Feeling blue on a cloudy day

I am not one to turn my back on a challenge. Even if I came to work earlier with an ensemble that somehow did not work with my bright blue jeans, I returned with an outfit much more to my liking.

Tee, Underground; jeans, Bitter End; hooded vest, thrifted; leather sneakers, Converse; tote, American Boulevard

Though I posted something about bright colored jeans ages ago, I still don't find it easy to tone down these domineering colors.

Photos by Patricia Suzara and Cecilia Aycocho

Fantastic Man: Double denim

Mr. Moses Manley, an art student and apparently also model and creative director of Shared Ballroom, appears in the pages of Fantastic Man for its feature on double denim.


It's the successful face of double denim, with a proud look from Calvin Klein Collection: a pale denim zip-fronted jacket and pin-tuck pleated jeans. Under the jacket is a white ribbed vest by American Apparel, and the denim shoes are by Soar. Here, the watch is from Cartier.

From 'Double denim', Fantastic Man No. 9, Spring Summer 2009
Photographed by Daniel Riera, Styled by Jodie Barnes




What a wonderful hue! Above are the Calvin Klein jacket and jeans, as they appeared on the runway. Together, they are almost better than an ensemble I featured before from Copenhagen Street Style.

Equally inspiring are the denim shoes, which make me look back on two pairs by Martin Margiela for his 2006 Spring collection.


Manley pulls off the double denim look with a Marc Jacobs pale denim jeans jacket, a pale-blue gauze cotton shirt and pale denim jeans, both from Raf by Raf Simons. The vintage denim shoes are by Acne. The watch is by Bell & Ross.

I wonder where I'll find that specific color. Until then, I guess I'll settle for darker, more typical shades.

Denim shirt and jeans, thrifted; thrifted belt, Structure; wax-treated messenger, Jack Spade

Military floral

The sun returned yesterday! But the summer still seems lost and disoriented. The rains usually begin in June, not April. Now I feel silly complaining from the heat. Today it's back to gloomy.

If the military had its equivalent for floral, it would have to be paisley, or insect patterns, like what Liberty has recently popularized.

Summer come back! I was only kidding...

Shirt, Diesel; thrifted tie, San Dino; thrifted jeans, Izzue; laceups, Marlboro Classics; ribbon belt (barely seen), thrifted

Black magic

I think I may need help from the occult arts to get over this one: my article deadlines come crashing (come to think of it, I haven't posted an article for quite some time now) and here I am still pondering whether I may still have time to finish my long overdue Thom Browne post. (Am already half done.)

Very soon, and shortly! Will need to hem and put a cuff to my habits of procrastination. In the the meantime, here's what I wore today.


Micro-checkered shirt, Ben Sherman; micro-houndstooth pants, Custom Made; thrifted leather elfin slip-ons, Camper; skinny leather belt, APC; plastic necklace, Qeelin; fingerless gloves; Debenhams

Photo by Patricia Suzara

Rips and pleats

So I woke up yesterday morning wanting to wear something shiny. I hadn't used this American Boulevard shirt for quite some time so I decided to fish it out. Only problem was it had always been a little too long, so I decided, with brave finality, to shorten the hem myself. With nothing but scissors.

Shirt, American Boulevard; ripped jeans, Neil Barrett; thrifted belt; stainless steel abacus necklace, from 168; white leather sneakers (not seen), Converse; briefcase (below), Tyler

Of course I was hoping that the rough edges would also give it a raw feel, but after finishing with the act, that became the least of my problems. The shirt was this time too short! I was near to running late for work, so, with another spur of the moment decision, I sent for a few safety pins.

The damage control looked like this. I need stitching along the upper hem, but I have to decide exactly how to re-attach the part I cut to give that layered effect. More safety pins, studs, gimlets...do you have any ideas? Do you think I should repeat the process for the sleeves?

Whatever I do, I want to retain the raw effect. I think this accident promises a good first DIY project.

As the excitement of the day wore off, I traded my ripped shirt for this pleated one and changed sneakers for an adidas event.

Tuxedo shirt, Zara; ripped jeans, Neil Barrett; thrifted sneakers, Gucci; watch, Omega Seamaster

Outdoor photos by Patricia Suzara

Morning news sold out

No matter how noisy, crowded, and grimy, the city will always be dear to me. It is where all lines converge, where parallels intersect. Day in and day out, in between the columns found in national papers lie the lives of everyone around - all of them unavoidably affected, if not incriminated.

Sure, I am not one to turn down one or a few weeks of rest out in the provinces - to the mountains or to the beaches - but I don't know how long I can last so far from the bustle of the metropolis.

Thrifted shirt, Emporio Armani; pants, Gas; scarf, vintage; newsboy cap, Zara; semi-leather shoes, Giordano Concepts; suspenders, SM Department Store

Photos by Patricia Suzara

Bosquejo Bauble: Amulet necklace 2

Here's another one. Apologies for the blurry photograph. Have to rush to the shows.

Completed this outfit with a black and white patterned scarf.


Tee, British India; Izzue jeans and cotton tie: both thrifted; filigree belt, Brave Beltworks; leather sneakers, Converse; necklace, DIY

Street photo by Patricia Suzara

White jeans

Another staple for summer. I know they're dust magnets, but nothing looks as nice.

Jeans, Maison Martin Margiela; shirt, Crocodile; thrifted bag, agnes b.; thrifted belt, Structure; lace-ups, Marlboro Classics; wristwatch, Tissot

To take Details' advice, here's a jolt of black for this evening. (Can't help the neon.)

Nylon jacket, Izzue; shirt, Sisley; trainers, Nike
Building photos by Patricia Suzara

Complementary polka dots

I had already decided the night before that this Saturday would be another day for shorts. (I had cut down another pair of jeans the night before.) My mind made up, I went out of the shower to discover the sky dark and glowering. Hence the sweater.

Though the shorts came from a pair of baggy pants, I think the stiff and untailored effect goes well with a fit shirt. The tie as belt was likewise an afterthought - a way to make another rainy day a little bit happier.


Polka dot shirt, Topman; polka dot tie and tote, thrifted; jeans now denim shorts, Guess; sweater, Sisley; leather sneakers, Converse; gold watch, Omega Seamaster

Cowboy day

It begins with a messenger's shoulder strap, which turns into a belt.

Then skinny jeans and boots. The floral (not discernible) over plaid patterned shirt is a welcome deviation.

Shirt, cK Calvin Klein; vest, Dean & Trent; jeans, Bench; thrifted boots, Timberland; gold wristwatch, Omega Seamaster



Some coffee for inspiration, but in the end, I guess not enough dust, rocks, and gravel to roughen up the outfit.

Street photos by Kyle San Diego

Strangely, that's what bowler hats and animal print shirts accomplish in this editorial shot.

A gauche: manteau-cape en drap de laine, Fendi; pantalon en cuir, Dior Homme; boots, Boris Bidjan Saberi. Au centre: pull en laine imprimée, Rykiel Homme; gilet en coton, Neil Barrett; jean, Dior Homme; boots, Ann Demeulemeester. A droite: blouson en cuir metalassé, Dirk Bikkembergs; chemise en coton impremé, Rykiel Homme; jean, Kitsune; boots, Boris Bidjan Saberi; ceinture, Km*rii; chapeaux, Gaultier(2)

'Guet-apens' from Numéro Homme, Automne-hiver 2008

Par Horst Diekgerdes
Réalisation, Charles Varenne

Bosquejo Bauble: Amulet necklace

This necklace is part of what I wore today. I have been talking about men's accessories for quite some time. So this is my first DIY attempt to bring together my thoughts on the matter.

My first idea is to use amulets commonly sold in Manila for good luck or to bring specific fortunes to those who wield them. The amulets, or anting-anting in the vernacular, come in a mix of sacred and profane iconography typical of the country's folk Christianity.

I have opted to get rid of all religious and superstitious associations in order to focus on the design.


CX Prêt-à-porter shirt, wool tie, Structure leather belt: all thrifted; jeans, Calvin Klein Jeans; pullover, French Connection; laceups, Marlboro Classics; bag, Tyler; necklace, DIY

Though some may argue that the first necklace looks too feminine, it may either be that there are still some chinks in the design, or that it may only be a matter of interpretation. Nevertheless, I have created this second version that I expressly intend for use by women. My sister has already asked for it.

Hopefully, I'll be able to create more necklaces to expound on this first idea, before I move on to the next.


Bought the amulets from Quiapo

Play

Contrary to popular belief, this blog is not always serious.

Shirt, cK Calvin Klein; thrifted plaid pants, Izzue; sweater, Sisley; sneakers, Bass

Photos by Patricia Suzara, with the invaluable assistance of Cecilia Aycocho

White flood pants

You can say it's the worst timing to wear white pants when its raining, but each morning starts so bright and sunny that I always wake up hoping it would stay like that - no rain, but at the same time not too warm.

White is just so irresistible to wear during summer - even if the season has lately been unreliable - that one just can't have enough of the color.

Tee, Izzue; penny loafers, Bass Weejuns; white jeans, eco-friendly half-wool scarf, and green suede messenger: all thrifted

Just published this while I'm still building my next post on the American menswear designer who recently popularized ankle exposure, and, according to news last month, may have to look for an investor to prevent his business from sinking underwater.

Top photo by Patricia Suzara

Sheer stripes and spectator shoes

A sheer sweater is one of the ways to layer in warmer countries, even in summer.

Blue horizontal over blue vertical stripes.

Sheer sweater, Zara; shirt, Gap; skinny jeans, 5cm; spectator shoes, Giordano Concepts; silk tie, thrifted



The clerk at Giordano Concepts says the pair is part leather, part kesh - whatever that is. Point is, though it's not my ideal spectator pair, it's as comfortable as sneakers.

Street photos by Patricia Suzara

Drawstring pants for summer

As I was saying, I was glad to see drawstring pants worn with shirts tucked in for Richard Chai's previous Spring 2009 collection, as belts can sometimes be cumbersome. In my case, there is really nothing like soft, baggy pants to start getting used to the sudden change in season in Manila.

The button-down sweater, of course, is just a precaution for airconditioned offices and establishments. Otherwise, they are best left tied to your messenger's shoulder strap.

Sweater, Muji; shirt, Old Navy; leather sneakers, Converse; pants, Marks & Spencer; watch, Omega Seamaster

This is not about tying scarves...

But about volume, houndstooth and stripe combinations, and the American colors.

It's about my new Tretorn by Acne nylon sneakers.

Or the lady in pink behind me who reminds everybody that this is just a shoot and scarves and beanies belong back to the office where it's perpetually airconditioned.

Once again- and with feeling - maybe this is merely about using peelable accessories for the tropical climate, where it's really quite cumbersome to keep on wearing and removing jackets and sweaters in and out of the workplace.

Thrifted shirt, Daks; jeans, Levi's; skinny leather belt, APC; sneakers, Tretorn by Acne; scarf from Kalinga Apayao province, produced by locals; beanie, thrifted

Photos by Patricia Suzara

Gone thrifting

My shopping principle has always been to only to buy things I particularly like because there's something special about them. Each item has to be like that. I trust that pieces loved in their own way can come together to form remarkable outfits.

I'm willing to spend a little more for such items, but if I really have to buy basics, I turn to thrift stores. As I have mentioned before, my trips to such shops began with the need to expand my office wardrobe.

But this time, thrift shopping has also provided me an opportunity to tread on relatively new territory. After stocking on skinny, horizontal tipped, and colorfully patterned ties in silk, wool, and cotton, finally, I find vests, a navy jacket, and yes, my very own cutaway.

I found most of these from a store that ships from Japan, so that even if there are no big-name labels, there is impeccable Japanese tailoring.

I suspect these vests were made by the same tailor. Now I have to decide if I want to send the navy one on the right to a tailor here so that the satin back can be replaced or if I want to keep the wear to let the piece have that lived-in character.

I love the cut of this pinstriped navy jacket. It is slim and the sleeves come right before my wrist.

If you remember the day I wore my tux jacket with drawstring pants, I was wishing for a cutaway jacket to make the outfit better. Well, here it is. The fit is likewise perfect. I am excited about all the combinations, both casual and spiffy, I can create from this formal piece.

Now it begins. These gold and bronze leaves baptize my wardrobe with its first brooches.

So here is the happy camper in the store where I bought most of the ties (not the jackets). In total I spent PhP1,700 (US$36).

I am still ticklish from the anticipation. Sending the clothes to the drycleaner right after I post this.


Elmo tee from Greenhills; open bonnet hat, 5cm; micro houndstoot pants, Custom Made; filigree belt, Brave Beltworks; leather sneakers; Converse; PVC bag; 5cm; gold watch, Omega Seamaster