Jazzing up the Assumption uniform

My first year in Assumption wasn’t exactly rosy like the uniform, but the stuff that teenage telenovelas are made of.

It was 1981. I was a freshman and transferee from St. Paul Pasig, which the mean girls called baduy.

That hurt so much because in St. Paul I thought I was one of the cool girls. What hurt even more was I really wanted to be friends with the mean girls, but that wasn’t meant to be.

While I spent more than six years at the Assumption, I always felt like a square peg. I’m grateful though to have kept a few friends who are precious to this day.

In college I asserted my “uniqueness” by tweaking the uniform — much to my mom and the college dean’s concern.

Now I find myself in the year where the word “velada” comes along — the 25th anniversary of our high school graduation.

My batch mates are busily preparing for the big event later this year. This much I know: it will be at the Mother Rose Hall, there will be songs and dances, and people will wear the old Assumption uniform. I’ve seen former Assumption girls wearing the uniform, namely President GMA and Senator Loren Legarda, and I’m dreading the day.

As a fashion designer, I feel like the uniform hasn’t evolved with the times. There’s that white sailor top, red plaid tie and pleated skirt. How I wish the nuns would wake up and do something about it.

In one of my lunches with former classmates, I brought up the crazy idea of jazzing up the Assumption uniform, and thought about asking Manila’s top designers to help me out. I asked my friends in the industry to redesign it with their favorite Assumptionista in mind, with only two basic rules: that the design would utilize the red plaid and must not scandalize the nuns.

Rajo Laurel was first to finish. We met up at Rockwell where he personally handed me his sketches the following day.

Rajo chose working socialites, cousins Leica Carpo and Tessa Valdes.

“I took the ‘DNA’ of the existing uniforms and twisted it a bit to fit the personas of Leica and Tessa,” Rajo said.

“As you can see Leica’s is more streamlined with a fitted bodice and draped skirt using the plaid of the existing uniform, but I was thinking of working the plaid in a neoprene-like material so we can really see the drape, plus a silk cotton/lycra for the top.  

“For Tessa I want to capture her exuberance so I want to use a double-ply silk taffeta. I draped the bodice, giving it a fichu-collar feel but unstructured. And then I created a skirt with a book-fold detail accented by pleats.”

Joey Samson submitted three studies for Isha Andaya, managing editor of Stylebible.ph. The silhouette is a slim and empire-waisted uniform with shoulder straps, finished with a pleated skirt or culottes. Underneath, a white top with baby collar is accented with either bowtie or grosgrain knot. A welt pocket and school patch or crest adds character to the uniform.

Kate Torralba also chose Tessa Valdes as her peg. She made three studies. The first has a crisp, white cotton shirt that’s slightly fitted and trimmed with the Assumption plaid and necktie. The shirt has a hidden placket and secret pockets. Underneath, plaid culottes with pockets, and what’s a Kate Torralba design without the book bag and matching headband?

Kate also thought of a three-piece set consisting of a blazer in dark denim to wear on more formal occasions; a white tailored shirt in crisp cotton with burgundy stitching, necktie and plaid cuffs; and pleated skirt with hidden pockets.

Wear with limited-edition knee-highs by Leg Love: Kate Torralba for City Lady hosiery and matching laptop bag in canvas, trimmed in leather with the AC and plaid accents.

Ivar Aseron created two studies for Lifestyle’s Y-Style editor Celine Lopez. The uniform consists of a short-sleeved white top with a pleated bib and slim red tie over pleated skirt with hidden pockets.

As an alternative, Ivar offers a light, knitted sweater to wear over the uniform. White knee-highs complete the look.

Patrice Ramos Diaz had her mother and spitting image, Alice Raymundo, in mind. She made four studies. First is a white blouson with Peter Pan collar, pleated front closure and cuffed sleeves over a plaid skirt.

Second is a loose shirt with three-quarter sleeves and detailed front closure tucked into a comfy plaid skirt.

Alternately, Patrice designed a white top in stretch cotton poplin tucked into a pencil skirt.

Finally, a white blouson with breast pockets and ribbon accent is worn over a tailored pencil skirt in plaid.