Burdang Taal, Habing Pilipino

Last Saturday, I was hesitating to attend the Philippine Fashion Week but when I saw the Burdang Taal, Habing Pilipino schedule, I went to SM Mall of Asia quickly, tried to look for someone to use of complimentary ticket with me (but didn't find one) and enjoyed the beautiful collections of burdang taal, a very detailed hand-embroidery technique that actually originated in Taal, Batangas.

The featured collections are from Edgar Madamba, Vic Barba, Bergamo, Dong Omaga-Diaz, Lito Perez, JC Buendia, Fanny Serrano, Gerry Katigbak, Johnny Abad, Edgar San Diego,Ole Morabe, Jontie Martinez, Roland Lirio, Richard Papa, Anthony Nocom, Randy Ortiz, Oskar Peralta.

I personally like the collections and I'm hoping that there'll be more of this kind in the Philippine Fashion Week for the coming years because they showcase the Filipino talent and craftsmanship that is very unique and sophisticated.

To see the photos and for full story, please read more here.

Hello FUN!

I just turned 26.

I don't want to talk about it. 

Joke. The truth is I can't stop talking about it but since I feel like thoughts are cluttered here in my personal space, I needed to organize and formalize a new space for my unconventional fashion + travel stories. Of course there'll be some little things about beauty and wellness in it! 

What am I wearing on my birthday? Find out more here: http://aymisayra.tumblr.com

I felt so loved and I would like to thank you for making my special "I-am-old-I-panic" day wonderful.

OKAY, FINE.

Here's the glimpse on my special day:

When the clock struck 12, I received a small cake with lots of huge candles and a special box from a person with small eyes. I miss my dad too much cause he has always been the first person to greet me right before it strikes 12 cause he couldn't stay awake anymore at 11pm of the 18th! Haha. 

Oh! That reminds me of spreading the info about a wonderful family and how you can help their dad win the battle against cancer, here's the link from my friend, Benj.

Wishing for more wonderful and fun years!

Just like last year...

Be Body Beautiful at any age: Spiral Aging

Since I just turned 26 and I am aware about the changes that take place in a woman's body, I'd like to support Wacoal's campaign of spreading awareness about the changes in our bodies and how to feel good about it by Being Body Beautiful at Any Age. 

Did you know and did you realize that the skin's turning point is at 25 years old. How about the body? 

Wacoal's Human Human Science Research Center, since it's establishment in 1964, has collected a total of more than 40,000 women's body measurement and has also tracked and study the changes in their body in the span of 30 years. The results were the changes in body shape brought about by age is a fixed rule that can be drawn in a spiral. In Wacoal, it is called as "Spiral Ageing."

Spiral Aging is a principle that women undergo three major physiological changes associated with aging throughout a 30-year period from 16 to 46, and that with these as turning points, women experience major changes in their physique.

Around reaching 24-26 years old, once a woman's body matures, basal metabolism starts to slow down and when women reach 38 years old more or less, a sharp increase in weight occurs as well as other shocking changes. Then there comes 40, the age when work and family demands increased and when weight gain and change in body accelerate. 

We have to be careful about our lifestyle and the way we take care of our body because these contribute a lot to the changes that are happening. The age-related changes can't be stopped (so take more photos while you're 20!) but there are ways to slow down or reduce them like exercising regularly, having a healthy lifestyle and diet, and wearing the right underwear. Don't forget the fun in your lifestyle and relationship too! 

Note: I'll be blogging about the breast and hip aging soon. Information about the study is from Philippine Wacoal Corporation. You can also reach them in Facebook & Twitter.

Hosting + The Look

I think this is one of my favorites among the unlimited interesting things I've done with Taku. For the month of October, aside from the Surprise Party, this is the biggest activity that we have --to host a wedding of good friends (who are Japanese & Iranian/Filipina) so we needed to translate the script in English & Japanese for everybody's convenience.

Above photo was taken on Saturday night while we were practicing and he was so strict while wearing his necktie! :)

The hosting was fun and since we enjoyed doing it, we heard some positive feedback like they liked how we pulled things together, we exceeded their expectations (Did they expect that we speak like high school students because we look like one? haha) and remained calm on the stressful changes in the program. My former boss and his wife even reminisced their own wedding! 

But I think the biggest factors why it turned out nicely are because I know my hosting partner a lot that I even know the best time to inject some humor and he knows what are the things that don't need translations among my random unnecessary information. haha.

Photo taken by Chino Batoctoy

I believe harmony and a little bit "adventure" is needed for hosting to become successful. You should know the program flow but you should not be afraid to tweak some things when the situation occurs. And I also believe that people will like what they hear when they like what they see.

And since I think it's unacceptable for a "host" not to dress appropriately and sophisticatedly in a very special occasion like this, I think it might be a good idea for me to share to you my attending-a-wedding-look and how I prepared for it.

1. I tried to be unconventional with the shoes.

Color: Gray with Gold Heels
From: Zara

I wanted to have a little twist in the traditional shoes that we wear in weddings and since I usually opt not to buy things that I won't be able to use again plus, I find it easy to walk with this heels, I didn't stop myself to have it! I was glad that its safe and elegant colors matched my dress that I got from People are People.

2. Choose lively colors to match the happy moments!

3. I like fake lashes! :) It was my first time wearing them but I was surprised that they weren't heavy at all! It feels uncomfortable after putting the glue but it feels natural afterwards. I like the drama that it creates in the eyes (with short lashes like mine). And congratulations to my beautiful cousin whom I requested to do my hair & make up, Katchie Mejias, since she was able to fix my ugly eyebrows! I promise not to use eyeliner for my brows again so the hairs will be in order. haha.

4. I don't usually wear French tip on my nails because I'm saving it for special occasions and I feel like it's more appropriate to wear it on weddings since it looks clean and lady-like.

So I think we quite pull it off though I made Taku panicked when I said something that the organizer told me to say which I wasn't able to inform him beforehand and he needed to translate in Japanese right away. With the diversity of cultures of family and friends, it is a wedding that I will never forget, indeed, love knows no boundaries.

And of course, because it's a wedding of good friends! 

"Together, I believe we'll change the world" is what the groom said in his vow to his bride which was said in a funny way but sincerely inspired everyone to love.

Hari Batik Selalu

Sibika at Kultura is the subject in elementary where young Filipinos learn history and enhance awareness of their cultural and social ability and distinction among other nationalities. In my case, that's when I first fell in love with batik.

According to researches, Batik is a cloth that is traditionally made using a manual wax-resist dyeing technique which is an ancient art form that has said to have existed in Egypt where it was used to wrap mummies and was practiced in China, Japan, India, Nigeria and Senegal. But the Indonesian batik that we know nowadays  is especially from Yogyakarta and Surakarta which has notable meanings rooted to the Javanese conceptualization of the universe.

I'd like to announce for October 2 to be the Batik Day (haha) but UNESCO already acknowledged the beauty of batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2009. So today, it's an honor to support Batik Day and will not just  be blogging about it but will also feel awesome wearing it!

The cape batik that I'm wearing in the photos is made by Riana Kusuma of Indonesia which is done in summer colors with beautiful flowers manually drawn in it. But I'm always thrilled to see the different batik designs that talk so much about where they actually come from.

Growing up, I associate batik with Indonesians and what I admire about them very much is how batik serves not just as a national costume/ national identity but how they actually enhance and incorporate it in their everyday lives (reason why I always wonder how we can also use Filipiniana daily cause it would be nice to wear your identity, right?).

What I also like about Batik is it normally adds sophistication to an outfit. Due to its limited availability in the Philippines, I always find Filipinos who appreciate and wear Batik very sophisticated and smart, surprisingly upon knowing them, they really are (like my elementary teacher who first showed me a batik scarf)! So probably, it's a good idea to wear it! haha.

Here's one of my favorite bags which I got from Jakarta when I sang my heart out upon realizing a dream last year and seeing batik in its country of origin for the first time was an amazing feeling.

And just like what one of the most prominent techie women and batik lover in Indonesia, Shinta Dhanuwardhoyo, have told me and I'd like to tell you, "The beauty started long time ago, then it's your turn to pass it on."

Birthday Surprise!

Since we haven't seen each other for a few months and the last Sake Night hosted by Taku was almost a year ago, I invited the Couchsurfers in Manila to have a Birthday Eve Surprise Party for Taku! (Though I wasn't able to invite everyone cause I couldn't post it in public). :)

The above photo was how I kept the decorations (balloons, cartolina, markers, etc) and beers for a few days. Taku almost saw it! haha.

It was very fulfilling to be able to pull everything off without Taku having any clue. I was very grateful to have the CS Manila helped me out in cooking, setting up the apartment and handling the food delivery, and even in practicing their "surprise" blocking! haha.

"I thought you were a bad liar," was Taku's reaction at my acting skills. haha. I told him I was going to fit my bridesmaid gown for my bestfriend's wedding on Sunday afternoon and asked him to join me in the supermarket in the evening while everyone's dressing up his apartment. 

Then we had a surprise video from some Couchsurfers and his friends (from various places) who couldn't make it to the party.  It was a very wonderful feeling seeing Taku's eyes got smaller and mouth bigger with disbelief. haha. It was an awesome night, good friends, good conversations, good food! I felt like it was my birthday! :)

Video & Photos by Orlando Cajigal. Check out his works at http://orlandocajigal.com