I'm cleanin' out my closet!

Two days I had spent window shopping. But in fact, they weren't supposed to be window shopping. I need new working clothes for another round of school year. Summer vacation is almost over and in a matter of four days, it's back to work.

Something that I rarely do is giving my closet a complete clean-up. I'm a very sentimental person and I tend to hold on to things that I love as long as they last. It applies even to clothes. It takes a lot for me to let go. I convinced myself that some clothes that are old had already served their purpose and thus have to go. It even takes more to convince me to let go of stuff that had not been worn or that rarely had seen the world. I psyched myself that if a cloth has not been worn as often as it should, then it has to vacate the closet too. I did a thorough cleaning and whew! it amazed me how much clothes I have to get rid. They all could fit in three over sized luggage and I really have to squeeze them tight to compress.The process was hurting. However, after it was over, it made me feel good. Now my closet is ready to take in new stuff. It has more space.

I have to start with the working clothes. Anyway, those are more important for the moment. So I was excited to go shopping. I and my girl friends set a date. You know, shopping is more exciting when you do it with your girl friends. But sigh! First day we went out, we did not meet our goal. I went home with only a new purse and two winter scarves for my fiance.

Joy, Daisy and Me

I went again for the second day, this time alone. I've searched in and out of the biggest malls in the heart of the city, but sigh! again. Every boutique and every mall are having grand sale mostly 20%-70% both for the high end designers and the high street. Yet too bad, there is nothing that fancy me. Sure the piece might be 50% off, say the original was 2,990baht [$92.80] and after the discount they sell at 1, 495baht [$41.40]; but girl, if you don't like the style, do you have to force yourself to buy it just because it's on sale? Of course not! I cannot afford another luggage of rarely used clothes.

I wonder if it's just me or is it really that most of the designs available in the city right now are not my type? If there are good ones that can make me nod, just nod but not gasp, they aren't on sale and they are quite expensive for a frugal shopper like me.

I pray that I can still find good clothes that would make me happy, after all I'm running out of time, and that they are just within the budget. I guess, this is the down side for a girl who says, I'm a shopaholic no more!

photos: tumblr.com

Sale, how I love thee! Shopbop

We've spotted another grand sale, girls. Shopbop is having one big end-of-the-season sale for bags, boots and button-downs.

And what do we mean by some big sale? It's not just some percentage off, it's something as big as 50% to 70%!

Plus it's free delivery world wide within two to three days!

Here are some of my picks from the 70% off category. From left:

♥Ports 1961 Jama Coat Dress $3,895.00 FINAL SALE* $1,168.50
♥Rachel Pally Desiree Dress $192.00 FINAL SALE* $57.60
♥Elizabeth and James Estelle Jumpsuit $465.00 FINAL SALE* $139.50
♥Alice + Olivia Structured Bustier Dress $396.00 FINAL SALE* $118.80

And of course, boots and pumps! Who doesn't love them?

And then we have leggings! leggings! leggings! They're 70%off too.

Now go; check this grand sale out before they vanish ... :)

How to wear miniskirts?

“I don't have the self-confidence to walk around in a miniskirt and heels and a tube top. I'm still trying to learn to love and accept my body.” ~ Mandy Moore


Just like Mandy, I am not very confident with my body to wear a miniskirt and a tube top at once. I definitely love miniskirts such as these 5 band mini and Rachel Pally bandage. I adore tube tops too. But I never would wear them together. I claim that my principle in fashion is to reveal some assets only at a time; not all at once. But to admit, I did break this claim one time when I wore a very lovely orange tube top with a pair of very short denim shorts accesorized by flat boots and extremely huge orange bag. But that was it, once! Honestly, I am much more confident in baring my legs than my shoulders and arms. Therefore you can guess, my closet gives more miniskirts than revealing tops.

I'd like to wear minis to bring just enough attention to my rear, hips and legs, but not too much so that I am like screaming, "hey! all of you! look what I've got!" I opt to wear non-fitting tops, no mid-riffs, no hanging blouses, and no long empire cut tops either. I usually go for tops with lengths that reaches down to first hips or just very little higher than that. The reason for this is to reveal immediately starting from the uper foot of my bumps. Sometimes I wear a cardigan over a thin-strapped top or I go for the types of cardigans which allow me to tie the ends in front of my navel making a hanging ribbon. Otherwise, if I decide to show only my legs, then I'd wear a blazer.

Just tonight, I learned another way of wearing miniskirts. Thanks to shopbop. The bright neon stripes are kept in check by some neutral navy. The key principle? Complementary brights are kept up top; all black below.

What about you girls? What are your secrets in wearing miniskirts?

Btw, our Get your accessory! contest is ending tomorrow. Therefore hurry and join our giveaway for a chance to win accessory from New York Design Shop.

Side Mall Fashion Vendors in Bangkok

Another thing that impresses me about Bangkok is the way people strive to earn. You go stroll the entire Central World and on the 5th and 4th floor, you would see people, especially university students spreading blankets or mats on the floor selling cheap fashion items. You would see them at night, after school, or for some people, after work, selling fashion products at very low price. Not only would you find many displays inside the mall but even outside the ground floor. They actually take a big space.

Confessions of a shopaholic: I'm a shopaholic no more, and so I thought

"Have you seen the movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic”? Oh, I can so relate to this movie. I used to be a shopaholic. I used to be on a time when nothing mattered much to me but getting a new dress, some new shoes, new jeans, and new bags. Nothing mattered but to go out and shop.

Who wouldn't want to shop? Isn't it a great stress reliever? It was making me feel like I'm in control. The feeling that I could afford to go fancy and stylish. Whenever I walk inside a mall, try on some chic clothes and shoes, run to the counter to pay, 'twas always heavenly.

And take note, they all had to be branded, A labeled. Well, I wasn’t speaking Prada, Gucci, Armani, Fendi or other high-end brands because during the time, when I was still in college and within the first two years of working, those brands were simply beyond reach. However, I was speaking of brands like Lee, Adidas, Levi's and some top local brands such as Sara lee, Avon, Natasha and others. That line of Rebecca Bloomwood “underwears are human rights” was very true to me. I collected not just a few but quite a number of fancy and expensive underwears – panties and bras, and they were an obsession. Every morning, after I do my bed, I would sit in front of my closet looking at my expensive clothes and bags hanging neatly in my closet, all my shoes stuck at the corner of my room and all my underwears piled neatly in the drawer, admiring them.

And just like Rebecca, no matter how I wanted to manage my money well, no matter how I wanted to save, no matter how I wanted not to shop, whenever some fabulous finds grab my attention, I would have to get them for whatever it takes. My head spins round and round, my heart beats fast and my hands and feet sweat. Any inch of rationalism is gone.

And still, just like Rebecca, no matter how stylish and pretty she appears not to mention rich-looking, there was no peace inside. There was no feeling of contentment. The word "enough" was unknown. There was always the craving for more, and still more.

But unlike Rebecca, when she had to be embarrassed to the whole world, sued and chased for all her debit overdues and to almost lose the love of her life just to get over her uncontrollable shopaholism, I had to be alone in a foreign land, I had to be admitted for an emergency surgery for appendectomy without money, just to make me realize something was wrong. [This event happened five years back]

For three days that I was in the hospital recovering, I was reading a book. It was the book that completely changed me. The book that made me rich - "Rich dad, poor dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. It's all about what the rich teach their kids that the poor do not. It has changed my perspective towards shopping and financial management.

Lucky Rebecca and me, we got over our being a shopaholic.

For a note on my shopping, the desire to shop more is there. It does not go away. It's in the blood of all female, I guess. However, I am now in control. I only shop if needed and if I do shop, I am more practical.

These two knitted sweaters are a new add to my wardrobe. They are fancy but also very functional, multi-purpose.

What about you girls? What are your thoughts on shopping?

Photos from google

Where to shop affordable in Bangkok?

Bangkok is a knock-off heaven if you are into incredibly cheap products. It is even better if you know how to bargain.

When my boyfriend visited me here in Bangkok three months ago, we shopped around the city looking for some fancy but affortable stuff for his gifts and presents back home. He was choosing products/goods for his guy friends while I took charge for the female friends [girls thing].

So we shopped around bargaining here and there. Of course, it was me who did the bargaining because I know a little bit of Thai.

Now let's take a look at what I've got and where we've got them.

goodies set 1

goodies set 2

First I shopped for those 17k gold dangling earrings at MBK. The orignal price was ฿2,100 [$63.3]. After some bargaining, I got the earrings for ฿1,700 [$51.2]. The heart shape jewelry box was not included.

Inside view MBK (Maboonkrong) Center in Bangkok, Thailand.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Then we shopped at Platinum Fashion Mall, Pratunam to get those stone necklaces, chokers and bracelet. This time I was not able to bargain. The price for each choker/necklace ranged from ฿450 to ฿500 [$13.6-$15]. The sales girl reasoned that they're already giving the goods at whole sale price blah, blah, blah. She was thankful I liked the chokers a lot that I went for them.

Platinum Fashion Mall, Pratunam , Bangkok

For those set 2 goodies, we got them from night bazaar. We were walking scanning all the crazy displays [which oftentimes gives me headache] at Sala Daeng when I noticed these sexy tops. The prices were ฿299-฿350 [$9-$10.5]. And again, I bargained.

I was glad to know that the German girls found them cool. They said it's kind'a rock. Sexy tops with skulls design? Oh, well.

The display accessories such as the elephant frame [฿350], the Budha and Hindu god [฿500 each] and the japanese flowers [฿500] were bought from a night market as well and were all in bargain prices.

Suan Lum Night Bazaar - Bangkok Night Market

Chatuchak Weekend Evening market

Photo: blog.tourismthailand.org

And you know what's my overdone bargaining phrase? It's "Rut-dai-mai-kah?" The R is pronounced as L. Thus, "Lut-die-my-kaa?"

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