Christmas Buzz

It is again the time of the year when shoppers are excited to open the papers to have news about sales, look for friends to accompany them to bazaars, bring out their savings which they have been waiting to spend, and, move their muscles with carrying ample shopping bags. Silver bells! Silver bells! December is already here, and it only means Christmas is just around the corner.

But, before we hit the various bazaars that have sprouted throughout the country, we might as well plan first. As Stephen Covey mentioned we have to "start with the end in mind". Thus, if we just want to have fun by acting as a headless chicken when hitting the malls or bazaars, then, there is no need to proceed to the following lines. Mind you, shopping entails practicing higher cognitive skills - that is, creative and critical thinking skills.

Practicing one's thinking in shopping manifests first and foremost by having an idea of what to buy. Are we there in the shops to buy scarves or brooches? Pearl earrings or fancy earrings? Vintage clothes with a twist or classic pieces? Or maybe, to fill in the necessary clothes in our wardrobe (e.g. basic clothes such as white blouse)? By clarifying our purpose in shopping it helps us to be more focused, less stressed, and more efficient. The result: more time to do other things such as preparing a dinner for our family and adding special decorations in our house. In line with "what knowing what to buy" is "how much we ought to spend". We definitely would want to spend the holidays free of financial concerns. If we find ourselves as impulsive buyers maybe it would be of help to allot a fraction of our shopping budget to unexpected good finds. With this healthy practice we are able to stick to our budget and do not feel much deprived at the same time. Gift-giving is also very much part of this season as we want to make our family members and friends feel loved and special. As we do not want to give them the impression of giving a gift just for the sake of giving - this situation means just going with the flow, not knowing the meaning of the feast we are celebrating - we would want to show our loved ones that the gifts we are giving them have been thought about. Again, there is much thinking in shopping. We choose gifts that we ourselves would want to receive and not just any generic product such as keychains, mugs and mass-produced trinkets.

We hope that we are more ready now to go to the malls in this busy time of the year, and end up having more dendrite connections as we do more essential thinking. Enjoy shopping!

Leveling the Field

Written by a GUTSY correspondent

I’m not an avid reader of women’s magazines whose main focus is how women can please men. I mean, I think to myself, why is it that a magazine supposedly targeted to me be all about him? What is this, sort of a guy manual?

For the longest time, it has been women who have been objectified through billboards, magazines and other forms of media that show unrealistic standards of beauty. The MTRCB would ban shows that show half-naked women dancing around, and feminist groups would react to billboards that showcase women being ‘too sexy’. It was only recently that men were subject to censorship (remember the huge billboards of the Philippine Volcanoes along Guadalupe?). These billboards were a wakeup call that even billboards showing male models/celebrity endorsers needed regulation.

I am writing this article based on personal experience. Just a few days ago, I currently had an argument with this guy I’m currently dating. I am dating a male model for about half a year already. And no, by doing so, I am not being superficial. He is a good conversationalist, with excellent PR skills and possibly the most consistent guy I’ve ever dated. Never a day goes by that he doesn’t call and text, and is very patient considering that I can be too frank and almost tactless. As a model, he is a high-fashion model who usually participates in couture shows. Check his folio and you won’t see topless vanity pictures. In other words he is very conscious that he projects the right image. And oh, he is also an engineer. In short, not an airhead. I could go on and on and on about the good qualities.

So anyway, last week, he kept on insisting that he wasn’t part of this event for a women’s magazine which showcases the 69 sexiest men every year. Until, come the day itself, he tells me that he came across some of my friends and had their picture taken with him. He goes:

Him: “Nakita ko si *****, Ang hirap ng job ko today 6 hours ako nakatopless and ang lamig lamig pa.”

Me: “Kala ko ba wala ka diyan, bakit ilang beses mo sinabi na wala ka diyan pero andiyan ka pala. Ba’t di ka honest?”

Him: E kasi nahihiya ako sa job assignment ko. Sorry if you think I’m stupid” He replied. “Magpapagupit nalang ako so the next time we might see your friends, di nila ako mamumukhaan.”

Anyway, point is, it’s not only women who feel exploited with these types of shows/magazines (hiding under the guise of being confident with their physical appearance, when in truth they feel some sort of ‘hiya’ afterwards). Women look at these types of things as "levelling the playing field". If guys objectify women, why can’t people do the same to them? And honestly, some shows featuring men show them to be more exploited than women.

Modesty is important to both men and women. It should be stressed that not because men are visually stimulated, women should be more conscious on how they present themselves. Men too, have to be conscious. I mean, as a guy, would you like to be known immediately as the "sexiest bachelor" by the people you would meet for the first time especially if you need to set a good impression with them? I don’t think so. As a model, if you’re trying to capitalize on being high fashion, respectable, smart and decent, please be consistent. Choose jobs that won’t go against your image, or the person you are for that matter.

Pinoy Ako! Earrings

Surely, the ways to manifest love for our mother country is more than the number of stars in our flag. One can resolve to sing the national anthem with better understanding, to follow the simple traffic rules, to act as a law-abiding pedestrian, to utter good things about our country wherever we are, to buy local products, or, the one that is closest to GUTSY, to recognize our own fashion.

It is a challenge to promote the type of fashion peculiarly our own. One reason is our lack of awareness of who we are and what we possess as Filipinos. Little is our knowledge on Philippine history; modicum effort is there to polish further our positive traits; only short-sighted aspirations are there to uproot our weaknesses; lack of interest in our culture. In other words, the vague perception of our identity manifests itself even in our external bearing. Nowadays, there are more fashion stores sprouting up with the intention of bringing to the fore Philippine fashion. This is already a humongous effort on the part of these boutiques, but not enough when looking at the entire fashion panorama. We have to go across the board, influencing and encouraging Filipinos from different societal levels and walks of life to say yes to Filipino fashion.

GUTSY Fashion Team features in this article an accessory that we can call our own. This pair of earrings hails from Davao City. The array of colors is reminiscent of the vintas we can find in the South, and is truly reflective of the positive and optimistic outlook of Filipinos.

Remember this: our patriotism can always grow. The major factor for this depends solely on us, whether or not we are sincere in this endeavor.

GUTSY stands for Girls Understanding the True Sense of Style of the Youth. It is a fashion team that is composed of fashion-loving people, young designers, retailers and writers who advocate positive dressing that has its foundation on a strong sense of the true concept of individuality, personality, and self-worth.

A GUTSY girl…

Understands style as an expression of one's character

Fearlessly stands up to protect her self-worth

Is aware of her body's dignity and does not advertise it like an object

Considers fashion as "dressing" and not "undressing"

Wears trendy clothes that fit her personality and body type

In this time when cosmetic shops and fashion boutiques are always in vogue, the concept of true beauty and fashion has to shine all the more. No short-sighted views. No ephemeral fashion statements.

If you think this advocacy is for you, then drop us a line. Believe us, we are looking forward to reading your message.

The Ultimate Question in Fashion

Have you ever asked yourself the difference of man from the rest of the world? Men and women are head and shoulders above the animals and plants because the former are the only ones with dignity. It is not a surprise then to see a hungry dog go after a rotten food, but not with a human being. People will also naturally protest if a cadaver were to be violated.

The protection of our dignity is manifested in the way we take care not only of our souls but also extends to our bodies. Our bodies share in the personal dignity and express it. The human body cannot be reduced to a thing, to a mere physical body. It is the body of "someone", of a person, and not of "something." This consideration is also closely related to the respect we want to preserve. It requires protecting the intimacy of the body as a sanctuary that is exclusively one's own. Clothing keeps the body within the confines of one's intimacy and safeguards it from being manipulated. Thus, when we don on tight-fitting and cleavage-revealing clothes we can say that we are wearing dishonest clothes. They are fashion articles that prevent people from seeing both the external and internal beauty we possess.

Fashion, more than anything else, is all about who we are. The question then that might serve useful to us is this – “Who am I?”

New Season

Students getting jolted with their cell phones alarming; roads getting more congested; people cramming their purchase of books and supplies; mommies or home cooks preparing packed sandwiches and viands. What's the fuss with the surroundings? There could only be one possible explanation to all of these. It's back to school. School year '10-'11 is out. Welcome '11-'12.




Apart from the nerve-racking experience of meeting new people, attending classes with queer professors, getting lost, and looking "lost" (to use the terminology of our times), there is also that another challenge of preparing the clothes to wear to school. Who wants to sport a mismatched attire on the first day?

Here are three tips to help you feel confident while making your way to your classrooms on the first day:




1. Choose a comfortable attire

This does not mean that you are entitled to wear short shorts and pajamas. What we intend to say is that you have to be sure that there's nothing wrong with your fashion articles. No loose buttons for the fear that it might fall totally and create a gap for people to critique your tummy; no too baggy or too tight pants so to be able to walk with ease. Yes to walking shoes or sandals (no need for further explanation); and no to flipflops (this is best suited for the beach!).




2. Wear the attire proper to the occasion - that is university attire

This means that evening gowns and stilettos are out as well as pajamas and sleeping blouse. I am not exaggerating. Some people have the guts to do this in school. They say fashion is in the eye of the beholder anyway. The bottom line here is this: you do not want to call much negative attention on you. Remember that first impression lasts.




3. Use a bag that is just of right size

Not too big so as not to waste your energy carrying an almost empty bag nor too small that both of your hands get too busy carrying your notebooks and other school items.

Model:

Sabel Diaz - the incoming vice chairperson of University of the Philippines Diliman, College of Education.

Apron with an Attitude

People do not find a welcoming idea that of taking care of the home. More often than not we are the last ones to raise our hands up to show initiative in preparing dishes, baking some goodies, and washing utensils. It seems that our mother's plea on us to hit the kitchen falls on deaf ears. Well, who could blame us? The government does not put the same emphasis on H.E. as in 3Rs; the society we belong to is very fond of hustle and bustle, hence, also its daughter, fast food chains; and lastly, the environment seems to be hostile to home managers simply by looking down upon them (literally), if not by frowning. These are enough reasons to (almost) kill the home. But, thanks to the booming food industry and lifestyle shows we are witnessing a more positive perspective about home.

As GUTSY Fashion team believes in the dignity of the person, closely connected to this is his/her need to belong to a family and to a home. As a way to help people rediscover the importance of the home in a society we are featuring a fashion article that is close to cooks/chefs' heart. Our message for today: being "manang" inside your home is a no-no. Take out your sewing items and some textile and start making your own apron!

*Featuring a double-sided apron (brown and pink scheme); awarded as the most creative apron (HE 176 class, UP College of Home Economics).

GUTSY Weekend Fashion Gig

The society full of metathione and other whitening agents, Vicky Belo advertisements, and copious fashion-related billboards bombards us with notions of beauty. In the midst of all these glossy posters one is moved to ask "What is real beauty?" and "What makes a woman beautiful?" The time has come to answer those questions. GUTSY Fashion Team may be your best companion in that quest. In the pursuit of beauty, who said that one should be alone?

BEAUTY AT ITS BEST, this is the weekend fashion gig that GUTSY offers to teens 13 to 19 years of age. Sessions on fashion and style, body type, poise and carriage, make-up demonstration, and dignified dressing are what in store for its participants on May 21-22, 2011. For more information you may contact Kathy Gacer at 0906.434.1372 or Aine Biaco at 0906.447.0659.

We hope to see you and your friends! Spread the word.

So What Exactly Is Modesty?

Most individuals irk when they hear the word modesty. One may ask, "What's the fuss with it? Is that still applicable to the citizens of 3rd Millenium?" People may seem to brush aside this concept, but admit it or not this still occupies a place in this contemporary world - simply because we are beings with bodies and soul. From time immemorial, sages like Socrates, Plato and Aristole (really prominent!) have contemplated and asserted the fact that we are creatures with rational soul. It is important to give proper care due to our bodies, but at the same time we have to exert the same (or more) effort for our souls.

Modesty in dressing conveys our worth as a person, not our worth as a nice body. When we dress up provocatively, we tell the world that "The best thing about us is our body - only our bodies!" We prefer people to describe us as girls with big front, big back, big whatever body part but not with a big heart. This exclamation is worthy of lament. Why will we bank on our physical body which will inevitably droop in about three decades time when we can improve the aspect that will last forever? Forming and uplifting our character will secure the respect we have been longing for. Modest dressing says "I'm worth waiting for (from Jason Evert, If You Really Loved Me)." and "I respect myself and I insist on being treated with respect (Kim Alexis, former supermodel turned modesty advocate)."

Do we want to be remembered as someone who is "sexy and hot" when they can say that we are "elegant and classy"? It will always benefit us when we ponder on the fact that our identity is that of a person with worth, with dignity. We are not reduced to our body parts. Will it not be a blatant insult when people can describe us only through our body parts? Hence, modesty is "taking the natural beauty of womanhood, and adorning it in a way that reflects her true identity (Evert)."

Barefoot Contessa

Christine Joy Bulatao

@ Poy's farm in Pampanga

East Hampton? Long Island? Raspberry corn muffin? Do these words ring a bell? Where else will we hear these if not from the world of Ina Garten? Being the owner of Barefoot Contessa, the much praised specialty food store, this woman has become a household word. Her fans simply love her for her "liveliness... and total lack of fickiness (take that from Martha Stewart)" when it comes to cooking. It is no wonder then that her fans incessantly clamored for her recipe books and a TV show. As much as the people drool over her onion dip and scones, we, too, in GUTSY Fashion Team would not want to catch ourselves lagging behind. Of course, we are not talking about food per se, for that is not within our turf. We are inspired with her down-to-earth attitude and brilliant artistry, and this is more than enough reason to head off to a farm to conduct another photoshoot. We all hope you will find this year's first shoot as refreshing and simple as Ms. Garten's style.

Paper Wallet

It is high time to talk about other fashion articles here in GUTSY blog! First topic in line is our money reservoir, wallet. This could be a very popular fashion item for fashionistas to the point that they have one for each kind of attire in their closet. Well, as for us in this fashion team, we do not have that array of choices in our drawers, but what do we have is a lesson we learned from our Home Economics subject. H.E. teachers keep on pounding on the fact that citizens have to be prosumers - that is producer + consumer - especially in this time wherein recessions are not unusual. Armed with this idea and some minutes to spare, we decided to get some of our craft items and started to explore an underutilized terrain , that of being fashionably cool without cashing out a cent. The result of this mishmash of ideas and items? This chromatic, bright, vivid, colorful, spectrum-inspired paper wallet. Never did we realize that a modicum of resources could turn up to a wonderful fashion article . This could be one of the best ways to unleash our creativity and to express ourselves - desires that are very widespread among the youth. So now, we think it is more high time to grab your colored pieces of paper, adhesives, and cutter, and let yourself be absorbed in this refreshing and liberating activity.