can't say I like the orange shirt though; but if this is Ohno's, the orange would look delicious with his tan. DE-LISH-YUS. The bottom half of the outfit is quite cute though, maybe just have the jeans a tone darker? Then a v-neck and a badass jacket then this would totally get my vote. But then again, yeah, the outfit's not that haha

OUTFIT 5
Nino, Sho, or Matsujun. Am I confused or what? I'm guessing Matsujun for the varsity cardigan and the Chucks, Nino for combining a cardigan with a tie, Sho for the somewhat overall dopey, academic feel of this outfit. It's almost cute, but then again, the maddening pink! Also, I'm not a fan of ties worn outside an occasion warranting suits (or formal, fitted vests at the very least), so the tie kind of blows it for me. I like the Chucks though, and would nick the cardigan in an instant. I just feel like the whole outfit's a little bit too "young" for them. I'd like it if it was Ohno's and it was a bowtie instead though! Hahaha

CONCLUSION
Arashi likes their colors (wish they'd hold back a little bit; even if they tend to go for muted ones, they tend to pile non-complementary colors together randomly, le sigh), and that I still don't know who's who! I don't love any of the outfits like ♥, but if I had to choose, probably...1?

...YES, OUTFIT 1. HAVE YOU LOST FAITH IN MY TASTE NOW? HAHA

Who's your pick? And who's who?

2006 to 2011.

Sometimes, I feel like life has been a general blur the past five, six years, all those months bleeding silently into each other without pause. When I look at these pictures, I think about how I've been a real shit to my hair, which it in no way deserves. But the color and length of my hair somehow became the benchmarks of the main events of my early adulthood: I still had virgin black hair when I entered college, which is as metaphorical as it can get. It didn't stay that way for a long, though. When I first colored my hair, it was around the time when I got rejected by my first ex/high school flame when I asked him if we could give it another shot. I was 19, and it hurt like hell. It was hell the way only first loves that end are. When I cut it short, I was sick and tired of boys and the whole dating thing; I just chopped it all off because I seriously couldn't be bothered anymore. I remember really getting into film and photography, so I was really absorbed with my majors. They were obsessions that stilled my heart and engaged my brain, which were both welcome.

The black helmet hair didn't last long (you'll know it when you see it), but I remember how emotionally drained I felt at that time. The picture where I have on a hoodie was when, suddenly, I fell in love big time. He was off to the airport and he wrote down a scribble on my hand that I wasn't supposed to wash until he came back. I didn't get a haircut the whole time we were together. Also, I wanted to have long hair because at that time, I was interning in a fashion magazine and I was just in that phase. Then I don't know, we broke each others hearts, inexplicably, undoubtedly, and I just... I went blonde. Ha. A week after, I regretted it and tempered it with some brown.

Right now, my hair is long, waist-length; it's a nondescript, Asian brown with blunt bangs. I don't know where I am exactly though. I'm still grasping around for what I really want to do, to be. I had so much expectations for this time of my life. If you told my 18-year old self that this is what 23 feels like, she'll probably smile politely and think inwardly what a loser you are for being what you are at 23. But I guess this is reality, not the naive perceptions of a kid. I'm not exactly feeling hopeless though, just a little lost. All I can do is face it with honesty and passion, and I'm sure somewhere down the line I'll stumble on "it". Whatever that is.

 
 

But anyway, I love birthdays! Today's going to be a blast, I just know it. (Also, happy debut anniversary to my five-man rainbow/sparkles/storm brigade! You have saved me in minute but important ways and I love you guys forever ♥)

SHIGE ON MANNEQUIN 5!

OMIGOD!

ON MY BIRTHDAY! (Why are you such a magical date, September 15?) I gleefully foresee some Shige bullying with lots of cuteness on the side. Plus Sho and Nino, of course.♥ Too bad no fishing buddies (aka + Ohno) together!



Plzzzzzz to be wearing something cute, Shigs! :D I know he's stylish enough on normal days but why do I get the feeling like he's going to be a little bit sucky, think Sakurai Sho, in this segment? lol

I CAN'T WAIT!

*

Happy 20th Anniversary, SMAP! Please, I beg you, stop stealing my heart. (I'm looking at you, Tsuyopon. Totally in a Tsuyo mode as of late.) ♥

Had a gown fitting earlier today so I was at my designer's shop. Anyway, the owner wanted to take a photo of me, the designer (who's gay and fabulous and likes for people to call him Kit-Kat, even though there's no way he was born with that name), and the assistant together.

Owner: Okay! Smile!
*I, Kit-Kat, and assistant strike a pose*
Owner: 1, 2-
Assistant: Ay, teka! Teka! Hindi ako naka-make-up! (Wait! Wait! I don't have make-up on!)
Kit-Kat: Puta ka. Kuha mo na nga lang ako ng tubig! (You whore. Just go fetch me a glass of water!)
*Kit-Kat shoves assistant out of the picture*

When I saw the picture, my eyes were gone and my mouth was open way too wide from laughing and all you could see of the assistant were legs, and Kit-Kat had a sexy pout + brow raise all ready even as his arm was pushing out the assistant! HAHAHAHA! IDK, the exchange is funnier in Filipino, I guess. I just died at the nonchalant yet venomous "puta ka." WHY SO HILARIOUS, YOU BECKY YOU

Also, my friends and I had a yoga/pilates/ballet class earlier. (Plana Forma, if you're curious.) The girl in front of us was a first-timer, and she was wearing a shirt (which was tucked in to her high-waist jogging pants) that said "Velvet Rabbit". We were cracking up so much. VELVET RABBIT. IDEK anymore, seriously, questioning sanity, humor, and choice of peers right about now :|

*



Can I just say, that I love Zenkai Girl? Ryo! Oh Ryo you stupid, nice, pushover softie, and your relationship with Pitaro! Also, your touching Gakky's hand in that scene by that bridge totally got to me what is this! And that hug. Why am I all over this supposedly stupid drama? It's so compulsively watchable and quite...adorable. Totally unexpected!!! I'm still watching Soredemo, Ikite Yuku too, though, and it's still heart-wrenching and beautiful. Heavy stuff. I'll probably write a review when it's all done. Ikemen Desu, ne is pretty cute too. I love Tama-chan! He's a grower. Slogging through Hanawake, I kind of sort of hate Shige's character right now lol.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I FINISHED YASASHII JIKAN. I'M BEATING MYSELF UP OVER THE FACT THAT I KEPT PUTTING IT OFF FOR SO LONG, BECAUSE SERIOUSLY, IT'S SUCH A GEM. Oh, Nino and Masami. I belatedly ship you so hard. Their chemistry was just so palpable and tender and just, oh, and I love the rest of the cast too, as well as the setting and the atmosphere. Will probably write a serious review on that as well. Someday. But wow, in a nutshell, it was so affecting and just... ♥

I know, I'm watching too many dramas. *shrugs* My poor film list!

Any of you guys on Pottermore? I got sorted to Gryffindor! Add me up, I'm JinxFlame58 over there. NERD ALERT. Comment here with your Pottermore username if you're adding, so I know who you are!

jadeswallow, finished reading you-know-what! Will email you by tonight or tomorrow! I'm sorry I'm such a procrastinator. :(

I miss this Travis song! Perfect for this post.

We're here and now is fine
So far away from there and there is time, time, time
To plant new seeds and watch them grow
So there'll be flowers in the window when we go



"What to do with a four-day weekend?" has never been a hard question to answer when it comes to me and my friends. Obviously, it means just one thing: ROADTRIP!!! My knees go absolutely weak for the call of the open road. I love the feeling of hunkering down comfortably inside a car with my closest friends, arguing about what song to play, witnessing the road blend into a montage of mundanely beautiful scenery that will only leave the slightest impressions - what I felt at the time would be what I will end up remembering instead.

Our hearts set on getting away from Manila (because we are all heavily afflicted with wanderlust and secretly hate living in the urban jungle that we were born to), we decided to take a drive down to a friend's beautiful vacation house in San Nicolas, Batangas. It rests right by Taal lake, in the middle of which is the world-famous Taal volcano. One can also view Mt. Maculot in the distance. The weather was quite gloomy as the four-day weekend was on the tail-end of a tropical depression, but it was actually cozier that way. Nothing beats the sound of light rain pattering on the ground with the view of a lake and a volcano soothing your nerves.

It was a weekend filled with nothing but random fooling around with friends, blowing up bubbles, eating up some of our favorite childhood snacks (Taquitos, Piattos, Cheesy Lumpia Shanghai, Tortillos, iced-gem biscuits, etc!), picking fresh lilies from the lake, playing kid games like "Pizza, pizza, pizza hut! How many pizza's did you eat last night?" (raise your hand if you know that game!) There was also rubbing tacky, fake tattoos on each other, being competitive about who lasts the longest underwater, grilling fresh tilapia from the lake and coupling it with ensaladang talong, endless frisbee-ing, and drinking while laughing about the old times and other stuff (which may or may not include drunken imitations of a ballet-dancing crab. Don't ask.)

Claire's siblings came down from Manila on the second day to join us; they have the most adorable kids ever! It was so much fun playing in the inflatable pool with darling Mattie and Gab, plus cooing all over the two-month old Alex. My friends and I are such suckers for kids, seriously. Maybe it's because we never grew up, not really? ♥

I didn't bring my huge cameras this time around because I wanted to be relaxed and not always itching to snap photographs, but somehow, I still couldn't resist. Thank god for the iPhone!
















Lovely weekend! (And to think I wanted to stay home so that I could nerd out on Pottermore.)

I hate doing cuts on fashion posts, so please bear with me, f-listers who don't care. 

Late reaction is late, but god, can I just say that Giambattista Valli's haute couture debut was smashing? Smashing enough to take my attention away from Givenchy, the usual apple of my eye. I loved the 1960s couture feel of it all, the shapes, the head pieces, the colors! There's also something very Valentino glamour and early Balenciaga about it. I love how it's all womanly and exquisite, all the details harkening back to a time when women were more deliberate about their clothing, (and being fashionable didn't mean mix and match, high-low, or stalking high street brands.) There's drama and restraint- it's the kind of clothes you would be visualizing yourself wearing in a dream wherein you were the lead actress of your own modern version of Breakfast at Tiffany's. 


“On the day when he was finally able to realize his long-nursed couture dreams, Giambattista Valli rose to the challenge of tradition with a collection that threw down the gauntlet to anyone who would insist that this rarified métier is on its last legs.” - Tim Blanks

Giambattista Valli is usually so far removed from my tastes (come haute couture season, I almost always gush about the more cerebral, heady, if sometimes macabre collections, think Riccardo Tisci) but Valli's first foray into haute couture collection is just...perfection. Hands down the best collection this year! 

My personal top looks (but it doesn't really mean anything, because every ensemble was sensational!)







This red cape/dress debuted two days earlier than runway show; Charlotte Casigrahi, Grace Kelly's granddaughter (and also talk of town since she's Vogue Paris's September cover girl), wore it in ice blue for an occassi



I die for this last dress. DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE (I'm a sucker for bows, seriously. And black.) 



Check out the Giambattista Valli collection in its stunning and inspiring entirety here. You owe it to yourselves, women! I promise, it's so worth your while. 

I love this poem. 

To see the world
by Tammy Ho Lai-Ming

If you had to choose
between traveling around the world in one day
and waiting for the train with me for five minutes,
which would you choose?

To see the world in under two dawns,
better than a grain of sand.
Its rise & decay in ruins — now tourist sites.
Its loving nothingness in city glass buildings—
miniature Babel towers.
If you are lucky, you’ll see ten wedding ceremonies,
fifteen births in baths,
people yelping & rising from Blowing Rock.
On a remote village road, barefoot children grow or wane,
while daffodils beg for rain. Someone
in the East collects gutter oil for high-end restaurants.
You see soldiers in war zones. Their family
are convinced they’ll be back for Christmas.

Or to wait with me for five minutes—
allow me to hold your hand amidst this flock of
chance passengers and passing chances—
if only to understand one thing:
that we can still the world
in an eternity of nano-seconds.

Wait with me, confident
that if you are bored of this compressed lifetime,
another one is pressing down the track.

Boarded a plane
with one of its headlights broken 
All my secret, oppressive prayers
lost in dusty drawers
The heat is flickering, indecisive
The air smells different
I’m somehow dying to explain it all to you

See, I bought this old book yesterday
Thinking I’d hungrily read it 
to the last page
I had only sighed
All my thoughts remaining crumpled,
in the cheap, faint ink of regret
"I want to fly like only you do" 

3 o’clock, I scream in irritation,
it was a long time ago, more than it seemed
(The patient lilt to your voice—ingratiating)
I only brought up
Things long decomposed in the heap
of what was
for you to drop me off at my door and
watch me sleep 

This totally made me lol and go "SHINGO, SERIOUSLY?" at the same time. And yes, SMAP totally butchered California Gurls. It was some kind of hilarious and awesome. (Spot Goro's iffy smile haha ♥)

This week, my friends and I flew to Bohol to unwind and let loose. Bohol is an island province south of Manila that's an hour and a half away via plane, and god, every peso for the airfare was so fucking worth it. It was my first time there, and I was just blown away by everything; the scenery kind of just literally takes your breath away, clichéd as that phrase might be may be. It reminds me of how beautiful the Philippines really is, and how lucky I am to live in a country where paradise is just a short plane ride away! (Boracay doesn't count, that's kind of like Manila aka party central only with a beach as a background. Bohol is the real thing.)

We stayed in Panglao, which is frequently listed as one of the top diving spots in the world, boasting of crystal clear waters, white sand, and rich marine biodiversity. And when I say rich, I mean rich: just dig a little bit into the sand and there are different types of shells, clams, starfishes, sea slugs, everything! And there are dolphins! One moment that made a huge impression on me was when we went diving. After about a mile from the shore, the sea floor suddenly dips 30-40 feet, then, a mirage: amazing sea corals and sponges, tropical fishes and creatures of all sizes and looks (some look downright extraterrestrial), all set against a background of clear blue, and really, the reef seemed like it went on and on and on. I felt nothing but awe, humbled by the vitality of life in the reef and the surreality of witnessing such beauty in profound silence.

I THINK I MIGHT TAKE UP DIVING SERIOUSLY, FOR REAL.

Anyway, the view that greeted us every day:



( That awkward moment when you thought you died and went to heaven, but you didn't. It was just THAT beautiful. )