Breaking bad (fashion habits) for 2014

As I wave good-bye to my mid-20s and officially enter my mid-to-late 20s this year (#shakingcrying), I’m beginning to realize that a lot of the rules that I stood by all throughout college to young adulthood no longer apply. For one, I don’t wear Spanx anymore. Also, I’ve found that my patience has begun to wear thin for what used to be the excitement of dressing up. I realize that this isn’t something you’d expect from a person who writes about fashion for a living — perhaps what I need is a little attitude adjustment. In lieu of the usual “Lose 10 pounds,” “Save more money” and “Talk to my mother more often,” which are I know are exercises in futility anyway (just kidding, Mom), here is my list of fashion resolutions that could get me out of my sartorial funk:

#1 Get some good underwear

There are people who insist that there is no point in buying nice underwear because nobody sees it anyway. These people are also probably very lonely, but I digress. By putting on some nice-looking undergarments, I don’t imagine that I’m going to walk out looking like Candice Swanepoel for the adoring public (even my subconscious has very little tolerance for B.S.), but I will appreciate the small joys of not having to surreptitiously pull up a strapless bra that insists on resting above my navel or having an underwire slip out and poke me. Egged on by an in-store promotion, I walked out with six new bras from Etam and not one shred of regret because now, I can hold my chesticles in place without even a hint of discomfort.

#2 Learn how to properly care for your clothing

Though I only really intended to buy three bras from Etam, I ended up with six because I wanted a free gift with purchase: a special bra bag, so I can throw them in the washing machine without fear of warped underwires. (To be fair, the sixth bra was free, so I wasn’t exactly duped.) When it comes to other articles of clothing, I’ve learned that to keep my gym clothes from smelling grotty, it’s important to air-dry them before throwing them in the hamper and for stains, nothing works like Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover from Sesou. I also like to frequent Jezebel’s Ask A Clean Person column wherein Jolie Kerr, their resident hygiene expert, enlightens readers on things, like how to get rid of yellow pit stains on white clothing (vinegar!) and why freezing selvedge jeans still doesn’t kill the germs.

#3 Keep your feet on the ground

“Cai, people are staring at you,” YoungStar editor Raymond Ang whispered to me as I walked barefoot beside him inside The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands en route to The Little Black Jacket exhibit. As my red, blistered soles padded along the expensive marble floor, my chipped two-week-old pedicure on display for all repulsed onlookers, I thought, “I don’t care if I never wear another heel ever again.” So far, I’ve made good on my promise, relying on a pair of cream and black T-strap pointy flats with capped toes for dressier occasions. It appears I’m not alone: Style.com’s assistant editor Kristin Anderson made a similar resolution this year and as Alexa Chung has clearly demonstrated, it’s a look that works.

#4 Stop reaching for clothes in XS/S

There used to be a time when I could get away with squeezing into the smaller spectrum of standard sizes, but those glory days ended with the arrival of thighs, hips and an ever-so-slight increase in cup size. Who knew the difference an inch (or two) could make? Suddenly, a convex chest ruined the way certain tops were supposed to drape my torso and snug-fitting pencil skirts began to look a little vulgar in the rearview. There goes a substantial portion of my wardrobe.

While my mother interpreted these changes as the result of an overzealous approach to food, I like to tell myself that it’s a matter of evolution: I’ve graduated from girlish proportions to womanly curves. (Feel free to retort this when a tita comments on your figure at your next reunion.) Does it mean that I have to start dressing like Joan Holloway 24/7? No thanks, unless I want to be addressed as “Ma’am” from now on. Really, the answer is a lot less complicated: Buy clothes that fit, then balance the proportions.

#5 Realize that the thrill is in the chase

As soon as I started earning a relatively substantial paycheck — emphasis on relatively — all I did was pine for the expensive designer bags I couldn’t even approach on a college allowance. I bought my first Balenciaga Motorcycle bag from former YStyle editor Bea Ledesma, which pathetically took me six installments to pay off. I visited Adora practically every week until I could finally get my hands on a Givenchy Pandora and a Proenza Schouler PS1. And now, I hardly use them. I chalk it up to an expensive itch that I scratched early on. I’m not saying that I’m not going to want expensive things ever, but maybe this year, I’ll put my money into other things, like travel or those exotic things called savings accounts.

#6 Fall in pre-love again

There isn’t a single clotheshorse I know who doesn’t love a good thriftstore find. During a visit to the US two months ago, I spent a good majority of my pocket money in Goodwill and Thriftown, uncovering finds like wide-legged Ralph Lauren trousers for just $7, a genuine leather skirt from The Limited for $14.99 and paperbacks by Joan Didion and Zadie Smith for a paltry $1.99. Barney’s Outlet? No, thank you. Locally, our only sources of pre-loved clothing aren’t just limited to the ukay-ukay — there’s the hugely successful Aid Couture (Aid-couture.ph), helmed by Red Cross, and Change Clothes PH (Changeclothes.com.ph), an initiative of Vicky Herrera’s, which both offer quality, pre-owned clothing that help raise funds for those in need, like Typhoon Yolanda survivors. By doing this, you’re also helping to prevent unwanted clothing from ending up in landfills, which, if you weren’t aware, are operating at over-capacity in most countries, including our own.

#7 Don’t be afraid to experiment

Lying somewhere in the back of my closet is a gray Proudrace maxi dress that I bought at the pop-up shop they erected for their turn at the Ayala Museum DesignTalks. At the time, it looked like a basic, versatile piece that I could wear on casual days, but as soon as I tried it on at home, I realized that it wasn’t really my style. Though it’s a great dress, on me, it just doesn’t look right. Still, it’s been fun trying to make it work by layering different pieces over it. There’s no harm in trying to explore a new look — I never thought of myself as the streetwear type — because the missteps make it all the more gratifying when you finally get it right.