Vlog: 2015 US Shopping Haul

Surprise, surprise! I have finally decided to give vlogging a try. To kick things off, I proudly present to you guys not just one, but TWO videos wherein I share all the stuff that I bought during our USA trip back in August last year. Find out more below the break!

Living For The Night Lights

Last August 15, the organization which I am a part of, the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants - De La Salle University Chapter (JPIA-DLSU), hosted a party to welcome the new school year. It was entitled "Xanadu: Live For The Night Lights", and was held at the APEX Palladium at New World Makati.

I love parties for two things (well three, if you count the company): the music and-- well-- the dressing-up. For club parties like these, I always go with a pair of shorts. And of course, I don't forget about wearing heels. Like most people, I went with black (and white). Huge thanks to our master photographer, Tereynz Mendoza, for taking my outfit shots outside the venue haha!

Top: Topshop

Shorts: Forever 21

Platforms: DAS (custom)

Fitclip: Renouveau Manila

Earrings: Franzl Bajada (custom)

Yes, my friends-- those are heelless shoes. Quite crazy isn't it, especially when I wore it at a party? But I'll have you know, it didn't hinder me from having fun and dancing the night away!

The pair was my gift to myself when I turned eighteen last year. I got it customized based on the Alexander McQueen-esque DAS 17 design. The distinct thing about my pair is the spikes on the mary-jane straps. Please don't mind the stains on the toes-- I cleaned them up after

I'll confess: my top is one size bigger, hence the loose fit. That is what happens when you are too excited to buy a wonderful item that's on sale lol. But it's not just the top that's big! The shorts, too; that is why I took on the help of my ever-reliable fitclip. Here's a photo of what it looks like from the back!

Yup, it's that black strap at the back. Not quite sure if I've mentioned it here on my blog before, but I'm planning to sell some clothes (brand-new and preloved) on Instagram! These pieces might make it to the sale. If you're interested, feel free to follow my soon-to-open store: The Closet Case (there I go with my puns again). I initially planned on opening it in early September, but I'll have to push back the date since I'm busy with school.

Right ahead is a bunch of photos of my face (sorry I'm not sorry). It was my first time putting on falsies! It's amazing how much they liven up the eyes. Unfortunately, my lashes are naturally short, and I can't put on mascara to save my life. I also wore circle lenses-- something that I usually do when I go to special occasions. I have black and brown doll lenses, but these grey ones are my favorite; they look natural yet not-so. (I'm hoping to have blue ones someday, too!) For my lids, I attempted to make them smokey. I also filled my eyebrows (they're the most important part for me!). Since my eyes were already dramatic, I went with a light shade on my lips. I finished the look with some contouring using a bronzer/blush (of course after putting on BB cream as moisturizer and dabbing on some concealer).

I didn't even realize my bottom eyeliner was messed up until I saw this photo lol

Contact lenses: Sparkle

False eyelashes: KAI Beauty Care Eye Decoration (from Sasa)

Eyeshadow: Collection Smokey Eyes palette

Eyebrows: H&M Smokey Eyes palette

Eyeliner: Cyber Colors 24hr Eyeliner Duo (from Sasa)

Bronzer/blush: Benefit Dallas

Lipstick: Collection Satin Bow + MAC Rebel

I also attempted to sport a faux pixie. I rarely do something complicated with my hair when I go to parties; but this time, I felt like trying out something new. I've been so sick of my über long hair that I figured I should do something special with it.

To start off, I sprayed some Sea Salt Spray from Lush. My hair is naturally smooth and straight, so it needs a boost in the texture department which the spray could give. It was my first ever purchase from Lush and I have no regrets at all-- it smells really good, like the beach! What I did next was I tied the bottom part of my hair into a bun. For the remaining sections, I braided. them and pinned them at the back. It's really messy at the back (as you'll see below) though!

Did you see my gorgeous soutache earrings? They're handmade with love from Cebu! The pair is actually customized from the Franzl Bajada's Imperatrice - Belle design! Due to the changes that I wanted, it ended up looking like a hybrid of the Cinderella and the Belle designs, and it was perfect! If you've noticed, her Imperatrice collection is Disney-inspired! When I saw the collection, I knew I had to buy a pair for myself! I was looking for statement earrings to wear with the rest of this outfit, and I ordered right away. The transaction was very quick. A great experience for my first time buying online, really. Ms. Franzl just launched a new collection, Sweet Bonbons, by the way. Feel free to check it out too!

Whew, that was a lengthy post! To end this post, I'm leaving you guys with one of the many photos from the party (spot me!) and the after-party video (both courtesy of Tereynz Mendoza again). These doesn't even show a quarter of how wild and fun the party was! Contrary to popular opinion, accountants do know how to have fun! I definitely can't wait for more parties that our org will throw in the future!

x Erika Rosales

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Mane Attraction

It's my birthday today! I'm finally 19 (as you can see in my new Pantone-inspired icon on the sidebar hehe). Since it's a special day, I figured to skip the backlogs and post something current! (I also shoot my look today, but that's for some other time.) Anyway, here's one of the greatest changes I underwent recently. Enjoy!

Last September 7, a day before going back to school for another whirlwind term, I said goodbye to my long, all-natural locks. Now, I'll tell you guys about my new hairstyle, in Q&A style.

What did you do to your hair?
I had it chopped off to a medium length, and had it ombre-d.

What is ombre?
It's a French word. In hair talk, it means the gradual change of color. It looks a lot like dip-dye, actually.

Why the drastic change?
Well... I was so sick of the way I looked. I just wanted something different. This feeling has been going on for quite a long time already, actually. In fact, I said before, I will either grow my hair really long or cut it real short. Obviously, I went with the former. But then, I just couldn't take it anymore. In the end, my hair looked dull and lifeless.

Don't you feel sad about your then-long hair?
Honestly, no. True, having long hair is flexible; but the thing is, I didn't do much with it anyway. Yeah, having several inches cut off was pretty overwhelming, but it actually felt a bit liberating, I guess? It's like my hair has been weighing me down (literally and figuratively), and now the burden is gone.

Why did you go for ombre?
I went for ombre for two reasons: (1) I didn't want to be typical, and; (2) I was not yet ready to have my roots touched. The ironic thing about the first reason is, ombre is actually a trend. But then, it was only rampant among the celebrities. Not a lot of "normal" people go with it. So technically, I still felt quite unique hehe. (I jumped on the bandwagon quite late though!)

As for the second reason, the idea of my hair bleached was pretty frightening. I thought that, with ombre, at least only a section of my hair will be damaged. (In case it turned out really bad, I can just have it chopped off.) Also, I think I was not yet brave enough to sport an entirely-different hair color. (But come to think of it, perhaps sporting half-dyed hair takes a lot more courage than a normal, fully-colored one?) The idea of not having to worry about my roots growing out also seemed great to me.

Who was your hair peg?
Strictly speaking, I didn't have any. I didn't see a picture of some and said: "Oh I want this hair!!!". I did have an image in my head though; so what I did was, I looked for pictures of famous personalities that matched my imagination. I ended up with Laureen Uy's hair length (I didn't want very-layered hair anymore, so hers was perfect) and Aimee Song's haircolor. (Note: My hair didn't end up in the same color as Aimee's because they said my base was too dark-- since I didn't have it colored. But it's totally fine, I like how it ended up!)

Where did you get your hair done?
I went to Vanity Circle Salon at Robinson's Place Manila. They were a new salon, so I decided to try them out. Really cute place and nice service! (Not sponsored, btw.) They worked on my hair for three hours (which I think is normal protocol), although a big chunk of it was just waiting for the bleach to do its magic.

They actually asked if I wanted to make the ombre frame my face-- that is, put color on my bangs too; I said no because I actually wanted to skip having bangs this time. Therefore, my bangs were left untouched.

How do you deal with your hair daily?
Frankly, it's quite an everyday struggle. Due to the bleaching done on the tips of my hair, I make it a point to condition it daily (after shampooing, of course). (Side note: Dove conditioner wins!!1!) For the first few days, washing my hair felt like handling a broom. Combing afterwards was even harder. I felt like my hair was being pulled out every time I drove my comb through the stubborn tangles. The tips became really dry due to bleaching, so there. But once my hair's dry, it's all good. Now, everything is a breeze!

As for styling, I usually apply sea salt spray (from Lush!) on it, and either tie it in a bun or braid it in sections at the start of the day. I then let my hair loose after some time to reveal light curls.

Getting saiyan feels from this photo

What did your parents say about your hair?
My dad was furious lol. He said it attracted too much attention due to its peculiarity. On the other hand, my mom was very supportive.

(For my father's sanity --and as I usually do anyway-- I tie my hair up whenever I commute. I always want to keep a low-profile when I'm out and about on the streets. Don't want to attract the attention of evil people!)

What do you think of your hair now?
I absolutely love it! I think it made my face look slimmer, and my skin tone lighter too haha. I also feel like it matches my style perfectly. It's like an everyday accessory now! I'm also glad because it dries easier now. I definitely have no regrets.

What's next for your hair?
Oh, I don't know! Maybe I'll let it grow, but not too long. But then, the ombre parts will get shorter and shorter... Maybe I'll have it retouched? (I don't know how it works, really). Maybe I'll just go back to long hair (but as of now, the thought isn't so appealing to me.) Al I'm thinking right now, really, is that I hope my hair would just stay this way forever lol. I may have to chop the colored section off before internship though. Oh well, we'll see!

Hope you guys enjoyed reading this post! If you have some questions that I was not able to cover here, feel free to comment below!

x Erika Rosales

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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