Where style and trends originate in the South

MANILA, Philippines - To many Southern dwellers from Alabang, Parañaque and Las Piñas, Alabang Town Center has long been considered a second home, having been the very first shopping mall in the area. As the South continued to expand and develop, the mall has only gotten better with time, as it opened a new wing last year and expanded the Corte to include more shops and restaurants. Many of the new retail stores were showcased in the recently staged Style Origin in the Alabang Town Center Activity Center, exhibiting several trends on the runway.  From smart and chic office dressing to free-flowing, music festival-inspired ensembles, the looks sent down the Style Origin catwalk were a great source of sartorial inspiration.

Weekend at the Hamptons

With summer having drawn to a close, week-long beach trips must be shortened to quick weekend get-aways. Who better to emulate for weekends by the sand than the preppy New Yorkers who run to the Hamptons for R&R? Embrace bright colors and keep silhouettes loose — no one can relax in tight-fitting clothing.

Coachella-inspired ensembles

Inspired by the recent popularity of various local music fests, like Malasimbo, the Manila Music Festival and most recently, Wanderland, dressing for these events has never been trendier. While short and flowy ensembles are most comfortable for women, band shirts and scarves are still a popular pick for men.

Garden varieties

Old English fashion pattern makers like Liberty of London and Cabbage & Roses have experienced a resurgence in popularity after collaborating with the likes of Marc by Marc Jacobs and other high fashion retail brands, so don’t be surprised if your friends start throwing garden parties soon. And when they do, be prepared with loosely tailored dresses and of course, floral patterns.

Lacey Daisy

Dainty and feminine, donning lace is a versatile and breezy for a day at the mall or a fun road trip with friends to a beach destination. Keep the look above K-12 level by trying the look out in crop tops, Peter Pan collars and ‘70s-style wide long-sleeve tops.

Sport max

Athletic-inspired touches continue to dominate the runways, especially for menswear. While nobody expects you to go out in a jersey and cleats, you can score points with sporty details like a sports cap, a baseball tee and a well-worn pair of Chucks.

Neutral territory

With the transition from spring/summer dressing to autumn/winter, sticking to neutrals will be your best bet against looking “so last season.” To keep from venturing into military-inspired territory, stick to feminine tailored dresses and keep your styling sleek and simple.

Buttons up

Nothing exhibits British cool like buttoning your tops all the way up. Suitable for casual weekend dressing when untucked and paired with shorts, this look can also mean business when entering the corporate world.

Office chic

Women everywhere have breathed sighs of relief that office dressing has progressed beyond the cornflower blue power suit. For women who need to go from meetings to cocktails, a printed dress is a great option: Simply throw on a blazer for business and slip it off for a night out. Prints are also in, from Mondrian-inspired color blocks to micro-florals. And always remember: When in doubt, wear a blazer.

Stripe attack

Prints come and go every season, but one pattern that has real staying power is the stripe. From nautical to candy-colored, and even neutral, stripes are chic and versatile, making it the signature look of urban prepsters everywhere.

Tee time

When you’ve ransacked your entire closet for something to wear, the one item that will almost never fail you is a statement T-shirt. This season, animal prints — as in pictures of animals, not their spots or stripes — are all the rage, with a few brand logo tees thrown in the mix.