Sunday Date Outfit

Sandals from Michaela; Dress from Divisoria; Choker necklace from a bazaar in Festival Mall 

I had plans to go to the May 27-29 Trendsetter's Bazaar ever since the previous one (which was last April 15-17) ended and I got my hands on 2 sheets of coupons for the next one. Unfortunately, I also found out the night before- from a YouTube movie trailer ad- that the movie Warcraft was already being shown in theatres and I excitedly relayed this info to my husband who was kind of a fan. Anyhow, to make a long story short, he made me choose between going to the Trendsetter's Bazaar (which I have waited a month for) and watching the Warcraft movie. 

For some reason, which I slightly regret, we ended up in Glorietta to watch the Warcraft movie and then I had a look at the makeup section of the SM Department Store to make up for not being at the Trendsetter's Bazaar. We had a box of Yellow Cab pizza delivered to us when we got back home and somehow that made everything a little bit better. 

Maternity Fashion Featuring "Buntis" from Landmark

Back when I wasn't pregnant yet, I have always pictured myself looking fab when the time comes for me to carry my own little bun in the oven. I really wanted to wear dresses ALL. THE. TIME. 

And now here I am, 6 months pregnant with my first baby and I'm left thinking, "what the hell is happening? Where are all the dresses I dreamt of wearing?!" Okay, so a quick fact about me: I am very stingy when it comes to buying clothes for myself. I'm the type who would rather spend time browsing the racks of thrift stores than pay full price for a top or a dress. I find 500 Php to be way too much to spend on t-shirt or a fast fashion top. Heck, even when these clothes are already on sale at 300 Php, I still have a hard time parting with my money. BUT. Hehe, there's always that "But"; when it comes to shoes, bags, makeup AND food, my motto seems to be: "money is no object." I really can't explain why except that these things (with maybe the exception of food) are enough to enhance even the most basic outfits and I'd rather really spend on those instead. 

ANYWAY, as you can probably tell by now, I was left with no decent clothes that would accommodate my growing belly and even my fiancé's mom (to her horror, I assume) noticed that I was still wearing my denim shorts at almost 5 months pregnant. Hence, the dresses she got for me from Landmark. I am so grateful to her because I really didn't expect her (or my fiancé for that matter) to buy me maternity clothes. I just figured I'd get around to buying a few when I'm starting to really (I mean, REALLY) feel the need to. 

And since I ALWAYS forget to do OOTDs when I go out, I decided to just do sort of a try on post of the 3 dresses from the label "Buntis" from Landmark instead (btw, if I have readers who do not speak Tagalog, buntis means pregnant in English). 

One other thing that I found to be a pleasant surprise was that, I actually love the design and fit of these dresses. I probably wouldn't even give these dresses a second thought if it had been me browsing through the racks of Landmark. Huh, goes to show how prejudiced I am. But yeah, this made me realize that I really should give clothes a chance and definitely, definitely try them on! Another quick fact about me: I HATE trying on clothes when shopping. 

Hopefully, I can suppress the urge to buy more makeup and instead buy a few more maternity clothes :) 

Spice Up Your Wardrobe with Non-Staple Pieces

There are multitude of articles out there that helps women decide what clothes or accessories to stock their closets with and one of the most common are the ones that advise us to invest in staple pieces that I'm pretty sure are already ingrained in practically every woman's mind – and closets. Crisp white blouse? Check. Basic white tee? Check. Blazer? Check. Black heels, boot-cut jeans, and of course the little black dress? Check, check, and of course, check! Staple pieces? Chances are we already own them all. So why don't we try to be a bit more daring by straying from the norm and incorporate a smattering of non-staple wardrobe pieces to spice things up? 

Boyfriend Jeans

Love or hate them, it looks like boyfriend jeans are here to stay and why not? It's comfortable and low-maintenance which makes them the jeans most women go for (take that, you unforgiving skinny jeans!). You can just easily throw on your basic tee and a pair of cute pumps and you're good to go.

L-R: J.Crew Destroyed Boyfriend Jeans

Maison Scotch Womens Two Tone Bleach Garcon Printed Boyfriend Jeans

Each X Other 'Poem' Boyfriend Jeans

Metallics

Metallics are definitely non-staple wardrobe pieces as they are too flashy to be regarded as basic. Although one can't deny that they are a recurring trend that are definite head turners what with all that shiny, flashy goodness. From makeup to shoes, metallics are just the thing to brighten up an otherwise drab look. Just don't ever wear them from head to toe lest you blind someone.

L-R: Topshop Metallic Sunflower Skort

Vince Camuto Owen Tote

ALDO Welchpool 

70s Style Jeans

Retro fashion has been making a comeback and they show no signs of going out of style – yet. One of the most popular trend is the flared and wide-leg jeans. It's almost as roomy as the boyfriend jeans, but a little more glam especially with sky-high heels. Think boho chic or Rachel Zoe. The best way to wear these types of jeans is with your shirt tucked in. 

L-R: Free People Patchwork Bali Flare Bottom

Paige Denim Fiona Harrison Whiskered Flared Jeans

Alice + Olivia Lace Wide Leg Pants

Leopard Print

Tricky as it is to wear, this perennial trend exudes an air of fierceness and if done right, elegance that will no doubt demand people's attention. And since it's a perennial trend, your leopard print clothes or accessories is in no danger of gathering dust in your wardrobe. For those who want to venture into the wild side, but are a little hesitant, try going minimal because one leopard print accessory as small as a belt or a scarf can already make a huge statement.

L-R: Oasis Leopard Silk Square scarf

Dune Barrio clutch 

2Bbebe Leopard Geo Earrings 

Full Midi Skirts

Reminiscent of Dior's New Look, this piece can make practically anything look classy and should definitely change from a non-staple wardrobe piece to an actual closet staple. Also, the fuller the skirt, the better. Tuck a basic tee in your full midi skirt and see the transformation from casual to, well, fabulous! You can even try it with a sweater for colder weather and pair the ensemble with pointed toe heels.

Front Row Shop full midi skirt in brocade

Front Row Shop full midi skirt 

Borrowing from the Boys

As much as I love getting all dressed up, there are times (okay, most of the time) wherein I just don't have the energy to go through my clothes and carefully put together an ensemble especially when I have nowhere special to go or if it's an impromptu trip. My ordinary day of going out somewhere random would be sticking my head in the closet and pulling out whatever is available... or clean, and usually I don't really like whatever is available so I proceed to go through my brother's or my boyfriend's clothes and choose a tee or button down.

Case in point:

shirt: pilfered from my brother's closet; jeans: American Eagle; shoes: Charles & Keith

What I like most about wearing men's clothing is the laid back comfort it brings and that you can style it in a way that looks effortless yet voguish. My favorite items of clothing to steal borrow from my brother or boyfriend's closet are: button-down shirt, tees, and sweaters/hoodies. On a lazy day, I just wear them with jeans or shorts and I'm good to go. But if I wanted to spruce things up a bit, I would style these items of clothing with a pair of heels and/or an eye-catching item like a colourful purse or a kitschy accessory. 

A word of caution though: As much as possible, make sure that the clothes you are borrowing aren't extremely large in size for you; we don't want to look like we're swimming in our clothes, do we? Trust me, it's never a flattering look. If you find that that is the case with your brother/boyfriend/father's clothes, then you're better off buying your own stuff at the men's section instead.