Chic and cheap
November 28, 2003 | 12:00am
When it comes to clothing, less is more – and we don’t mean it in the way Larry Flynt would. Cheap is chic. The less money shelled out for a fab outfit earns accolades rather than derision. Bargain pieces are the newest must-haves; department-store bought crossing over to the ranks reserved for the nouveau cool. These days there is no such thing as low-end fashion. Department stores and markets are now stocking up on pieces that look as if they belong to a Japanese magalog. They’re playful, provocative, trend-driven, and – the rainbow sprinkling on the donut – hella cheap. The savviest style follower is the shrewdest bargain hunter. Fifty-peso buys are treasure finds and not miserly actions.
Nobody can resist a good bargain. The outrageous mushrooming of ukay-ukay stalls all over the metropolis, the popularity of holiday bazaars, and the incessant Midnight Madness weekends malls and department stores use as a sales-magnifying ploy are enough proof that we are all spoiled for a good deal.
Not even these three style mavens who mix, match, and maneuvre the possibilities of finds from bargain mecca SM can resist a good bargain. A fashion editor, a maquillage expert, and a fashion designer tailor funky bargain pieces (nothing above seven hundred bucks) to their own personalities.
Anne Bella - Fashion editor, Seventeen Phils.
Your look? Classic—preppy mixed with unexpected pieces.
Where do you get your style ideas?From my gut feel. I just picture the image in my head and interpret it with whatever is available here. I also get ideas from Style.com. Magazines (Nylon, Vogue, Lucky)
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt (i.e. when to go, whom to go with, what to look for). Go to a place where you know you’ll have a lot of choices. It’ll be easier when you have more options.
Look for the best quality fabric and workmanship. As much as possible, always fit the clothes. Watch out for loose thread, weird fit, poor fabric. Buy clothes that suit your personality and lifestyle not just because its cheap. Shop alone! So you can take your sweet time.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it?A floral/Indian print wrap skirt made of Thai silk from ukay-ukay in Baguio. Where else do you go to bargain hunt?
SM, ukay-ukay in Baguio, Robinson’s Dept. Store, lower arcade at Greenbelt, 50th Avenue in Galleria.
Xeng Zulueta - Chief makeup artist for Shu Uemura
What's your look? At the moment, vintage quirky chic.
Where do you get your style ideas?Chloe Sevigny is one of my style icons, she can look girly one minute and really quirky the next, and sometimes she’s both! I also work around my flaws so I generally know what cut, length and shape suit me best.
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt.
Avoid going bargain hunting on a weekend. Aside from the swarms of people you’ll run into, chances of finding your size in anything is slim. Only if you have extreme patience should you proceed on doing so. Go at it alone, it’s frustrating enough to look through racks and racks of clothes, shoes, and accessories, what more having to look and wait for your companion? You’ll only end up getting on each other’s nerves plus he or she might end up competing for the same bargains. However, if you really have to be with someone, make sure that it’s someone with a different taste and size.Look for pieces that best reflect your personality and style.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it? An old rose long gown of eyelet silk organza made in the 1950s, purchased for 10 pounds on Portobello Road in London. Where else do you go to bargain hunt? SM is a great place to bargain hunt. If you don’t mind used clothing, ukay-ukay always offers interesting pieces with history. For someone like me who collects a lot of vintage, I’ve managed to score some really neat bargains on eBay. It’s the only place I know where you can narrow down your search to a specific size, brand and era and actually have a handful of items to choose from.
Ma. Christina Daniac - Designer
What's your look? Feminine, sexy, young, wearable, and fun.
Where do you get your style ideas? I usually base it on my personal taste and what’s hot in the current season. I just incorporate trends to my personal style.
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt.There are a lot of places to go to now like Cubao, etc. For bargain hunters who really want to go the extra mile…they can go on a bargain hunter’s pilgrimage to Baguio.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it?A Gucci bag for P100.
Where else do you go to bargain hunt? SM, I.T. in Hong Kong (low-priced designer clothes and accessories), Cubao, Baguio, and Rainbow Bazaar.
Nobody can resist a good bargain. The outrageous mushrooming of ukay-ukay stalls all over the metropolis, the popularity of holiday bazaars, and the incessant Midnight Madness weekends malls and department stores use as a sales-magnifying ploy are enough proof that we are all spoiled for a good deal.
Not even these three style mavens who mix, match, and maneuvre the possibilities of finds from bargain mecca SM can resist a good bargain. A fashion editor, a maquillage expert, and a fashion designer tailor funky bargain pieces (nothing above seven hundred bucks) to their own personalities.
Anne Bella - Fashion editor, Seventeen Phils.
Your look? Classic—preppy mixed with unexpected pieces.
Where do you get your style ideas?From my gut feel. I just picture the image in my head and interpret it with whatever is available here. I also get ideas from Style.com. Magazines (Nylon, Vogue, Lucky)
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt (i.e. when to go, whom to go with, what to look for). Go to a place where you know you’ll have a lot of choices. It’ll be easier when you have more options.
Look for the best quality fabric and workmanship. As much as possible, always fit the clothes. Watch out for loose thread, weird fit, poor fabric. Buy clothes that suit your personality and lifestyle not just because its cheap. Shop alone! So you can take your sweet time.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it?A floral/Indian print wrap skirt made of Thai silk from ukay-ukay in Baguio. Where else do you go to bargain hunt?
SM, ukay-ukay in Baguio, Robinson’s Dept. Store, lower arcade at Greenbelt, 50th Avenue in Galleria.
Xeng Zulueta - Chief makeup artist for Shu Uemura
What's your look? At the moment, vintage quirky chic.
Where do you get your style ideas?Chloe Sevigny is one of my style icons, she can look girly one minute and really quirky the next, and sometimes she’s both! I also work around my flaws so I generally know what cut, length and shape suit me best.
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt.
Avoid going bargain hunting on a weekend. Aside from the swarms of people you’ll run into, chances of finding your size in anything is slim. Only if you have extreme patience should you proceed on doing so. Go at it alone, it’s frustrating enough to look through racks and racks of clothes, shoes, and accessories, what more having to look and wait for your companion? You’ll only end up getting on each other’s nerves plus he or she might end up competing for the same bargains. However, if you really have to be with someone, make sure that it’s someone with a different taste and size.Look for pieces that best reflect your personality and style.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it? An old rose long gown of eyelet silk organza made in the 1950s, purchased for 10 pounds on Portobello Road in London. Where else do you go to bargain hunt? SM is a great place to bargain hunt. If you don’t mind used clothing, ukay-ukay always offers interesting pieces with history. For someone like me who collects a lot of vintage, I’ve managed to score some really neat bargains on eBay. It’s the only place I know where you can narrow down your search to a specific size, brand and era and actually have a handful of items to choose from.
Ma. Christina Daniac - Designer
What's your look? Feminine, sexy, young, wearable, and fun.
Where do you get your style ideas? I usually base it on my personal taste and what’s hot in the current season. I just incorporate trends to my personal style.
Give your tips on how to bargain hunt.There are a lot of places to go to now like Cubao, etc. For bargain hunters who really want to go the extra mile…they can go on a bargain hunter’s pilgrimage to Baguio.
What’s your best bargain buy? Where’d you get it?A Gucci bag for P100.
Where else do you go to bargain hunt? SM, I.T. in Hong Kong (low-priced designer clothes and accessories), Cubao, Baguio, and Rainbow Bazaar.
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