Cool mirror at Toi on Sunset

Mosaic fountain at the Getty Villa.  Mustard silk top by Topshop, pleated skirt by Nasty Gal, Woven bag by Prada

How can anyone not feel like a goddess here?   Faux suede turban by KT: Kate Torralba, necklace by Madewell, five dollar sunglasses from Venice Beach sidewalk.

Peasant top with lace trim by Stone Cold Fox (worn asymmetrical), lace bloomers by Patterson J. Kincaid

I love my turban!  Thanks, KT ♥  Jersey turban with jeweled accent by KT: Kate Torralba.

Gold studded flats by Valentino, purchased in Singapore. Vintage bag.  (You’ll see my new best friend, my hot pink Nokia N8, peeking out from the outside pocket!)

Greige silk dress with peekaboo shoulder detail and leather straps, Mason.

Theyskens Theory platforms.  Vintage bag.  Five dollar shades from Venice Beach.

Photos by Sam Godinez

Arts&Leisure is a temporary store located at Los Angeles design destination Space 15 Twenty.  

“A joint collaboration between Chrissie Miller, founder of the sportswear company Sophomore, and Erin Krause, director of Donald Baechler Studio, Arts + Leisure is a concept store/exhibition space that brings a focus on creative concepts from New York to the Los Angeles area. The entire spectrum of creative arts will be represented and for sale at the pop up store, from fashion (including Proenza Schouler, Rogan, Vena Cava) to art (Richard Prince, Nate Lowman, Ryan McGinley, Terry Richardson) to specialty publications (North Drive Press, Printed Matter, The Journal).” - info via Sophomore NYC.

I’m loving their stuff!!!  ABSOLUTELY!!!!

Sophomore NYC is a great line of clothing:  All comfort & style.. without the pretense!  Check out their recent collaboration with director Cass Bird & actress Chloe Sevigny here.

LA’s hip set enjoying the NYC selection while having some cocktails.

Street style spotting:  The very pretty Molly in an American Apparel ensemble.  She works at Arts&Leisure.  Check out the I ♥NYC plastic bags!

I really love the idea of pop-up stores!  And this one definitely got my attention - I got a full dose of NYC fashion + art + design right here in LA!  Hmmm, perhaps I can get some New York Fashion Week gear here!

Closet & eye candy fresh from New York!!!

Arts&Leisure will be open til the 28th of August.  Don’t miss this one!  It’s pretty fantastic.  I am, in fact, still thinking about one of those Cynthia Rowley + Gagosian numbered pieces.  Hmmmm.

I will be back there on Friday, August 12th, for a special party hosted by Lyz of Obesity and astrologer Susan Miller (who my cousin Kate is so crazy about!).  Thank you Chrissie of Sophomore NYC for the invite!  Here’s a complete list of their collaborators too.

I hail from a place in the Philippines called Cebu and it is minutes away from the beach and the mountains.  Living in LA has the same benefit too - and yesterday, I decided to head out to Malibu and breathe some fresh seaside air.  Yay!  (Just a stroll and not a swim though, the water was too cold!)

Cotton mesh top by Isabel Marant, chiffon bralette by Proenza Schouler.  Toes in Pink Parka by Essie.

We hung out by the beach watching the Malibu surf.  Fluoro yellow Cambridge satchel.

You can’t go to the shore without having the urge to write your name in the sand ♥ Flipflops by Havaianas Slim.

Taking videos of the California surf with my hot pink Nokia N8. 

I’m fairly new to this blogging business - but I am discovering that I actually enjoy it so much ♥

I’m seeing the world with new eyes!  Every detail I want to capture.  Every experience I want to share my thoughts about.  Every random street corner becomes a photo opportunity!  Like this empty lot we drove by on the outskirts of LA. 

And every outfit really does tell a story!  Since I’m learning the ‘ropes’ in the blogosphere, I thought I’d show you mine, haha!  

Rope-like straps on an Alexander Wang pair of sandals.  Toes in Pink Parka by Essie. Knotted rope detail on a Zara sundress, perfect for a hot summer day.  And the tattoo that my mom still hasn’t gotten over!

A color-blocked border on a silk dress.  A pair of mahjong-inspired bangles from this amazing accessory brand called Avatar in my hometown Cebu. They actually supply some of the biggest international brands, and their showroom is a treasure trove where you can get their pieces for a fraction of what you would pay for abroad!

My Mommy Dolly’s glasses from Flower Power days.  Mommy Dolly is my artsy grandmother who owned a chic little boutique in the Seventies.  Lips are So Chaud by MAC.  Notice that I wore my hair in a braid too ♥

This shoot was inspired by the hot pink Nokia N8 and Elle Magazine ♥  Photos by the talented Sam Godinez.

One afternoon, while driving around Culver City in search of this place called Royal-T (which we didn’t find that day), we spotted a graffiti wall that had me say ‘STOP THE CAR!!!

I remember seeing in one of my old Elle issues, a graffiti editorial.  I wanted my own!  And this graffiti wall spelled ‘DREAMS’ ♥  Awww!

Serendipitously, I was wearing a frilly hot pink Isabel Marant summer dress, taking my cue from my new best friend (sorry, Kat), my Nokia N8 ♥

How Nokia N8 + Elle could I get, right? These gorgeous photos were shot by my friend and namesake, Sam Godinez, who also happens to be visiting from the Philippines this summer.  More serendipity!

Sam also captured my secret favorite use of my N8 - as a vanity tool!  I don’t even need my compact anymore!  Haha! (Lips in Gipsy by Nars)

I had been anticipating the Lykke Li show for months - I’ve been such a huge fan of hers since her Youth Novels album! ♥ You don’t know Lykke Li?  She’s my favorite Swedish alternapop goddess.  Click here and be blown away.

Her show was slated at the Greek Theatre here in LA, and it’s an awesome venue!  I chose an outfit somewhere along the lines of Scandinavian minimalism, but French-designed.  Obviously, this was a call for Etoile by Isabel Marant.

Etoile by Isabel Marant tee dress, Isabel Marant Dicker boots (I know, I’ve worn them to death), Balenciaga City handbag in anthracite (i preferred the studs on my handbag and not on my dress), layered Madewell chain necklaces.

Lykke Li is NOT elevator music. PLEASE.

… it’s time for the show to start! 

Here’s a video I made and edited on my hot pink Nokia N8 - hahaha forgive me for the weird montage!  I wanted to share my favorite moments of the show with all of you :)

After the show, I did a ‘little bit’ of street style shooting with my N8, and here were the snaps I took!  You’ll see in the circle that I’ve highlighted Cait Pynes’ photo - I really loved the neckpieces she wore, and she actually designed them!

My favorite Spring-Summer 2011 collection hands down was the gorgeously loud, stripe-y, fruity madness of Prada.  I thought there was just so much character and fun in that collection! :)  

Photo grabbed from Prada’s Spring/Summer 2011 campaign

I’m a big fan of Miuccia’s marvelous eye for what will send fashion pulses into overdrive.  I don’t think anyone else could have put all these really strong elements together - bold prints, acid colors, flounces, stripes everywhere - down to oversized straw hats and the fur stoles!  And I love how the fabrics were so wearable!

Photo grabbed from one of my favorite Tumblr sites Closet Collage ♥

So I couldn’t help but get my hands on one of the most iconic prints of that collection: The banana print Japanese cotton shirt in my favorite roomy silhouette.  Even Bryanboy thought so too - and of course he got first dibs on that one!  (FYI, it was through Bryanboy’s blog that I found out about the Next Style Correspondent competition!)

Photo grabbed from Bryanboy

You’ll see in my Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge post that my coveted Prada was one of the pieces I really didn’t get to wear yet.

So my best friend Kat and I decided to head off to Venice Beach one Saturday and my Prada finally made its fruity debut!

I wore my new baby with a basic black tank, vintage skort, Sam Edelman spiky flats…

… an H&M neckpiece I got for 9.99 …

.. a vintage purse, plus my grandfather’s watch.

My best friend Kat was feeling fruity too - she wore a watermelon print vintage tank with spectator shoes and red ankle socks.

You want to know how my day went? I’ve created a special video captured by my hot pink Nokia N8 just for you guys - check out the next post ♥   Enjoy!!! 

p.s.  How could my Banana day be complete without having my favorite Venice treat, a frozen banana! YUM☺

I’ve been a good girl and have remained faithful to my Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge! (See previous post ‘How To Never Have Nothing To Wear’.)

Of the clothes that I laid out on my bed that morning, several pieces have already seen the light of day! And I didn’t do it alone.

I rose up to the challenge with My Nokia N8, definitely a stylephile’s best friend!  It makes conceptualizing outfits - and choosing them - a breeze :)

You can do it too - try to put together your top, bottom, shoes and accessories and take a snapshot of it with your N8 to see how they work together!

Occasion:  L.A. Live Appointment
Meeting place was Katsuya, the very hip, Philippe Starck-anointed Japanese bistro. My peacock print vintage silk number by Winter Kate, Nicole Richie’s clothing line, was Japanese-inspired too - and it got a lot of attention that evening!

So which outfit made the cut?

Outfit of Choice:  A!

Winter Kate vintage silk kimono jacket, a really old pair of black bubble shorts, cantaloupe Mango tank, Theysken’s Theory pointy black leather wedges, H&M neckpiece, vintage bag.

Occasion: Koreatown Rendezvous
Met up with friends for a stroll (and all-you-can-eat barbecue) in Koreatown!  My Lanvin x H&M graphic tee wanted to come along too.  But which ensemble would work best for me?

Outfit of Choice:  B!

Lanvin x H&M shirt, Giuseppe Zanotti cobalt blue suede booties, Celine bag, BCBGeneration cardigan, Terranova velvet leggings

Occasion:  YUCK Gig at The Satellite
Brit Indie rockers YUCK played the last stop in their U.S. tour at The Satellite in Silverlake and we couldn’t NOT go.

My never-been-worn Christopher Kane wifebeater made its debut!

What to wear it with?!?

Outfit of Choice:  C!

Christopher Kane Galaxy wifebeater dress, Giuseppe Zanotti cobalt blue suede booties, Mulberry bag, fringe necklace from a friend

My best friend Kat and I outside The Satellite:  Color-coordinated!  We had the ‘blues’ that day…

..  but our phones were in the PINK!  Kat & I toting our matching Nokia N8s

Occasion:  Gallivanting at The Grove
California weather right now is perfect!  However, in spite of the bright, scorching summer sun,  when you step into the shade, you gotta be prepared for that sudden wind chill.

What to wear, then, for an afternoon at The Grove with my friends?

Outfit of Choice:  A!

Urban Outfitters knit sweater, Alexander Wang sheath, Isabel Marant boots,Celine bag, Urban Outfitters necklace.

The best thing about living downtown is that you have easy access to great shopping, sights, and good eats.

The vibe is really laid-back, and therefore calls for equally casual outfits.

I opted for a shredded Pol sweater - one of the items in my Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge , five dollar leggings from Zara Kids (the advantage of being petite! )

…my favorite Mulberry Alexa bag in Oak and Isabel Marant Dicker boots (Two of my smartest buys- definitely worth the cost per use!)

We went out for sausages and beers with some friends, and I had a Rattlesnake and Rabbit hotdog (featured in my previous ‘Hotness Alert’ post).

Shots were taken outside  Wurstküche , the hippest sausage place in LA’s Art District.

I ♥ Downtown !!!

Artist: guteCharlotte
http://www.deviantart.com/

…can’t seem to get Downtown by Petula Clark out of my head!

My best friend Kat flew in from the Philippines to visit me for the very first time :)

I decided to take her to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

Kat liked my Nokia N8 so much, she went out and got one too! (My floppy hat by ASOS, Kat’s by Rag & Bone.)

 … notice how we are taking photos of each other with our matching Nokia N8s! ♥

And as part of my Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge to myself (see my previous post), I put together this outfit from never-worn pieces in my closet!

Topshop leopard-print chiffon top, Alexa Chung for Madewell hotpants in brown velvet, ankle-breaking (but beautiful!) Alexander Wang booties…

…five dollar shades from a Venice Beach sidewalk shop

.. and my handbag for the day, my Mulberry Alexa in mini patent leopard, a Christmas present from my mom ♥

My cousin Kate, who is also in town, dropped by to say hello.  She is a fashion designer and musician in our home country.  Oh, and she’s a little bit crazy:

She lent me our grandfather’s vintage Longines wristwatch to complete my outfit! Thanks, KT!

Nothing better than spending an afternoon with your best friend, best cousin, and… Tim Burton ♥  

It’s a common female conundrum:  ”I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR!!!”

My mom points out how I keep wearing the same things all the time.

Me in my favorite Isabel Marant Flana jacket in New York, Cebu, and L.A.

And then I complain that I have nothing to wear.

So I decided to lay out on my bed ALL THE CLOTHES THAT I’VE NEVER WORN or have only worn once.  Shoes and bags too.

Oh dear, some of them still have tags even!!!

Stuff I’ve yet to wear!

An assortment of labels I love (as well as some really obscure ones): Isabel Marant (my favorite), Etoile by Isabel Marant, Alexander Wang, Pendleton for Opening Ceremony, Opening Ceremony, Christopher Kane, Prada, Valentino, Valentino for The Gap (still with tags!), Celine (goodness, used only once!), Cambridge (never used!), Proenza Schouler, Theyskens’ Theory, Stitch in the City, Lanvin x H&M, Topshop, Aperlai, POL, Giuseppe Zanotti, BCBGeneration, and more.

All collage photos taken with the Nokia N8 Phone, labels photographed using macro mode! :)

And so I have challenged myself to NOT buy a single new outfit until I’ve worn all of these outfits!

Seriously.

I call it the Ultimate Wardrobe Challenge.  If I practice this often enough, I’ll never not have anything to wear ever again! 

Would you like to take the Ultimate Wardrobe Challege too? :)

I have to tell you, I’m OBSESSED with my new Nokia N8!!!

How obsessed?

All photos taken with the Nokia N8.

 Yup, it’s my accessory of choice :)  And I’m storming LA these days taking photos and videos of everything!

  Stay tuned for my upcoming posts!

Hey everyone,

I’m back in the U.S. doing my summer term at FIDM and some really AMAZING news greeted me when I arrived:

I MADE IT!!!!!!

I’m one of fifty very lucky fashionphiles who made it to Round 3 of

They sent me this really cool kit of goodies to get me ready to create my very first Style Portfolio!

And in the kit is my weapon of choice for New York Fashion Week, this gorgeous hot pink NOKIA N8 :)