At first I thought it was impossible to even think about it — a streetstyle blog that documents style in Manila. My apprehensions included my perception that there just weren’t enough stylish people, that it’s impossible to dress up well in a tropical country since we couldn’t use many layers, and that, well, the Philippines is a third-world country and one needs money to dress well.
Guess what? I was proven wrong time and again.
The pictures I have taken for my other blog, La Folie Douce, show that people with different personalities have their own way of showing them through their clothing, which even in a single layer are more than enough. I have found stylish people not just in fashion shows and amongst the fashion crowd; I have also spotted them in the numerous malls scattered across Manila, bumping into them while walking in the business district or finding my way in the dirty, littered streets of the old capital. Of course, not all of them were wearing designer clothing. I have found that the more creative and sophisticated are the most well-versed in flea-market bargaining.
Indeed, style is everywhere. One need only to pay attention and look close enough.
Someone asked me what I looked for when I took pictures. I said that no matter what they were wearing, every piece should be “them”—a part of their identity, like an unmistakable badge. I know it’s very abstract, but you’ll know it when you see it.
I find that such stylish people find it easier to smile and laugh at themselves while staying confident. This I’m sure is true not just for Manila, much less, just for the "third-world".