A day in Old Manila

The GUTSY fashion team recently visited the historical walled city of Intramuros to make it the backdrop of our first GUTSY shoot. Here, some style ideas to suit the dignified and creative gutsy girl--let us know what you think. Enjoy!

Maan Lorenzo in Intramuros
Photographed by Pia Lorenzo
Styled by Nicole Bautista and Pia Lorenzo
Edited by Caryl Rodolfo

A printed cotton dress for a breezy walk in the historical city. (Wear comfy shoes!)

Studying? You can bring all that you need if you choose a roomy (and stylish) bag!

A metallic belt to accessorize a two-toned dress? Why not?

The blushing bride

Photos courtesy of Kate Plata-Miciano. This photo (above) taken by Noel Salazar of Imagine Nation Photography

As has been pointed out in a past post, a formal occasion is no excuse to show more skin--in fact, it's a call to look even more dignified than ever! While it's true that some dress styles/cuts (for example, venus cut and tube tops) may seem decent if the wearer is thin or is not well-endowed, their ability to place the person first may still be wanting. Let's forget about debut balls or prom nights for a moment and consider the grande dame of all formal occasions: the wedding day.

On this day, the bride wears white, not merely because all the brides in the past have worn white, but more importantly, to symbolize purity! She is beautiful, pure, modest, and maybe a little bashful... a lady on all counts. Doesn't that mean a woman's wedding day is a day on which she must be most dignified?

I'm not saying that wedding gowns should all be like Grace Kelly's (left). (Remember, we mean "dignified" also in the practical sense--a lady must be able to move with poise and comfort in the gown. How could she do that in a heavily embroidered long-sleeved number when it's 33 degrees outside?)

In this wonderful climate of ours, a bride can instead choose shorter sleeves that give the right coverage to shoulders. That is why the terno style is so becoming of a Filipina bride!

Now, there is really no reason to feel boxed, trapped or cramped in the "conservative" mindset because in all truth, it's not about being conservative, but about respecting the "whiteness"--the purity--of the occasion and valuing that very beautiful gift of the self when one exchanges marriage vows. It's really love, not rules, that moves the bride to wrap her delicate gift carefully! (Why do I use "gift"? A friend once likened a person's body to a special gift: if the gift is something worthless, there's no point in wrapping it well; just toss it in a bag and give it to whoever. But a precious gift you wrap in the best tissue wrappers, box, and ribbons; and you take special care of it until it reaches your recipient.)

Here's why we love copywriter Kate Plata-Miciano's wedding gown: while the basic dress is a strapless number, it fits her perfectly and doesn't show cleavage. To cover her shoulders, she wears a 3/4 sleeve cover-up that is light enough not to be too hot, but heavy enough not to be too exposed. In choosing that design, Kate followed her own sense of style. Kate writes:


"The real scoop about that gown is it's a second choice. The first one I wanted was also decent; only, one week before the wedding, my first modista, Loida Hunter, completely screwed it up. Everything about the gown she made was wrong, it had low neckline when we asked her to put it up a bit. The back was very plunging when we asked her to put more cloth, and the whole thing made me look fat. All that after 3 months of waiting! To make things worse, she wasn't so open about our observations about the gown so we had to find someone else to make it.

"So we went to my mom's modista, Vilma Orticio. She was able to make my second gown in a week and at such an affordable price! I chose the mermaid cut design because it's always slimming. And since I like to have lace on my gown, we used it as design of the body and as bolero. I've always loved the mermaid cut with lacey bolero so that's what I chose as design."


See, dignified dressing is not about sticking to rules, but knowing what makes a lady truly beautiful--the value of her whole person!--and expressing that through her elegant (and appropriate) style choices. Congratulations, Kate!

Photo taken by Bob Guerrero.

Teacher Outfits (Part 1)

Every girl should dress like a teacher. Let me explain why.

1. Teachers primarily dress for comfort and practicality. The good teacher outfit is commute-proof, and is good for 12 hour work days (8 of which involve standing up and pacing up and down a classroom or hallway).

2. Teachers dress up in a timeless manner. And no, not timeless as in "panahon-ng-lola-mo" timeless, but Audrey Hepburn/Grace Kelly-timeless. The clothes you purchase in your early twenties will still be useful even when you're in your 60's and 70's.

3. Teachers dress professionally. We get treated deferentially because we show by our polished manner of dress that we respect ourselves and expect to be treated with respect, in turn.

Here's a quote from this blog that I completely agree with:

"We live in a shallow world where we judge people by their looks. So image does matter if you want to get a head start in life."

4. The way teachers dress highlight their brains and capabilities. Isn't it rather insulting if you were to be remembered not by what you said or did, but only by what you wore? (Aside: I know that I will always remember the girl I saw riding the escalator last night in a mall... she wore such a short denim skirt that when I glanced up, I saw her b*tt and underwear!!!)

In the weeks to come, I will be posting stylish teacher outfits that girls of all ages and professions can get ideas from. Stylish comfort is for everyone, after all!

If you disagree or have some violent reactions, feel free to post a comment! I'd better warn you, gentle reader, that I AM a teacher... and TEACHER ALWAYS KNOWS BEST! :)

GUTSY Q&A: It's a tie

Dear GUTSY,

I came across dozens of my dad's old neckties from the 60's to the late 90's. We're giving them away but one caught my eye--I think it's just awesome! I'm keeping it. Any suggestions on how I can turn it to an accessory? Like a scarf or even a "ladies' tie" or something. It's yellow-green, grass green, with a touch of orange and damask(?)-like prints. Thanks!


What an interesting question! While a necktie is specifically made for men to wear around their neck, we women can make this fashion piece "our own," too. How? Here are a few tips from GUTSY girls:

Photo from mycherrymagazine.com

"Why not wear the tie as a belt? [According to Katherine Swan for the article 'Ties for Women: Ways to Accessorize' for Neckties.com] 'Accessorizing with a tie doesn’t have to mean wearing it around your neck. You can wear a tie in all of the same ways that you might wear a skinny scarf: not just around the neck, but also as a belt or in your hair. These looks best accessorize a casual outfit, so be sure that you are dressing appropriately for the occasion. The idea here is to hit just the right note: funky, without going over the top.'"
-Gabi

"She can use the tie as a belt if the length of the tie can cinch her waist."
-Kathy

Photo from etsy.com

"Some suggestions:

• use it as belt,
• combine it with an obi belt,
• use it as ribbon tie, or
• make a rose brooch out of it."

-Lani

Photo from etsy.com

"She can use it as a decor for her bag--tie it around the bag or roll it up and pin it. Better not to use it as is (i.e. as neck tie)--so punky! She can combine it with other belts and make a belt. Another option is to use it as a headband. Just add a ribbon or any brooch to spice it up. That's all."
-Pia Lor

Photo from etsy.com

"She can wear it as a scarf, ladies tie, bracelet or belt. If she wants her dad's necktie to stand out, she should wear it with the monochromatic colors of black and white. What I mean is, she'll wear full colors so that the necktie will be the first thing noticeable because it's the only one with the prints."
-Lennor

If you have a style question, send it to us by leaving a comment in this blog!

GUTSY Fashion Spotlight: An Interview with Pia Lizares of DESEO Clothing

Classy. Smart. Timeless.

The outfits above are just a few of the fabulous pieces from designer Pia Lizares' clothing brand, DESEO. The GUTSY team was able to interview this extremely talented Filipina.

GUTSY: You describe DESEO as being "Fashion conscious without being a slave to fashion." Just how different are your clothes compared to the other brands out there?

Pia: It means you choose the trends you adapt to. As for my clothing line, it’s trendy in the sense that it’s not old fashioned, but it still has that classic touch in a way that it will still look good and current even 15 or more years from now. I’d like to believe that my clothes are timeless, therefore, there is no such thing as an “end of season sale” for DESEO.

GUTSY: What makes it different from other brands of its price point?

Pia: My prices are pretty reasonable 995-1800 (as of this interview) for RTW items, but you get the exclusivity of couture, since I produce my designs in limited quantities (thus lessening the chances of you going to an event and having someone else wear the same dress/top). You can also have the items custom-fitted to your specific measurements for a reasonable additional charge, a service other brands of the same price point usually don’t offer. Lastly, the quality of my clothes is undeniable, since I design the pieces myself and supervise the manufacturing process (unlike most RTW brands that are made in China or other countries with cheap labor).

GUTSY: What inspired you to start your own clothing brand?

Pia: My mom has been in the garments business for the past 30 years. Her brand, L&M, is being sold in Landmark Department store and several Gaisano malls in the provinces, so having my own clothing line will make the transition seamless.

I look up to my mom, especially in the way that she is almost always impeccably dressed, never looking "losyang" given the numerous roles she plays in her life.

Lastly, I love Beauty and everything that has to do with it. I knew from the start that what I wanted to do has to do with everything that is girly (Fashion, Makeup, etc.). Vain as it may sound, ayoko pumangit. And having a clothing line can help me feed my desire to be beautiful and create beautiful things, while earning a living without having to start from scratch, since I already know some suppliers for raw materials, as well as a couple of [tailors].

As opposed to L&M, however, DESEO has more complicated patterns, smaller sizes and a slightly higher price point that caters to a different demographic. I wouldn’t say to a younger demographic, but more of a more experimental and sophisticated customer base.

GUTSY: How do you make your designs?

Pia: There is the basic observing of trends, but also studying how to make them timeless and in tune with my brand’s aesthetic.

As for the design process itself, many times a manipulated pattern comes before the drawing. (As opposed to other designers who draw first). I see to it first that certain elements of the garment are feasible to do, and then I piece them together into one design. The design only comes to mind completely once I know that it is possible to execute the individual parts of the garment first.

After this, I draw a flat 2D drawing of the garment itself (not a fancy designer sketch) on a paper called the JOB TICKET, and submit it to the tailors for them to create a sample, usually made in my size, which I fit. Once I know it looks good and falls well, and [considering] the number of compliments I receive while wearing the sample, [I] determine whether or not the design gets mass produced into different colors and complete sizes.

GUTSY: Describe the target market of DESEO clothing.

Pia: DESEO specializes in clothes that can be worn from the office and straight to a night out/business cocktail. Therefore it is usually targeted to working women. My designs are serious enough to be worn in the office, without being too stiff you can still wear it to a night in the town afterwards. Here's a description of the kind of woman I want to dress, taken from my blog: "She is sophisticated, self sufficient, does not crave for attention but can effortlessly make heads turn. She loves to receive gifts, but has enough money to buy things she likes. She is accomplished, well-respected and she can be sexy without exposing a lot of skin. Although she loves shopping for bargains, she does not mind spending more as long as the product has good workmanship and has an excellent fit. She follows her own taste level first before following trends and believes that fashion is only as good as how it looks on her. She knows what she wants and is possibly from the A-B and upper C class. She is a career woman, an excellent student, or possibly a housewife that refuses to look losyang."

Basically, this goes to say that my customers usually have spending power (my clothes are not exactly tiangge-cheap) and a taste level sophisticated enough to go beyond basic jeans and t-shirt as I love unique details in clothes.

GUTSY: Where do you get your ideas?

Pia: Magazines, Origami (I like complicated collars and sleeves) and the color wheel (as to which colors look “cohesive” when displayed). International designers whose design aesthetic I want to emulate are Victoria Beckham (check her website http://www.victoriabeckham.com/ for classic shifts, simple yet sharp designs in neutral colors), Roland Mouret (He is a master when it comes to origami details in clothes) and Karl Lagerfeld for Fendi and YSL.

GUTSY: What do you think is wanting in today's fashion culture? How do you try to address that with DESEO?

Pia: In regards to today’s fashion culture, I would like to believe that as with everything, ‘recessionistas’ (translation: recession-proof fashionistas) want to get more bang for their buck. I address this by making pieces that can be worn either as tops or as dresses (depending on the height of the person and on the occasion), can be worn from day through night, can be worn repeatedly, and can be easily integrated with items one already owns in her closet. I believe that value for money is not equal to the price of the garment alone, but the price divided by how many times you’ll wear it (a P500 blouse worn once is more expensive than a P1500 blouse worn 20 times), where you’ll wear it (if you’re wearing it to a special occasion, it automatically adds to the value of the item), and how you feel in your clothes (cheap clothes that are badly made and don’t fit well are not worth the money).



GUTSY: What do you think of the words "conservative" or "modest"? How do you reconcile freedom of fashion with the seemingly "stiff" rules that these words suggest?

Pia: My aesthetic has always been modest from the very beginning, and not exactly because my parents taught me so, or that the school outlawed wearing revealing clothes. CONSERVATIVE and MODEST can speak to everyone with common sense. Being small framed, [I find it impossible] to wear a strapless bra without the danger of it falling. So, when spaghetti straps were all the rage when I was a teen, I couldn’t wear it. From then on, I've learned to be conscious of choosing clothes that fit my body type and that excludes anything strapless.

As a designer and given my obsession with unique details. I believe that more conservative clothes have more generous cuts, thus giving me more FREEDOM to experiment. I love high collars, detailed sleeves, pleats and pintucks, details that are easy to execute on more conservative styles since they have more fabric (again which explains why my designs are pricey, since the yardage of the cloth is big).

I don’t let the woman drown in the details, however. Im still conscious of emphasizing the female form, my clothes are never shapeless. I do this through waist and bust darts. CONSERVATIVE AND MODEST ACTUALLY EQUAL FREEDOM IN FASHION.

Why? Imagine having the freedom of not worrying whether or not you’ll have a wardrobe malfunction during a special occasion. Or being able to move freely without worrying if anyone can see your underwear. Or staying comfortably warm in an airconditioned ballroom without worrying if you’ll catch a cold with your back fully exposed. Bottomline, if you’re comfortable in what you’re wearing, you’ll look good and feel good in it.

As a designer, my definition of clothes is to be able to protect you from elements, cover private parts, suit your body type and reflect your personality. If you follow these four correctly, you can easily carry yourself well, thus look more dignified. Aside from these four, there are no hard and fast rules in what’s modest and what’s not, since we have different body types to consider, but I put my foot down on anything that requires tape to secure to prevent private parts from being exposed.

For more DESEO, visit the website at http://deseoclothing.multiply.com, or contact Pia Lizares
Cellphone: 0920-9234593
Email: pia_lizares@yahoo.com
Photos from DESEO.

* Would YOU like to have your favorite go-to clothing brand featured at the blog? E-mail us your suggestions or post a comment!

Gutsy Fashion LIVE: Spotted at Greenbelt 5

Correspondence Coordinator Judith Octavo

Loose striped black blouse from Liz Claiborne (thrifted)

Blue leggings from Landmark Department Store

Grey flats from Charles and Keith

Pearl necklace and black ring from Wellmanson's, Quiapo

Bag from Victoria's Secret

College student Bernice Go

Dress from Get Laud! purchased at 168 Mall, Divisoria

Beige tube from 168 Mall, Divisoria

Flats from Merona (an American brand)

Bag purchased from a UP College of Music bazaar

Just goes to show that you don't have to spend a lot of money in order to look stylish and pretty!

Gutsy Fashion LIVE: Spotted at the classrooms of Regina Maria Montessori

Freshman Clarissa Macapagal

Freshman Irish Uy

Senior Alyssa Singson

Freshman Guianne Macapayag

These four stylish young ladies came several hours early for their High School Buwan ng Wika program, and GUTSY was able to ambush them for an impromptu fashion shoot of sorts in their classrooms.

We liked how they expressed their youth in quirky and fun ways like multi-colored toenail paint and woven anklets! Their outfits are a welcome whiff of fresh air in an ocean of teenagers wearing tank tops and spaghetti straps.

Gutsy Fashion LIVE : Spotted in the playground of Regina Maria Montessori

Teacher Janette, all relaxed and casual in blue-toned clothing and camel accessories

While it is true that the oomph in a put-together outfit lies in the details (i.e. accessories), one does not need a whole truckload of bling in order to look polished. When wearing a blouse with details like pleating, necklaces are no longer necessary.

We like how commuter-friendly this outfit is, yet it can look equally at home in a mall or at a cafe during merienda with friends!

The S word

Just last week, a friend and I had a mini tiff because we both did not understand what the other meant by the word "sexy." While my friend was going on about how fun and exciting it was to be "sexy," I got especially concerned and said maybe it's best to tone down "sexy" because it's one surefire way of making people forget you're more than just a pair of legs (or whatever else you have). It turns out that all she meant by sexy was make-up and heels--and basically looking pleasant, attractive and approachable--while there I was worrying that, living amidst this mumbo jumbo of media-propagated beauty culture, my dear friend has become sort of numb.

I honestly don't like using the word "sexy" because it is too overused in media that it's become "diluted." You know what I mean: you see a person with celebrity wearing something very stylish and elegant and they call her sexy; then in the next page, a not-so-well-sheathed actress is described with the same word used as a praise, too. What, is "sexy" some sort of catch-all term that means "I don't have any other word to use so here's one I'd like to throw and hopefully you'd all think I gave a compliment"?

I'm like this with words, so please forgive me. I looked up sexy in the dictionary and this is what I learned:

sexy–adjective, sex·i·er, sex·i·est.
1. concerned predominantly or excessively with sex; risqué: a sexy novel.
2. sexually interesting or exciting; radiating sexuality: the sexiest professor on campus.
3. excitingly appealing; glamorous: a sexy new car.

Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada

Sexy is probably overused for it's third meaning because it's much easier to say Anne Hathaway's green coat is sexy than Anne Hathaway's green coat is excitingly appealing. (Besides, if we're going to be all grammatical about it, I may as well point out that: a. "sexy" referring to any item or article of clothing means number 3; b. referring to a person means number 2; and c. referring to an attitude or being, number 1.)

If we just consider meaning number 3, then there really is nothing wrong with sexy--I mean, what's wrong with being glamorous? We all want to be glamorous! and beautiful! and elegant!

The problem, then, lies in the other meanings attached to the S word. Number 2 entails "radiating sexuality," which means putting sexuality above personhood. Some may argue that if you're a woman, you can't help looking like a woman--but of course! I'm not saying we should all dress androgynously. The fact is: there's "ladylike" and then there's dangling one's sexuality for all to see. (At best, the latter just makes you attractive to the opposite sex; at worst, it takes the liberty to scream "Look at me! I'm sexually available!" for you.)

And number 1, of course, is just plain tasteless.

Gutsy Fashion LIVE: Spotted at the UP College of Music

Ms. Therese Gemora, pianist extraordinaire and Stylish Lady

Jet Gemora, the fresh-faced Voice Department resident accompanist slash corporate career woman, was ambushed by GUTSY as she was about to leave the room after a long day at work. We like her no-fuss get-up, which is both dignified, practical, yet pretty! We like how the pearl earrings brightened up her face, and we're envious how she can look so neat and crisp at the end of the day. Of course, having a job that fulfills you will contribute to that quiet aura of joy that Ms. Gemora possesses.

Top from MASTINA (a Hong Kong brand)

Blue Rider jeans from SURPLUS SHOP

Footwear from Matthews (available at SM Department Stores)

Watch from Anne Klein

Bag from FAVE (also from Hong Kong)

What do YOU like about her outfit?

* Aside: I googled "Mastina" and came across this lovely Norwegian woman's blog. She is also an advocate for dignified dressing! Do visit her blog at http://mastina.wordpress.com/ (with more recent entries at http://mastinas.blogspot.com/)

On Maria Callas and Accessories (No. 2)

There are several pictures of La Divina online. Sifting through them, what I find most fascinating (apart from the fantastic outfits and extraordinarily detailed opera costumes) is the woman herself. She was a chameleon, and no two pictures of her are alike. You know how, when you watch America's Next Top Model and some of them are told (and not in a complimentary manner!) that they only have "one look?" Well, Callas is the total opposite. Her "life force" is so powerful, it permeates each photo with an anima that renders even two photos taken at a single photo shoot unique in their own way. The way she tilts her head, or raises her eyebrow an infinitesimal millimeter higher, makes her a worthy subject for us ladies when studying the art of possessing an "interesting face," which to me, is a more beautiful compliment than merely saying "She's pretty."

But I digress. On to the next photo! Please share your thoughts by commenting, and tell us what YOU liked (or didn't) about the picture.

Isn't this a classy look for an evening affair... say, the prom? :) The opera-length black gloves are a throw-back to the glamorous 1950's (think Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, etc.).

The breakdown: Two solid colors. Again, we have a navy blue shawl draped dramatically against a fit gown that beautifully shows Callas' hour glass figure to advantage (and yet, not overly tight such that she can't breathe).

The face: Impeccably groomed eyebrows, well-defined eyes and a pop of bright red lipstick.

The accessories: The aforementioned blue shawl and diamond drop earrings, and a diamond bracelet over the black gloves.

But more than the dignified clothes, again, what makes this photo breathtaking is the woman herself. Observe her posture! If she were stooped or fixed her gaze on the floor, this would have been an ordinary picture.

Our style lesson for the day: There is no substitute for self-confidence and good posture!

On Accessories and Maria Callas (No. 1)

I have just come from the most highly-anticipated show of Philippine theater this year... Cherie Gil's reprisal of the lead role in Terence McNally's MASTER CLASS. She played no other than La Divina, the Diva of all divas herself... Maria Callas.

In the award-winning play, Maria Callas utters this sage advice (among several other bon mots) to aspiring student singers:

"If you want to be remembered, you've got to have a look. You have a very fine face and figure, I'm sure, but you don't have a look. How do you expect people to remember you? There are thousands... no, millions of you out there, and you all look the same. You've got to have a signature!"

Now, this might have been uttered to would-be opera singers, but I'm pretty sure that this is something all of us can learn from. After all, we wouldn't want to dissolve into the sea of humanity ALL the time. There is a difference between "disappearing into" a crowd, and "blending in." Of course, there are situations wherein we purposefully dress down (like when we know we're commuting to a potentially hazardous location), but even the simplest outfit can be dressed up just by adding a simple accessory or two. You can simply bring along some earrings or a scarf in your handbag, and put them on when you're in more civilized territory. :)

Here is the first of a collection of pictures of the famous soprano, and what I liked (style-wise):

See how wearing two contrasting solid colors (navy blue shawl against a snow white dress) can dramatically change one's look? And see how classy drop earrings look when paired with a simple yet elegant coiffure! They draw attention to the face. Let's not forget, ladies, that the most important accessory we can have is our facial expression!

Pictures taken from here.

GUTSY Fashion LIVE: Spotted at Dad's, SM Megamall

Architect Shamcey Supsup, July 2010 Board Topnotcher and Stylish Lady

Beauty and brains in one package!! We like how effortlessly put-together her outfit looks, yet the carefully chosen matching accessories indicate that considerable (but not too much!) thought went into the clothes.

We also like how fittingly the outfit's smart casual nature took her from a day at work to a dinner with friends. Versatility, "put-together-ness," and appropriateness... isn't this what all winning outfits are made of? :)

What, for you, constitutes a "winner" outfit?

Got any photos of dignified, stylish dressing? Send them over to the GUTSY fashion team! :-)

The formal question

Photo of Cate Blanchett (styled by Michael Roberts) taken by Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair.

Why is it that when it comes to formal wear, showing off more skin has become the "accepted" way to go?

I've noticed that girls who won't normally wear plunging necklines to the mall seem not to think twice about wearing cleavage-bearing gowns... is it because the more skin you expose, the more festive you look? Or is the formal occasion enough excuse to subscribe (succumb?) to a Hollywood-ized definition of beauty?

When it comes to formal occasions, the need for wearing appropriate attire seems more highlighted (I say seems because appropriate attire is required on all occasions), possibly because it's indicated in the invitation. What makes a dress formal? It's definitely not "more skin," or else beachwear would be formal.

The right dress (a better word would be "evening dress" or "gown," but let's stick to "dress" for more flexibility) for a formal occasion is made of the right fabric (chiffon, silk, velvet, satin, taffeta...) in the right cut (it complements your body type), length (either mid-calf, ankle-length, floor-length), and silhouette (A-line, sheath, empire, mermaid...). I use "right" because all these options must suit the wearer!

Just describing the typical formal gown is making me feel constricted already! But that's just the basic idea; the fun starts in how the lady wears the dress. What color (or color scheme) does she settle with? What kind of shoes does she pair with it? Jewelry? Accessories? Makeup?

Besides all these considerations, there's the underwear to get right: always figure out if your dress needs a slip before wearing it! (Read: Where did the slip go?) Hardly does a dress come with the right lining nowadays.

Now, going back to the question: is more skin-bearing a requirement to formalize the attire? Definitely not! After all, it's all about playing up what looks good on you and not about showing off what you've got. And when each lady dresses the part to celebrate (and not to get attention), the true spirit of the occasion will be better felt.

Fashion Camp!

It's time to start a revolution in the fashion world!

At a time when style is being equated to "showing off what you've got," advocates of person-centered fashion certainly come off as non-conformists. They are the ones who don't believe in everything the media proclaims as "beautiful" because they know what suits them and what highlights who they are (and not what they have).

Getting such fashion revolutionaries together, the GUTSY Fashion Team held their first Fashion Camp on July 31-August 1 at The Coffee Farmhouse, Alfonso, Cavite. In the camp, the gutsy girls learned about the difference between fashion and style, how to choose the right clothes for their body type, how dressing affects the way men look at women, how to give effective talks & presentations, and how to be active advocates of dignified dressing as consumers (and come to think of it--producers) of media.

To know more about this revolutionary movement, how about dropping by the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P), Ortigas Center, Pasig City, on Saturday, August 14, 2010, at 10:30am? If you're a gutsy girl too, it's never too late to find out how you can help give dignified dressing a leg up.

Fashion non-conformists, unite!

Wise consuming

(In order not to offend the sensibilities of anyone, I've decided never to post ugly pictures in this blog. So for this post I'm putting an old Kate Spade ad because it's nice, not because it makes me go "huh?") Ad campaign image from here.

---

Ever looked at a new clothing ad campaign and thought, "Huh?"

I have. And more often than I can count!

I'm referring to local clothing brands that have ads that seem to be undermining their purpose--which is to sell. Here's irony for you: on an ad campaign of a brand that's supposed to be selling t-shirts, a male model wearing the t-shirt is trying to pull the shirt off. What, are they saying their shirts are itchy?

And there's a brand for jeans (and underwear?) with a billboard that has the model in a weird pose, wearing some tasseled arm bands/leg warmers, jeans with the fly open... and a bra under... nothing. While I get that they want to sell the underwear, it isn't like people normally walk around with nothing over them (and with arm and leg tassels, lol)! And the jeans? It makes you wonder if the model wore them that way because the button has popped out and the zipper caught.

I have a friend who once wrote a letter to this same clothing brand company to tell them that their underwear ads are not very tasteful. You know what they told her? There's no other way to sell underwear but to do that! I'll say they're just too lazy to think of a better way.

While I would love to support Philippine brands by buying from local stores, it's difficult to stay loyal when you know that some of your money goes to the production of such mind boggling ads. I bought two pairs of jeans from a local store because I like how they fit and how they're not over my budget, but since then, I've spotted some barely-dressed ads with that same clothing brand emblazoned on them, and I can't help thinking my jeans-budget went on to proclaim that barely dressed and voluptuous is the beauty standard of today.

Call me over-acting, but must we consumers let clothing companies dictate what sort of "creativity" goes out there? To thrive, they're the ones depending on us after all.

Questions and compliments

Photos from here.

You want to help more of your friends appreciate appropriate dressing but don't know where to start? Go out with them! It doesn't have to be a trip to the shops... you can go out for pho or halo-halo or watch a movie. The point is that you see your friends. And when ladies get together, they usually put a little more effort into looking nice (do you agree with the theory that women actually dress for other women?)--I just notice it.

What could be the reason behind that? My guess is women like getting compliments. (This may seem like a 'duh' answer but let me elaborate.) It's not as much about getting green-eyed stares from other women that we want--it's more of appreciating the same things, or having things in common to bond over with and share with one's friends.

When a friend says she likes your blouse, don't you feel happy that somebody approves the choice you made? And then, won't you be planning on wearing that elegant blouse more often? The grand implication of it is: You can actually encourage your friends to don more dignifying pieces simply by telling them you like what you see.



Hence, having simple get-togethers with your BFFs (outside uniform territory, of course!) can become fertile ground for making headway in your mission to raise the standards of fashion. What may seem like a superficial practice of telling your friends what you (sincerely) like about their outfit, hairstyle or make-up can actually be a way of encouraging them to stick to positive style.

Now, armed with this idea, you might want to help me answer two questions I've been pondering on for almost two weeks now:

• If you're out shopping with a friend and she asks for your opinion on an outfit that does nothing to help others appreciate the person she is, what would you tell her?
  
• How would you make her understand if you know she doesn't yet appreciate your ideas on dressing with dignity?

Slippery when wet

Photo from here.

It's downpour season again and it's really amusing that I'm seeing more rubber slippers in the streets. Is it because people want to catch leptospirosis so they peel off their protective shoes at the mere forecast of Cloudy With a Chance of Rain? Or have shoes become so important that many prefer to get their feet wet instead of getting their shoes wet?

The slipper phenomenon may perhaps be traced to our associating slippers with walking in comfort. Which is logical, since slippers are what we use to get around the house and stroll on the beach. Unfortunately, the street (not to mention the workplace, Church, commercial spots...) is neither of these two places. In the street, slippered feet are exposed to dust, grime, cuts, murky waters, spitting habits of inconsiderate fellow pedestrians and the occasional chewed up pink gum. If you know all this and still choose your slippers over shoes, it might be time to re-evaluate whether you have come to regard your shoes with so much value that protecting them has become more important than protecting your own feet.

Besides, what's so comfortable about commuting in slippers (particularly rubber flip flops) anyway? The people behind you keep accidentally stepping on them, and you have to keep a keen grip on the thongs with your toes so the slippers don't just flip-flop out from under you. I used to walk around in slippers myself, and it left me with blisters where the thongs would rub my feet. Painful and unsightly. Finally, slippers are a surefire way to teach your toes to splay out like a fan, which is good training if only people were amphibian.

Have I convinced you yet to invest in a good pair of walking shoes for commuting? They don't have to be bulky hiking boots or galoshes. They just have to be comfortable, protective, and made of materials that can stand all the elements I have listed above. And for your peace of mind, function doesn't always cramp form: choose a pair that suits your individual style. After all, it is you who is doing the shopping and the walking!

Fashion camp invitation!

Hello Ladies,

If you believe in person-centered fashion and wish to promote it, how about joining other ladies in the GUTSY Fashion Camp on July 31-August 1?

GUTSY aims to empower young women to be catalysts of change in the world of fashion and to be the trendsetters in upholding their dignity through positive dressing, designing and retailing. Learn to take an active role in inspiring more women to dress with dignity through:

• Team building activities,
  
• Film viewings,
  
• Fashion talks, and
  
• Writing seminars

Contact Kathy Gacer (0926-674-0273) or Pia Lorenzo (0919-249-1192) for more details. It's going to be fun and classy! See you there! ;-)

The lady's bag syndrome

Painting from here.

Since the day I read this post from a friend's blog, I have been spotting more and more chivalrous knights slinging their noble lady's, um, satchel over their shoulders.

• The first strike was in the elevator at Shangri-la Mall--the bag in question was a hulky LV. (So it must've been heavy.)
• The second strike was in Greenbelt; and the bag was a medium-sized Coach. (Maybe it had a lot of coins inside. Coins can take up little space but add a lot of weight.)
• The last and final strike was also in Greenbelt; the bag was a glittery gold number that probably didn't weigh more than a pound. (I give up thinking of excuses.)

At the last sighting, while trying very hard not to say, "Dude, I love your bag," I decided--it's about time I wrote about it, too.

---
What is the lady's bag syndrome (LBS)?
The lady's bag syndrome (LBS) is a mild illness that perhaps comes from a rare strain of the virus Courtesy--or maybe Chivalry. Its symptoms include the spontaneous sprouting of a lady's bag (sometimes of high-class designer origin) on the man's shoulder, arm or hand. Severity of case varies depending on the girliness of said bag.

---

Seriously though, I'd like to think the man infected with LBS does it because he cares for the lady in question and wishes only for her comfort. The fact that the floral handbag is slung over a manly shoulder, then, can only be traced to one thing: the lady's consent! (Okay, ignorance on the part of both parties too, but that's beside the point.)

Girls--please, if you're thinking of saying yes, consider first how your young man will look carrying that bag. And unless you're carrying two bowling balls in there, I suspect saying no won't be that bad on your back.

Besides, if it's encouraging the chivalrous behavior that you're concerned with, there are a lot more great acts a young man can do without having to compromise his dignity with a female handbag. There's opening the door for the lady, offering a seat at the bus or train, stepping out of his car to greet the girl's family whenever he picks her up for their date (and then taking her home on time), introducing her properly to all those important people in his life, honoring her choice to prioritize purity...

All these he will do for his lady if she really believes that they matter (and if he's really as awesome as he wants her to think).

You see how so much depends on us girls?

Freedom and fashion

Photo from here.

Talking about proper dressing, I once got asked: "Why can't people just wear whatever they want? It is their body. And don't rules like that just take away a woman's freedom to wear what she likes?"

Good question, no?

Let me ask a better one. Isn't freedom such a nice word? You can throw it around and use it for all the "open minded" arguments and it fits right in--how very versatile! But that's just considering freedom superficially. It's quite easy to forget that, like everything else, freedom needs standards too.

Think about this: What happens if all the drivers on the road are given the freedom to do what they like? If you put rules on the road, are you taking away a driver's freedom, or are you making it easier for the driver to reach the destination? (I think you can find the answers to those questions on your own.)

The same idea goes into appropriate dressing. There has to be rules in dressing to help the wearer come across as someone worthwhile to get to know, not just something to look at (besides, only a someone can get somewhere). In dressing, it is not simply wearing anything you like, but spotting what looks good (highlighting the face, bringing out the personality, not drawing attention to one part of the body) and then choosing to wear those pieces over things which are less flattering. That's real freedom.

Why so meticulous about the meaning of freedom? Because if you waver at the meaning of freedom, everything you can connect to it wavers, too.

• Justice: If freedom means doing whatever you like, then a person who kills another person is justified because he simply exercised his freedom.
• Duty: If freedom means doing anything you like, then duty is meaningless because you can forget the work and say you just exercised your freedom.
• Love: If freedom means doing whatever you want, then cheating is perfectly fine--you just exercised...

Anyway, that's the point: real freedom needs standards because a lot depends on it. And if you believe in truly exercising your freedom, you must live it.... Let freedom (and all the rules that come with it) ooze out of you through everything that you do--from the big things like your words, actions and works... down to the small and "trivial" things... like your hemlines.

What Is GUTSY?

"The G.U.T.S.Y. Fashion Team is a fashion advocacy group composed of students of fashion, fashionistas, young designers and retailers who understand the true sense of style of young women which is based on individuality and self-worth."

This blog shall discuss fashion that highlights the positive in the wearer and lets her individuality shine. You can call it person-centered fashion, if you like. :-)

That said...

Welcome readers, I hope the insights in this blog can help more people take the standards of fashion a step (or two) higher!