When it comes to college stereotypes, ABS-CBN’s Gokada Go! barkada has got it all covered: the preppy nerd, the sultry vixen, the doe-eyed girls next door, the goth rocker chick, the Park Avenue Princess-type fashionistas, the goofy hunks, the token smart closeted gay guy who, in defiance of the typical clash-of-class storylines, all get along as they experience the different highs and lows of college life.
Bob, the resident college hunk, has a friendly yet feisty connection with the gang’s self-proclaimed probinsyana nerd, Junniper. Goth chick Bangs can hang with the fashion-conscious duo of Alex and Trish. The stoic Badjie and resident femme fatale Maggie are buddies with the saccharine-sweet Charee. And Dennis, the Gokada’s own Queer Eye — who navigates the complexities of his gender preference amid the hordes of female admirers that he unwillingly attracts — is friends with everyone.
The group’s own brand of comedic chemistry usually happens within the walls of the “Philippine University” campus. But for summer, with school out and out-of-town trips beckoning, the Gokada has been making rounds on the favorite vacation spots in the country, decked in the hottest summer trends such as stripes, bright cotton shirts, short skirts for girls, and hip shorts for guys.
Gokada members are far from cookie-cutter images of each other, however, with each character dressing up to their own personality. For each Gokada’s brand of personal style, popular retail brand Penshoppe is the go-to place for their fashion fix.
Dennis (played by Timmy Boy Sta. Maria) describes his style as “neat and coordinated, not at all flamboyant.” Graphic tees are a constant in his wardrobe, which he dresses up with accessories such as dog tags, bracelets and necklaces. “The clothes that Penshoppe carries can be mixed and matched kaya it’s easy to play around with your wardrobe. Their outfits aren’t for one generation only: teens and adults can both find good items in Penshoppe.”
Gokada’s Bob (played by Joem Bascon) agrees. “Penshoppe used to have shirts with logos lang,” he recalls. “Ngayon, may funky designs na ‘yung clothes at marami nang tina-try na trends.” Bob likes Penshoppe’s striped sports shirts and is amazed at the expanded line of jeans that are available for men: “May skinny jeans na rin para sa guys ngayon! Akala ko before, only girls would wear those.” He prefers to keep it cool for this season, though. “Shorts with flip-flops or Chuck Taylors is my uniform for the summer.”
More so than the guys, the Gokada girls also have reasons for making Penshoppe their one-stop shop for all things fashion. “What I love about Penshoppe,” claims the fashionista Trish (played by Jana), “is how the clothes I see in magazines can also be found in stores.” Citing Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan as some of her fashion icons, Trish describes her style sense as adventurous. “Dressing up requires personality. I’m not content with simple jeans and shirts. Kailangan may abubot,” she says, showing off her necklace with a bear pendant, the likes of which Penshoppe carries. For the Gokada’s Subic getaway, Trish wears her safari-inspired outfit with a pair of shiny suspenders and high-cut boots — and a string of quirky necklaces.
Another Gokada fashionista Alex (played by Cathy Gonzaga) also loves trends. By day, she keeps the trends to a minimum with a basic shirt, denim shorts and oversized sunnies, providing a bit of color to her wardrobe through her choice of footwear and bag. By evening, she glams it up by layering a floral bubble dress over a white shirt, and wearing a pair of white flats with cut-outs. “Whatever your look is — rocker, hip-hop, girly, casual — you can find the right clothes for you in Penshoppe.”
Even preppy people walking on the conservative side of fashion can find something in the store. Junniper (played by Eda Nolan) keeps up with the summer-appropriate nautical theme with striped collared shirts and short flirty skirts. A pair of flat rubber maryjanes top off her summer getaway look. “Unlike sila Cathy, hindi ako masyadong updated sa fashion. Gusto ko lang talaga na comfortable ang suot ko, pero medyo pa-cute and appropriate to my age,”
Instead of layering and using too much fabric (unadvisable in the current heat), the Gokada team uses accessories to bring out their characters and make them stand out from the rest. “The fashionable girls, sina Trish, Alex and Bangs, wear dangling earrings while Junniper wears studs. As for shoes, instead of high heels for our sexier girls, they wear slingback sandals and strappy flats,” Gokada wardrobe consultant Sarsi explains. “I have the boys wear wristbands, dog tags and tribal accessories: mga tribal anklets para summer talaga ang dating.” The wardrobe consultant credits Penshoppe for making each Gokada member’s personality stand out without clashing with the rest of the gang: “Penshoppe is trendy and always in.” Even rocker chick Bangs (played by Valerie Garcia), who is usually in black, can find rugged, rock-and-roll outfits here. But for the summer, she’s combining camouflage bottoms with black accessories, and she still looks chic and in character.
With a myriad of characters each having their own style, it could have been difficult to make friendship and fashion work. But, with Penshoppe, friends that keep in style together end up having lots of fun.
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Catch Gokada in Gokada Go! every Saturday, 4 p.m., on ABS-CBN. Penshoppe is located at Glorietta 2, Robinsons Galleria, Megamall, and Alabang Town Center.