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?

 

Pretty Little White Lies

It’s so hard for me to think of a title for this post. White lies? Well, I tried to use this during this day to cover up a major plastic sabotage! Haha. I know it’s kind of rude to do that but it’s not like it will hurt anyone. In this case, it is a real white lie but still a lie. :)

Now about the look:

This white denim jean top is surprisingly soft, smooth and comfortable. It’s THRIFTED!! I think I bought this for about 50 pesos only. I got lots of good comments with this top. I am so happy. I paired it with my also thrifted and DIY-ed denim shorts. It was originally a pant but I had an idea that I will chop it off and turn it into a short. I just frayed and distressed the denim to have like a worn out look. My ever comfy Toms shoes sealed the deal here. A relaxed summer casual ensemble!

♛ AUK ♛

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 ♛

Tickle Me This

This cute Elmo t-shirt was purchased at an ukay-ukay store for 180 pesos only. I haven't got a lot of fun tees like this so I gravitated to it instantly. The shirt is pure cotton and passed my standards regarding the feel of the fabric. It is comfortably soft! Perfect for summer.

Can't wait to wear this!

♛ AUK ♛

What Becomes of a Brokenhearted.

A lot of things we can not have a full control of. Things happen and then we react differently to it. My ensemble speaks loudly of that emotion of disgruntlement, melancholy, and utter rage. Not quite of rage but that is my interpretation of it. As the saying goes, this too shall pass. Well please, make it quick.

The color story here is based on the gradient colors of black to gray. From the black top layered with a gray cardigan to my lux wool shorts paired with black sneakers and gray socks. I got a little addicted with this color palette. It goes easily well with almost any color. No fuss with pairing.

Top from Folded & Hung

Cardigan from American Boulevard

Shorts were tailor made.

Sneakers and socks from SM Department Store

Bag from Ukay Ukay

Hype this look on LookBook.nu/knyfortaleza

♛ 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 ♛

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.