White bow tie and jeans

The phone is once more broken, and hence my broadband connection. So I'm here again at the café just to blog.

Not that I'm complaining. I'm still smiling after all (:P). It's just that nothing seems to be working. Even dressing up, which should be fun, has conceded to the Monday blues. Well, almost.

Good thing for time-and-tested basics. In this case, my ever reliable purple plaid shirt, which goes with almost anything. If it weren't for it, I wouldn't have the strength to even wear a bow tie, or be half as brave to bring out my beloved white jeans.

Maybe that's what prodded things to pick up. For instance, I've never taken as many street style photos in a day (three is a record!), even if one prospect did refuse her photo to be taken, and there seemed to be no stylish men lurking in the central business district...


Plaid shirt, Springfield; pullover, French Connection; white jeans, Maison Martin Margiela; leather filigree belt; Brave Beltworks; penny loafers (not seen), Bass Weejuns

The movie in my mind

Everything is as it should be when I wake up in the morning, roused by the sun and birdsong. No urge to check anything online or on my mobile. Hungry, what immediately fills me is the yearning to write and take advantage of the first hour when my mind is clear.




Still as water, lighter than clouds. Some pray first thing in the morning, others meditate. I walk silently in a dimly-lit street, which could be a memory, a tapering emotion, or a sentence that is threatening to collapse on itself.




Call it a place, an event, even an illusion. Sometimes the silence stares back, or I fall in. Sometimes I am less than dust, if I'm lucky, tumbleweed.


Sweater, Springfield; shirt, Crocodile; jeans, Maison Martin Margiela; belt from a market in Milan; espadrilles from Aldevinco, Davao; Young Camel satchel, thrifted

The greening of spring

If I have seemed withdrawn the past few days, or even weeks, it's because of the many things happening in various fields. Like shoots and seedlings, they have been unstoppable.

Right now, besides transferring files from an old to a new laptop, I'm preparing documents for an impending trip — one that a month ago I never would have expected. I am uploading images of necklaces I have just sold. I am once again reading literature. I suppose it comes with the new season: undeniable change.




Like florals suddenly popping out on the street.

I have always had a long list of plans; only now do they, one by one, fill out with sap with the hope of future blossoms.


Jacket, Springfield; floral shirt, Diesel; pants, Zara; belt, Brave Beltworks; laceups, Marlboro Classics; forest green skinny tie, thrifted; gold watch, Omega Seamaster

Two all-green outfits last week

Inspired by this Mori Boy shoot.


Left: jacket, Springfield; shirt, thrifted; vest, Don Protasio; belt and pants: both Izzue. Right: wire-hem jacket, Izzue; skeleton pattern shirt, Energie; vest, Don Protasio; belt, Brave Beltworks; jeans, Trussardi Jeans

The bare bones of it

Rainy weather means it's time to bring out my jackets. This fatigue item with a ribbed collar was one of the first jackets I bought when I started working. Wearing it now as a cape, since even though it's raining, it can also be a bit humid.




Thought of writing about these Temple bags now available on Gilt, not only because they match my outfit, but because of the amazing story behind them. They look military-themed not by accident. World War II backpacks have been repurposed into duffels, while the war duffels themselves have been turned into medicine bags. (Remember how Martin Margiela made jackets and trousers from military satchels.)

The medicine bag above is also made of saddle leather and brass. Lined in natural canvas.




Ok, for the love of anything sacred I really do not know how to pose for these cameos. People have told me before that I should exert more effort, but really, I would rather indulge in facialympics than repeat my unfortunate attempts at posing, which I really shouldn't be reminding you. Maybe more inspiring settings will bring out the model in me. (Yes, those are bones of hands, not leaves on my Energie shirt.)




The U-zip duffle bag (top) uses antique nickel hardware, hopefully not picked out from spoils of war. Lined in gray chambray. The weekend duffle below uses repurposed Mule Belts as shoulder straps.




No, I didn't just witness somebody streak. Just remembered that in a few days I would be marking three years in my current job. There is already that uneasy feeling that I should be moving along now. A change of industry? Definitely a change of scene! And somewhere without a dress code, where I can report to work wearing this and being able to explore more modes of expression.




Work has felt much like this laptop bag: stern and military-grade. Though things are flexible because of its waxwear canvas, appearances stick and so does boredom. Of course I have nothing against reliability. My style after all, is based mostly on preppy.




I just need to be able to let out my crazy more often, more vivaciously, without need for editing (which is my job).


Shirt, Energie; jacket, Springfield; jeans, Bench; belt, Brave Beltworks; laceups, Marlboro Classics; Young Camel satchel, thrifted; gold watch, vintage Omega Seamster; vine and tiger's eye bracelets from Divisoria

Photos by Patricia Suzara

Don't tell anybody, but I think El Bosquejo already turned 3

I think it must have been last July 22. Who knows? It must be my impending age. I'm no longer counting the nth tweet or follower, the number of blog entries.




Is three blog middle age, the point when I must come to terms with all the things I have planned but never pushed through? Of course, the veteran bloggers out there (and lots of relatively younger ones) will be quick to boo. But hey, I'm happy doing things I never expected; this page has been a boon, if anything else, to all the other things I have been up to.




But enough of that. What I really wanted to tell you about was meeting Tina San, a fellow accessories designer (Tinitch), yesterday. Our little shopping trip to Quiapo was lovely. We even bumped into Yekky Balingit, whose quirkly and classic Miadore necklaces go well with high fashion pieces.

This series of Photo Booth shots (made when I was still sick) was supposed to be my first ever cameo video on the blog. You know, to mark this anniversary. But then again, I changed my mind and postponed that for another time.


Sweater, Springfield; floral shirt, Diesel; bone pattern shirt, Energie; bone tie necklace, OS

Lazy outfits post

Patricia, my friend and photographer currently in London, just asked me why I haven't posted any outfits recently. To answer her: besides the fact that she's abroad, I have also been really, really lazy — quite busy too, with my nose into the menswear shows that recently concluded in Paris.

So during these days when I value comfort over and above trying out new things and fresh ways of wearing them, I find myself turning to neutral pants and jeans, with laceups. I have worn some of these items before, but not in the same combinations. As you can see, they're fairly easy to mix and rematch. Didn't wear any blue jeans, since it would take longer for me to decide on an entire outfit. Clearly, not every week can be Fashion Week.


From left: Polyester tee, Atlantique (worn with blue vest, not in picture); gray jeans, Sisley; belt with metal buckle, thrifted; semi-synthetic spectator shoes, Giordano Concepts. Checkered tee, Springfield; linen pants, G200; striped fabric belt, thrifted; leather sneakers, Converse. Striped yellow shirt, Paul Smith; brown skinny jeans, Bench; filigree belt, Brave Beltworks; brown leather laceups, Marlboro Classics. Chocolate brown linen tee, British India; white jeans, Maison Martin Margiela; brown leather belt, thrifted; white tennis shoes, Bass