Life, Love, & Shoes

Have you ever bought something that did not exactly fit right, but you decided to purchase it anyway simply because you wanted it too much?

Well, I found myself facing a similar problem a few days ago. I went to the SM Aura shopping mall last Monday to celebrate a friend's birthday. While browsing through a couple of stores, I came across this amazing pair of black spiked slip-ons that I immediately knew I had to have in my closet! Honestly, it was love at first sight.

After trying them on, I could say that they were perfect. The fact that they were spiked and sparkly (a blend of edginess and glamour) really appealed to me. But wait! There was only one problem . . . They did not exactly 'fit'. Darn my size 9 feet!

I asked the store associates if they had a pair in my size, but unfortunately they didn't. Size 8 was the largest size that they had available.

Oh no! What do I do?

Of course, since I wanted the shoes so badly, I decided to make a list of reasons of why I should get them (as opposed to why I shouldn't lol).

1) They weren't THAT tight on me. Sure, they felt a little uncomfortable, but beauty is pain, right? RIGHT?

2) I can always bring an extra pair of shoes with me in case the size 8 shoes started hurting my feet too much.

3) They're spiked.

4) They're sparkly.

5) Need I say more?

However, as I was about to purchase them, my friend told me to walk around the store for a little bit and see if I could tolerate the discomfort that the shoes were causing me. Reluctantly, I agreed.

I spent a good 15 minutes walking around the shop and browsing through the other items. After that, though, I had to give it up. The shoes started to cause me extreme pain! Since they were too small, they were making my toes bend at awkward angles every time I took a step. I guess they weren't "perfect" after all. I guess it wasn't meant to be.

This started to get me thinking about real-life relationships in terms of shoes.

At first glance, it may seem perfect to you. Maybe you'd even go so far as to call it "destiny". So you try it on, hoping for the best, and even though you start noticing that something is wrong, you force yourself to believe that everything is okay as long as you "bear the pain".

After a while, the pain becomes too much for you to handle, but still you try to tough it out. I mean, it's perfect! It's everything you ever wanted! The pain will be worth it in the end, right?

THE ANSWER IS NO. Just like the pair of sparkly spiked shoes that caught my heart, eventually you'll get tired of the pain, and you'll decide that they're no longer worth the agony and the stress that they are imposing upon you. Eventually you'll have to accept that no matter how much you want it, IT DOESN'T WANT YOU. And the worst part is, you'll end up hurting yourself while the shoes remain perfectly intact. 

I wanted the shoes even though they were too small for me. I really, really did. I even made up so many excuses to convince myself they were worth it. In the end, though, I did not end up purchasing them. Because I realized something . . .

THE PAIN ISN'T WORTH IT.

So even though it broke my heart to leave the shoes behind, I knew that one day, I'll find another pair . . . An even better pair. A pair that won't hurt whenever I wear them. A pair that fits just right.

And THAT will be worth it.

"With the right person, you don't have to work so hard to be happy. It just happens, effortlessly."

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Fashion is an investment, and clothes are like relationships

Fashion is an investment, and clothes are like relationships

This is something I've come to realize throughout the years. In the same way you invest your time and energy into your friendships and relationships, you invest your money into the things that you purchase, and it's only natural that you expect something in return. After all, relationships are two-sided and it's always a "give and take". When it comes to clothes, the thing we should expect from them at the very least is versatility and long-term use. That is why we need to pick and choose which pieces to invest a lot of money in, and which pieces we can get at a cheaper price and lower quality.

Think of it this way. There are some people in our lives that are mere acquaintances because they do not give us anything substantial or beneficial in the long-term, so we pass by them in the halls and say "hi" but that's as far as it goes, because ultimately they have no further use for us. Thinking about it in terms of clothing and accessories, these are the pieces that are trendy and seasonal, which means they come and go in the blink of an eye and so we do not necessarily need to invest a lot of money into them. It's okay to purchase pieces like these at a lower price even if it means that they will tear or break easily, because by that time they're probably out of style anyway. It's just like giving your acquaintances a little bit of your time but not too much, because once the fun runs out, they disappear from your life eventually.

The same principle can be applied to people that are close to you, such as your friends, boyfriends, and families. It's okay to invest so much time, effort, and energy into those relationships because they are durable, long-lasting, and will be beneficial to you for your entire life. These are like the clothes and accessories that are classic and timeless, which means you'll be able to wear them throughout all seasons in a long time to come. Investing a lot of money into these kinds of things is worth it, because in return you are receiving years and years of use. A $50 cardigan, for example, might seem a tad bit overpriced, but if you think about it in the long run, it is actually worth every penny because you will still be able to wear it 10, 20, and even 30 years from now.

To put it simply in "designer" language:

"A limited edition Louis Vuitton Miroir Speedy might seem like a good choice of purchase, but in the end, you'll realize that a classic Monogram Neverfull might just be the better option."

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Getting rid of the habit of wearing black

A lot of people have e-mailed me telling me how much my blog and my Mode Lab articles inspire them to want to wear bold patterns and prints. The problem is, a lot of them feel hesitant about doing so because they are so used to wearing black and don't know how to wear anything else besides that. 

If you ask me, I'd say that getting rid of the habit of wearing black is like giving up smoking.

Wearing black has become such an ingrained habit nowadays that people seldom strive to try anything "new" anymore. In fact, wearing black is almost as addictive as nicotine.

When we smoke cigarettes, we experience a certain feeling of calmness. Similarly, when we wear black, we get a familiar comforting feeling because we all know that "no one can go wrong with basic black". And it's true -- black always makes us look confident and sophisticated.

However, if you are a fashion-conscious human being (if you're not, you're reading the wrong blog), then I

 must urge you to step out of your comfort zone and experiment a little more with new things.

Giving up "black" is like giving up cigarettes -- you have to take it one day at a time. Don't go into shock by suddenly thrusting yourself into the world of colors and prints. Instead, start slow by incorporating subtle pops of color into your outfits by wearing colored accessories, bags, and shoes. After a couple of months of doing this, you will start to feel more comfortable with colors and be able to wear dresses, cardigans, and jeans in bright and bold hues. Once you've grown accustomed to doing this, you will then start to feel excited about mixing and matching different prints and colors together.

Much like giving up cigarettes, however, there will always be a time where you'll experience a period of withdrawal and go back to wearing the black that you love so much. The good thing about it is that when that time comes, your desire to wear black will merely be a "want" instead of a "need", which means you'll be perfectly comfortable to wear other colors too depending on your mood.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me on this, but I personally find it boring how designers often use black as the predominant color in their collections. Since "everyone looks good in black", isn't it kind of a cheap cop-out to resort to this ancient method of looking good? 

It's like you're admitting to yourself that you do not have a good sense of style or eye for fashion because you only wear something that you know would look good on everyone else too.

BY: KYLE RODRIGUEZ

FROM: The Stylish Bipolar 

(http://www.thestylishbipolar.com/)

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The Purple Lipstick

Today I'm going to talk about one of the more controversial shades when it comes to makeup -- The Purple Lipstick.
This seems to be one of those things that people either love or hate, so today I want all of your opinions regarding this trend.

I've seen a lot of models and celebrities rocking purple lips and I personally have always thought it looked cool. Purple lipstick looks quirky, daring, and a little avant garde. 

But is purple lipstick better suited for the runways and high fashion magazines? To be honest, my immediate answer to this question was going to be "yes". However, I remembered that I started my fashion blog to show and prove to people that there are no rules when it comes to fashion, and that you can make anything work if you try. So what better way to put my idea to the test than by buying myself a purple lipstick (or two) and trying it out for myself? I ended up buying these lip tints from EXCEL Paris, two of which are purple (one dark and one light).

Here are some photos of me wearing the lighter shade (second one from the left in the above photo).

What do you think? Personally, I feel like I can make it work. I think one of the most common "problems" that people face when it comes to purple lipstick is that oftentimes it can make you look like you're dying from hypothermia lol.

Because of this, I came up with some simple solutions to avoid suffering from this dilemma.

1) Add color to your face using a little bit of bronzer. The goal here is to look a bit tan and avoid looking pale as much as possible to avoid having that "Corpse Bride" look.

2) Sweep a small amount of blush onto your cheeks just to give yourself that "flushed" aura and a livelier vibe.

3) Choose the right shade of purple. If you have a tan complexion like I do, choose a brighter and lighter shade, whereas if you have a paler skin tone, go for a darker purple. Doing this creates contrast and prevent you from having that dull look.


So now, ask me that question again. Is purple lipstick strictly for magazines and fashion shows? My answer is "NO".

Like I said, you can wear anything you want (be it clothes, accessories, makeup, etc.) and make it work as long as you tailor it to suit your style and your personal look. Of course, confidence is a must! I know that's a very typical thing to say, but it really is true. When you're confident, you can make anything look fierce.

How about you? What do you think of purple lipstick? Yay or nay? Do you think it looks okay on me?

*Fashion tip: Purple lipstick will look especially nice when combined with edgier outfits.

x

BY: KYLE RODRIGUEZ

FROM: The Stylish Bipolar (http://itsthekyliebabii.blogspot.com)

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THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX: "PRINT IS THE NEW BLACK"

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There is a huge difference between "dressing well" and being "fashionable". In my opinion, just because you dress nicely does not automatically mean that you are stylish. Being fashionable means being daring and trying out new things, and most importantly, it involves thinking outside the box.


Gone are the good ol' days when basic black was everyone's favorite go-to outfit. Now, clothes are becoming more and more vibrant -- prints, patterns, and colors are worn together to create striking ensembles. Basically, the bolder, the better!

I used to be the type of person who almost always wore black. To me, black was classy and chic. While that may still be true today, people are becoming more and more competitive in the world of fashion and somewhere along the way, style has evolved into something more eye-catching and daring.

When the TV show Gossip Girl first came out, the first thing I noticed was the characters' wardrobe choices. Let's face it, we all watched that show mostly because it provided a lot of style inspirations in the form of Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen.

What I noticed about the characters of Gossip Girl back then was that even though they each had their own personal style, they all had one thing in common: their clothes were always bold and colorful, which was part of the reason they attracted so much attention. Gossip Girl characters are perfect examples of mixing and matching done right.

As soon as I realized this, I started experimenting more with colors and various prints, and the rest is history (or so they say). While wearing simple black and white outfits will always be something I'll go back to every once in a while, I must say that I prefer wearing a creative mixture of patterns and different colors.

I deeply encourage all of you to be more experimental when it comes to fashion because ultimately, that's what it's all about -- fun, creativity, and expression.

Someone asked a friend of mine recently for ideas on what she could pair with her new floral leggings. My friend responded, telling her that "a plain black top or plain white top" was the only option.

This somehow saddened me because as much as I love my friend, I realized how narrow-minded some people still are when it comes to fashion. Now, please don't take this the wrong way. I am not saying that my friend has no sense of style. I'm just merely pointing out that a lot of people become complacent when it comes to picking out their clothes, and they no longer try to think outside the box.

If you ask me what you could pair with floral leggings, my answer to you would be an endless list of possibilities: Perhaps a leather jacket? Or a striped sweater? Or maybe polka dots? Stripes? Or a white top, yellow top, blue top, green top, red top, etc.? Like I said, the possibilities are endless. Definitely not just a white or black top.

With my blog, I really hope I can inspire people to become more creative when it comes to picking out their outfits. If you're not comfortable wearing so many prints all at once, maybe you can try mixing and matching colors first? There is no hard-and-fast rule on what works and what doesn't. The key here is to experiment with different things and various combinations until you find what looks good on you.

I do understand that everyone has their own personal style, and not everybody will like the whole "print on print" trend. My aim here is not to force you all to wear things that you don't want to. I only want to inspire you to not go beyond the norm.

In life, you're given a choice. Do you choose to be plain and blend in with the rest of the crowd? Or will you choose to be daring, unique, innovative, and be remembered?

After all, nobody ever made their mark in history by playing it safe.

BY: KYLE RODRIGUEZ

FROM: The Stylish Bipolar 
(http://itsthekyliebabii.blogspot.com)

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