H&M Jean shirt X DIY

This was my friend, Tel’s original idea. She showed me a picture of a shirt from H&M that she should’ve bought for her now fiance but when she was actually going to buy it was gone already. Too bad! Then, she told that it can be done by just cutting off the sleeves of a jacket and attaching a new sleeves to the jacket.

This was that H&M shirt minus the navy blue sleeves. Couldn’t find the exact shirt.

Finding your materials
So it instantly sparked my creative juices, I got off to the nearest thrift store to find some cool pieces that I can deconstruct. Luckily, I got something with 160 pesos, a pair of jackets in muted colours.

Dyeing
The shirt on the right side is too pale for blue so I decided to dye it to navy blue to emanate like a denim. See instructions for dyeing here.
While for the khaki brown shirt on the left, I didn’t go for dyeing it since fabric dyes here are little too limited with colours it might turn out like mahogany so I’m saving it. Hehe.

Chopping and attaching the sleeves
1. Measure the length from the middle of your palm to your shoulders and then use this measurement for the length of your sleeves. What I did was I gave a few allowance like 2 cm from the sleeve and then cut it out.
2. If you know how to sew using a machine then go for it. As for me, I opted to have it sewn from my friend.

And Voila!

Thoughts?

 

It’s Tough Love, Denim Love

I must admit I have this fixation with denims. Or an obsession probably. From tops to bottoms, I must have it. And just by having these amazing hauls keeps more happy than actually wearing them. Right! It’s quite nice to have a dependable denim top and pants. You can never go wrong with your trusty old denim.

Although it’s super hot now, and wearing this denim top with this weather is quite self-punishing. But of course there are light weight jeans that could still be worn.

This is my growing collection of denims. All of these were just thrifted from almost anywhere. With a creative mindset, I turned each of these outfits even cooler from various fabric manipulation techniques like dyeing and bleaching. Though not that refined,  I am just so happy of what I have achieved.

The things that you value the most are the things you have worked hard for.

♛ AUK ♛

Just Got Lucky Me

Baguio City is renowned for Ukay-Ukay also known as thrift shops. As far as I know, this is where it all began. The Mecca of thrift shopping, Baguio City. This is also a prime reason for my utter excitement. And to pay homage to the birthplace of Ukay-Ukay, I would dedicate this post to the adorable city.

Moving on, the most exciting part of our day was when we went to the night market. A whole side of the street is alloted to shoppers and sellers of almost all sorts of stuffs. When I saw the strip of ukay-ukays, I got so positively overwhelmed because I didn't know where to start! The first night was quite a snooze. I just managed to get a pair of shoes. Not so good shoes but okay shoes.

I was heading towards desparity during our last day because I thought I'm going home empty handed. As we are walking along the Session Road, one of my friends stopped by a store where we saw people scrambling through just-opened balikbayan boxes, loaded with heaps of clothes and whatnots. So we got curious and joined them. Haha.

I got my revenge on day 2, I amassed quite a load of stuffs. I did what I came there for.

I must say that these Lacoste shoes will give me a run for my money. This was originally priced at 1,500 pesos but we haggled with the seller and amazingly cut off 700 pesos. What a bargain! And still is in mint condition.

I got these shirts for 150 pesos each. Amazing! H&M. And I specifically love the gray Bossini shirt with epaulette detail. This leather handled hand bag also took my attention among the pile, a good buy as well.

We came to Baguio with thick pockets and headed home broke but we were utterly on cloud nine considering what we bought and the amount of money we shelved out to get them. Mission accomplished. Fun plus shopping!

I know Baguio loves me. Till we meet again!

♛ AUK ♛

Pumped Up New Kicks

I love these pair of shoes! I didn't expect that I can get to love these. However, turning back when I was in elementary, I wore high cut shoes because they are so in! Haha. So yes, I get scared sometimes. I got these pair for only 420 pesos at Metro Department store. Marquee Mall is having their Welcome Sale and they were originally at 599 pesos. So no second thoughts of buying it!

David Guison really made me remember these. David Guison is one of the top men's fashion blogger and style genius here in the Philippines. His style knows no bounds from over the top prints to color blocked ensembles. But what really stuck to me was his "style identifier", the high-cut boots or shoes plus printed socks. You can catch him at Davidguison.com.

So I thought of having own spin, maybe a toned down one. I paired them with printed socks from MEMO. MEMO was also on sale I got these at 245 pesos, originally priced at 350.  I can't wait to strut this new kicks on the streets soon!

♛ AUK ♛

Underdog

Vest: Thrifted

Shirt: Chapel

Shorts: Thrifted

Oxford Shoes: Custom made

Watch: Casio DB360 from Alboe Fashion

Specs: Giordano

This is a randomly put together look for a mall trip. I hope you guys liked it.

Hype this look on my Lookbook.nu account: Lookbook.nu/Knyfortaleza.

It's a Very Denim Christmas

It will be  a denim-filled Christmas for me. I decided to not spend too much this season and just have some of my stuffs repaired. I had a difficult time to have garments repaired. There are a lot of things to consider like a good repair shop, getting to let the tailor know what you want to do, the condition of the denim, sometimes repair shops beg off because it is hard to deconstruct the garment but yes I made them do it with a lot of bargaining and begging. Haha. This time around I learned my lesson to not get my tops get repaired again and just find a perfect fit.

I got the vest for just 50 pesos! Plus the repair fee that is 130 pesos. The repair is far expensive than the garment. haha. While the long sleeve shirt which I got for 250 pesos I think is not a recent purchase. If you can remember this from my previous post that I bleached this is that. Also, I had it repaired and fit to my physique. Lastly, the brown Replay denim which I purchased from a thrift store for only 200 pesos! They were on sale so I was lucky and bought it right away. The original cut of this denim jean was a baggy straight cut  fit. From last summer, I was raving for this colour however it is so expensive for me like almost 2,000 pesos and when I saw this from a far I did not think twice. My denim jean repair shop gladly accepted it and gave me what I want and I was so happy with the result.

You can pair the vest with a plain tee and that brown pants or a black pants will do. But I am planning on using the vest with a plain black tee. While the long sleeve shirt is perfect with a printed tee inside and have it paired with the brown pants. You can also style this long sleeve tucked in using a thin belt to give a dapper crisp look.

It’s a holiday look for less. You don’t actually have to spend so much to look gorgeous this holiday season. Enjoy and have fun this Yuletide season! :)

Out and about

Sauntering the mall, I took the chance for a close-up. Yearly, SM malls comes up with different themes and this year they have Christmas village/Candyland that kids and kids at heart would really enjoy. I was really in a hunt for something that I don't know (crazy) but that will surprise me.

DIY PART: I was sporting a checkered shirt.  The shirt was from a thrift store that I bought for 200 Pesos. It was hanging inside my closet for a while and I haven't wore it for a long time so I thought of deconstructing it.  So there is really no pressure of making it look good right away. Voila, it looks even more wearable.  When I cut the sleeves, I gave a few centimeters allowance to allow clean finish look but later I have decided to leave it as it is for a more raw and undone look.

Comments? Suggestions? Drop them here.

Closeted Style Savvy

[caption id="attachment_1308" align="aligncenter" width="870"] A print on print header and profile picture.[/caption]

The idea of selling clothes online started from my sister. She started by creating an instagram account for her store. So I thought of making my own and because I have heaps of stuff in my closet that I don't use anymore. This is a perfect way to gain extra income and to find new owners to my loved stuffs.

I have loads of really good garments at a very competitive price. Items still in crisp and good condition. Some are still brand new and with tags. Hoping to see you there.

Please visit and add my store on Facebook at Closeted Style Savvy!

Here are some of the samples from my store.

Cardigan Love

For almost a month I haven't purchased any from thrift store that I visited. A reason is that nothing has caught my keen eye. But yesterday, I discovered this very basic but chic Bershka Cardigan from Tejay's Thrift Store, the first go-to thrift store that I know. Since they texted me yesterday about their new arrivals for garments and bags, I went with my sister.

Of course there were a lot of stuffs to go through so I don't know were to start. Haha. But yes I have to start with the bags. Nah, Nothing in the bags section. Nothing from the pants and shirts section. But when I went to the girl's sweatshirts area, I saw this cardigan and pulled it out. Immediately, I looked into the tag and it was Bershka. Bershka MAN! And then trying to contain my glee, I asked the sales personnel about the price and I instantly bought it. The cardigan is still in mint condition and feels so soft on the skin.

Love love love!

Total: 150 Pesos only!!! Yes! Great bargain find it is.

The Art of Ukay-Ukay

Shopping without punching a hole on your pocket sounds enticing and definitely music to any shopaholic’s ears. Who wouldn’t grab the chance to buy stuffs without any pressure of overspending. Today, we are not just confined in high-end stores and the mall to shop. We can also enjoy shopping at thrift stores to hunt for great finds. Thrift stores are becoming well received by the public. Even some local celebrities and socialites have expressed their fondness.

Here in the Philippines, we have Ukay-ukay shops, a colloquial term for thrift stores. I think this started in Baguio and then down south. From accessories to garments to foot wear, name it and they might have it all. Merchandise found here are largely pre-owned. It also boasts for housing some designer brands like Prada, Balenciaga among others for a very reasonable cost which almost you can’t say no.

You can catch ukay-ukay shops almost anywhere. It is never easy to rummage inside thrift shops as it will test your patience and determination. At first, I didn’t appreciate these stores because of the amount of stuffs they have are suffocating that it’s barely impossible to move comfortably(mostly). But after some frequent trips, I managed to get used to it and actually enjoyed the experience.

Thrift Tips from the king of Ukay-ukay! Haha

• A notable tip that I can share with you is that you need to have a goal for every shopping trip you make as you might end up purchasing the same stuff all over again or if not you might end up buying stuff because they are just too cheap to make a pass.

• You can bargain with the sales person at the price you want. Try asking for the half of the price and take it from there until you meet halfway.

• I have favorite shops to go to. Some have  a list of customer’s contact numbers and they notify them once they have new goodies. Also, it is wise to get into the shop as soon as you receive their message since this is the perfect opportunity to get hold of good quality and branded items before anybody else will. During their new arrivals, prices are a little expensive(if you have been an avid thrift shopper) but still low-priced compared to mall rates.

• You just need to be meticulous in examining your choices before paying. Some shops do not accept exchanges but seldom do this happen.

• Bring a friend with you whenever you shop. To help you decide or to maybe drag you out of the store when you are overspending! I have my friend/shopping buddies: Tel Mistal, who is in Dubai right now fulfilling her hardcore shopping there(I miss her a lot) and Jinky Bautista, she is widely acquianted with a lot of brands and we go mostly to flea markets(In Apo, Haha). But sometimes friends will push you further to shop more haha.

• These shops also hold SALE! from as much as 500 bucks to as little as 5 pesos! Take the advantage of rummaging during these times for there is almost no reason to feel guilty and if you are into garment deconstruction this is the time to seek your raw materials.

Here are some of the great finds I amassed!

Shopping is addicting. You might need to step back a little if you think you are overspending. You don’t want to be a member of Shopaholics Anonymous, Do you? Luckily, I’m not yet. Haha

You don’t need to spend your hard earned cash on fancy things and there are no excuses for not being IN STYLE because a lot can be done. You need to just bust your *ss and think!

Happy shopping everyone! I will see you around.