Happy White Day! (즐거운 화이트 데이!)

White Day is a significant lovers event in South Korea. It comes exactly a month after Valentine's Day and is the day when males pay back females with candy and gifts. 

For Korean boys out there (especially those who do not live in South Korea yet still celebrate it in line with Korean culture) who still have no idea as to what gifts they could give, go for something subtle yet colorful to match the candies you'll be giving! Here are a few things you can order from YesStyle's "Ready to Ship" collections for your girl:

Candy-colored dresses by YUMI ($31.00 and $20.00, click on the price to go to the site and order)

Pretty earrings by BELLINI ($158.00)

A cute useful bag by PG BEAUTY ($20.00)

Brand: Babi Doll

Netizens are all abuzz after photos of  hip-hop group One-Two (원투) member Song Ho Beom (송호범)'s wife, Baek Sung Hye (백승혜) wearing sexy swimsuits appeared on the online catalog for Korean brand Babi Doll (바비돌). Netizens were surprised to see her maintain a beautiful figure after all these years, with one netizen stating, "She's a baby doll indeed!". Gossip aside, here are some items that I liked from the catalog, including some of the swimsuits from the Summer Babi Collection. There are also items which are only available to members, so sign up so you can avail them! 

53,200원

67,500 원

49,700원

75,700원

Summer Babi Doll Collection

34,200원

35,100원

37,200원

Visit Babi Doll here.

Original News Source: BNT News 

Photos: Babi Doll Online Store

Store: CM Crafts Center

In the Philippines, sustainable development goes beyond the definition that covers organic resources as it also refers to the preservation of our indigenous culture and protection of the indigenous peoples. Rather than treating the IPs as an ‘other’, several groups came together with various IPs and established a partnership with them to sustain their livelihood. ‘Non-Timber Forest Products Task Force’ (NTFP) , a network of local and Southeast Asian non-governmental organizations dealing with issues such as land reform, resource management and livelihood established a crafts center called CM Crafts Center or Custom Made Crafts Center in 2003 to promote the talent and products of various IPs in the Philippines, namely the Mangyans of Mindoro, Palaw’anon and Tagbanua of Palawan, Higaonon of Bukidnon, Maguindanaon of Mindanao, the T’Boli of Lake Sebu, as well as rural artisans and weavers from Negros and Pangasinan. The network practices fair trade and constantly dialogues with the IPs in order to reach prices that would allow consumers to help provide for the basic needs and traditional way of life of the IPs adequately and meaningfully. Through CM Crafts, women from the IP and rural areas are also empowered to help their household. Women have always been given respect in particular ways in IP culture, and their role in livelihood increased their already-revered role in society.

CM Crafts Center covers a wide range of products, from seeds, organic food, special collections made by particular IPs, beads and ethnic textiles, journals, filing boxes, office bags and lunch boxes (aptly called “gathering packs” – the name reminds me so much of the hunters’/nomads’ lifestyle), home décor such as pillows, photo frames and placemats and of course wardrobe and accessories. CM Crafts Center also sells woven dresses, tops, belts, bags and woven necklaces and bracelets among others:

CM Craft Center Showroom, Metro Manila, Philippines

CM Crafts Center is one of the many local advocacies for sustainable development but its partnership with the country’s IPs is what makes it stand out from the rest. When you buy a CM Craft product, you carry with you the IPs’ legacy that spans several centuries and help these IPs carry on their cultural legacies even longer.

CM Craft Center

Address:

92-A Masikap Ext., Bgy. Central
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines Tel Nos. +6329293665 / +6324262757

You can view their products and purchase online via the CMCrafts Website

Photo: NTFP

News: How to look hot in your new pair of rain boots

Heavy rains hit Metro Manila earlier this evening as tropical storm Chedeng (Songda) entered the Philippines. It's the second tropical storm the country has experienced in two weeks, the first one being Bebeng (Aere). These storms signal the coming rainy season and serve as the cue for us to buy boots! Here's an article from the JoongAng Daily that gives tips on how to wear boots. Unlike here in the Philippines, South Koreans still shop for boots outside of the rainy and winter seasons. This article is for all boot-loving ladies not just in Asia but around the world.

How to look hot in your new pair of rain boots

To look slimmer in rain boots,
wear short pants or a mini dress.
By Kwon Hyuk-jae

Shoes are always a high priority for women when it is pouring rain. 

“It’s not easy to flaunt your stuff when it’s raining. In your everyday, worn-out shoes, you appear drab. But you do not want to wear your brand new shoes when it’s pouring,” said Lee Jung-yeong, 33. 

What’s a woman to do?

More women are putting rain boots on their shopping list, and those who already have a pair, might even be looking forward to a rainy day. 

Rain boots are no longer a burdensome and heavy pair of long rubber shoes. Brands such as Hunter, Aigle, Rockfish and Outsider have stepped up with designer boots. 

Prices range from 80,000 won ($74) to 300,000 won. 

“Compared to last year’s trend of black and dark blue colors, this year’s trend has been more about pink, purple, yellow and fluorescent colors,” said Kim Hoon-sung, Lotte Department Store accessories merchandising and shoes chief merchandiser. 

And vertically challenged women can breathe a sigh of relief now that high-heel rain boots have entered the market. 

Colorful designs have been incorporated in many of this year’s products. Some even have buckles and buttons, while Walker boots use laces.

Fashionable vs. unfashionable calves

“First, interpret your own clothing style,” suggests Hunter spokesman Kang Jee-young. 

For professionals, it is recommended to match a business-casual look with purple or greener dark-colored rain boots. 

For those in hot pants or miniskirts, try to match this bright look with bright-colored boots. 

For a more vintage look, wear light brown or khaki-colored boots with flower patterns on the side. 

A warning for those with thick calves: “If your calves are thick, instead of wearing pastel-colored boots like pink or sky-blue, go with chocolate, black or dark-colored boots to match your pants in order to pull off a long and skinny-legged look.”

It is important to consider the length of the boots upon purchase. 

Medium-length boots blend well with colorful clothing, giving off a cute appearance. 

Keep in mind that it is best to buy rain boots made from natural rubber because it has a firm flexibility that doesn’t stiffen up in cold environments; avoid those made from Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC.

Baggy clothing plus rain boots is a no

When it comes to rain boots, the lack of a heal is always an issue. 

“For people to avoid this dilemma, it is best to wear leggings or skinny jeans, or clothes that are not baggy with the boots,” said Aigle spokeswoman Lim Yoo-ra.

As for tops, stay away from baggy clothing. 

Consider your rain boots as part of your entire outfit. Incorporate them into what you’re wearing, and vice versa.

For instance, the combination of a casual hooded shirt, a miniskirt and colorful rain boots gives off a bright and active appearance. 

But if you want to avoid the rest of your outfit distracting from your sexy new boots, wear a black or white achromatic top and skinny pants. You can also match the color of your pants to that of your boots. 

If you want to push the envelope, wear a scarf to match the color of the boots. 

Rain-boot maintenance

A new pair of rain boots can easily be ruined by just a second of negligence. In order to maintain the sturdiness and elegance of your boots, it is important to take care of them. 

First, wipe away any water still clinging onto the boots with a neutral detergent.

If the inside of the boots are filled with moisture or water, use a dry towel to wipe them dry. 

If your boots are made from rubber, it is important to dry them in shade, away from any direct sunlight. (Sunlight can damage or deform the material.) 

Finally, after the boots have completely dried, stuff newspaper into the boots to absorb any excess moisture and to keep the boots intact. 

By Lee Do-eun [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

Here are some rubber boot styles you can try out for the rainy season. Check them out at YesStyle or FashionSuzy:

Holly - P4330.50

Holly - P4980.07

7Color - 79,008 원/

Source: JoongAng Daily

Photos: YesStyle (1, 2) and Fashion Suzy

Store: The Amazing Playground

Having a basketball jersey or varsity jacket customized is now possible not only for your neighborhood or school's basketball or sports team, but also one just for you! Amazing Playground is a local streetwear store offering ready-to-wear and customized apparel. Owned by Amis Quizon Tumang, the store opened in March 2010 and gained much popularity among students and young professionals alike because of their customized jackets, which start at P900.00. Not bad huh? Amazing Playground t-shirts are are also unique as they are in a variety of designs containing positive, uplifting messages, as compared to other streetwear that emphasize on the hard ghetto life, and have attracted a larger audience.

 Ready to Wear Jackets

Customized Jackets

Ready-to-Wear T-Shirts

Some of its clients include world pop idol and Filipina singing wonder Charice Pempengco, musician Raymund Marasigan, businessman extraordinaire Manny V. Pangilinan, television host Drew Arellano and the hosts of sports news program Hardball. 

The Amazing Playground

75 Gil Preciosa Building, Timog Avenue, Quezon City

To order online, e-mail preferred designs to theamisshow@yahoo.com, or visit their Facebook page for more details.

Photos: David Guison for The Amazing Playground, The Amazing Playground Facebook and Multiply

Designer: Kim Jeong Ju

How does one continuously create beauty for beauties? The Chosun Ilbo takes a peek into the life of jewelry designer Kim Jeong Ju who also has been designing the crown for Miss Korea for the past four years.

From the Chosun Ilbo:

Miss Korea Crown Designer's Fairytale Life

Jewelry designer Kim Jeong-ju creates beauty. She tries to keep an open mind at all times to get inspiration from everything that exists in the world. Her works are regularly seen in TV dramas, films and at award ceremonies and worn by the winner of the Miss Korea beauty pageant.

After majoring in bio-ecology at Kangwon National University, Kim went to Australia. "I'd told everyone in the department that I was going to be a famous designer," she says. "I studied gemology at the Sydney branch of the Gemological Institute of America, and then jewelry design later. I really worked hard doing various jobs at once to fund my tuition. But I didn't mind at all because I was going to be a successful designer one day. I thought about only one thing -- achieving my dream."  

She thinks she has a charmed life because she has been getting closer to her dream step by step. "After I returned to Korea, I was very busy with marriage, having two babies and raising them," she recalls. "I still worked as a freelance jewelry designer, and my works received good reviews." 

When her husband's business took a downturn, she started her own business, Mucha, in the jewelry shops quarter in Jongno to help the family finances. "I got off to a successful start with lots of customers from day one." she says. Words of mouth spread, and she began to get recognition. There were queues in front of her shop to see her jewelry. "I started dreaming of setting up company headquarters in Cheongdam-dong. And miraculously I realized the dream." In 2007 she settled in the upscale district, home to many world-famous luxury brands. 

Her customers include wealthy foreigners as well. One Arab customer bought a very expensive tiara, and she says it is because he comes from a culture that believes that a tiara in the family will make everything well. Kim has designed the tiara for the winner of the Miss Korea beauty pageant for the last four years, and also participated as a judge in regional preliminaries in Seoul. 

She also sponsors various TV dramas and films, so she has met many celebrities and advised them on jewelry. She plans to publish a book based on her experience.

Kim also hopes to grow her company into a world-class brand. "I would like to make jewelry that can introduce Korea's beauty to the world, perhaps using Hangeul motifs," she says. "I'm going to keep working hard to create beautiful work that has never been seen in the world."

Source: Chosun Ilbo

You can browse for her works via the online site of her brand, Mucha.

Parents' Day Gift Ideas (어버이날 선물)

8 May is a special day for Koreans as it is the day in which they commemorate both their mothers and fathers. 8 May is Parents' Day. Traditionally, little children would give their parents (and other parent figures) red or pink carnations as a sign of their love and devotion. However as they grow up, many of them opt to honor their elder loved ones with longer-lasting versions by giving them carnation brooches. 

Here are some styles you can choose from for your eomma (엄마) & appa (아빠) (Some items are discounted/일부 제품은 할인된) :

CJMall 

(Only CJMall Members get 5% Discount/회원 전용 할인 - 할인 5 %):

Regular: 3900원

Sale: 3710원

Regular: 9900원

Sale: 9410원

Regular: 9900원

Sale: 9410원

Regular: 7900원

Sale: 7510원

GSSHOP:

Regular: 16300원

Sale: 14600원

Regular: 13300원

Sale: 11660원

Regular: 7900원

Shinsegae Online Mall:

Regular: 40000원

Sale: 9900원

Mothers' Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is here once again, and if you still haven't gotten anything for your dearest mother/mader/mommy/mama/inay/nanay/mudra/ermats, here are some fabulous gift ideas for:

THE SOPHISTICATED/CHIC MOM

Aranaz Starfish Clutch

Available in Aranaz Boutiques:

2/F Powerplant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Makati, Metro Manila

2/F Greenbelt Mall 5, Legaspi Street, Makati, Metro Manila

Chimes Department Store, Davao City, Davao

For Wholesale/Online Purchases:

email aranazbags@gmail.com

Linya Disenyo Crescent Necklace

$175.00

Available at the following:

L Manila and Mix, Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street, Makati, Metro Manila

Moana and Itsie-Bitsie, Rockwell, Rockwell Drive, Makati, Metro Manila

Discovery Shores, Boracay, Caticlan, Aklan

For Online Purchases:

go to the IM-HM online store

THE FUNKY MOM

Papelmelroti Filipina Mom Bracelet

$4.83/PhP 169.00

Available in all Papelmelroti Branches:

Ali Mall and Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City

Korben Place, Roces Avenue corner Scout Tobias, Quezon City

Sta. Lucia East, Rizal

Glorietta 3, Makati

Robinson's Place, Manila

SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Megamall, SM Centerpoint, SM San Lazaro, SM Manila, SM Southmall

For Online Purchases:

Visit the Papelmelroti Website

Any Women's Shirt from Team Manila

Visit TeamManila Branches:

3/F Trinoma Mall, Quezon City, Metro Manila

2/F Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Rockwell Drive, Makati, Metro Manila

Manila Remix, The Collective, Malugay Street, Makati, Metro Manila

2/F Pavilion, Mall of Asia, Pasay, Metro Manila

For Online Purchases:

Visit the TeamManila Online Shop

THE RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL CATHOLIC MOM

Papelmelroti Mother Mary Bracelet

$4.83/PhP 169.00

Available in all Papelmelroti Branches:

Ali Mall and Gateway Mall, Cubao, Quezon City

Korben Place, Roces Avenue corner Scout Tobias, Quezon City

Sta. Lucia East, Rizal

Glorietta 3, Makati

Robinson's Place, Manila

SM North Edsa, SM Fairview, SM Megamall, SM Centerpoint, SM San Lazaro, SM Manila, SM Southmall

For Online Purchases:

Visit the Papelmelroti Website

AND FOR ALL KINDS OF MOMS!

Not only do you get to shop, you get to have a family picture taken as well!

Photos: ARANAZ Facebook, IM-HM Online Store, Papelmelroti Gift Suggestions for Mothers, TeamManila Lifestyle Online Store and Greenhills Shopping Center Website

Store: IM-HM

A trip to Boracay in Aklan, Pagudpud in Ilocos Norte or Palawan would not be complete if without the hottest resort wear and accessories and the online shopping site IM-HM is the perfect place to go on the web to find them.

IM-HM, short for “I am High Maintenance” is an online shopping site created by Mercedes and Bea Zobel that specializes in resort and swimwear, offers products from English, Australian and South American Brands. Aside from those, IM-HM also carries Southeast Asian-based brands from the Philippines such as Charina Sarte (resort wear), Linya Disenyo, Nicole Whisenhunt and Naga Jewellery by Wynn Wynn Ong (jewellery) and Indonesia such as Balifu Sarongs, Oishii (jewellery) and Vivacqua (bags), one of the very few online sites to do so.

Visit IM-HM now and avail of their Mother’s Day Special!

Photos: IM-HM

Event: Manny Pacquiao's Signature Fragrance Launch

Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao just added something new to his list of accomplishments: release his signature men's fragrance. Manny launched the scent, MP8 (“Scent of a Champion”) last 30 April 2011 at the Fred Segal/Ron Robinson Store in Melrose Place, West Hollywood, California. Manny himself concocted the mix with a little help from fragrance consultant Neil Harris of Harris Fragrances and perfumer Chris Buccellato of Custom Essence. MP8 stands for Manny Pacquiao and the 8 world titles he has won and is described as refreshing yet powerful, much like his cool-yet-deadly demeanor in the ring. The perfume has top notes of fresh bergamot, lemon and citrus followed by lavender, sage and vetiver and finally nutmeg at the bottom. 

Manny stated on local television that the perfume was created with love, and that anyone who would use or small the scent would feel like he or she is “with him”. Ron Robinson also commended Manny’s perfume-making skills, calling the scent, “beautiful".

The perfume is priced at $55.00 and is available in Fred Segal stores and the online shop.

Sources: Yahoo Philippines! and NESN

Photos: MonstersandCritics (Gisele Ribeiro/PR Photos)

Event: YESSTYLE Korean Brands Sale

Visit YesStyle to view the entire collection of clothes, footwear, bags, jewelry and other accessories from top Korean brands on sale. Hurry! Sale is up to 2 May 2011 only!

Store: ANTHILL Fabric Gallery

If there’s one advocacy that will never go out of fashion, then that’s sustainable development. In the past few years, old companies big or small and local or global have taken steps as to make their products or services more considerate to Mother Nature’s beauty and feelings. Many new local companies and products built on preserving the environment have also appeared on the market, including local ones such as Messy Bessy, Rags II Riches and ANTHILL Fabric Gallery.

photo: ANTHILL Multiply Site

ANTHILL Fabric Gallery is the creation of one of my longtime friends, Joy Anya Lim. Personally, I have never been to the store nor bought anything, but I am truly in awe of everything that the company has developed in its year of existence. According to its website, “ANTHILL Fabric Gallery is a the first creative social enterprise and a lifestyle store in the Metro bringing into one nest ingenuity, fashion, culture, advocacy and art,” with Metro here referring to Metro Cebu. Launched in February of 2010, Anthill offers a vast range of products using indigenous fabrics from Asia and various parts of the Philippines and upcycled materials such as used newspaper and foil packs.

Photo: stylecebu

Their products include pretty printed dresses and tops, kiddie clothes (including safe wearable blankets), jewelry and accessories, footwear, bags and purses. The unique Asian and locally-made fabrics are also for sale. Anthill also offers other really useful stuff such as travel ID tags, planners, corkboards and biodegradable utensils. Anthill Fabric Gallery’s holistic approach on the advocacy places it above the rest.

Photo: stylecebu

Another thing about ANTHILL is that it is a social enterprise. The business primarily helps women weavers from partner communities in Vigan, Abra and Benguet who produce many of the fabrics sold and used on other ANTHILL products. The name ANTHILL is reflective of the enterprise’s commitment to producing natural products that are one-of-kind and its celebration of the Filipinos’ excellent work ethic.

To Anya and the whole ANTHILL team, great work! Keep it up! Hope you guys could expand locally and even internationally!

ANTHILL Fabric Gallery

Pedro Calomarde St. corner Acacia Street, Gorordo Drive, Lahug, Cebu City

Open Mondays to Saturdays from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm

+063.032.5054175

anthillfabricgallery@yahoo.com.ph

View and purchase their products online via their official website and Multiply site.

Receive the latest news and offers via their Facebook page.