The Personal Style Blog of The Broke Fashionista - Featuring Vancouver, CANADA Streetstyle

TBF FASHION INSPIRATION: PREVIEW MAGAZINE, the Philippines' Fashion Bible

2011-06-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

I am getting pumped for my next trip to The Philippines (whenever this may be) and yes, there are a lot of things I could get excited about, like the food, the atmosphere, seeing my relatives and just simply being submerged in my culture but being a true fashionista at heart, I am (regrettably) fixated on the current state of our country's (or at least Manila's) fashion. All I can think of is what to wear and what to pack. Naturally, I decide to flip through our nation's bible for style and all things modern, trendy and classic: PREVIEW.

Anyway, I built myself a hefty collection during my last visit (they sell back issues there which is awesome for us "balikbayans" who can't subscribe) but of course, I wasn't lucky enough to purchase the ones sold after my departure. Luckily, they have a lot of the content posted on their website: http://www.stylebible.ph/ a must-click if you are interested in this aspect of The Philippines. The website's structure is very similar to VOGUE's style.com but different because of what's featured - either way, it's a great source for all things fashion-related.

By the way, I made the collage above to showcase and pay some respect to PREVIEW's incredible covers in the past few years.

A special note to those who have this preconceived notion that Filipinos back "home" are tacky, do yourself a favor, place your ignorance in your back pocket for just one minute and grab a copy of PREVIEW to see that we're not all baduy.

Feeling empowered by my Filipina (and some half Filipina) sisters,

Justine

TBF FASHION INSPIRATION: Large-chested Women CAN wear suspenders!

2011-06-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

I know. She doesn't exactly have the biggest bazoongas but her shirt is STILL an option for us large-chested women to finally sport some suspenders. I would love to get this shirt in black and white. I would also love to get her face haha. What a pretty girl.

Just sayin...

Check out the video here

TBF TREND: Proenza Schouler PS1 Bags

2011-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Images taken from http://www.proenzaschouler.com/shop/#

It hasn't really hit the shelves of most mainstream stores that I shop at (ex. ZARA) but the style and look are definitely going to take over soon, I'm sure. I wish I could afford one of these Proenza Schouler PS1 bags but I most likely won't be carrying my credit cards and lip gloss in one any time soon with my stay-at-home mom salary. Oh well, it doesn't hurt to dream and stare at pictures of them for hours and hours... or does it?

Sorry, my skin is acting up :(

2011-05-31T17:55:00.000-07:00

Judging by the stats I can see on the back end of this blog, I am slowly losing readers by the day. I don't blame you as I haven't been as committed to updating as I used to be. I want to apologize but I also want to explain why. My skin is acting up right now so I am not exactly up for getting my photo taken for my Look of the Day segment. Anyway, enough of that... I will be going to my doctor to get a prescription to take care of this little break out I am having so I promise that as soon as I am back to my normal self, so will the state of this blog.

In the meantime, I thought I would share my skin care line-up that I use everyday. I know I am not exactly the spokesperson for this topic (though I am blaming it on the stress and not my skin care regimen) but I know we all have our routine and beloved products. I've been pretty committed and loyal to 3 of the products above (St. Ive's Apricot Scrub, Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Oily Skin and Eskinol toner) and have recently switched over to skoah's moisturizer with SPF as I found AVEDA's to be too thick, oily and rich - feels like I'm wearing a mask when combined with foundation, powder and brush. It's been more than 24 hours and my skin hasn't broken out in rashes from the skoah products used during my facial so I am assuming I'm not allergic. So far, it has also felt weightless and doesn't quickly sting my eyes like other lotions with SPF. I don't want to speak too soon though so stay on top of my tweets in case my face looks like I've had third degree burns later this week.

Well that's all for now. This is so weird that I am only doing entries that don't involve posting pictures of my face (like I just had a facelift or something). Then again, embracing my creativity and posting about topics other than my Look of the Day or StreetStyle photos, may be somewhat fun. We'll see!

Not exactly feeling like Ms. Look-at-me-look-at-me,

Justine

TBF LOOK OF THE DAY: Outfits entered into Coquitlam Centre's STYLISTA Contest

2011-05-23T13:50:00.000-07:00

We don't have to color-block all the time. Sometimes, all we need is one pop of color. Today, I chose to keep all my accessories neutral (and retro with the floppy wool hat and velvet platforms) and liven up my outfit with a hot pink skirt from ZARA.

I always find that orange tends to look too Halloween-ish when paired with black so I chose to wear my orange skirt with a leopard print to at least add a little bit of beige/taupe to the mix. When wearing pencil skirts, I like to match them up with pointy toe heels to elongate the legs and add a bit of sexiness without showing too much. When there is this much flash, I absolutely have to add a patent leather bag and black pumps with silver studs.

A light and airy outfit for our consecutive sunny weekdays last week. The bright, but not so flashy coral pink and white polka-dot blouse paired with a white skirt and neutral heels are perfect for some alone/reading time or for a visit to a hotel restaurant to enjoy some tea or brunch with girlfriends.

With the sun setting a little later than normal this summer, a formal evening doesn't have to mean wearing black or dark colors anymore. I chose to wear this patterned dress with all of it's fun ice cream/pastel colors and sparkly peep-toe heels to add some subtle, yet feminine drama to the ensemble. With all of the colors and details in the dress and shoes, I chose to pair this up with a plain over-sized white purse.

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So I decided to finally enter Coquitlam Centre's STYLISTAS Contest by posting some of my outfits from last week during our city's sunniest week this summer. If you have a chance, please visit their Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221953977821000) and vote for my outfits :) I would really appreciate it! (

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oh and don't forget to vote for me here if you haven't already! Thanks for your support.

TBF SHOPS: Black and Gold Chain Necklace

2011-05-21T06:43:00.000-07:00

How perfect is this necklace?

For someone who has a larger chest, it's important to avoid long necklaces that end up hiding in my cleavage. This necklace, that is not only shorter and perfectly wraps around my neck, beautifully shows off my collar bones and has several strands that make it super chunky, leaving my neck to appear smaller than it actually is.

I also adore that this isn't another gold chain necklace which, honestly, can make people look like Mr. T at times. The black chains intertwined add a chicness to the necklace making it perfect to add to a plain white T-shirt or a day/office dress.

The best part (something you can always expect for all my purchases) is that this was on sale at the clearance section and hardly cost a thing. Sales like this one should be illegal.

Not revealing the store's name,

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: ZARA Horsehair Leopard Print Purse Bag

2011-05-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

Hmm, it was the last one and it was on sale for close to 40% OFF. It's made of real leather and has a leopard print made of horsehair. It has an adjustable shoulder strap and several compartments, big enough to fit even a few diapers and wet wipes. I'd be a complete idiot to pass up buying this ZARA leopard print purse slash bag, right? AND, just look at how perfect it looks with the fox tail I bought recently.

On a sidenote: I much prefer this type of leopard print than the realistic looking kind. This version feels more youthful, almost like an animated cartoon version while the other pattern looks like it was made for an older woman's fur coat. Another reason this bag was just meant to come home with me.

Hoping this is the last leopard bag purchase this year,

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: Gray and Caramel Fox Tail Keychain

2011-05-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have this rule that I try to live by when shopping which is to wait 2 weeks before buying something which either results in the item being on sale or being sold out. Either way, I am able to avoid impulsive shopping and at least save some money (whether it's a little or the whole amount). There is also the possibility that I may forget about the item or lose interest during the 2 week period but that only proves that I didn't need the item in the first place.

Well, now that I've been able to explain this rule, I can confidently talk about how I saw these at a store in Richmond months ago and turned my back to them (mostly because the hubby couldn't appreciate why I would want to attach a tail to my bags and discouraged me from making such a silly purchase). Months later, I saw them again for 50% at a store and knew I couldn't make the same mistake twice. My brother tried to talk me out of it this time or to at least buy one but unfortunately for him, my will was too strong.

So here we are, one in gray and the other in a caramel color to go with mostly any color bag I've got. I want one in black and a vampy red color too but luckily for the hubby and my brother, they didn't have those in stock at the store :p

At least I didn't get a rabbit's foot - those are just gross,

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: Gold CASIO Watch (FINALLY!)

2011-05-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

Images taken from StyleScrapbook.com

I first saw this exact watch in a VIVI Japanese Magazine many many years ago and set myself on a search. It didn't become serious until I saw Andy Torres from Style Scrapbook wearing it, then I became fixated and bought it in black, pink and taupe because gold was never available.

I made a trip to American Apparel one day and saw a silver version and was tempted to buy it as it was THE closest thing to the gold one being made of metal at least, but as soon as I turned around and saw the watch display, there she was...

I didn't know how much it cost but I couldn't turn my back on this orphan. It turns out that these are no longer being made and that only a few are being sold around the world, which makes it that much more special.

Seriously hoping the salesman wasn't BS'ing me!!!

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: My NEW Black and Maroon Wool Hats

2011-05-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

All images above taken from http://carolinesmode.com/stockholmstreetstyle/

I've always wanted to wear this type of hat but my hair has either not been long enough or the layers just didn't right but I'm finally comfortable with my hair style so I purchased these two wool hats for super cheap. I found the maroon one at the clearance section for $4.99!!! What a major steal, considering wool hats sell for approximately $60 at American Apparel! I am a little obsessed with these beauties and am on the search for ones in navy blue, beige/brown/camel and gray. I know it might not be appropriate for spring and summer but it's never too early to prepare for the fall :)

Excited for my hair to get greasy,

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: Faux Horsehair Leopard Wristlet Purse with Metal Chain

2011-05-13T06:35:00.001-07:00

Images from http://carolinesmode.com/stockholmstreetstyle/

Surprisingly, being the leopard print fanatic that I profess myself to be, I don't actually own a presentable leopard print purse or bag. The only one I owned prior to this purchase is this bag that I got for free at a supermarket in the Philippines (I'm laughing inside just thinking about how silly that was). I've been on the search for a nice horsehair one and found this cute little thing that can carry my cellphone, lipstick/gloss, compact and ID/cards/cash on clearance at the "Secret Store" (since I don't want anyone else to get it - selfish I know! but too bad) so you can imagine how ecstatic I was. I think I had to put my eyeballs back into their sockets when I first laid my eyes on this. I don't usually do this and may sound crazy for wanting to do so, but I think I am going to name this adorable bag, Lola.

Maternal instincts gone wrong,

Justine

I really appreciate your support!

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: Red Beret, Robson

2011-05-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

I really appreciate your support!

Urban Culture Conference + Awards http://urbancultureconference.com/

2011-05-11T10:01:00.000-07:00

I was recently nominated for Vancouver's BEST FASHION BLOG and am now running against some of our city's finest bloggers. As a new blogger (having only started my blog this past January 2011), I am totally honored and thrilled at this opportunity and this recognition. You can help me by voting for The Broke Fashionista on the Urban Culture Conference + Awards website. Following these simple steps will only take you a few moments, I promise!

Step 0: Visit http://urbancultureconference.com/ and scroll down

Step 1: Pick a Category and choose BLOG

Step 2: Pick a Poll and choose Fashion Blog

Step 3: Choose The Broke Fashionista and VOTE!

Step 3's list won't appear like the image above if you haven't voted. You should have a list to choose from - we voted from this computer already so it's showing the percentages instead. Either way, it's as easy as that so vote now!

Thanks in advance for all your support!

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: How Young Men are wearing the Spring/Summer Bright Color Trend, Robson

2011-05-11T06:09:00.000-07:00

I really appreciate your support!

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: Cut-Off Jean Shorts for MEN, Robson

2011-05-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

I really appreciate your support!

TBF SHOPS: VANCOUVER CANUCKS temporary tatoos

2011-05-09T15:40:00.000-07:00

Tonight is Game 6 for the Vancouver Canucks vs. Nashville Predators and I (along with the rest of this city) is hoping for a painless win without having to go into overtime.

I thought it would be appropriate for me share my latest ("jump on the bandwagon during the playoffs") purchase of these temporary tatoos (also finally bought a T-shirt). They sell them at The Hockey Store by Surrey Central if you want to snag a set.

I'm hoping that this wasn't a waste and that I won't need to save it for next season. I'm sure the Canucks have learned their lesson from the last game(s) and will be coming back to Vancouver as winners.

TBF LOOK OF THE DAY: Celebrating Mother's Day in a paint printed dress and Grey Oversized Coat

2011-05-09T06:52:00.000-07:00

Over-sized or Boyfriend Gray Coat from ZARA, Dress from Forever 21, Shoes from ALDO, Rose from my darling hubby and the Little One

Pearl earrings, necklace and bracelet from The Philippines

Here's what I wore on Mother's Day. The Hubby and the Little one made sure that I had the perfect day by letting me sleep in, wake up to the awesomest hand-made Mother's Day card (more like a poster lol), taking me to church, treating me for brunch at Hidden (The Westin Hotel), going for a walk and tiny shopping spree (show you the purchase in a separate post) on Robson and lastly, a long drive home while talking about our dreams and plans for the near future. Thanks to my 2 loves for making me feel special and appreciated. <3 you both.

Happy mom,

Justine

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: Black Leather Biker Jacket with Black, Grey, White Tiered Skirt, Burrard Street

2011-05-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

@j_tine on Twitter

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: Oversized Orange Purse, Burrard Street

2011-05-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

VANCOUVER STREETSTYLE: Pops of Red (lips and bag), Burrard

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

LOOK OF THE DAY: Date Day Outfit - Camel Trench Cargo Coat with Acid Wash Jeans and Camel Boots

2011-04-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Jacket from The Gap, Jeans from Urban Outfitters, Boots from ZARA, Bag from Joe Fresh

The Hubby and I decided we needed a "Date Day" (yes, an entire day was in order) to just relax, talk and hang out sans the Little One. Don't get us wrong, we love spending time with and taking out toddler everywhere but every parent (even awesome ones like us) need a break once and a while.

We didn't have a formal agenda (which we usually do when we go out with the Little One to avoid restlessness and what seems like endless crying in and outside of the car) but lunch was most certainly needed ASAP. I was craving sashimi so we agreed to Tweet and Facebook Update our way to a recommendation. Regrettably, our hunger got the best of us and we ended up eating at the first place we saw on Main Street. The prices were reasonable but soon after we found that there was a reason for why it was so "affordable". The sashimi was thin (more like anorexic) and tasted "fishy" funnily enough, in other words, we're never going back.

We followed our less than satisfying Japanese food lunch with some frappuccinos at JJBean on Main. I had never been prior to this visit and expected to see more "hipsters" or "Main Street Fashoion" but was quickly disappointed - must have been a slow weekday. Thankfully, the frapps didn't disappoint and may have been the strongest caffeinated drink I've ever had as I actually felt it hit me mid-way during our stay.

After our coffee date, we headed over to movie theater on Arbutus and watched the only show they were playing, HANNA. I quite enjoyed the tamed Kill-Bill-like movie but what really made me smile was the fact that I realized this was the same theater I watched my first movie in (that I can remember anyway). I was probably only 2 or 3 years old according to my dad but my memory is just impeccable like that. I still remembered the structure of the room as soon as I walked in, though the curtains were red velvet a little less than 30 years ago. Anyway, that memory was always so vivid to me all my life, so to see the real thing again was just such an incredible feeling.

A couple of hours later, we drove over to Yaletown Brewery and watched the Canucks own the Hawks during Game 7. The loud cheering, waving of flags and cars honking in all of Vancouver was the perfect way to end our Date Day.

Cheers to more date days, nights - whatever we can get,
Justine

TBF SHOES OF THE DAY: ZARA Yacht / Moccassin Shoes

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

TBF SHOPS: Can't Wait for the End of Season Sale at ZARA

2011-04-26T08:10:00.000-07:00

Wishlist: Leopard Maxi Skirt, Black Leather Skirt, Bright Colored ANYTHING, Blue suede pointy flats and SO MUCH MORE.

I have a lot of love for ZARA but the prices for some of the things I am longing for this spring / summer are absolutely out of my budget. Other than the leopard maxi skirt, I can certainly wait to save some money and will continue my tradition of waiting until the END OF SEASON SALE later this year. Like I've said many times before, I am not a huge fan of paying full price for mainstream clothing and looking like everyone else during the season. Anyway, the sale is going to be epic and I for one, cannot wait to buy a bunch of colorful pieces to add to my closet.

(I don't actually have money to shop so) Color me bad,
Justine

TBF LOOK OF THE DAY: Denim Dress with Mustard Yellow Cardigan

2011-04-25T08:14:00.000-07:00

Cardigan from ZARA, Denim Dress and Belt from Forever 21, Shoes from A Secret Store, Hat from Joe Fresh

TBF LOOK OF THE DAY: Off-White Sweater with Army Green Canvas & Black Wedge Boots

2011-04-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

Sweater and bag from Joe Fresh, Jeans from Forever 21, Sunnies from Aldo, Bracelets from H&M, Watch from Casio, Shoes from A Secret Store

My regular readers are all probably aware by now that I only shop at a few stores for my more recent wardrobes: ALDO, ZARA, H&M, Joe Fresh and Forever 21. I do shop at other stores but I guess it's not as often. In any case, there are some places I shop at where I discover amazing finds, like these wedges. TDF, no? They're an interesting "step up" from the regularly worn Converse Chuck Taylors - and not to mention a great mix of colors as I've seen black canvas with white wedge soles - YIKES!

Anyway, I love these and have decided that there are just some deals that I am not willing to share (I am quite selfish like that :p) so I am going to simply state that these "items" are from "A Secret Store". Cool? I knew you'd be cool with it.

Wishing I was American so I could wear shoes around the house and in bed,
Justine