Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture

White and post-apocalyptic deconstruction is what I would describe as the foundation for the trend that dominated the haute couture collection for Dior this fall.

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 3

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 34

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 2

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 53

The hipster music festival fashion trend last year aimed to break away from the 50s flower wreath prim and proper trend that dominated the street style level back in 2013. In a way, it is both a satire and an homage on the 2013 trend that the flower wreath became a staple in the music festival crowd; it showed the transition from the vintage pastel clad satchel-carrying bridesmaid to the whimsical, carefree, and edgy Arctic Monkeys fan.

Lana Del Rey

White is the new black and this includes the representation for the gothic and rebellious cool girl. This was sealed by the inspiration that the movie Mad Max Fury Road brought to the designers like Rick Owens, Yohji Yamamoto and Donna Karan earlier this year.

Mad Max Fury Road

Earlier this year, Birkenstock-donning manbun-rocking men, mostly in plain white tees and jeans, overthrew the hip undercut-rocking music festival goer. This is the fashion cultural transition that evidenced people’s desire for a more effortless look, even more than their casual music festival style. The town asked to be painted in white albeit adapting the laid back structure-less hipster fashion and deconstructed shapes that dominated last year. This foresaw the cultural transition from looking casual to looking even more effortless hinted by the Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Collection.

These are my picks:

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 24

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 18

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 20

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 25

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 27

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 30

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 56

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 6

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 55

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 41

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 42

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 37

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 8

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 14

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 1

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 15

Christian Dior Fall 2015 Haute Couture Look 4

Tell me what you think.

Dior Secret Garden – Versailles

I have been an avid fan of the Dior Secret Garden series, and of course, Christian Dior as a brand. It is impossible not to be enchanted by the campaigns shot in Versailles and directed by Inez and Vinoodh, along with the Depeche Mode songs and Otto Arsenault’s fine editing. See for yourself. Clicking these screenshots will redirect you to the videos.

Secret Garden – Versailles

Secret Garden II – Versailles

Secret Garden III – Versailles

The fourth one, however, is entirely different.

Secret Garden IV – Versailles

The beautiful Daria Strokous is no longer the muse. The song is now by Rihanna and the film was directed by Steven Klein. I love Rihanna’s music, and Steven Klein did really well for Lady Gaga’s Alejandro music video and Fame perfume campaign. I just don’t think that Rihanna is for Dior. I would have preferred to see Natalie Portman, Keira Knightley, or Lupita Nyong’o if they wanted to go for popular. I also don’t think that Steven Klein is the right person for the Secret Garden series or for Dior. His style just does not suit the elegant and feminine pieces of Christian Dior, and neither does Rihanna’s dancy walk. I do not think that this is the full-length version of Secret Garden IV; I would love to hear your opinions on it.

Vargas Museum April 2015

This month’s Vargas Museum exhibit surprised me, and it’s the good kind.

Vargas Museum Lobby April 2015

Unlike the last exhibit, the lobby is not filled with politically-charged artworks that are not aesthetically appealing.

The exhibit is deep and symbolic, yet there is no shortage of beauty. I love how these artworks are all instagram-worthy.

Happy Easter!

My personal favorite

This is way better in person.

It reminds me of the music video of St. Vincent – Cheerleader

Clicking this photo redirects you to the music video.

The third floor is empty, but the quality of the art is much more important than the quantity. Right?

You should definitely not miss this month’s exhibit.

Ally’s All-Day Breakfast

I usually do not have appetite during breakfast time, but I really love breakfast food. McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants do not offer breakfast food in the afternoon, and I usually wake up after lunch time. Lucky for me, I like Pancake House and IHOP, though IHOP here in Manila is not as good as the ones in the US.

I decided to try Ally’s All-Day Breakfast last night in the Maginhawa area. I did not like the ambience. It tries too hard to be tumblr-like and instagram-worthy like the other restaurants in the area.

I ordered Baked Honey Garlic Chicken, but I only ate one quarter-cut chicken and decided to have it boxed so our cook can have the taste fixed for me at home since the rest of the meal was untouched.

Baked Honey Garlic Chicken

It did not taste bad. It’s just that it lacked taste. It costed Php 230, but I remember school food that tasted better and costed less.

I was still really hungry so I ordered Bagnet Liempo.

Deep-fried Pork Belly

It’s really crispy and I liked that. It tasted okay for its price of Php 270; it could use a little more salt before being fried. They have really huge servings, but I did not know that.

I also made my own pancake.

Blueberry Pancake

The pancakes are cinnamon-flavored with caramel filling, drizzled with cream cheese and topped by blueberries and ice cream. It is pretty good for its price of Php 240 and it’s also a really huge pancake. Since there is really nothing special with the taste of the Breakfast Meals, I would come back for their pancakes alone. I will surely try Death by Chocolate Overdose pancake next time.

Monosodium Gluttony

I usually try to avoid snacks that are high in monosodium glutamate and other artificial preservatives. I have been very conscious about my health since last year. I ditched my Pringles for romaine lettuce dipped in blue cheese dressing as my post-lunch snack. I also consume less A&W Root beer float and sip more TWG 1837 Black Tea.

I discovered that Regent still manufactures the junk foods that I loved when I was young.

Snacku, Sweet Corn, and Cheese Ring

I used to mix these three together in one bowl. Getting to eat these again was such a nostalgia; I remember eating these while wandering around my godmother’s courtyard while she and my mom catch up over coffee and cakes.

I also found this vintage-looking Coke.

Coca Cola Vanilla

I actually love root beer because it’s sweeter than coke. Now that I have tasted this, I might never drink regular coke ever again. Now, I feel like I’m 5 years old again.

1950 Good Grooming

I discovered this Good Grooming instructional film from the 1950s last night. I love the 1950s; it carries such elegance that today’s society just do not exude. I blame the late 1960 hippies for today’s street style trash.

Clicking this photo will redirect you to the youtube video.

Vargas Museum February 2015

I went to the University of the Philippines Diliman to check this month’s Vargas Museum exhibit.

Quezon Hall Amphitheatre

Exhibits at the lobby are always political in nature. I do not like that very much because it has already been done several times. I totally understand that culture includes politics, but artworks for a cause just do not appeal to me. I prefer art with meaning I can appreciate without neglected aesthetics.

Politically-charged art bore me, but I like this one.

Swarm Bibliotheque

Clicking this photo will redirect you to the website on the tarpaulin.

On the table are relics of decades past.

Artworks on museums are usually off-limits to the hands of the viewers. I love how people are allowed to touch this one.

Junyee “Dinaanan” 2015

The highlight of this month’s exhibit are the street photographs.

These ones are my favorites.

Elpidio “Loi Lee” Juan (Hong Kong)

Elpidio “Loi Lee” Juan (Hong Kong)

Ed de Guzman (Metro Manila)

Rommel Bundalian (Metro Manila)

Ben Molina (California)

Little Wing Luna (Metro Manila)

The exhibits this month are worth checking out. Drop by the museum and just ignore the redundant political art.

Art is philosophy n’est-ces pas?

Crazy Katsu

Maginhawa street boasts restaurants that are not well-known but offer good food. Crazy Katsu looked quite promising and it was just across Bookay Ukay so I decided to go there for lunch.

I liked how basic their tables and stools were but I prefer a proper chair with backrest. These probably work better in this case as the stools take less visual space and the restaurant is not really that spacious.

Crazy Katsu

This wall is not the entire menu but they do not have much on their actual menu anyway.

I got the Miso Soup and the Chicken Katsu.

Miso Soup

Chicken Katsu

The Miso Soup was insipid; it lacked Miso. I totally got what I paid for though because it only costed me Php 30.

The chili on the Chicken Katsu surprised me because I have never seen any Katsu like it before. It topped the shredded cabbage drenched in a sauce that tasted like the mixture of vinegar and soy sauce. It did not taste good and I was disappointed. I know that I ordered the right dish as it said “Best Seller” right beside it on the menu. I also got what I paid for on this one as it only costed me Php 155. The chicken was cooked really nicely but the Chicken Katsu in our high school cafeteria back then tasted better and costed less.

Bookay Ukay

I was on my way to Vargas Museum to check this month’s exhibit when I stumbled upon a quaint bookstore in Maginhawa street.

It sells used books that range from rare literary ones to the ones about pregnancy.

I love how the books are sorted out but still look messy for being used. It really reminded me of the music video for St. Vincent – Laughing With A Mouth Of Blood.

It is located in front of Crazy Katsu but you might have to just ask your chauffeur to drop you there and park the car somewhere else. It’s an interesting store and I think you can also donate your old books here to get rid of clutter. I still think that Caritas Manila is the go-to place for donation of old books though.

Alphabet Stamp Set

Oftentimes, I only purchase things that I need as I hate clutter. This Alphabet Stamp Set caught my eye today at National Book Store; I just had to have it even if I know that stamping sentences per letter would tire me. Luckily, it comes in a clear case that would keep it organized and handy.

National Book Store Alphabet Stamp Set

At least it isn’t made of multi-colored plastic; it’s wooden. It actually looks good.