Making the Right Fashion Choices

CEBU, Philippines - It is quite a common horror when one is raring to go to a particular social gathering and finds nothing in the closet that fits the occasion. Panic usually ensues. But why the stress?

Everyone knows that what she wears in any given occasion helps shape others' perception of her. No one wants to go out looking negatively carefree and harried. Every body's concept of image or personality is to look fashion-savvy and confident.

The Outlets at Pueblo Verde, the first outlet shopping mall in the Visayas and Mindanao, offers the following guide to sartorial choices for any occasion.

Fill your closet with wardrobe staples. Refrain from always be going on an impromptu shopping spree whenever something comes up. Do not limit your wardrobe to everyday clothes. Cover your bases beforehand; it is such a comfort to just open your closet and easily pick out what to wear.

Stores at The Outlets offer a variety of choices in terms of fashion. You can never go wrong with jeans from Levi's and touches of colors from Giordano. For classic, indie-rock streetwear, there's Converse. For occasions that call for a preppy casual style, Dockers has the ideal selections. Timberland is the answer for those in need of sleek casual workwear that calls for layers. Nike, Puma, Adidas, and Reef are, of course, best for the various physical activities.

The Outlets is a great resource if you want to be outfit-ready for any type of activity. It prevents being mistaken as training for CrossFit when you're actually just going out for groceries. You finally have options ready for you in your closet when you go to socials, from low-key birthday dinners to the more refined corporate soirees.

Be practical. To be fashionably sensible, you do not have to burn a hole in your pocket. One of the biggest reasons The Outlets is popular among fashion shoppers is that items of top international brands are offered at 20 to 70 percent discount all year round.

Another way to shave off unnecessary expenses on your wardrobe is to mix and match. Avoid a single look that can only be worn once. Mix up pieces to avoid looking like you're in the same getup over and over. Aside from the mono-brand stores, The Outlets also boasts of shops that carry multiple brands and various options, namely, Fashion Rack, The Bambu Store, and Planet Sports, all carrying a dozen or more of well-known brands, from Victoria's Secret and United Colors of Benneton to Ipanema and Nautica. Other top brands are soon to join in The Outlets family.

Pull it off.  As Coco Chanel once said, "Every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway." This does not mean you have to be fashionably outrageous just to grab people's attention. You have to be comfortable with what you're wearing.

As shoppers check out the many shops at The Outlets, they need to be thoughtful to pick out the ones that they like the most, without forgetting to pick items that are wearable on this occasion and the next. Of course, one has to look good in what she picks, and think of possibilities of combining pieces to make a different getup. Another thing, she has to feel good in whatever getup she comes up with.

At The Outlets, good fashion has an affordable price tag. The place is also easily accessible by jeepneys, taxis, and private vehicles. The Outlets at Pueblo Verde is a landmark in itself, located along M. Patalinghug Jr. Avenue, MEZ II, Lapu-Lapu City. More info is available at www.facebook.com/TheOutletsAtPV.  (FREEMAN)