Big Move!

Hello, readers!

I finally got my own domain! So, I have moved all my works and will be putting my new posts there. You might want to check it out and follow. :D

http://itsheiditorralba.com

Lots of love,
Heidi

Dress Up and Feel Pretty

Have you ever imagined a cute outfit, became excited about wearing it but then decided to save it for a special occasion for fear of looking overdressed on an ordinary day? I have. Countless times, actually. I like the idea of looking pretty on certain days but there have been occasions when I go to school donned in a skirt or dress, I got teased and my friends say "You have a date, don't you?" Uhh, no, I just felt like dressing up.

My mom has also been pestering me for years to go out and wear heels, even if I'll just be going to school, since I'm only 5'4" and in need of some help in the height department. I don't want to look overdressed when I go to school, since I'm known to walk around in flats all the time. I save heels for special occasions. I save dresses and skirts for special occasions. I save certain pretty tops for special occasions. But who ever said that dressing up was reserved for special occasions? Who ever said that looking pretty and cute on ordinary days is wrong?

I recently tweeted something related to the moments I decided to dress up:

And it rendered this reaction:

Apparently, I'm not the only girl who feels the same way. That's why I try to dress up when I can because I dress up according to my mood. When I'm happy or excited, I tend to dress up in a girly manner or come up with any outfit that exudes happiness. When I'm feeling lazy, I choose clothes that I can practically lounge in, without looking like I just got out of bed.

People tend to judge us on how we look and how we carry ourselves so if you don't even bother about your appearance or even present yourself in a pleasant way, what does that say about you? My mom has reprimanded me for sometimes not caring about how I look. I went through a phase wherein I went to school in male cargo pants or went on a lunch and coffee date with my dad in an ugly jeans-and-shirt combo. It's embarrassing to think that my dad would accompany me to the mall and help me find new clothes out of pity for how I looked whenever we met. 

That's why I try to dress up when I can, whenever I feel like it. I strive to look presentable or pretty when I go to school, run an errand, or meet with family and friends. I dress up and make sure what I'm wearing is appropriate and comfortable enough to get me through the things I have to do for the day, be it grocery shopping or a study group session.

So, to the girls who have second-guessed themselves in front of a mirror when trying on a go-to outfit for the day, always remember to feel pretty. Always try your best to express yourself and convey a good message with how you present yourself. Don't be afraid to make fashion mistakes. It happens to everyone and all you have to do is learn from them and move past them. At least, you already know what not to do. Dress up to leave a good impression on everyone you meet, even if it's a stranger or a passer-by. Dress up because you want to.

"The more you dress up, the more you'll have fun." - Brian Molko

Cracked Nail Polish

I had a mani-pedi after months of keeping my nails bare. That's a lot of breathing time, if you ask me. Also, I got used to seeing them without color, especially at the times when I was drafting. I guess now I can have my nails painted since I won't be doing tedious things with my hands yet for the next few weeks.

Are you guys familiar with the cracked or crackle nail polish trend? It's basically the easiest nail art ever. All you have to do is apply a base coat, let it dry then apply a layer of Cracked nail polish and... it actually cracks! My friend, Kirby (the same guy who gave me the Mortal Kombat shirt from Hot Topic) gave me a bottle of L.A. Girl Cracked Nail Polish in Explode (GNL176) and only got to try it on my first mani-pedi session for this sem. I used a grey Orly polish as my base coat (since that was what Enza Katipunan had) then topped it off with the Cracked nail polish and was quite pleased with the results. I'm not exactly a fan of nail art but this type amused me because I like the deconstructed vibe the effect has and since the cracked design comes out randomly as you apply the coat of polish, it's interesting to watch the pattern form.

I kept my toes plain, though just to let them have the clean look. I apologize for showing you a photo of my not-so-attractive feet. I just wanted to show you the color they currently have painted on.

Photo Credit

There are other brands that offer Cracked or Crackle nail polish, like China Glaze, OPI, and Mia Secret, and their effect is closely similar.  I think I'll go around looking for other colors and brands, check what's readily available here in the Philippines, and keep experimenting with the cracked fun when I can.

Chains and Charms

I got my stuff from ELETSHOP! Okay, I actually got them a few days ago, but I only managed to blog about it now. Boo me.

I was happy scrolling through the stuff on Irish's (that's the shop's name's owner) site because all of the charms were really cute. Too bad, though, some of the ones I liked were sold out and I was a bit low on cash when I decided to purchase some of her stuff. But I'm extremely happy with what I got and just how fast the whole transaction was.

I actually had a certain level of exhilaration when the guard handed me the package when I was about to enter the condominium around a day or two after I paid for everything. It was my first time to buy stuff online. Yes, I'm an online shopping noob.

So, yeah, anyway, new charms, chains, and wire to add to my crafting collection. If I had all the time right now, I'd be DIY-ing. I actually managed to make a few things but I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and make jewelry.

I've got a cabinet's cost estimate and airport design waiting for me so I guess the DIY therapy should wait.

What do you lovelies suggest I should make? Hit me up! I'm willing to experiment with anything. :)

Friday Night Lights

Udang Goreng

my parents looking all happy and sweet

view of the mall from Penang Hill

Whole family's in Manila again and as usual, we chose to dine in Ortigas. My mom wanted to take us to Sumo Sam but the place was jampacked and we were too hungry to wait for a table to we went to Penang Hill. No regrets with that one. The food was awesome! I loved the Udang Goreng (Fried Prawns). Too bad I only managed to eat one piece. I did get most of the sauce. Yes, their sauces were awesome. Hooray for Asian cuisine!

We stopped for coffee at Starbucks (this is an SOP, actually). I chose to have a green tea latte while my sister, feeling toxic and all, decided to have a chamomile tea blend. Mommy got her usual machiatto and Daddy went for brewed coffee.

We all walked towards The Linden Suites and took a nightcap 'cause Daddy's flight was at 1:00pm the next day.

The whole time I was in Ortigas, my friends, namely  Emong, Aleks, Jazzie, Cessa, and Paolo, were at Spazzio. I was there the night before and I kinda wished I was with them because I suddenly missed them when they called me on the phone and I was in the taxi along San Miguel Avenue. I'll find time for them next week most definitely. I have a certain kind of attachment to certain people in Arki. Hahaha! What iz clingy.

I spent and ended my week pretty well. Let's see how the rest of the weeks before Christmas break go. :)

A Not So Feel Good Drag

Today has got to be one of the most dragging days of this week. The second semester's just starting and already I feel spent. I had four classes today and my profs for every subject I had today  totally drained the life out of me. They were like dementors of some sort. I'm too weak to even rant about the details that ended up making me feel so tired.

I sneaked a one-hour nap when I got home but still woke up feeling sluggish. Having a Cranberry White Chocolate Mocha and Warm Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake at Starbucks barely helped. And I thought that sugar could somehow raise my dampened spirits.

 

Photo Credit 

I was expecting an awesome day ahead, despite having barely any break because I always try to be positive about going to school. Plus, I enjoyed being with my friends at Papu's last night. I guess the universe just balanced things out for me.I even wore my Mortal Kombat shirt, which was a gift from my friend, Kirby Salvador because it gave me happy childhood vibes. I found it cute that Sub-Zero and Scorpion were the characters on the shirt and the famous line "Finish him" was written on it.

Mortal Kombat by heiditorralba featuring a skinny belt

Since I wasn't able to take a shot of my outfit today, I styled a similar thing on Polyvore to give you an idea of what I wore. I borrowed my mom's belt and the earrings my sister made while she was tinkering with my chains and charms.

I don't know why I'm challenging negative energy today and I don't know if the dementor profs are the only ones to blame. I know there are many other reasons, one of them could be hormones. It's just been a not-so awesome day. Maybe the rest of the week will turn out to be better. I'm crossing my fingers on that.

Blue Skies

Cardigan, thrifted; accessories, thrifted; bag, Manels, ballet flats, Charles and Keith

I didn't spend my semestral break solely in Davao City. My family went on a road trip to General Santos City to attend the San Miguel National Beer Drinking Contest 2011 Area Finals. It was one of the activities of for Oktoberfest and me, having been no-show in Oktoberfest events in the past few years, was game to go to GenSan with the family. The event was a total bust. The band sucked and the contest was pretty lame for me. The beer drinking contest I attended before was way better, when it came to the line-up and program. Thank God for free beer. I downed two San Mig Lights and headed up to our hotel room.

I didn't expect GenSan to be extremely warm the next day. I didn't want to show too much skin though, so I donned a light grey cardigan, which I borrowed from my mother. I kept things simple because I packed light and we were going to be on the road for the most part.

We went up to Kalsangi to buy loaf bread and check on their Halloween preparations since Halloween celebrations are an annual thing in the area. Kalsangi was still as beautiful as I remembered it. Overall, it was a chill but not extremely awesome weekend. But at least I got to relax with my family after my week with my Arki friends.

The Skinny On Fashion

Photo Credit

"To all you girls that think you're fat because you're not a size 0, you're the beautiful one, it's society who's ugly." - Marilyn Monroe

I just recently read a post by Kristina Bazan of Kayture entitled Does Skinny Rule the Fashion World? and I can't help but think that the battle between separating the linkage between "beautiful" and "skinny" is still going on. Gone were the days when women like Marilyn Monroe would be the women young girls would look up to when it comes to looking sexy. Now, young girls starve their way toward perfection, believing that food is the enemy and that every roll of fat they see on themselves when they face the mirror is a signal to skip on meals for the rest of the day. I have actually written a letter to Meg Magazine a few years back regarding this issue on what is considered beautiful in the fashion industry.

Photo Credit

"I know it's one's personal task to boost self-esteem but it would also be really good if media did its part in making women realize their true potential rather than rob them of the chance to believe that they can shine with what they were born with."

I had to quote myself because it was with this line that I felt I needed to emphasize. Despite the campaigns popping up on body acceptance, saying that skinny isn't in, well, I gotta tell you one thing: skinny IS in. Why do we have to deny it to ourselves? We don't see average-sized women gracing the glossy pages of fashion magazines. We don't see plus-size models working it on the runways. And we definitely do not see fashionistas/stylistas above a size 8 or 12 get a lot of hits on Chictopia or get the most hypes on Lookbook. No matter how much we tell insecure women out there to love themselves and not let their size and figure weigh them down, it can't be helped, because society does it for them. Society does it for us.

Photo Credit

You might wonder why I sound so affected regarding this issue. It's simple, I have been labeled and have been insecure myself. I get told that my arms and thighs look huge in photos. I've been told that there are some clothes I can't wear because of this and that. It has come to a point that I call myself fat and I get reprimanded for doing so because I am not fat, nor am I bordering towards overweight. I am an average-sized woman with an athletic build and birthing thighs. I am a healthy 120-pound 20-year-old woman who stands at 5'4". I might as well put it out there. Maybe it has helped to have guy friends who constantly tell me that I'm not fat and tell me that they'd choose soft, curvy real-looking women over reed-thin models. Maybe it has helped to surround myself with people who look beyond the superficiality of physical beauty and dig deep towards what makes a person who they are. Either way, I have learned to accept what I am and what I can be.

We know that clothes look generally better on skinny people. Generally. The skinny members of society just comprise a tiny percentage of the whole female community. There are more women out there with bellies, butts, and thighs. Why can't the media and the fashion industry put these women in the spotlight and show the rest of the world that clothes look good, if not awesome, on them, too? We know the power that media and fashion have over everyone and it's about time this power actually did some good to the teenage aspiring models who flip through fashion magazines or stay glued on their televisions watching Fashion TV.

Photo Credit

I salute Danah and Stacey of PLUMP as they continue to push the advocacy on bodily acceptance at a time when physical discontentment is at its peak. Danah and Stacy know what it truly means to be beautiful and to be confident in your own skin. These two help many filipinas realize that you don't have to be reed-thin to be beautiful. You are beautiful and fierce any weight you are.

Photo Credit

I also have to applaud my fellow blogger and one of my closest friends for years now, Farrah Garcia of The Style Reactor for being confident in her own skin. You'll understand the insecurities she has gone through by reading her post on finally stepping out of her comfort zone by proudly embracing her curves. I can't be any  happier to see her exude a certain aura of confidence because of this.

We're going to be fab no matter what our weight and figure may be. We are beautiful the way we are. So, I don't care if the media will say "Skinny is in." Skinny can stay in for as long as it wants, I know my athletic build will not handle being reed-thin and I'm embracing my curves after years of insecurity. No, I am not shunning or hating those who are thin. If you're thin and achieved that figure the healthy way, then I salute you. Just remember that being skinny doesn't make you better or even prettier than the average-sized girl next to you.

Back-to-School Essentials

We're saying hello to a brand new semester! I don't know if this sem's hell weeks will just be as heavy as last semester's but I'm pretty sure this one will be eventful. I'm going to be on 20 units this sem so I'm expecting a pretty tight schedule every week and I know I would need more time to focus on my academics and school activities than on what to wear to school, so I've come up with a list of my Top 10 Back-to-School Essentials (I'm also fond of making lists, mind you).

Basics by heiditorralba featuring metal rings

1. Plain V-necks 
I swear by these when it comes to my "school uniform." V-necks are very comfortable, not to mention versatile. You can wear them with anything, from jeans to skirts, and they never seem to get old. They are wardrobe staples and I've actually added a few V-necks into my collection for this sem.

2. Big bag 
With all the things I bring to school, I'd need one to fit all of them in.

3. Comfortable footwear
I'd need durable and comfortable footwear that would get me through the day with all the walking I do in UP. Hello ballet flats and Sanuk slip-ons.
4. Cardigans
You can never go wrong with one. Pair it with a tank top, jeans, or shorts, a cardigan would be a cute element to any outfit, not to mention keep you cozy when you're in an air-conditioned room or when you don't want to show too much skin.

5. Accessories, accessories, accessories
They spice up any plain and boring outfit. Nuff said.
6. Denim shorts
I need more of these. You can never go wrong with them.
7. The Body Shop's Extra Virgin Minerals loose powder foundation
I thank my mom for introducing this product to me. I swore off pressed powder after trying this. It's just what I need when I'm in a hurry and have no time for concealer or messy sunscreen (I NEVER have time for those. I'm not kikay enough) 
8. Laptop bag
I threw my ratty old laptop bag in Davao and took one of my dad's laptop backpacks. It's roomy and is perfect for days when I need to work on things from school. Instead of going home during my breaks, I choose to stay in Arki and work there during long breaks, so bringing my laptop to school is really helpful.
9. Planner
I think I have slight OCD. I constantly have to make lists or write down all my plans for the upcoming days. I developed this system when I was juggling acads, org, and council duties, not to mention the usual chill sessions with friends. A planner keeps me focused and comes in handy when my stress and memory loss kicks in.
10. Friends 
Swear, this is what kept me going on days when stress seemed to bring me down. It's good to have people around when you're feeling frazzled and low. Be it during chill inuman sessions or group studies, friends will always make everything better.

Sagada, 2010 (Photo Credit)

Pinku to Kani

This is a month-late! Gah. I never got to blog about my last Ortigas dinner date with my family. I'm practically in love with Ortigas, it being the place where my family and I lived in the summer of 2006. I've grown accustomed to the place and the lifestyle there. But, living in Katipunan has made my trips to Ortigas less frequent so I only go there when my dad's in Richmonde and we all decide to go out for dinner and coffee.

Bayo top, Diego denim shorts, thrifted accessories, thrifted loafers

I wanted to keep things simple, like I always do, thus, the outfit. It was cool enough for a long-sleeved top. Mind you, I am not a fan of pink or lace but these girly details got balanced out with the masculine structure of the top so I found it okay. I didn't want jeans to weigh me down on a lazy night with my family so I donned a pair of shorts instead.

We headed out for a Japanese dinner at Kimono Ken, Shangri-la Plaza Mall. I LOVE Japanese food! Itadakimasu!

My sister's a total Bon Chon addict. She told me, "Ate, I want a picture at Bon Chon!" Seriously?

It was the usual Starbucks-after-dinner trip for that night, but not at Pearl Drive anymore. We decided to go to the newly opened branch beside Richmonde.

Forgive my dad for his weirdness.

Yes, it's crude. We know.

Overall, it was a good family dinner. I had awesome Japanese cuisine in my belly, good coffee to satisfy my caffeine love, and a loving family for company.

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Beach Bums

The people who know me know how stressed I was in the last few weeks of this school year's first semester. So, you would imagine just how excited I was for my sembreak in Davao, especially since I knew a bunch of my Arki friends would be flying to Davao for the sembreak, too. They all slept over at Lea's lola's house and I just met up with them on some days to hang out. The best days of the week? Definitely the times when we hit the beach. I got an "over-tan" due to the excessive sun exposure I put myself through but I did not suffer from sunburn.

I wasn't with them on the 23rd of October when they went to Paradise Island because that was the day of my Manila-Davao flight. We spent Ocotber 25th in Talikud Island, island hopping. It was fun. It was a day of snorkeling, swimming, awesome homecooked food, fresh buko, beer, soju shots, and pure sunkissed fun.

© Jeric Rustia

 One of our bottles of beer fell into the water when it slipped out of Lea's grip. We considered it as an offering, since it's sort of a Filipino superstition to have an alay before a drinking session. So, I guess we managed to give Mother Nature a good-tasting offering and a few fishes their morning dose of alcohol. Yes, we had our first round as early as 8:30 in the morning. Haha!

 © Cessa Gaston

© Cessa Gaston

We had fresh buko at P 20.00 each! How awesome is that? Usually, these sell at P 55.00 at least in some resorts and restaurants. We had twelve of these, which we weren't able to finish. Jazzie and LJ scraped the meat off most of the shells since they liked it that much.

© Jeric Rustia

© Paolo Flores

It was a perfectly lazy day. We alternated through swimming, strolling, and sleeping after our lunch. We headed back to Davao City past 4:00pm. We freshened up at Lea's place, had dinner at Yellow Fin, then went to SPE for a few drinks and shisha.

October 27 was spent at the beach as well. We chilled at Paradise Island for one last time before they started packing for their flight the next day.

© Jeric Rustia

© Cessa Gaston

© Cessa Gaston

SUN. SKY. SEA. SAND. SHOTS.

BEACH. BEER. BUDS.

What more could you ask for?