impossiblegirl4

It's December once again and almost time for me to go home for the holidays. As usual, I will likely be welcomed with a lot of - "you gained weight, you got fat" comments from relatives. I don't mind it now as I am used to it at this point and I am confident enough in my fitness and body that I just let these comments go. What really makes me sad though is that our culture still has this misconception about women's size. The moment a girl doesn't fall under this cookie-cutter ideal, she is labeled "fat". Are you surprised then that the girls on tv like Kim Chiu and the rest of her ilk look like they need to eat a sandwich or two while more toned girls like Vina Morales (honestly, she's the only one in local showbiz I can think of) are deemed "macho" therefore un-womanlike? It's just so fucked up sometimes.

In May, my cousin who is 6 years younger than me came over with my Aunt to visit. At the end of one particularly tiring day spent exploring the city, my cousin could barely lift herself off the couch because her legs and back were in extreme pain. She's 26! When I dare suggest to my Aunt that my cousin should do a bit of exercise to avoid this, my Aunt exclaimed, "I don't want her to exercise! She'll get bigger." ("like you", a resounding "like you" was left unsaid but I heard it palpably in the silence.) Sheesh. All trainers say this and I'll keep saying this again. Just because you start doing a 30-minute cardio twice a week, you will not all of a sudden "grow" muscles. (Ha! I wish!) People who look like Arnold spend hours at the gym pumping heavy iron!

So I am already mentally bracing myself for all these comments that will come my way. All I can say is - Yes, I am bigger because my arms have developed biceps and tri's that can bicep curl 5kg weights throughout a 5-min track, my legs are big because my quads do squats of 15kg weights and take me on a 60km cycle sprint ride without batting an eyelash, I can do a 60-minute cardio at 80% of my maximum heart rate. With this body, I feel powerful.

Just a quick update about my other blog and my new latest inspiration! The blog has just celebrated its first month and I am enjoying sharing daily outfits and style tips (albeit pedestrian). I have enough entries now to warrant the link within widget. Ha! Hoping for more style inspirations! I know some of you here read my other blog too so a big thanks!

So once again, I'm helping organize our team Christmas party this year. Honestly, I don't feel like it this year cause I have a long list of to-do before I take off for Manila but I feel bad leaving V in the lurch to do all the prep work.
We've been doing this party/get-together for the past 2 years now, so I guess it's become a little team tradition. One of the highlights in the party is our secret santa/gift exchange. (That was because me and a fellow Pinoy were the original thinking caps in the first party and y'know no Christmas party is complete without this). And it's really nice to see everyone in the team making an effort, even asking people for gift ideas for the folks they are supposed to give the gifts to. More than anything, it's a nice little gesture that we share with out colleagues.
But this year, Kiasu J is attending for the first time. (The previous 2 years we've done this, she's always on business trips so she's never participated.) She's notorious for being pushy and a bully and just altogether a "kiasu", thus the moniker but we generally get along (I guess cause I hardly work with her.) and even have weekly lunches together. Anyway, she's super excited about this year's Christmas party and keep asking me for the deets.
On Friday, she pinged me to say that I should scrap the whole gift-exchange idea. She believes the folks won't like it, it's a hassle and we are better using the $20 for booze. WTF? She stressed, "just scrap it before everyone buys gifts". So I explained to her that no one will be buying any gifts as they don't even know who they are supposed to buy gifts for. "That's even lamer." she said. Isn't it easier and more personal to buy a gift when you know who are supposed to buy a gift for rather than buy some generic gift like a mug or voucher!?! Just ugh!
First, I hate that she's changing up the tradition that we've set in the past 2 years that we've been doing this. Second, I hate that she would assume that just because she doesn't like buying gifts, that everyone else does! Third, money for booze? That's good but how about for those who don't drink? The gift-exchange is the only thing everyone can participate in and in fact, seem to enjoy, why take that away? I hate that she's pushing all her ideas to suit her.
This is gonna be one lame party.

I've been on a reading-drought lately. In the past year of so, all I could ever really read nowadays is Margaret Atwood (or books by way of Atwood - like Verne's). Since I've gone through her titles at the public library, I've decided to try on other authors (Gore Vidal, Philip Roth, etc) but they barely gripped me. For the first time in so many years, reading felt like such a chore to this self-confessed tireless reader!

I decided I needed to cleanse my palate before I dive back in. So what could be more fun than reading those historical romances that I used to stay up all night in HS to read? Hahaha...I remember Ma didn't want me to read these novels, so I would read them under the covers at night or hide the racy covers (that often figured Fabio in many different states of undress) with an art paper so I won't get caught. I'd even hide them under my trapper keeper during a boring chem lecture. Hahaha...we all did it! My friend Mitch would even read the "sex parts" out loud while we giggle on.

So I decided to pick up this Kathleen Woodiwiss title called "The Wolf and the Dove" (oy!) because I remember fondly reading through my Mom's copy of The Flame and the Flower - when she's not at home, of course - and loving it. It was a story of 2 people who were forced to marry each other, then slowly fell in love. Everyone around them can see that they are truly, madly, deeply in love you see but boy's got some issues and girl's too proud. Girls just never make the first move, dig? Hahaha...

But no matter how much I try, I just can't read through this without being snide. Even the "sex parts" aren't even that good. Ha!

So thankfully, I found copies of Verne's 20,000 Leagues and Journey to the Center of the Earth to keep me company.

So finally I managed to create a new blog devoted to all the fashion entries I've been lately dumping on here. You can visit me at Style - in real life that will focus on everyday fashion for practical girls on a budget.

Hope I can see you there too.

Jen

Every time I watch a 90s music video on youtube, I'm bound to come across a comment of someone waxing lyrical for that time of grunge/alternative music and Generation X jadedness. While I do feel nostalgic for the 90s (my go-to playlist on Launchcast is 90s Alternative), I feel so lucky that I experienced the 90s first-hand. I was in high school when the Seattle grunge scene exploded, when Clueless and Singles were playing in theatres and when kids aspired to be angsty.

One other 90s phenom I remember well is the 90s fashion of babydoll dresses, Doc Marten boots, torn-up jeans and plaid skirts.

Kurt Cobain in ripped Levi's
Nowadays, you can pick up a pair of jeans conveniently ripped up for you. In the 90s, I remember kids DIY-ing that.


Winona Ryder in Reality Bites
Unfortunately, I can't find a pic that has a full shot of the outfit. Winona Ryder looked so so good wearing a t-shirt and oversized jeans. Please, Katie Holmes didn't start the whole boyfriend jeans trend. Kids from the 90s were already wearing jeans two sizes bigger.


Courtney Love
I remember I used to own a checkered babydoll dress that I bought from Kamiseta! Like Courtney Love, I also paired it with boots.


Alicia Silverstone in Clueless
This movie started a whole style trend! And like me, did you also dream of having a computer mix and match your outfits for you?

This is my take:

Wore the 90s uniform of flannel shirt and ripped jeans. I intended to wear my booties with this outfit but with the downpour this morning, I decided against it.


Keeping the tail of my shirt un-tuck is one of my favorite style tricks. Stylishly disheveled is the goal.

I was wearing Cotton On flannel shirt, Levi's classic 501s, belt from Uniqlo and pointy shoes from Charles & Keith.

We've been having such weird weather here in Pleasantville lately. It's been raining a lot in the early mornings and while it stays fairly dry (and hot!) the rest of the day, it quickly gets overcast in the afternoons. This weather schizophrenia makes it really tricky to dress up in the mornings. Often, most people leave their homes all geared in their rainy weather outfits (for Pleasantville folks that equates to jacket + boots+ opaque tights) only to find self looking ridiculous stuck with all that rain gear when it's nice and sunny 2 hours later.


This is a perfect transition outfit - will keep me warm and dry during the downpour and but still comfortably cool when the skies finally clear up and the sun peeks through.


Apart from wearing my good old Chucks, I also resort to wearing a pair of patent leather shoes as they are water stain resistant. Love this pointy pair even if my cousin Karen pointed out that it resembles a lady-guard's uniform. Hehe.

I was wearing Zara top, Cotton On leggings, Liz Claiborne vest (again!) and patent leather shoes from Bangkok.

I'm in love with this sleeveless suit vest from Romwe. I've had many sleepless nights thinking up what looks I can create with it to justify purchase. It's just the perfect accessory to pair with dark denim skinny jeans + tee or with a pair of printed shorts paired with a bold-colored top. *Drool*

And after seeing these looks from the Paris Fashion Runway from Isabel Marant:

Image from Net-a-Porter

and, Givenchy:

Image from style.com

I am now more convinced that I need this in my life.

In my previous post I showed you the cool utility vest I picked up from Liz Claiborne. I'm in love with it and it so perfectly complements my style point of view (feminine pieces mixed in with boyfriend basics).


On a rainy Wednesday. Added structure to my floral balloon skirt.


These pockets are extremely useful too!


The vest just gave this sugary sweet chiffon dress just the right amount of edge.


So casual paired with this tie-dyed maxi dress.

I was wearing:
First look - Zara nude oversized tee, floral skirt from H&M, Bayo shoes
Second look - Unica Hija dress, gladiator heels from Pedro
Third look - Maxi dress from a random shop in Chinatown (that cost SGD10!), Melissinos sandals and leather satchel from Athens
All with Liz Clairborne utility vest

Two weeks ago, I flew to the other side of the Pacific for a week-long summit in Sunnyvale then a side trip to my tita and tito's in Houston. Although this is my second time in US, I didn't get a chance to go sightseeing or check out the shopping scene the first time. So I jumped at the opportunity to extend my stay and have a little fun.

The first thing I did was ask my Tito to take me to Target - in search for Missoni mostly. Unfortunately, the only thing left in the Missoni rack was a pair of black pumps (in my size actually). But I wasn't so crazy about it. (On second thought, I SHOULD'VE picked it up since I hear Missoni for Target bids on eBay can pay for my future children's college education.) So I passed.

No worries though as Target carries lots of other affordable brands. (It's like a freakin' SM!!!)


Got this pair of skinny cargo pants on sale at USD$24 from Mossimo. Remember that brand Mossimo, btw? My all-time favorite denim skirt is from Mossimo. Do they still have the outlet in G4?

And because no American sightseeing tour is complete without it, I went outlet-shopping in Houston. Ha! I didn't buy the usual American outlet shopping staples like Coach or Polo Sport (not a fan!).



I did manage to get my hands on this utility vest from Liz Claiborne. It's a little pricier that I expected but it's perfectly well-made and I've been wearing this almost on a daily basis recently that I have ROI'd at this point.

In the next post I will show you the many different looks I've created with this utility vest - my favorite accessory at the moment!