Meet my brother

Or me in my first pair of fashion glasses, suspenders, and trilby, which is a bit too small, but hey, all the large sizes fit like that. If only there were bigger ones. A specialty store for the cranially gifted, perhaps?

Shirt, Abercrombie & Fitch; pants, Y-3; thrifted woven laceups, Bally; trilby, Zara; glasses and suspenders, SM Department Store; stainless steel watch, Tissot

Off to the shoe repair shop

I knew I should have brought this pair of Ballys to the shop after I bought them from a thrift store, since the soles had already suffered much wear. (Good thing the woven leather was still intact!)

Now the right shoe cries for help.

I have no choice but to part ways with them for a few days.

Same goes for these Helmut Lang sneakers I bought on sale.

The left shoe grumbles to be repaired.

I know they look like similar trainers by Hogan (with the patent H lettering), but I instantly fell in love with the fine layers of crumpled leather, which are even thinner than paper.

We shall meet again. Now you must be entrusted to able hands.

I will be bringing both pairs to Besa's in Glorietta, where the service has always been friendly. They have sometimes even given me discounts for multiple repairs, and since I have long been a customer.

I trust them with both my brand new and thrifted shoes. Plus leather bags, which they restore with saddle soap and polish, even if I bought them dusty and a little crusted from a thrift shop.

Though the service is a little more expensive than their competitor, they are more than worth it. A vintage addict's reliable friend!

Black list

All style statements return to fashion's ultimate: black is the only black. In the end, nothing can really replace it.

Shirt, G200; skinny jeans, 5cm; thrifted shoes, Bally; woven belt, vintage; wide belt, Izzue; silk tie, thrifted



The only thing we can do is innovate and give it a fresh kick.

Street photo by Patricia Suzara

Bosquejo bazaar: Thrifted shoes

Bally Alvaro, size 6 1/2, PhP960 ($20)

From my thrift shopping posts, friends and even complete strangers have contacted me about the specific providence of the pieces. They have even asked if it would be possible for me to search for certain items for them.

Just look at the designs on this pair of Bally brogues. Notice also the difference in textures. The sole doesn't even seem to have suffered much wear.

Blackstream, size 40, PhP480 ($10)

This has led to the idea of setting up an online bazaar, not limited to shoes or even to just thrifted items, but to all fashion-related pieces that receive this blogger's stamp of approval.

These are sumptuous slip-ons/driving shoes. Though the brand is unheard of, it comes from Italy, and it shows in the softness of the suede and in the craftsmanship. Perfect for weekends.

Timberland, size 9, PhP880 ($18)

Though initially I may only post photos of items without buying them - only doing so when a reader has contacted me and expressed interest - who knows, with enough support, I may begin to build an actual Bosquejo Bazaar inventory.

What attracted me to these boots are the design and the color (in ashy dark gray).

Helmut Lang, size 7 (though it looks bigger than 7), Php1,599 ($33.50)

I plan to set shoes beside vintage bags as the initial primary pieces. Then maybe I'll set into action my ideas on jewelry for men.

Though square-toed shoes have long been outdated. This Helmut Lang pair is only very slightly square, and is forgivable because of the design and the softness of the leather.

Patrick Cox, size 40, PhP1,200 ($25)

Of course, the logical thing to do after I decide to buy items for the Bazaar is to just have them auctioned off at eBay.

I honestly do not know what this Patrick Cox pair is made of. When I entered the store I instantly saw them because the hair on the leather was gleaming. They felt no different from pelt.

Molt's, size 38, Php480 ($10)

But I don't know. Something stops me from doing that: maybe the future image of my very own small cult shop/botique full of all sorts of items that have not only made my eyes gleam but have made me imagine people other than myself holding them dear.

Amazing leather detailing and buckles. And the color! How can one even begin.

Doc Martens, size 6, Php580 ($12)

This suede pair is all about the basics, and also about remembering your old DMs before the company entered into all those designer collaborations.

So for now let this, my very first retail venture, begin online and as an initial extension of my menswear blog. Until further developments...

Band-aids, Ballys, Belgian chocolate, and mochi

I swear, this post is not sponsored by Golden Spoon. It just so happened that I had a craving earlier today for something cold, sweet, and "somehow" light. What I got was a mix of Belgian chocolate yogurt with cookies and cream and mochi rice cakes as toppings.




I know. It's a weird combination, unlike my previous berry-themed dessert. What I loved about this is that I had three different textures.




Smooth and creamy, crunchy and crumbling, powdered and sticky. See?




Also had a varied mix of textures in what I wore: soft knit cotton pullover, somewhat thick cotton-polyester shirt worn as a jacket, denim, and leather. Rolled the sleeves for more structure and since the underside was a shade lighter. The band-aids I needed to safeguard the skin around my ankles while breaking in these Ballys, since I really do not like wearing even hidden socks.




I only now notice that someone else was having fun behind me (You think that's why he was fixing himself in the very first pic?).




Each to his own. This is the country's central business district. Comfort food patches stress like a band-aid.


Striped pullover, Gap; Esprit shirt and Structure belt, thrifted; skinny jeans, Two Percent; loafers, Bally

Photos by Patricia Suzara

Black and white and blonde

When I was still a brunette, not so long ago, I'd get jealous of blondes wearing black. Somehow, the color just looks better on them than on guys with darker locks. It must be the contrast. So naturally, I had to try it. I must say, it does tone down the color of my crown.




Ok, don't laugh. I rarely pose. It must be the light, and the shadows. So naturally, again, I also had to do this in black-and-white.





There. Yellowish light courtesy of the streetlamp. I almost forgot about these woven laceups, first worn here. I think my hair's grown too long. Even though the salon stylist says long is good for blondes, I just had it cut.




Where is that damn car? Ok, that's the last one.




Shirt, G200; jeans, Calvin Klein jeans; belt, Izzue; sheer checkered cardigan, Bally shoes, and nylon tote: all thrifted; other tote, Penshoppe




My hair is as yellow as my teeth. At least something matches. More coffee, please!


Photos by Patricia Suzara

My new old Bally slip-ons

I remember this pair from years and years ago. It was my brother's, but he didn't really know how to love shoes. (I know I just wrote about shoes, but I couldn't help it.)




If they fit me then, I would have sneaked them out of his closet often.




It must have been one decade since.




Now I see them again, in very good condition: the soles barely weathered and only one small tear on the woven leather and hemp detailing.




How cool is this?




Now, after being rescued from a flooded house, they fit snuggly on my notoriously small feet.




Oh, by the way, the pair's color combination reminds me of these bracelets I got from Divisoria (far right), piled neatly beside by bookmarks, pens, and pencils (far left); and my other wrist accessories (center)




Once I confirmed that the pair finally fit, seeing them on, I felt like skipping, even tap-dancing, so I could click back the years when I would wait for special occasions just so I could hear myself tap-tap-tapping my wooden soles on marble and parquet.




These are perfect for chinos, in shorts or trousers, and other neutral-colored pants. Light green too, of course (fatigues, moss, olive, etc).




With the shoes came this reddish-colored shelf, which has done much to solve my room space problems.




And speaking of memories, here are some more fit neatly into glass.


From left: candies from a glassblower's shop in Murano, my small coin collection (do you know why the exterior of the jar feels sticky?), white shells collected from various beaches

Work life

What I wore yesterday at work. Yes, the office beckons even during weekends. But when I say work, I do not mean just going to the office.









I also mean blogging (here and on my other pages); designing, making, selling, and delivering Bosquejo accessories; writing poetry and yes, even reading; and believe it or not, I have another project coming up — one that I am procrastinating on just by writing this post. (I don't think I've been this nervous in quite a long time.)









My point is, these are the things that make me alive, that I am living for right now. And for that, there are no weekends. And even though at many points, all these activities resemble drudgery, they are what shapes me. (Yes, I still manage some leisure, but extended periods of relaxation make me restless.)









It is raining again. When work comes, it pours.





Nylon jacket, thrifted; polo shirt, Ritual; trousers, Maison Martin Margiela; briefcase, Bally; espadrilles from Davao; necklace, "Benedictine" from Bosquejo's Sacre collection



Photos by Patricia Suzara

Playing while waiting for the movies

I think this was before Kung Fu Panda 2. I'm sure you can guess where.




So it's no mystery that I prefer loose, relatively baggy pants. Tried sweat pants, Thai farmer's pants, and a range of linen and drawstring trousers. Guess it's inevitable that I'd wear out my track pants as well (since I only use shorts at the gym). Wearing them with the blazer I customized for my brother's wedding.




Still getting the hang of fitting all my stuff in a briefcase. It takes immense discipline on my part, believe me. (I left a tote leaning against a wall somewhere.)





No, not practicing kung fu, karate, or whatever martial art. (I just hate queues and wish I could discreetly destroy these.)




I really love the collar of this kurta-like shirt. I wish they could come in heavier fabrics, as hybrids.



Movie theater turns into airport terminal. Needless to say, I enjoyed the movie. More than X-men: First Class. Nothing as enjoyable yet. Harry Potter, where are you?


Shirt, Zara; track pants, adidas; sandals, thrifted; briefcase, Bally

Photos by Patricia Suzara