Joyfully Yours

I still can't believe that it's already the last month before the -BER months come in. Usually August passes by quickly then before one notices it, it's already the end of the year! Thus, my blog title "August Rush."

It's been almost 3 months since I've gotten into the fashion industry and things I discover never fail to amaze me. Who would've thought getting the looks of Hollywood celebrities using SM Ladies Fashion outfits are possible?

Get the Look of Glee's Lea Michele (photo from  http://www.facebook.com/SMLadiesWear)

Get the Look of the sexy Miranda Kerr (Photo from  http://www.facebook.com/SMLadiesWear)

SM Ladies Fashion Management Corporation not just sell or promote its clothes. It gives back to its fans by teaching them on what to wear or how to wear an outfit properly. Every month, two participants are chosen through an online promo to be styled by one of Manila's best sought after stylists.

Celebrity Stylist Sidney Yap with participants Vivian Aguilar & Jaycee Pazcoguin (Photo taken by Joyfully Yours)

The two participants with the guest stylist are featured in a webisode entitled, "Fashion That Fits" which means fashion that fits one's body, style and budget. It's all in one! The latest webisode featured the versatility of denim with Fashion Blogger & Stylist Patricia Prieto entitled "Denim Diaries with Patricia Prieto."

Jenna Marie Pertgen for Jus Ur Size (Photo from  http://www.facebook.com/SMLadiesWear )

Celebrity & Fashion Magazine Stylist Millet Arzaga (Photo from http://milletarzaga.multiply.com/)

Highlife Magazine May-June 2012 cover

Highlife Magazine Aug - Sept 2011 cover

It's amazing how Belle De Jour (BDJ) Power Planner is not just a planner but it's all around the whole year! 


After a lady buys a planner, the BDJ team makes an effort to create BDJ Rendezvous and BDJ Passion Series for those who have the planner to meet up and enjoy how it is like to be a BDJ girl.


This month of July, BDJ is focusing on the corporate women. "BDJ Rendezvous: In Charge & In Control" will be held on July 28, 2012 from 1-6pm at The Concourse of SM Makati. This event is for both ladies who are looking for work and who are looking for a promotion! 


The topics to be tackled are the following:


Talk #1: Corporate Essentials with Kat Dy
Style your Workwear Wardrobe with 10 key pieces

Talk 2: Game Face On! with Bianca Valerio
Your guide to looking polished and professional in just 15 minutes 


Talk 3: Shine with PJ Lanot
11 Factors that make people really, really successful


Aside from the seminar, as the usual BDJ Rendezvous goes, there will be lots of giveaways, games & prizes for everyone! It's surely going to be an afternoon of treats!




How does one get invited? 

It's my first ever time to attend the Philippine Fashion Week as part of the organizing team. It certainly feels different since I'm not lining up outside the venue, I'm comfortably seated inside the venue without any people and just waiting for the show to happen.

As part of the digital team, I was tasked to give out live updates to SM Ladies Fashion fans on Facebook. It's my first time to give out live updates and I felt like a court side reporter who needs to give up-to-the-minute updates which seems quite difficult because of the internet reception and uploading of photos to the computer however, I was able to do so successfully!

The good thing about this is that whenever I spot a VIP and ask him or her to pose for me, he or she is willingly to pose without batting an eyelash.

Early lovebirds Victor Basa and Divine Lee who were the 1st who came to the show.

The pretty Sarah Meier who sat behind me and had a chat with me after the show.

Fashion designer Kate Torralba who I caught after the show.

Preview Magazine Fashion Editor Daryl Chang who was already on her way out and I've stopped her for a pose.

The show started promptly at 7:30pm which made me feel that it's going to be a good show. The show was jump-started by the new collections of Parisians. It revealed heels, heels and more heels are the in thing this year. Even though a lot of women love the comfy flats but gorgeousness in heels is the hot trend! Well, there are comfy heels around which one has to dig around to discover.

The mysterious intro

Fierce red heels that makes any woman scourging hot! Good luck, boys!

The nude heels perfect for a warm sunny day.

The glass slipper that makes Cinderella a princess!

The night out heels perfect for well-manicured feet.

The main highlight of the show is of course the very colorful clothes that's perfect for this tropical country. Whether the weather is hot or rainy, these colors will surely put a smile on any woman's face.


The most unforgettable part of the show is when the 5 of the most popular fashion bloggers showed up! Everyone was alive, clapping and enjoying the fame these ladies were getting. Somehow this event made people feel that fashion is for everyone even the normal people like these 5 ladies get to enjoy them!

Camille Co

Patricia Prieto

Alyssa Lapid

Lissa Kahayon

Laureen Uy

These ladies made a very big and surprising impact in the fashion industry today just like the way they surprised the audiences during the show. This part tells everyone that even though you're not a celebrity or a socialite, you can still be fashionable!

The night did not end when the show ended. Guests were still staying at the cocktail area enjoying their drinks and chatting the night away about the fabulous show!

Beauty Queen Melanie Marquez

ABS-CBN Senior Reporter Mario Dumawal

The bar filled up with more drinks to celebrate the night away.

LFMC Ad & Promo Manager Pat Jocson with her friends

The best part of the show for me is being able to sit at the middle of everything. I was seated in front of the media taking photos. I was on the second row though but I was beside the videographer who kept calling me to take photos if he sees something nice.

For more details of the show, just check out SM Ladies Fashion and SM GTW on Facebook. To watch the whole show, check SM GTW's website.

Just like that, it's already June and summer in the Philippines is officially over! It's been raining for almost everyday now. Somehow, I love the rain because of the cold weather it brings here in this tropical part of the world but then I miss the summer heat too with all the colorful outfits that I can wear.

As my title says, I had a lot of changes before this mid-year came. After more than three years, I left my job at BusinessWorld, one of the most prestigious business paper publication in the country today, on April 30 and moved to SM, the best company and the biggest tax payer of the country today, last May 16. From being in the print media industry to retail particularly ladies fashion may seem like a huge move. I must say it may seem like that on the outside but I've been handling HerWord.com and Highlife Magazine for the longest time and now I'm handling another item for ladies so I guess I came in prepared for my current position.

This is me in my new office.

Aside from my love for media, since I took Communication Arts in DLSU. I have also always loved fashion because it brings out the beauty and uniqueness of a person. I may not express it out loud a lot of times because of restrictions but deep inside, I crave for fashion much like window shopping and trying out clothes that I really like but couldn't buy but being able to fit them is fun. Just look at these clothes from SM Ladies' Wear:




Since I'm part of the SM Ladies Fashion Management Corporation, I was able to go to SM Ladies' Fashion Philippine Fashion Week show last May 23, 2012 and got the best seat (middle row together with the photographers) to take photos and do live updates for our Facebook fan page. I'll discuss more about the show on my next entry.

Last week, I've revealed my very first bridal idea. Yes, I'm getting married in one and a half year's time! Like a lot of brides-to-be, I'm excited, nervous and confused about planning my wedding. The very first thing that came to my mind when I started to plan for my wedding is the church.

There's actually just one and only church I've always loved in Metro Manila and that's Sanctuario de San Antonio which is my fiance's first choice as well. These are the two things I love about this church:

The altar is bright and majestic that it gives a romantic feel for the ceremony. (Photo from mimiandkarl.com)

The wooden door gives the bride a moment  to inhale deeply and get ready before plunging into the marriage. (Photo from mimiandkarl.com)

When my fiance called the church, they have asked us to go there personally for inquiry and reservation so we did. Upon reaching the church, I heard my heart beating really fast thinking this is it. When we reached to the office to ask on the availability of our wedding date, the lady in the office just said a big NO, they're not having any wedding on the date of our wedding. That's it and she didn't entertain us anymore. My heart immediately broke into pieces! It feels like this church just threw us out of their door. Up to this moment, I can still feel a tear rolling down my face because this church is not meant for me and my fiance.

The next church we went to is Christ the King Church in Greenmeadows. I've been inside this church for three times. The church is quite spacious and enclosed by glass making the church quite bright inside which gives a peaceful ambiance. The downside of this church as what my fiance said is the automatic glass door entrance which takes away the dramatic entrance and the aisle is not long which means the entourage and the bride must walk really slow to prolong the ceremony. The good side is, the church has a huge parking space. Also, it only has one wedding on a Sunday which means there's plenty of time to take photos after the ceremony!

The altar is quite simple but the statue of Jesus here makes the couple getting married feel truly blessed to find each other. (Photo from storybookwedding.wordpress.com)

My fiance and I went into their office to make inquiries. Unlike in Sanctuario de San Antonio, the lady here is quite friendly and answered each and every question we asked. The best part of our inquiry here is that it's available on our wedding date. Upon telling my fiance's mom about our inquiry with this church which she approved of, she has booked the church for us. This is it! Mission #1: Accomplished!

My hope is that we can do something about the automatic door entrance. The automatic glass doors still bug me.

Although the first half of 2012 seem to pass by real quick, just looking back made me feel there's so much things that have happened in my life. I feel happy and blessed with all the good things and changes happening and will be happening. God has been truly good to me! Cheers to the next half of the year!