Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013: SM Ladies' Fashion and Parisian Shoes and Bags

Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2013 was kick-started with SM Ladies' Fashion and Parisian Shoes and Bags' show last Wednesday night, and our team is honored to handle the PR for the event. I was in charge of the registration for our friends from the blogging community as well as the winners of the contest hosted by our chosen bloggers.

The show was slated for 8:00 PM but we were there as early as 10:00 AM.

Gerick, Marco, me, Far, Rica, and Anne

Our bosses Celine and Jenny

Instead of showcasing the Holiday 2013 collection, SM Ladies' Fashion and Parisian Shoes and Bags decided to stay current and feature the Summer 2013 collection instead.  Presenting pieces from Studio S, Philosophy, NY Square, Weekender, Folio, SM Classics, and Coco Cabana, SM Ladies' Fashion sets to provide us women with the chicest options to suit a variety of lifestyles. Here are some photos from the runway showing the looks I loved:

Divine Lee, Ingrid Chu-Go, and Ruffa Gutierrez also worked with the brand by walking down the runway wearing SM Ladies' Fashion and Parisian Shoes and Bags.

As for the shoes, ohmy, I got too excited for that ^_^ You may not be able to see them that clearly in the photos but they're all so pretty.

Bring back the vibe of the swinging 60s with two new collections that truly capture the spirit of the hippie subculture, in styles that have been updated to suit our modern times. Here are some of my favorites:

I wish I have loads of money so I can buy every single thing I want here!

Visit SM Ladies' Fashion and Parisian Shoes and Bags on Facebook. Thank you for having us!

For more photos, please visit ARC Public Relations' official Facebook page.

Note to self: just wing it.

I know I should be sleeping now because I need to brace myself for a long day tomorrow, but I'm feeling restless.

Philippine Fashion Week starts tomorrow, and we are in charge of SM Ladies' Fashion. Being the Online Relationship Manager, I will be in charge of bloggers. Although I have met more than 90% of those invited and am even friends with around half of them, I'm still terrified because, well, I am one of the most awkward persons I know.

Whatever. I guess I'm just going to have to wing it.

Little black dress and heels? Check. New hair color? Check. Makeup skills? I'll do a smokey eyes-look tomorrow. Check. Accessories? Almost done preparing.

I need to remember to inhale-exhale tomorrow. Cross your fingers for me?

Time to DIY dye: Review of Richenna Bubble Color in Red Wine

I am bored of my hair. There, I said it: I am bored of my hair. I don't know if I should stay with this pixie cut or whether I should grow it out. Everyone tells me I look better with short hair though, so I guess having long hair again, at least for now, is not an option. The challenge lies in updating my hairstyle without being limited by its length, by exploring other ways I can change it up without making any drastic changes like shaving half my head or having a fauxhawk.

The easiest solution: hair color!

The last time I had my hair colored was in September of last year, and I've grown it out since then. I wanted so badly to color my jet-black hair but I don't want to cough out more than a thousand bucks for it, so I figured I should try the DIY route.

There's only one problem: I've never done it before.

Still, there's a first time for everything. Last Thursday, as I was in Watsons, the many different brands of hair dyes caught my eye and, well, you know the rest. I got a box of Richenna Bubble Color in Red Wine for only P309 (on sale from the original price of P349.50). The packaging is so kawaii I had no qualms getting it! From what I understand, it is a Korean brand. The box says it doesn't have ammonia, that's a good thing! For that price, you get everything here:

Bubble color, developer, pump bottle, plastic cape, one pair of gloves, a sachet of conditioner, and an instruction booklet
Not bad, right?

I started with this hair color:

I have really dark hair so I didn't have high expectations. My only wish is for my hair to turn just a wee bit lighter.

I read the instruction booklet about three times. Good thing it's written in English!

I wore the cape and gloves and got to work. First, you have to pour both the dye and the developer in the pump bottle, then invert it around five times after making sure the cap is secure. Do not shake vigorously because the mixture might not turn into foam!

The mixture will turn a little warm and come out as foam when you pump it out.

Apply on dry hair but be careful because you don't want it dripping on your skin and clothes!

The booklet says wait for 30 minutes, but I took my chances and waited for an hour before I rinsed it out heh.

I was a little scared before I rinsed it out because I was worried that the formula is not really right for me and I would end up with big clumps of my hair on the bathroom floor, but thankfully that didn't happen. I was still terrified a bit though because the water turned dark red and then dark purple when I stepped under the shower-head ha ha.

Here are the after photos!

Did you like it? I do! As I said earlier, I wasn't really expecting that much because of the price. I am pleased to say I got what I paid for, and a wee bit more. Here's my quick pros and cons list about Richenna Bubble Color.

What I liked:
- Accessible. Available at the many Watsons branches nationwide!
- Variety. There are a lot of other colors available. I think I'd like to try Pink Brown next.
- Affordable. At P349.50 a pop, it wouldn't be that difficult to try a new hair color every couple of months *wink*
- Easy to use. Everything you would need to color your hair is included in the box. No need to buy other stuff separately!

What I didn't like:
- The smell. But then again, it smells exactly like what they use in salons so I'm not sure if it should belong in this list.
- Although the conditioner helped, it wasn't enough to make my hair as smooth as before I dyed it. Still, there's nothing that a deep hair conditioning mask couldn't overcome ;)
- I wasn't able to apply to all areas equally, so I might need someone else's help next time. I liked that it gave my dye job more "character" though, if there is ever such a thing. LOL.

So there you have it, folks. My first ever DIY dye job. It involves some serious work in the forms of arm exercise and lots of waiting, but I think I did okay. I'm excited for my next hair experiment!

Bored and Crafty fan

I have a special spot in my heart for handmade pieces, mainly because they have an inherent charm that cannot be replicated by mass-produced and factory-made products.

I also have a bit of an artsy side in me and I have already tried my hands on a number of craft projects, but I can never match the skills and talent of Meream. We've never met in person but we've been online friends for years now, and it all started when I left a comment on her blog expressing my admiration for her craft. She sews, paints, draws, carves, and makes miniature houses (I love her dollhouse so much, she made my alternate universe-self a tenant in the Alcott Study!) among other things! Seriously, you have to visit her Facebook page to see some of the stuff she has made.

I can never sew to save my life so I'm always amazed that she is able to make her own clothes. I've bugged her to make me a skirt or a dress but she hasn't budged (yet!) but I'm glad that she has finally opened her own shop so I can have some of her darling works of art.

Last month I got a pouch from her and she gave me a lovely banner as a present. I already have more than enough pouches in my life but I couldn't resist this one, mostly because the fabric reminded me of one of my favorite books I've read recently, The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

And now, I am proud to say that I am the first owner of a Thimblecap Kindle case!

She even threw in a bow bracelet for free. See the other designs here, too cute to resist! Aww Meream, you spoil me endlessly. ❤

It is very well-made and has foam so I am assured that my Kindle Max is protected. I bring him everywhere in my bag so I am thrilled he has a new home. Looking forward to all the new places and dimensions we will go to together.

And look! It fits inside the pouch I got last month! I really, really love the vintage feel of this fabric, complete with maps and hot air balloons, as well as the word CIRCUS written on some of them. Read The Night Circus, too, and you will understand.

Meream makes phone cases and iPad cases, too! Visit her shop to see more.

Thank you so much for sharing your crafts with us, Meream! I am excited to see more. Still waiting for the day you'll sell made-to-order dresses and skirts, though. ;)

“And there are never really endings, happy or otherwise.

Things keep going on, they overlap and blur,

your story is part of your sister’s story is part of many other stories,

and there is no telling where any of them may lead.”

— The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern

Win: SM Ladies' Fashion PFW passes

After liking everything our friends from the press and I saw at the SM Ladies' Fashion PFW preview last month, I got even more excited to see the rest of what SM Ladies' Fashion has rolled up in their metaphorical sleeves!

SM Ladies’ Fashion is opening Philippine Fashion Week with a bang! Florals, geometric patterns, Asian-inspired cuts, and more are only a few of the trends fans can expect to see at this year’s clothing extravaganza. With well-loved brands SM Classics, Folio, Weekender, Studio S, Philosophy, and Coco Cabana taking center stage, there’s certainly a lot to look forward to.

And because I want to let as much people as I can in on the fun, I am holding a quick giveaway with the help of SM Ladies' Fashion and ARC Public Relations! One winner can get two passes to the show at SMX  Hall 3 on May 22, 8 PM, and a special SM Ladies' Fashion gift bag!

Check out the Rafflecopter widget below to join:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This contest ends on Sunday night, and the winner will be announced in this post on Monday! He or she can then claim his/ her prize at the venue before the show starts so make sure to check your email because I will email the details to you. ;)

I am so excited for this. Good luck, everyone!

EDITED 20 May 2013

Congratulations Shayne Marie Albano, you won my giveaway! Please wait for my email so I can tell you how to claim your prize. See you at the show!

Thanks to everyone for joining! Stay tuned as I have more giveaways coming up

*(*´∀｀*)☆