Occupation: Stage actress , Sideline: Saleslady

One of the many small indignities that I’ve had to suffer in my past life as a "pop princess," perhaps one of the most deflating was making it to the list of worst-dressed celebs. Just when I thought I had on my smartest Filipiniana chic outfit, worn especially for a film awards night, they wrote "Why does she look like a mermaid Cinderella running out of the kitchen?"

Thus began my interest in fashion. Styling doesn’t come naturally for me, but I think I can put together a decent outfit. I love browsing through magazines, checking what’s in, what’s out, what the celebrities are wearing, then mixing and matching stuff in my closet. When I started appearing regularly on television, I constantly struggled with what to wear. Noontime shows require performers to wear specific color combinations, or worse, wear recycled outfits pulled out from the network wardrobe archives. As you can imagine they were awful more than awesome. Within normal standards, I would be considered an average, normal-sized girl, but singing beside Jolina Magdangal, Kyla, or Karyll and other teen idols with their sexy slim figures, I looked like an Amazona. Because of this, I always had a backup outfit from my closet, sometimes even from my mom’s and my sisters. That’s when I began to take a vicious interest in vintage clothing. My mother and grandmother have loads of fashion jewelry and clothing from the ’50s to the ’80s carefully stored in trunks and old suitcases. My older sister was into vintage as far back as I can remember. I love rummaging through their closets. Even I have my own collection of old clothes mixed in with remnants of tulle and lace from my childhood. One of the most memorable gowns I borrowed from my lola is a pale salmon and silver serpentina used by a relative in the late 1920s. I wore it to an event held at the CCP and the dress definitely got a lot of attention.

And now vintage is in. I find it funny to see vintage-looking tweed bags available at the Gap. However, what’s great about the designers today is that they incorporate vintage looks in their designs. Of course, certain designer pieces were resurrected like the satin printed shawls and T-strap pumps, and the older-the-better designer bags. I have so much fun just looking at the stuff my mom and grandmother have, even just adding a brooch on to your sweater makes the outfit. What might have been considered tacky two years ago is a great find today.

On Future Plans

With only two years left to go in Sarah Lawrence I find myself becoming alarmingly concerned about what I’ll be doing next. Should I look for a job right away? What about graduate school? Do I go home or stay another year? Where would I live? And the biggest realization of all, how was I going to live? Personal expenses in the States are no joke. Compared to Manila, prices are two to five times higher in New York. Therefore, you must find ways to earn hard cash. Being a foreign student I cannot work off-campus, however there are jobs available on campus, and foreign students are given priority with regard to the availability of jobs offered.

Although my big dream is to get on a Broadway stage, I often ask myself if I’m really ready to join the legions of hopeful actors patiently waiting for that all important phone call. Sad to say, that’s how it goes unless you happen to be Lea Salonga. Singing is the only professional experience I’ve ever had. It’s my only real passion, but having said that, I also believe one needs to have something to fall back on. That’s where Child Psychology came in. I love children, and I like to teach. So if destiny doesn’t take me to the world of superstars and divas, I feel very blessed to have something else I enjoy doing.

Working At Mix

When I arrived in Manila for my summer break, I found myself without a manager and without work. What in the world was I going to do for three whole months?

I remember my literature teacher in tenth grade giving me a sermon about how wonderful it is to have talent, but more than that is the need to learn the business of money. Talent may bring you fame and fortune, however you must know what to do with it. What do you do with money once you have it or make it, how to keep people from taking it from you, and how to keep money working for you. Mia Borromeo is a family friend and I caught up with her in New York with the Ocampos. It was one of their "buying" trips and I watched them "shop" for what they thought would be "sellable" to their Philippine customers. I never thought having a job like that would be so much fun! You’re not only feeding yourself with goodies, but it’s considered work and getting paid for it.

That’s when I asked if I could be an apprentice/saleslady at MIX. I was grateful for the opportunity to hang around the shop and sell clothes. It was a different experience altogether. I’m learning how to handle receipts, accounts, checkbooks, and mood swings of customers. If you think the sale attendant’s job is merely to look for clothes that suit you, wrong. So many things come into play. For starters you have to be sensitive to the customer’s manner of dressing and personality.

I’m also learning the value of good service. Service is not only engaging the customer with things they want to hear, honesty and consideration to the customer’s style is of utmost importance. The goal is not only to sell, but to sell and make sure the merchandise looks good on the customer. Often frustrating because there are days when sales are slow and I’m so eager to sell, but my boss reminds me, no matter how it will affect the sale, you must be a truthful and sensitive attendant.

All in all, working at the store has been a remarkable experience as well as humbling. No matter how snooty and mean my customer gets, I grit my teeth and smile. I am reminded of how it’s like to be on the other side of the buy-and-sell process and what a great feeling it is to have a more than satisfied customer.