Maps!

Unisex Cruises

As I watched Tommy Hilfiger's Spring 2013 show, I reveled at how fresh his spin for the preppy brand was. I mean, nautical isn't necessarily groundbreaking, but the show emanated sophistication, youth and that leisurely swing of things perfect for vacationers in Montauk. Perhaps it was the color palette (which bordered on sandy neutrals with a touch of the American trifecta), but my best bet is on the tailoring, the on-trend silhouette (hello wide leg pants for the ladies), and the graphic details of stripes. Those are some mean stripes! These notes, might I add, apply to both the men's collection and the women's collection. Which is quite a surprise since I don't expect a direct translation between genders.

Another observation I had was how unisex the accessories were. See those tote bags with drawstring closure and the portfolio bags and the espadrilles (granted the ones for men don't have a heel on). In any case, I feel Hilfiger's collection is taking a cue from Celine, which is to produce clothes that are staples but feel and look utterly new. After all, nothing's new under the sun so might as well make it look like it is!

New Life, New Look

Now that I'm out of school, my head is focused (well, not always) on finding a job. It's funny how looking for work out of college is a full-time job on its own. Good thing that before I graduated, I already knew where I should be headed (the intricate world of advertising!), and it's amazing how I ended up to that conclusion. Which is by accident by the way.

In mid-December, I thought long and hard whether I want to leave the fashion industry. You know how much I love fashion and its reflection to society, but I made my decision. Hey, at least advertising is in the creative realm, which is what I truly appreciated after interning in fashion showrooms.

Congruent to this new direction I have is my winter closet cleaning! It's funny how clothes reflect an individual's lifestyle and preferences at a certain time period. And looking at my closet is no different. Sadly, I have to let go of some really ratty tees, graphic tees (circa high school?) and jeans (they're hard to let go because they're so comfy!) and outdated blazers (those reminiscent of the power shoulder trend in 2008).

The jackets looked right and on-trend four years ago, but I just can't see myself wearing them, to work notwithstanding. Heck, I tried them on before discarding and it just looked wrong. What kind of psychotropics was I on when I bought them?

Zero + Maria Cornejo Bleecker Street store

Now, my emphasis is distilling a collection of versatile clothes that can transition from casual to professional environments. I also want that hint of uniqueness and quality, so I turn to the queen of odd shapes herself, Maria Cornejo.

Cotton poplin shorts from Spring 2010

Zero + Maria Cornejo menswear isn't very popular, so the prices tend to be very, very attractive on sale. My first Maria Cornejo purchase is the drop crotch shorts that are so comfortable and well made. It has a bias cut on the sides, giving the shorts a very interesting silhouette; frankly, I just like it because I know nobody has those same shorts!

Wool jacket from Spring 2010

The most recent Zero + Maria Cornejo piece I have is a blazer that looks pretty, uh, interesting. It's wearable, of course, but there's a touch of quirk that won't be seen in a Zara or a Gap blazer. There are the invisible slit pockets on the side, as well as fabric protrusions (or slouch?) on the sleeve and front opening that invoke shape to an otherwise linear jacket. Also, the fabric is super lightweight despite its heavy wool content. Maybe it's the lack of lining that makes it so. Oh, I don't know--I only wear it!

End of the World Online Shopping

Despite the world not ending on December 21st, some places you ought to check out for sweet discounts on clothes or shoes or accessories:

ASOS - This strictly online retailer gives out codes that allow you to redeem discounts on top of already discounted items. Plus, the ASOS-branded clothes and accessories are really good (meaning stylish and of better quality than those lumpy blue sweaters in clearance bins) for the price. I love shopping here because I get the silhouettes and styles (like those carrot trousers which I ended up altering and wedge sole loafers) I can't find in Forever 21 or H&M or the Gap or other mass retailers. The final reason: shipping and returns are free!

eBay - I highly recommend this site for those aggressive on getting the best deals. The site is chock full of anything you need or want. Case in point the smartphone I acquired over the summer, the Zero + Maria Cornejo bias cut shorts (which I adore because it's so unique!) and spring wool blazer (its fabric is very lightweight and the style very distinct), and the vintage Coach briefcase. Next on my list is a below market price BlackBerry PlayBook.

Aloha Rag - This site is more pricey than my previous recommendations. But, if you have a penchant for luxury goods that are under-the-radar (such as Maison Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, Raf Simons, et al.), this is the site to go. Now, the strategy is not to buy full priced items--that'd be the end of your finances!--instead wait for their end of the year sale, which discounts select items up to 80% off. Another perk is that US shipping is free during the aforementioned sales event, and if you're not in Hawaii or New York, the item is tax free! The only deal breaker is that returns for sale items cannot be refunded; you only get store credit.

Hollister - Now I already blogged about the jeans I bought in this store, and I must say they are my favorite pair insofar. I think the only reason to shop at Hollister (other than getting your fix of dark retail spaces) are the discounts on jeans, considering they're very comfortable and feel reasonably well made. Now, they don't advertise often about the sales, so it's important to check Hollister's website when the seasons change. Sometimes, the discounts online also apply to the brick-and-mortar stores. Which means you get to take advantage of the discounts without paying those silly shipping fees.

Share in the comments for more places you'd recommend for bargain shopping!

Welcoming the New Year

Here in Pacific Standard Time, it'll be 6 more hours until the clock strikes twelve. Before the cheering and the popping starts, I just want to take the time to review what happened throughout the year, and thank God for the accomplishments, the blessings and also the growth that I went through as an individual.

Through thick and thin (and there were a lot of those moments), I am grateful to serve a true and mighty God. I can honestly say that I wouldn't have survived this year without his guidance and lots and lots of help. Which reminds me of this verse from John 10:10, saying "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [pertaining to Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

And "to the full" means just that--He is more than enough!

Things to Be Thankful For:

1. Finally graduating without any loans to pay for! When I started college, the main concern was how am I gonna pay for it? Guess what: God provided for everything; He made sure that my parents can pay for not only me, but also my siblings' college education. How awesome is that?

2. Completing a small business consultation on top of a 9-month long internship. Small business consulting is a royal pain, and don't let anyone make you think otherwise. However, I am very thankful that I went through this rigorous and mind-bending experience because it made me think of what I want to do as a career. My internship also enhanced my personal career "compass" by giving me real-life experience working with accounts, clients, customers, creatives and fellow co-workers.

3. Getting my first paid job as a peer mentor! I've done a year's worth of unpaid internships, and any other paid gigs I had weren't really regular sources of income. So, this experience changes everything. It feels so good to get paid!

4. Reducing my closet clutter and replenishing it anew. I've always put a disclaimer that I am a huge price sensitive shopper. I love looking for bargains if I get the chance. Well, this year (actually just this month) I get to exercise my purchasing power and pamper myself with a shopping spree. Hey, it's a reward for toiling the rest of the year, y'know. Also it feels super satisfying to be able to clean out your closet from ratty clothes that you've been wondering when to replace, and be able to replace them with shiny new (well, not always because I love me some pre-owned items) things!

Collection of the Moment: Maison Martin Margiela + H&M

I know the collection landed last month, but I just want to post this weird avant-garde campaign video, shot by Sam Taylor-Wood. My friend called it fashion epilepsy. Don't we all get that once in a while?

In other related news, the New York Post reported that sales of Maison Martin Margiela for H&M isn't going so well. This means H&M has excess inventory available in retail stores up to now. Not sure if the avant-garde aesthetic really titillated the masses. I mean, have you asked your aunt if she's heard of Margiela?

Then again, H&M intended to produced more items for Margiela compared to previous collaborations. This is to address complaints that inventory for H&M's collaboration collections was not enough to satisfy demand.

If this is the case, then I am eyeing that deconstructed biker jacket that Jamie Bochert wore in the video. Let's see if it'll fit me. Ha!

Splurge of the Moment: Hollister Jeans

You might be asking why I should consider Hollister a brand to splurge over. Quite true. It's a pretty pedestrian brand compared to, say, Balmain. However, after becoming a reformed shopper with strict expense guidelines, shopping for clothes and accessories has become a splurge. Plus, I justified this purchase because I really needed to replace my (accidentally) paint-splattered H&M jeans that's fading on the thighs and swiftly losing its shape.

I actually never shopped in Hollister before. In high school, only the cool, pretty kids shopped at Hollister and its East Coast sis, Abercrombie & Fitch. My family never had the luxury to get into those barely lit, pungent retail establishments because my mom says it's just a bunch of hype (she is an accountant, which might explain her cynicism against marketing hoopla).

Her other argument: my taste in clothes will change in the future. Ergo, there is no need to spend a lot on high school clothes.

Fast forward five years. I saw that Hollister was having a sale on jeans, so I grabbed this opportunity to--finally--step into one of their retail stores. I kinda wished I went inside when I was younger because I literally couldn't see anything inside. I had to turn on the torch on my phone to read the tags.

And like the old fart that I am, I complained to one of the sales associates that the store is too damn dark. To think that they're also selling magazines compounded my disdain for this over hyped store.

Trying It On

Before stepping in the store, I researched online which style and color I want exactly. I know that I'm going to buy something that isn't black (too many black pants), but I want the color dark enough so I can wear it to work. I couldn't choose between their skinny fit and their super skinny fit, so the only way to find out is by visiting the store.

Once I paid the store a visit, I headed straight to the jeans counter and rummaged through the super skinny stack. To my surprise, they still had my size in the wash that I wanted (it's called Rinse). When I tried it on, the waist was pretty snug but not too tight. The legs, meanwhile, took me by surprise. Unlike H&M's skinny jeans (which gets too tight around the legs), Hollister's super skinny fit is loose enough to be deemed skinny but also comfortable enough that I won't keel over from blood constriction.

The material is also worth mentioning. It definitely feels like a rugged pair of denim. Although it has 2% of elastane in the fabric, the stretch isn't obvious when worn. It really feels like I'm wearing the denim from the good old days. Further, the construction is decent enough for my taste. Though the hardware (like the button fly) could be a tad heftier in my opinion.

Road Testing

I only wore the pants once so I can't really comment on its durability. However, I can attest that the pants are quite comfortable compared to my H&M skinny jeans. In addition, the snug fit around the waist was a nice feature because that means I don't have to wear a belt. I'll report more about the jeans once I get a couple of week's worth of usage. Right now, all I can say is these jeans are doing pretty darn well for the price!

Lust of the Moment: Valentino Clutch

The culprit

Want. Need. Whatever. My sense of logic has been undermined by a strong urge to buy. Call it primal instinct. Anyway, this man clutch from Valentino's Fall-Winter 2012 menswear collection is probably my latest pick me up.

This, in my opinion, is a continuation of my affinity with Valentino (plus, it's a first that I feel the need for a clutch--hmmm....). At the moment, the man clutch retails for $1,795 at Valentino's website.

Ha! In my dreams.

Quick Vid of the Moment: Style Fixation

I need inspiration for dressing. Summer is probably my most challenging season because I always fall to my default jeans-and-tee look. Hey, can't blame anyone--it's freaking hot! And then I saw this video editorial from Preview magazine.

I'm loving the graphic elements and also the texture of the outfits. It's actually a part of the cheap and chic issue, which means most of the items featured will be affordable (all prices are in Philippine pesos). Of course, "affordable" is all relative. Enjoy the video and hopefully it will inspire you to stay awesome!

P.S.: The soundtrack is "Keep You" by French electronic artist Class Actress.

Song of the Moment: Smoke and Mirrors

Houdini by Foster the People - I think this is one of those really catchy songs that I've heard so far. To think otherwise means that I probably need to clean my ears. Plus, the video concept is just amazing. I'd want to have those black leotard crew to do my activities, like a ventriloquist would to a puppet. In this case, it's more smoke and mirrors giving the appearance of life to the dead Foster peeps. But wouldn't the carcasses start decaying? I guess that's something you can't fake.

Item of the Moment: Lytro Camera

A new YSL lipstick?

A camera that captures light from all angles? Sounds intriguing! How about a camera that does not have auto focus? Doesn't that sound a bit--for lack of a better word--primitive? Lytro is here to prove both of these are possible with its newest camera. Since it does not have autofocus, it doesn't need a shutter! So all those precious moments are captured in a snap (quite literally I might add!). The camera's special feature is its ability to allow users to focus and re-focus the subject(s) in the images as they see fit. This is made possible because of the camera's ability to absorb light from all angles. See it in action here.

The form factor of the Lytro resembles a big tube of lipstick; this incorporates an 8X optical zoom as well as a fixed aperture of f/2, which means it can work well in low lighting because the aperture is opened so darn wide. Still I'd recommend to use a tripod since there is no built-in flash.

More goodies: it has a very fancy 1.5 inch multitouch screen display, reminding me of how far displays have grown over the years (remember when 1.8 inch was considered big?), an 8 GB internal memory (there is 16 GB available too) to save your snaps, and an 11 "megarays" sensor. To be honest, I have no idea what megarays means, but that's what the product description provided.

For the design aficionados out there, I believe you'd appreciate the construction and shape of the Lytro. It's made out of an anodized aluminum case with a textured silicone rubber grip. The overall effect is very minimal and industrial and totally compact, in my opinion.

The Lytro is now available online. The base model (8 GB) comes in graphite and electric blue and retails for $399. The 16 GB version only comes in red, and retails for $499.

To learn more about the mechanics of the Lytro camera, watch this quick video, care of the folks from Engadget.

Quick Vid of the Moment: Life Without webOS

I am lamenting the loss of webOS. OK, loss is too harsh a word since, technically, the OS is still alive. Not mainstream like webOS die-hards would like it to be, but it's still alive within a niche audience (like me!).

I really believe that there is no other mobile operating system out there that can replicate the multitasking ability of webOS. Not even Apple's iOS can do it. Remember when Apple touted they also have "multitasking" available? Well, it's not even real multitasking like how you do it on a desktop computer.

Frustrations aside, there is hope for this floundering OS! HP just let it go open source, so my best bet is it's going to be the Linux of mobile devices. At the moment, however, the open source version of webOS cannot run on an existing device. The kernel it uses is in a more advanced stage, and there is no device that supports it currently.

But if there's anything that we learn from the tech industry, it's this: the future ain't too far off from today. So maybe in a year or so, some OEM bigwig would manufacture hardware that can boot webOS!

Witness the horrid webOS withdrawal in the vid. Oh the inhumanity!

Trailer of the Moment: A Frozen Flower

A Korean film, this one is. A story of love, betrayal, and being a lackey for the royals to use (in a good and not-so-good way).

You see, Chief Hong Lim has been trained in the royal palace to protect and serve the King--and serve the King he does! But in Yuan-ruled Goryeo, King must produce an heir apparent to save his throne. Not being able to produce an offspring via Queen, he asks Hong Lim to impregnate the Queen. Which then leads to a bunch of dramatic (and violent) events happening.

In either case, it makes for a good summer flick. Just be aware that it is R-rated, so watch your eyes youngsters! There are brutal scenes throughout. Then again the film is set in feudalistic Korea, so the violence is part and parcel of the era. The sensual scenes, meanwhile, are done in a totally tasteful way. Not too crass nor too boom-chika-boom-boom like how they do it in Hollywood. Still, they are very overt.

Lesson learned from "A Frozen Flower": Three is a crowd, so somebody's got to die. Nobody wins on this one, but there is room for debate, as stipulated in the film's ending.

For those who watched the film, what does the ending tell you? Post your thoughts in the comments!

"A Frozen Flower" is available for viewing in YouTube (part 1 and part 2). To view it with English subtitles activate the Closed Captioning feature (CC on the lower right side of the viewing screen), and select English as the language.

Video of the Moment: Micro Beauty...

...in a Roberto Cavalli package. I love the time-lapsed photography of the insects and flora, plus the references to nature. Oh, the clothes looked good too.

Collection of the Moment: Valentino Spring 2013 Menswear

The freshest and sober collection I have seen so far in menswear. Clean, athletic, realistic, easy.

I see that Phoebe Philo's influence seeped into menswear--I know she bases most of her inspiration from menswear, so I guess it comes to a full circle at this point--as seen in the striped trousers that are pressed to perfection, the crisp white shirts with drop shoulders, and the colorblocking on jackets.

As for the accessories, all are understated and stripped back to sleek shapes, sizes and details. No ostentation of any sort; just beautiful, simple clothes for the understated man with a generous bank account.

Quick Vid of the Moment: Prada's Games

What better way to introduce a fall collection than with a tense (and anthropomorphous) game of chess? So much color (and twinkling ornaments, might I add) is introduced to a season marred by the usual suspects, black and neutrals. I gladly welcome the maroons, purples and chestnut shades.

The collection, to those unfamiliar, is based on the dynamics of power and authority. The tailoring is sharp and very strict, only made severe by the brooding color choices and patterns. For some reason the series Game of Thrones came to mind--assuming it was a futuristic and all-female version.

Do you think the video's concept captured the essence of the collection? What do you think of the hair and make-up? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Album of the Moment: Product Designs I Love

Yves Saint Laurent rebrands to Saint Laurent Paris

Pentax K-01 designed by Mark Newson

Cacharel logo

Rochas Man by Rochas

BlackBerry PlayBook

Omnia Coral by BVLGARI

New York Magazine logo

Apple MacBook Air

Celine Phantom

Omnia Crystalline by BVLGARI

Google Nexus 7 by ASUS

Amber Pour Homme by Prada

Arco Tre table

HP's Enyo logo

Sigma DP2x

Noon Studio Tripod table

Nemo by Cacharel

Celine logo

Nokia 7380

Lanvin Sartorial Envelope in python

Zara logo

Video of the Moment: Walk the Walk

"The Substitutes" by DSquared. Fun video from the most famous Canadian twins. Get your man-heels ready!

Lust of the Moment: BlackBerry PlayBook

In an attempt to stay relevant in the mobile computing industry, Research in Motion, the maker of BlackBerry, taps into the tablet competition. I absolutely love the PlayBook not only because it gives a more professional vibe but it also reminds me of my Palm Pre Plus (from the gestures right down to the multitasking capability--almost like webOS!).

I am rooting for RIM to make this work. You can do it!

P.S.: The ghostly and hip soundtrack is "Where I'm Going" by Cut Copy.

P.P.S.: The 16 GB version of the PlayBook retails for a very down-to-earth price of $199.99. Eyeing on the 32 GB version plus a leather envelope case. Totally reminded me of the jelly clutch from Christopher Kane--if it was more business and less party.

Review of the Moment: Palm Pre Plus, Part 2

As I mentioned in my previous post, there are a lot of things to praise about the Palm Pre Plus, namely its superb multitasking ability. After using the phone for approximately six weeks, I think I am able to give a more complete recount of how the Pre Plus performs.

Unlike the original Pre Plus, the unit that I got was pre-loaded with webOS 2.1. HP, after acquiring Palm, initially promised that the Pre Plus and other "mature" products (i.e., the original Pre, the Pixi and Pixi Plus) would receive webOS 2.0, an OS update that features Flash (so websites with Flash content can run seamlessly, and not as crippled as mobile versions of websites) and other neat capabilities like "stacks." Sadly, HP didn't follow through with their plans and reserved webOS 2.1 to the Pre 2; so the latest OS version for the "mature" devices was webOS 1.4.5.



The first time I turned on my Pre Plus it prompted me create a Palm profile (currently called the HP webOS profile). The Palm profile allows Pre users the ability to back-up the data in the phone to a remote server. In case a Pre user loses the phone or it gets stolen, he or she can remotely erase the data in the phone, but still keep the data saved in the servers. Once the user gets a new Pre and inputs the Palm profile account, the phone will load the data from the old phone onto the new phone. Pretty much Palm asserts that with a Palm profile, nothing is lost.

I actually had the chance to test the usability of the Palm profile, but that's for another post.

Setting up the Palm profile is very easy--if you have a data plan. I didn't have a data plan so I had to do a quick workaround, which eventually resulted in reflashing the phone's OS, reverting it back to webOS 1.4.5. Rats! It was only after the fact that I discovered a tutorial on how to activate a Pre without using a data plan (for webOS 1.x and webOS 2.x). Coolio!

Regarding the reflashing-the-OS part, Palm made it very flexible for users to experiment on the Pre. If you installed something that caused your Pre to act funky (especially if the funk is severe) and you have no idea what to do, you can simply "doctor" the OS. The doctoring process will erase every data you have in the phone, so be sure to back-up some files (check out the guide here), and it will restore your Pre to the factory setting, which means you have to enter your Palm profile info afterwards. Since the Pre automatically backs up your apps via the Palm profile, there is no need to re-install apps.

Anyway, I had to doctor and re-doctor my Pre several times because I wanted (so badly!) to bring back webOS 2.1 (for a how-to guide, check out this wiki). I was successful with my attempts but it seems that the back-up feature always failed while my phone was in webOS 2.1. Oh well; I'll just go back to 1.4.5!

Clearly, this phone was open to be hacked and improved on by dedicated webOS developers. Which is a wonderful thing if you're so inclined to take control of your device.

Moving on....

Once the Palm profile is made, I was ready to go! First task is to transfer my contacts from my old phone to my new Pre. GSM makes it easy to transfer contacts because I can simply save them to my SIM card. Now, the hard part is saving my contacts from the SIM card onto the phone's memory. The Pre doesn't make it an easy process (or at least an obvious process). Since I wanted to take advantage of the phone's back-up feature, I wanted to save my contacts to my Palm profile (this is highly recommended since I don't wanna enter my contacts again if my phone needed to be doctored). According to the manual, I could do this by adding a new number to my contacts--this will automatically save a contact from the SIM to the Palm profile.



Another special feature of the Pre Plus (and remember that the phone was introduced in 2010, so it's relatively old) is Synergy. Once you open the Contacts, Calendar and Messaging apps, you are prompted to enter your Facebook account, email account (whether it be Gmail, Yahoo or Exchange or something proprietary), and instant messaging account (only for the Messaging app). The cool thing is that the Pre will aggregate all these contacts (and events from Facebook and Google Calendar) in the phone so it would be easy for you to sync with the cloud. Now that's innovative!

Some people may complain that webOS doesn't have a lot of apps in its App Catalog (the webOS version of the App Store). In my experience, I thought there were more than enough apps than I could find any use for them--webOS Nation's latest report says it's over 4,000 apps. In fact, if you install Preware (a repository for homebrew/indie/beta apps) in the Pre, the amount of apps and patches and other add-ons available exponentially increases. Preware is highly recommended especially if you want to customize your Pre. Scroll bars for the web browser? No problem! A fresh new theme? Why not! Don't like the phone's default screen sensitivity? There's a patch to fix that! Well, you get the point.

The Pre Plus is equipped with a 16 GB flash memory (approximately 15 GB is user accessible). I thought this wouldn't be sufficient for my media (from my desktop, laptop, MP3 player, as well as the apps and patches that I will install, etc.) but it's surprisingly roomy. I uploaded my photos and music onto the phone using drag-and-drop (no software necessary to access the phone!). In addition, I installed a number of apps and patches. It didn't really affect the memory that much; at the moment, I'm at 12 GB of free memory.



Oh and before I forget! This is actually the meat of why Palm Pre as well as webOS are so differentiated from the rest of the competition: the Palm Pre Plus doesn't feature any buttons on its front. Besides using the capacitive touch screen, how do you navigate? It's actually simple and I can't believe nobody thought of this before: gestures! The video below will give you a preview of how gestures work; it's so intuitive and very functional, it makes operation of the phone way ahead of its time--so much so that my siblings couldn't figure out how to go back to the previous screen or how to exit applications.

To me, the Pre Plus has a lot of positive attributes going for it. The problem is that some people are not adventurous enough to take advantage of the possibilities that the Pre can offer. It's a real shame. Anyway, the more people use the newest Android phones or the iPhone, I feel more of an iconoclast just by using a phone that is arguably a bang for my buck.

For more videos on how the device works, check out HP Palm's YouTube site.