Sufree Tea Party

Challenge me to cut down on savory meals, and I can probably do it. Ask me to stay away from sweets, and we may have a problem. I'm a self-confessed "sweet tooth". Thinking of all the sugar makes me feel guilty sometimes, and that's essentially why I'm glad to have discovered Sufree, an all-natural sweetener.

Cold Shoulder

I have lived in a tropical country my whole life, but I don't think I'll ever get used to the blazing summer heat. But it's been starting to rain lately, hasn't it? Personally though, I'm not sure whether I prefer that or not. Either way, I'm totally loving the off-shoulder/ cold shoulder trend.

La Vie En Rose

Sometimes it's all about the small details. Rose-tinted sunglasses, a light rose top, and a rose-shaped ring too; the pun game sure is strong. But really, it (la vie en rose) is about seeing things in a positive light. Just like how I've been telling myself: just a few more weeks, and I'll finally be free! After all, with the increasingly unbearable heat, it's hard to deny that summer's already here.

Relax, Unwind, Unplug

Take it to the Streets

Contrary to the meaning of the idiomatic title, I actually don't have any problem. In fact, I'm happy that I finally got to shoot two outfits during APEC week (see the first one here)! In case you haven't noticed, I have become inclined to wearing neutral colors and basic pieces lately.

Tough on the Outside

(... soft on the inside.) One of the best style tricks is to dress up in contrasts-- and I don't just mean colors. For example, I mixed delicate and rough textures by wearing a black lace romper from NewDress, and a fatigue jacket over it.

Lace-y Daisy

Ask me what my favorite outfit is as of the moment, and this would be it. My brave moments in fashion always seem to involve lace (see: Brave Moment #1). But if I were a bit more brave in terms of showing skin and getting sun-kissed, I'd probably have done away with the lace top. After all, one thing I love about being in America-- and even more in a music festival--  is that you can get away with wearing almost anything.

Bohemian with a Twist

We all know that music fests are events wherein you can pretty much wear anything (or in the case of some people, not wear anything). Besides the music, fashion is also quite a big thing in festivals such as Lollapalooza, which I attended almost a month ago.

Make Me Feel ALIVE

ALIVE: Touch the Sky brings you one of THE wildest and hottest party in the Metro! In partnership with Century City Mall, Event Center, Makati City, get lucky on Friday the 13th of March from 8:30 PM onwards. Let loose, dance on table tops, pop ‘til you drop to the beats of the top DJs in the industry; DJs Aryan Magat, Rammy Bitong, Tiongcy, Ron Poe and Lucio Pua with Mikko Abello on the mic, and hosted by DJ Lexy of RX 93.1. Unleash the teenage rebellion and party with us ‘til dawn! To give you a sneak peak of what we’ve got, your pre-party playlist is on us. It comes in two parts: listen to Part 1, and also to Part 2!

Tickets are sold at P250 when bought in quantities of 5 or more, P270  at regular price, and P350 for door charge. There will also be an after-party at 71 Gramercy from 2:30AM to 6AM! The same tickets to ALIVE will grant you access to the post-party celebration, just present them at the entrance! You can reserve your tickets by clicking here.

For more inquires, feel free to like ALIVE's official Facebook page, or follow them on Twitter.

Let's make this fleeting moment last forever, so tell us what you're waiting for; just use the hashtag #‎makemefeelALIVE‬!

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Since the party falls on a Friday, some of you might be coming straight from internship (like me!) Here's a day-to-night guide that I put together for the ladies.

(Disclaimer: None of the photos are mine, and are all taken off the Internet.)

For a day look, make sure to dress up appropriately according to the setting. Wear a blazer over a tailored dress or a chic cami swing top/bodycon skirt combo for a business casual look. Wear natural makeup on your face, and comfortable, closed heels on your feet.

When night comes.ditch those heels for fierce strappy sandals (like the Valentino Rockstud, which I wish I had!!!). Take off the blazer, too. The featured dress here has a sexy detail at a back, which will only be revealed when you switch to your night look. For the makeup, smokey eyes are the answer.

Hope you guys enjoyed this quick post!

x Erika Rosales

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11:11 Music Festival: World Beyond Wishes

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! ♥ This post is totally unrelated to the occasion, but I haven't posted in more than a month (oh my!), and there's this [really soon] upcoming event that I want to share with you guys. Read on to find out what it is!

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11:11! Make a wish!

            We’ve all waited for the clock to strike 11:11 at one point in our lives – we wait so we can wish for our heart’s greatest desires. Have you ever wished to celebrate 11:11 with your friends and just have fun while cherishing the moment? (How about taking a break from all the schoolwork to just chill and immerse yourself in good music?)

          One of the most outstanding organizations in De La Salle University Manila, Economics Organization (EconOrg), brings its first-ever music festival: the 11:11 Music Festival: World Beyond Wishes! Experience 11:11 like never before! The 11:11 Music Festival aims to bring you a music experience like no other by promoting the country’s music scene and highlighting Original Pilipino Music (OPM) at its best. An ultimate music festival experience of indie, alternative rock, and electronic dance music (EDM) all together in one event! A definitely fun-filled day as we sing along with our very own local bands and dance the night away with our homegrown DJs!

          The 11:11 Music Festival will not only be an avenue for the country’s music industry but it will also be an opportunity to promote social responsibility in the entrepreneur market by having concessionaires that will serve the audience well and complement the goals of the music festival. You will surely enjoy 11:11 concessionaires as they give you the best food in town, as well as very fun interactive games during the event.

          Aside from that, there will be a picnic party in the afternoon where you can sit and enjoy the field while relishing sumptuous food from our concessionaires and soothing music from our 11:11 Battle of the Bands finalists and other indie bands like Between Archery and Olympic, Autotelic, Identikit, Flying Ipis and a lot more. Throughout the event, there will be a giant wishing wall where people can post their wishes & goals for the new wear. In the evening, experience a quality OPM x EDM party with your favorite local bands and Djs such as Urbandub, Franco, Paraluman, Dj Ace Ramos, Rammy Bitong, Benefict Pacia, Edleen Lim, Curse & Bless, MC Gab Canlas, and many more! As we all wait for 11:11! Yes, there will be a countdown to 11:11 where we will all release our troubles and fears together, as there would be LED balloon flying and grand confetti!  

This is more than just wishful thinking! Grab your friends, dress up in your most stylish yet comy outfit, and head down to Greenfield District, Mandaluyong on February 20, 2015 (Friday) and enjoy a whole day filled with music, fun, and wishes!

For more of 11:11 Music festival’s details and line up, do visit their official Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/1111musicfestival or follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @1111musicfest! Make a wish and reach for the sky as we celebrate 11:11 the loudest!

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Sounds fun, right? In case you’re wondering what to wear to the event, worry no more because I have prepared some outfit ideas for you!*

For the guys out there, I also have suggestions for you!

*Disclaimer: None of the photos used in the collages are mine; all I did was edit them all together.

What are you waiting for? Grab your tickets and get ready to celebrate the fulfillment of your wishes at 11:11 Music Festival!

x Erika Rosales

PS: Which of the outfits above do you think is my favorite (aka the one that I am most likely to wear)? And which one is your fave? Comment below!

PPS: Thanks for checking this post out!  I'll try not to be gone for too long again next time!!

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(CLOSED) Live the Dream at APOLLO Music Festival (GIVEAWAY)

It may be sweater weather already, but it doesn't mean that you can't experience the carefree feeling of summer all over again! And what better way is there to bring back the summer feels than, say, going to a music festival?

Praise the music god(s) because two university organization giants have teamed up to bring you music, booze, food, and party all in one day! This coming November 14, 2014 (that's a week from now!), take on the experience as the University of the Philippines Junior Marketing Association (UP JMA) and the De La Salle University Business Management Society (DLSU BMS) bring you the first ever inter-university Music Festival, APOLLO: Live the Dream at the Globe Circuit Events Ground in Circuit Makati.

The lineup lists the bands Sponge Cola, The Ransom Collective, She's Only Sixteen, and The Cohens. Beats to dance to through the night will then be played by DJ Lucio Pua, DJ Marc Marasigan, and DJ Ace Ramos. Aside from that, expect good food, free-flowing drinks, and an awesome lights show!

UP JMA and DLSU BMS also partnered with Filipino Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, Inc. (FILSCAP) for this event. Together, they crafted APOLLO to become not just an incredible night for the people, but also a platform for young and emerging artists.

Once again, APOLLO: Live the Dream will be happening on November 14, from 4PM onwards, at the Globe Circuit Events Ground in Circuit Makati. For more details, see their poster and/or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

I would love to go to APOLLO (it would be my first music fest if ever)! Unfortunately, I can't, and I'm pretty bummed about it. Here's what I would have worn there though, just to give you guys an idea. People usually dress up in hipster outfits for music festivals, and nothing screams "hipster" more than the shirt-around-the-waist trend. Well, that, after florals and fringes at least (which I both don't have, sadly). 

T-shirt dresses have got to be my new favorite thing! (I got this one from my first visit to H&M's first branch here in the Philippines.) They are so comfy, which is why I thought it would be perfect to wear one to a music festival! Boots are also a good footwear of choice to complete the whole look. (I know there's still quite a touch of grunge in my outfit though, can't help it haha!) Oh, and don't forget to bring sunnies! Not only are they stylish, they are also handy in shielding your eyes from the sun.

T-shirt dress: H&M

Denim polo: Cotton On

Cut-out boots: Topshop

Necklace, v-midi rings, & earrings: Forever 21

Plain midi rings: Infinitine

Tattoo choker: Fudge Rock

Bracelet: Rastaclat

So there's some outfit inspiration for you! Have you gotten your tickets to APOLLO yet?

If you haven't, you came to the right place! In my absence, I am giving four (4) lucky people the chance to experience APOLLO!

Yes, I'm hosting a giveaway! You can join in two (2) easy ways:

1. Follow @_erikarosales (that's me!) and @APOLLOmusicfest on Instagram. and regram my Style & Sundry x APOLLO post with #STYLEANDSUNDRYxAPOLLO #APOLLOMusicFestival. Don't forget to tag me and the person you want to go with to the event as well!
2. For those who don't have any Instagram, you also have a chance! Just like APOLLO Music Festival on Facebook, share this post (make sure it's public, and tag your friend!) and leave a comment below containing the following details:

FB Name

Email address

There will be two (2) winners (one here, and one from Instagram) of two (2) tickets each. You can do both and/or share as many times as you want-- more entries, more chances of winning! I will be choosing the winners at random. (However, I'll make sure that a person only wins once.) Winners will be announced on the evening of Wednesday, November 12.

Good luck everyone! I wish I could say "see you there", but I can't so I'll just simply say, have a blast! (I'm sure you will, even without me saying so!)

EDIT (11/12/14):

Congratulations to the 2 winners:

Jasmine Gines from Facebook &

@joooooooooohnoh from Instagram!

Please email me at e.rsls@yahoo.com by tomorrow, 12NN to find out how you can get your tickets. (Failure to contact me by then will invalidate your win)

To everyone else who joined the giveaway, thank you so much!

x Erika Rosales

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Good Gold

Weeks ago, I received my second-ever blogger mail. I know, right! The feeling of receiving a package is beyond delightful. It feels even greater when it's free! It's like Christmas gone early.

What did the parcel contain, you ask? Why, lovely accessories from Born Pretty Store! Since I cannot wait to share with you guys the goodies I received (and I'm actually already weeks late at it), I'm jumping the queue yet again with this fresh post. I'm so glad my Tagaytay adventure during the holiday gave me a chance to finally shoot these jewelries! (Photo-diary will be posted soon!)

I got to choose what pieces I would like for free, so I chose three gold items. The first one on my list was-- you guessed it-- this gold body chain (also available in silver)! I have been dying for one since it became a trend, and that was around a year ago! Now, I can say I belong with the likes of Queen Bey, RiRi, and also Miley! The design's just simple, but that's exactly how I like it. The length was also just right! If only I had a booty though, it would have draped more nicely at the bottom haha!

I also got this gold ring (also available in silver) because I liked its V-shape. I have always been wary of getting gold fashion jewelry because I am acidic. That means, fake gold tarnishes pretty quickly on me. But guess what! This ring stayed gold even when I wore it for a whole day! It also did not leave any green mark on my skin. It was even subjected to water and soap several times during the day, but it kept its color. Its gold plating is good; I wish all gold fancy jewelry were like this.

Once again, please excuse my manicure.

The last thing I got, this heart bangle, was adorable beyond sorts. Turns out, it's actually seamless! The only downside is that, it was kinda too big for me. Actually, I just naturally have thin wrists. Therefore, I had to be extra careful about making sure it did not fall off. Of course, I did not want to lose it.

Again, you can get these blings and a lot more choices at Born Pretty Store. If jewelry isn't your thing, you should still check them out! They pretty much sell everything from clothes, gadget cases, contact lenses, and even stationery! So what are you waiting for? Like them on Facebook, and head on over to their online site to view their products. Oh, and don't forget to enter my code "HFB10" upon checkout to get 10% off on your order! Happy shopping!

x Erika Rosales

PS: If you would also like to send me some items (for a review and/or feature), feel free to send me an email at e.rsls@yahoo.com!

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Something Green, Something Gold

Something new, something bold.

Have I mentioned my love for rhymes and other forms of wordplay? (That one, the title, is my jab at the wedding classic: "something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue".) No? Well, there you go. I like rhymes, puns, and the like.

Despite the reference to a wedding tradition, this is not about an outfit to a wedding; however, it's one to an event nearly as much-- if not just as-- important to a lady: her debut. (Well, for the Filipinos, at least, a girl turning 18 is a big deal.) In truth, the "debut season" for our batch was long over last year (I celebrated my own last October-- considering to post about that one as a major throwback!); however, there are some '96ers, one of which is the celebrant whose party I attended last July.

Seeing as it was probably going to be my last time attending a debut and, therefore, having the chance to dress up for a semi-formal event, I decided to make the most out of it. I've always wanted to try wearing a jumpsuit. I love how they can look dressy and/or casual, depending on the material.

Jumpsuit: Details (available at The Ramp Crossings) || Pumps: Call It Spring

Lace bralet & ear cuff: Forever 21 || Rings: Infinitine* || Belt: The Landmark

Nails: ELF (in Cherry Bomb) || Hair: Blo || Brow wax & makeup: Benefit

Searching for the perfect jumpsuit was a hard task. You know how people say that when girls shop, they have no plans whatsoever and just buy stuff on impulse? That's not always true; in my case, I had an image in my head of the exact kind that I wanted (that's usually why it takes me ages to shop, because sometimes I don't find them, haha). What I had in mind originally was: a spaghetti strap jumpsuit not made of cotton (so it will be more dressy) in a lively color (since black was not allowed). I actually found one at Topshop, in emerald green. However, the length of the pants and the straps were pretty off (and, let's be honest, the price was pretty high lol). However, I found something at The Ramp, and in the same color, too (kinda like my school color too)! While it was made of spandex and cotton and was in a different style, I fell in love with it anyway.

Since the neckline was d e e p, I wore something inside. I could have gone for a plain black tube/bandeau, but I decided against it because I felt like it would make the look less classy and put it more on the casual side; so I wore a lace bralet instead. I've always wanted to own one! Believe me, finding the perfect one wasn't easy either lol. But yay for trying something new!

Now, the color of the jumpsuit was already lively on its own, however, I still felt the need to accessorize. I was so excited to finally wear my lovely rings from Infinitine, a Korean jewelry store! I was so ecstatic when they contacted me, because they sent me my first blogger mail ever! ♥ I got to choose from all their products--- rings, earrings, bracelets, and anklets. I've always wanted gold midi/knuckle rings, so I went with a set of thin ones, a double ball ring, and my favorite of them all-- the stretch/cross ring! The last one's my favorite because you can wear it two (2) ways: you can wear it with its X side in front, or the loop side. I was so happy when I received them. They were so lovely in person, and they came in cute boxes too!

The problem with gold fashion jewelry is: they fade in time. It's worse with me because I'm pretty acidic, I guess; when I wear rings, usually they leave green marks on my fingers. However, the double ball ring and stretch/cross rings are still gold! I've worn them quite a lot of times now, and they still keep their color. Awesome, right? The thin ones though have faded to silver; but that's alright because they're still pretty!

If you want to view the items I got on their website, you can click these links for the set of 5 gold knuckle rings, double ball ring (in 3 colors-- gold, silver, rose gold), and stretch/cross ring (also in 3 colors).

Me wearing a jumpsuit wasn't the only "new" thing about my outfit; there was also me actually doing something my hair-- or rather, having something done with my hair. I couldn't be bothered to style my hair differently most of the time for parties because I'm pretty much the embodiment of the phrase "fashionably late" (not that I'm proud of it or anything). But I was coming from MOA before the party, so I decided to try out Blo. They're a blow dry bar, so they don't do haircuts or colors, just pure styling for P500, regardless of the style and hair length (if you choose from their menu, that is; but you can give them a different hair peg, but the price will be higher). I chose the Pillow Talk, which are soft S-like curls, and asked to put them on the side.

Before the curling though, I went for their hair treatment (forgot how much it was), hence the fabulous hair cap. It felt really cool to the head, somehow minty. I haven't had a haircut in a long time, so I figured I should get my hair treated at least. Wasn't quite sure if it really had an effect though lol. Anyway, I really love how the curls ended up! Unfortunately, my hair is naturally straight and silky, so the curls were gone sometime near the end of the party, sigh.

Blo Blow Dry Bar

2/F Main Mall (near Too Cool for School)

SM Mall of Asia

Pasay City

I then went for a brow wax at Benefit, which was actually the point of us being at MOA. I always got my brows groomed there because they know me well! Unfortunately, I found out that my favorite people have been rotated to different branches (hence the past tense), but that's okay because one of them got relocated to a branch that's more convenient for me yay. Anyway, I really love their brow waxing services because they doll you up afterwards with their products! It's already  included in the P500 fee. I asked them to make it extra special though, since I was attending a party. I totally love the finished look which you can see below!

Benefit

2/F Main Mall (near Uniqlo)

SM Mall of Asia

Pasay City

(click photo to view on Instagram)

(Just to clarify, none of the services I got were sponsored; I'm just giving credits to where they are due! But if you'd like to contact me for sponsorships or collaborations of any sort, feel free to send me an email over at: e.rsls@yahoo.com)

Oh by the way! A few days after I bought the jumpsuit, Kryz Uy of Thirstythought posted a photo wearing the same jumpsuit on Instagram! She styled it differently, as you can see below:

Photo from Kryz Uy's Instagram (click to view)

(click photo to view on Instagram)

Who do you think wore it better? Don't worry, I won't get offended if you pick her; after all, she's one of the top bloggers in the country! Just lemme know below, and feed my curiosity hihi.

Speaking of Instagram, this is my second most popular OOTD post as of now! I'll be posting the third most popular OOTD up next. But for now, feel free to follow me on Instagram (@ekdoublea)-- I post a lot more often there! Follow me too on GFC and Bloglovin, I'll follow back for sure! Just give me time to get back to you, it will take a while sorry. Don't forget to comment below and leave a link to your blog too so I can check yours out! Thanks for enduring my TL;DR post (as always), if you did, haha!

x Erika Rosales