BOHO CHIC

The effortless charm of twenty-two year old Cheyser Pedregosa reminds me of Serena Van Der Woodsen from the TV show, Gossip Girl. Just like the fashionably famous TV character, Cheyser’s volume of hair looks as if it was styled straight out of bed, her sun-kissed skin glows in neutral palette, and her carefree getup is at every inch oh-so-fashionable. She walks the street with much poise, and exudes an air of affluence despite her sense of practicality in shopping and styling.

In the cyber world, she is better known as TWR, short for The Walking Recessionista, the top rated fashion blogger from North Cotabato. Cheyser’s penchant for fashion is a story that has become more evident in a photo diary of her daily wear, posted online via Lookbook.nu and Blogspot. The birth of her account in Lookbook.nu back in the year 2011 was, actually, her friendly attempt in expanding her social network, which soon became her ticket to internet fame. Her unique flair and Boho chic elegance kept her anonymous for only a brief period as thousands of clicks kept adding to her blog’s hits and view count, linking her posts to other trending topics on world wide web.

While she earned her birth right by winning thousands of votes for each post on Lookbook, she made The Walking Recessionista Blogspot address the mother ship of her satellites in cyberspace. There, one finds a collective display of Cheyser’s fashion intuition, plus the full narrative for each wardrobe inspiration. Her strong presence on Facebook and Twitter supplements her regime and introduces her to virtual minions who find a connection to her personality. Her network grew even bigger as she started Instagram-min’ herself in various ensembles, sorting out photos like she was putting them on scrapbook.

What makes Cheyser stand out from the rest of the fashionably anonymous? I guess it is her unorthodox approach to styling. She maintains her non-allegiance to the do’ and don’ts most people dictate, rules she oftentimes bend in search of her own comfort and identity. Some may call her Miss-Print, but she proves them wrong with her seamless combination of different patterns, which others originally thought of as a fashion no-no. She follows her gut-feel, which comes as a gift on its own, and dresses to her own persona: Not excessively chic; Street smart and relaxed, but not too shabby; Sexy, but not too revealing.

Add to her merit her natural finesse in front of the camera. She consciously poses to look as if she is unconscious of the camera clicks, so each photo would draw more attention to the outfit instead of the person wearing it. She knows her angles and which pose would best highlight the elements that make up her style for the day. Another edge she has over the others is her ability to look insta-glam within budget. She infuses cheap finds (Recessionista find, as she would put it) into each getup, sharing her insights on how personal styling need not be expensive or dictated by brands.

Maybe it is because of her non-conformity to “what’s safe to wear” and her no-nonsense rule of “shopping within means” that made her noticeable, and helped capture the interest of marketing specialists for staple brands and online shopping sites. Advertising and PR strategists knock on her door, offering her the latest samples of different labels --- fresh from their headquarters. To them, she is a person of influence and they are not awarding it for nothing. Cheyser’s stronghold of her own identity rewarded her with an influx of brand endorsements and sponsors from local and international brands. She is the image model of Soul Lifestyle, a Davao-based clothing brand which she regularly wears with much Mindanawon pride. Her collaboration with the cyber-active marketing officers of Soul Lifestyle reinforced Cheyser’s reign in social media. From posing as a living mannequin, she has surpassed “still life” advertising, and discovered the artist in her through short films produced for Soul by its resident 18-year old photographer, Aidx Paredes. To date, Cheyser’s value continues to increase, deserving of endorsements for established brands likes Canon IXUS and So! Fab.

The business in blogging is booming and millions have taken bold attempts to attain a solid standing and acquire a good following. Many aspire to enjoy the perks of being a blogger which also takes one to greater heights, winning front row seats, gifts, freebies, magazine features, VIP treatment, etc. However, value and influence over the social media are not measured by the quantity of posts, but of quality instead. Blogging about fashion is not just for everyone. Oftentimes, people think it’s as easy as taking a snapshot of expensive labels that come with each outfit. You need to have that eye for style and a creative imagination that goes beyond the confines of rules, labels, and trends. You have to make a stand on who you are and which style best describes your character. Credibility is the backbone for each success story of all fashion bloggers, and this is only attained by being your own unique self. It is your true blue personality that will earn you recognition, make you a topic of each conversation, and a bookmark in every online search engine. And Cheyser Pedregosa, the girl who never dreamed of sky rocketing fame, is no stranger to this formula.  
---
Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.
A1 INdulge section, Edge Davao newspaper, Vol5 Issue 112, 8 August 2012.