Fashion Styling Concept: Bohemian Glamour

Christmas season is never complete without having to attend even a single Christmas party.  And one of the most awaited Christmas parties that I attended this year was our company's party which was to be held by division or by department. In our case, we prepared for a department party only since we do not belong officially to a certain division as we are directly reporting to the President & CEO of the company.  With this, we were at an advantage of being able to conceptualize anything under the sky and made it happen the way we imagined it to be.

And so, we agreed to take the BOHEMIAN concept and entitled our party as BOHEMIAN FLAIR.  To complete the concept, each one of us had to be in our most Bohemian-looking outfit.  And see below for the outfit that I have decided to strut on the party.

Foremost, let me define first what B O H E M I A N means..(via Pinterest)

(n.) Gypsy, Wandered. A person, musician, artist or writer who lives a free-spirited life and believes in truth, freedom, and love.

 This was quite an unflattering photo, but this was the only most decent solo photo of mine that was captured.   We had a fashion walk to allow the judges to look over at our outfits and to judge how we model on the catwalk.  Oh, I forgot to mention, the outfit and the modeling was a contest.  Yes, a contest.   And it soaked up us all in a "temporary intoxicating" pressure.

The list below was the awards that were declared:

BOHEMIAN PRINCE
- outstanding male, most participative, best-dressed male, "head turner" -

BOHEMIAN PRINCESS
- outstanding female, most participative, best-dressed female, "head turner" -

BOHEMIAN MODEL

- best catwalk during the fashion show -

BEST BOHEMIAN OUTFIT - Male category
- male with the best Bohemian/Boho outfit -

BEST BOHEMIAN OUTFIT - Female category
- female with the best Bohemian / Boho outfit -

 But can you think of what concept I had in mind in pulling off this look?  

I called my ensemble as BOHEMIAN GLAMOUR.

Here's a decoding of my BOHEMIAN GLAMOUR look:

1.) The dress - which was the centerpiece, was of multi-print vibrant flowy dress, typical peasant style off-shoulder neckline; length was maxi and I have to slice the dress on one side for ease on my strides and to inject a mod-chic style.

2.) The accessories - which gave more jazziness to the ensemble, was a conspicuous display of a well-coordinated in color and in material (f.y.i. color coherence is part of my fashion advocacy) trinkets that can sum up to femme elegance style (this is a self-declared personal style delineation) and that pink turban that shouted "boho" at its fineness.

3.) The shoes  - a semi-boot cut wedge sandal with ample fringe - will always complete a look, and the pair I donned did its job seamlessly.  The fringe is a staple of Bohemian style.  Not to mention the fuchsia color of the footwear that perfectly coordinated with the dress and the rest of the accessories.

The most essential facet in my look is my personal fashion advocacy - see HERE -, which on a daily basis (when not in uniforms) is being carried through, of Color Coherence / Color Coordination and Elegant Experimentation.

What I Wore:

maxi dress - G. Capital SRP Department Store

pink turban - Siam Square in Bangkok, Thailand

wedge fringe sandals - Kay in Hong Kong

peach feather / faux diamond + chain earrings - XOXO

"Love" earrings - Siam Street Night Market in Bangkok, Thailand

faux pink crystals+ stones ring - Bellagio in Las Vegas, U.S.A.

long chain necklace - Forever 21

stretch bangles - SM Accessories

gold + black stretch belt - G. Country Mall Department Store

What I Wore:

scent - Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction Blush Fragrance Mist

lipstick - Wet & Wild 511B Nouveau Pink / Nouveau Rose

nail color (pedicure) - fuchsia pink - Caronia (Stellar frosted) & gold  - Chic-Chic Mirror Nail Polish

make-up by Dani Shei 

And I went home not totally empty-handed as I bagged the BOHEMIAN PRINCESS award with this cute customized trophy and a little envelope with a quite substantial cash.

Here's a photo of the group:

Hope to have shared another fashion styling concept that you can take inspiration with on your next themed parties.

Live in style, every day!

10 Great Shopping Destinations in Bangkok

My 5-day vacation in Bangkok, Thailand did not end when our plane took off from the Land of Smiles.  The vacation was not left forgotten nor was just being stored in my memory.  It was shared, it was made known to many. I have had the best chance to impart my happy experiences to a lot of people and most especially gave a guide on where to shop - for fashion items - in Bangkok.  Having been to Thailand for the fourth time, see HERE, there's still more to see, more to experience, more to taste, more to explore, more to discover but I felt that it was the absolute time to publicize, to promote, to broadcast how amazing Thailand is in my own little ways.

Sun Star featured my trip in their Shopping Bag section on November 28, 2014 and entitled it as 

BANGKOK SHOPPING DIARY

Thank you to Ms. Kara.

The photos below were the shots that made it on print.

Here's a recap of the 10 great shopping destinations I have explored and enjoyed during my October 2014 vacation in Bangkok, Thailand.

1.) If you want to experience grandeur and be in many places at one time, check out TERMINAL 21

2.) Siam Paragon houses the premium and luxury goods and one of the biggest malls in Asia, see more HERE.

3.) CentralWorld is a mega-shopping plaza in Bangkok and is the 6th largest shopping complex in the world and it offers one of the most exciting shopping experiences in Bangkok, see more HERE.

4.) ZEN Department Store at Central World is a seven-level megastore catering especially to trendy, young-at-heart shoppers and to those who appreciate world class style and fashion, see more HERE.

5.) Platinum Fashion Mall is Thailand's largest wholesale and retail fashion mall and it is like an indoor version of Chatuchak Weekend Market, see more HERE.

6.) Victory Monument for daylight street market and anything affordable yet stylish clothing.

7.) MBK Shopping Center is an eight-level shopping mall known as Bangkok's most legendary shopping mall to both locals and tourists, see HERE.  

8.)  Siam Center The Ideapolis is now dubbed as the Fashion Mall for the seriously cool, see more HERE.

Along side this mall is 9.) Siam Discovery.

10.) Siam Square is a shopping and entertainment area in the Siam District of Bangkok. It has been newly renovated and it now houses the most kawaii themed cafe I have ever seen yet, Hello Kitty House - Cafe, Spa and Store in 1.

'Til my next Bangkok escapade!

Travel, Go shopping, and Live in style, everyday!

Bangkok Diary 10-2014: The Travel Outfits

My series of Bangkok Diary posts have now arrived to its conclusion.  In this post, I am recapping the itinerary of our R&R in Bangkok last October 2014 including the outfits I have worn each day of the trip.

Day 1 - afternoon

Discovering Terminal 21

Day 2 - morning

Meet and Greet with Weir Sukollawat Kanaros at Don Mueang International Airport

What I Wore:
top - Mongkok Ladies Night Market / purple skinny pants - Melvin / platforms  - Kay from Hong Kong / sling bag - Desigual / sunglasses - from Las Vegas, U.S.A. / earrings - Color Stone

Day 2 - afternoon

Around Siam

Day 3

Exploring Bangkok via BTS Skytrain and Subway Train

Day 3 - afternoon

Lumphini Park

Day 4 - morning

Park in Siam

Hello Kitty House - Bangkok

Day 4 - afternoon

Free Photography Workshop at MBK Center

Day 4 - evening

Revisiting Bangkok Art and Culture Center

Day 5 - morning

Victory Monument

What I Wore:
lace top + twill shorts + black leggings - Chic Vintage / embellished thongs - 138 Mall / sling bag - Desigual

What I Wore:

knit "heart" cropped top - Cyecle /  black & white polka dot pants - Chic Vintage / embellished thongs - 138 Mall / red thin belt - Island City Mall Tagbilaran City / sunglasses - SM Kids Department Store

What I Wore:

top - Cyecle / palazzo pants - G. Capital SRP / scarf - borrowed from my sister / cap - Puma / sling bag - Desigual / embellished thongs - 138 Mall

What I Wore:

top - Cyecle / palazzo pants - G. Capital SRP / sunglasses - SM Kids Department Store / sling bag - Desigual / embellished thongs - 138 Mall

What I Wore:

checkered + neon top - Kirin Kirin @ Ayala Alabang Town Center / black twill shorts - Chic Vintage /  neon stretch belt - Primadonna / sling bag - Desigual / sunglasses - G. Country Mall / earrings - Color Stone / platforms - Kay from Hong Kong

What I Wore:

"United" top - Cyecle / black & white polka dot pants - Chic Vintage /  pink sunglasses - from Las Vegas, U.S.A.  / sling bag - Desigual / earrings - Color Stone / platforms - Kay from Hong Kong

Travel and Live in style, everyday!

Bangkok Diary 10-2014: Day 5 - Shopping in Siam: Siam Center The Ideapolis

After our Victory Monument adventure, see HERE, we headed back to Siam to shop around the other stores in the area.  First stop, SIAM CENTER - The Fashion Mall for the Seriously Cool

Siam Center The Ideapolis is an arena of imagination and creativity without limits in art, fashion, technology and lifestyle.

Not only is the new Siam Center an arena for fashion, art and lifestyle, it is also a centre for 

digital multimedia innovations where the latest in the world’s technology are brought 

together to complement the design, interior decoration and functionality of Siam Center.

“Siam Center offers visitors the opportunity to get an experience of cutting-edge technology. 

With every step you take in Siam Center, you are in the middle of future innovations. You 

will enjoy the experience of having a close interaction with all technological advances”

Siam Center is also revolutionising the shopping sector with the close collaboration forged 

with retailers and owners of premium brands in order to make all stores in the building 

consistent in character and respond to shoppers’ expectations in the same way.

Siam Center’s re-launch in January 2013 brought a different kind of shopping experience to Siam: over 200 international and Thai brands including the boutiques of some brilliant promising local designers as well as renowned Thai couturiers. 

Although Siam Center may have been around for over 40 years, it is still enlightening and surprising its customers with cutting-edge, unusual fashion.

Location Address of SIAM CENTER:

Siam Tower, Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan 10330 Bangkok, Thailand

Located next to Siam BTS it is linked by a covered walkway to Siam Paragon Mall, famous for its high-end boutiques. 

Store Hours: 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.

How to get there?: BTS Skytain: Siam

Be sure to visit Siam Center on your vacation to Bangkok, Thailand.

Travel, Go shopping, and Live in style, everyday!

Bangkok Diary 10-2014: Day 5 - Shopping in Victory Monument

Morning of Day 5 of our Bangkok trip last October 2014 was scheduled for shopping in Victory Monument!

How to get to Victory Monument?

via BTS Skytain - from National Stadium Station of Silom Line, transfer to Sukhumvit Line at the Siam Station going to Mo Chit, then just take a stop at the station of the same name: Victory Monument.

Me, looking really happy and excited for a day of shopping awaited for me. (f.y.i. - i love to shop).  We woke up again early to maximize our remaining hours in Bangkok, since our flight then was on the midnight of the following day.

 That pointed structure is the Victory Monument.

Victory Monument (Thai: อนุสาวรีย์ชัยสมรภูมิ, Anusawari Chai Samoraphum) is a large military monument in Bangkok, Thailand. The monument is located inRatchathewi District, northeast of central Bangkok, at the center of a traffic circle at the intersection of Phahonyothin Road, Phaya Thai Road, andRatchawithi Road. via the wikipedia

The streets outside of the rotunda of the Victory Monument was a street market by day, I am not so sure if it runs till midnight.  Clothes, which were priced very affordably, as compared to the night market in Siam, were sold on the streets and the sight of them made me press my hyperactive-shopping-self button.  Several stalls sold all kinds of goodies from cheap accessories, bags, lingerie and even street foods.

 A number of shops were located underneath the BTS skywalk.  But if you continue traversing the area, you can also find several department stores and bazaar type of malls which you can shop til you drop, such as the Fashion Mall Shopping Center and  Center One Shopping Complex.

Clothes and more clothes...

 Victory Point

This outdoor bazaar located underneath the BTS Victory Monument’s Skywalk is jam-packed with Chatuchak-style shopping stalls and food vendors. Catering to working-class Thais and university students, the collection of clothing and fashion accessories on sale here is no different from those you will find at street-side stalls throughout Bangkok. After sunset, a lineup of makeshift bars offers cheap drinks, such as bucket cocktails and local beers. If you are in the area to catch a van or bus out of town, Victory Point will keep you entertained.

• Opening Hours: 08:00 – 21:00 (shopping stalls)

The Belongse brand of shoes. Back here in Cebu, a month after this trip, I saw pairs of Belongse flats sold in one of the department stores in Colon.  But the shoes' prices were 3 times more expensive than its price there in Bangkok.

Soi Roy Ran

Occupying the first floor of what used to be Center One shopping complex, Soi Roy Ran is an air-conditioned indoor shopping bazaar. Like its name suggests (meaning 100 shops), it houses an extensive lineup of single-unit shops selling everything from woman’s fashion to hair accessories, leather bags, shoes, high heels and even nurses’ uniforms. Most shops cater their collections exclusively to women, although there are a few T-shirt shops as well.

• Opening Hours: 10:00 – 22:00

My shopping experience at the street markets and various fashion centers of Victory Monument was one catchy feat.  I have purchased a number of fashion pieces which I really liked.  Definitely this shopping spot deserves to be explored, enjoyed and shared to all shopaholics.  

On your next trip to Bangkok, be sure to wander through Victory Monument!

Travel, go shopping, and Live in style, everyday!