LITTLE MISS SAGALA

“When I grow up, I want to be a fairy. I want to turn everyone into kings and queens.” This statement is not a usual answer from kids in a beauty pageant, but it there is so much honesty and innocence in it that audience couldn’t help but cheer and clap.

 

 

Two weeks ago, I was invited as one of the judges in SM City Davao’s search for the Little Miss Sagala. The segment was actually the prelude to the main part of the show, which is the Grand Sagala Gown Competition among local designers. Given that it was a Sunday, I went yaya-less, toting my 6-year old daughter with me.  In a way, my Tatiana acted as judge herself, whispering her thoughts on the little girls’ gowns and hairdo.

 

 

Sagala is a religio-historical beauty pageant held in various towns in the Philippines during the month of May. It is one of the most colorful festivals celebrated around the country, and is greatly supported by reputable personalities and artists in the entertainment and fashion industry.

 

 

For this special edition of the traditional Flores de Mayo / Santacruzan, SM City Davao invited local designers to create gowns using innovative and eco-friendly materials, to be worn by their choice muse. The Little Miss Sagala catergory, for me, served not only as a friendly competition, but also an avenue with which adults can educate and pass on to kids the significant aspects of this religious celebration.

 

We heard a lot of ooh’s and ahh’s from the audience as girls paraded around the mall and answered million dollar questions onstage. They gracefully sashayed in gowns handpicked / made by supportive mothers who cheered endlessly at the back. Some gowns had a semblance to those of the Disney princesses, while there were also notable ones in traditional Filipiñana designs infused with a bit of modern pizzazz.

 

The judges for the kids’ segment were asked to select the top three based on decorum, poise, confidence, appeal, and intelligence.  I, together with the other judges, former Miss International Nadia Shami included, found it difficult to choose among the ten contestants. These brave souls have conquered stage fright, confidently walked and posed for the cameras, and were also able to outwit and leave the hosts speechless at times with their answers. “Please translate your question to English,” one of them quipped.

 

 

The models for the Grand Sagala Gown Competition joined the little girls in a short procession around the mall. Shortly after that came the awarding. The main title was awarded to 6-year old Florence Julienne Asistido, followed by the next 2 titlists 7-year old Candesse Gabrielle Bartolome and 9-year old Rania Muller. Designer Egay Ayag, with his gown worn by muse Krizzaleen Valencia, took home the first prize. Joey Hamabal and Maru Bernalte came in second and third.

 

Thank you Apol and Lara for inviting me and my daughter to your event. Congratulations to your team and to all the winners!

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A1, INdulge section, Edge Davao, Vol. 6 Issue 53, 29 May 2013.

 

 

SMART CASUAL

 

Speed is the new black. Well, this goes mostly for the mothers of today who juggle time between parenting and career. Fashion is a living art for women and our wardrobe choices enable us to channel our individuality and style. Regardless of our style inspiration and intuitions, the world is our runway.

Keeping up with round the clock mommy duties and the countless of tasks we do in the office, moms try to minimize the time spent in scanning the closet after every waking moment. Despite the penchant for the slimming benefits of little black dresses, I, for one, also try on different colors so as not to be branded as an everyday widow. As much as I want to dare myself to wear loud colors or to try on layers of accessories over layers of cloth, I don’t have the liberty to try on many outfits before I head out of the house to face the demands of the day.

 

This dilemma is something I know moms can relate to. There are a few who would use it as an excuse to stick to their monotonous wardrobe choices. However, I’d like to think that there are also ways to changing one’s look without having to put on extra effort, money, and time. A watch or bag alone can give an instant face lift to your outfit.

The quick-fix guide to dressing smart is primarily what was asked of me during the Mother’s Day high tea fashion show at SM Lanang Premier. I was invited to speak and to style their segment on fashion. I was hesitant at first since I was unsure of how other women would appreciate my sense of style. I mentioned to them that I am no professional stylist, and all I can share is basically what I think would look presentable on women.

The idea of being on stage ignited my daughter’s enthusiasm. She insisted that I accept the invitation, and argued that we rarely get to do something like this every year. After much consideration and series of guilt-tripping from my daughter, I finally said yes.

 

I was asked to pick out accessories and clothes from Mags Boutique, one of the event sponsors, and dress up the mommies they invited to model for the show. I usually consider location, occasion, and function as few of my deciding factors whenever I pull out items from the closet. For this task, I picked out items which would complement the look and figure of mommies Rhea, Queen, and Marie.

 

The setup of our segment was inspired by the Rachel Ray show, wherein guest stylists are asked to describe the outfit worn by each model. I was a nervous wreck that afternoon, praying nonstop that everything will run smoothly. After all, it was my first time to work on such project, and I considered myself more of a shopaholic than a true-blue stylist. The libretto “sinetch itey” kept playing in my head, and I feared seeing raised eye brows, questioning my selections for the models. I have to thank the host, Joey Sy-Domingo, for calming my nerves early on, and she managed to remember my request to go easy on the questions.

To sum up the event, here are photos of the pieces I put together for the models. As I mentioned to Joey during the show, my choices do not necessarily dictate trends and formula women should strictly follow. I strongly believe that style is very personal and I have the highest respect for each one’s preferences in fashion. Women are naturally born with a gifted state of mind which enables us to dissect the formula to looking good in our own personal best.

For Rhea, I opted to go for a hip and modern version of the city girl look, so I put together this yellow blazer with a sleeveless khaki blouse, floral printed pants, and a couple of turquoise accessories. The tone is very sunny, youthful, and happy, and I think the color yellow fosters good vibes for both the wearer and onlooker.

 

 

Queen’s mod look is partly inspired by Aurdrey Hepburn’s look in the movie Funny Face. I consider black leggings / jeggings as a wardrobe staple in this modern time. Not only do they add a touch of elegance to any top or blouse, they are also very easy and comfortable to wear. I paired Queen’s jeggings with a houndstooth-printed top for that classy yet edgy look. I also added a pop of color with the orange-black handbag, just to break the black and white motif. I imagine this ensemble would look even more elegant if worn with a pair of oversized black sunnies.

 

I find the nautical blue and white perfect for summer. Instead of infusing something red, I added a touch of khaki, brown, and mustard to Marie’s sleeveless chiffon jumpsuit. The material is light and breezy, and the mix of blue and khaki resonate well with our sunny scenery.

The second set of clothes was basically what women can wear from afternoon ‘til evening.

 

Rhea’s strapless chiffon jumpsuit with floral prints is perfect for any garden or cocktail event. The chiffon material is light and breathable, and the strapless top adds a sexy appeal to the outfit. I accessorized the look with pieces in shades of green and khaki as these mesh well with the color scheme of the jumpsuit.

 

The pink dress worn by Queen was actually pulled out from my own closet. I bought it at Mags Boutique last year, and it’s still one of my favorite pieces. I call it the “scarf dress” as the print is similar to that of an Hermes scarf. The cut is simple, but the fabric and print give the dress an air of affluence and elegance. I usually wear this dress with a long neckpiece plus bangles in pink, beige, and gold, all of which I also lent to Queen during the show.

 

 

The finale dress worn by Marie is perfect for her oriental beauty. At first glance, you’d think it’s a modern take of the long cheongsam dress. The large blue and red floral prints make a good contrast against the stark white base. The getup would have looked more sophisticated if she had her hair up, either in a bun or a French twist.

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A1, INdulge! section, Edge Davao, Vol. 6 Issue 48, 22 May 2013.

 

SMALL AND MINI ENTREPRENEURS

 

There's definitely no better time than now to teach kids the ropes of buying and selling. They need not go to a boot camp just to learn the basic concept in running a business. The dynamics are actually best taught (and understood) through experience. 

 

 

I chanced upon the recent kids biz-ness bazaar in SM City Davao last weekend, and I was so pleased to see kids working their cuteness out to sell products they personally selected. Clearly, there is so much promise in this bazaar as it serves as an avenue to train our next generation of entrepreneurs. It was like a resized version of the hit reality show, The Apprentice. 

 

 

 

Chocolates, baked goodies, dresses, and handmade crafts sold like pancakes, and kids got busy doing PR and cashier work. There were also activity booths and interactive sessions which were free for all to enjoy. The concept was both educational and fun rolled into one. Whatever the kids earned could be saved for a new business venture, or used to buy their own toys or gifts. 

 

 

 

The kids bazaar reminded me so much of my math classes back in grade 1 and 2. The curriculum of the school I went to was programmed after a system that was quite popular in Europe. Our teacher created a little store in our classroom. She put together toys and books on the shelves which we were to sell to our classmates. She assigned a certain value for each shape of toy block and these were used as "play money." Each of us got to play the role of buyer and seller, unknowingly developing acting and marketing skills alongside Mathematics. This kind of fun learning experience helped us practice and understand simple addition and subtraction, and, later on, discover the rest of the principles involved in My Dear Aunt Sally (Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction).

 

 

Kids nowadays have a better chance in growing their own business. Technology makes marketing easier, and it bridges gaps in so many ways. Believe it or not, kids have a better comprehension of the technology now compared to adults. I was even surprised to discover that the grade 6 students in my kid's school already use Microsoft Excel. Kids are definitely catching up with what we know and we might as well guide them in putting these learnings to good use.

 

As wise men would put it, "Train 'em while they're young."

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A1, INdulge! section, Edge Davao, Vol. 6 Issue 43, 15 May 2013.
  

DIY: SUMMER ARTS AND CRAFT WORKSHOP

School holidays give our kids the much needed rest from a full 10 month-period of academic learning.  I usually allow my kid to enjoy idle time at home and outside to enjoy the beauty and joy of summer with cousins and playmates. While “idle” is synonymous to “sluggish,” I don’t leave my child to wander around for 2 months without exploring her creative and artistic side. I want her to remember every summer as fruitful and happy, never boring nor dull.
 

 

In an effort to spark up my kid’s creative mind, I usually enroll her for short courses where she can meet new friends and try on a different craft. Aside from the usual options such as dance classes and sports clinic, there are also art workshops which kids can enjoy even for just a couple of days in a week.

 

“Summer is the time when kids are buzzed with excitement and creativity,” explains April San Pedro, owner and graphic designer of Artisan Design Studio.

 

Prominently known for her paperie and customized paper goods, April always had that passion in creating little wonders from paper and crayons even when she was little. “This is something I want to share with kids this summer. Arts and craft not only inspire children to think creatively, they also help instill discipline and patience in kids. This will help them discover their own style and establish a sense of originality.”

 

“Some art workshops focus on making masterpieces such as stunning mosaics and canvas collages. The program I offer is just limited to 2 hours per day and most of what we do within that period involve motor skills and creative thinking. I pre-select groovy craft ideas which would be easy for little kids to grasp and follow. I also don’t accept more than 5 students per session to make sure that I get to assist each kid during the course of my presentation.”

“Parents need not worry because I know what’s appropriate to teach to toddlers as I am, proudly, a former pre-school teacher myself. I always put myself in the shoes of my students and talk to them like I’m just their playmate.”

 

“The past 2 session I’ve had were a huge success. Kids were so pleased with their own creations and were all too excited to show them off to their parents. This is such a gratifying experience for me as well, as this reminds me so much of my childhood and how this craft shaped me into the person I am today.”

The schedule of April’s one-day craft workshops is posted on her blog at www.iamartisan.com. Registration fee is at P350.00 net per student, inclusive of snacks and materials. For further inquiries, please call visit Coffee at the Yellow Hauz or call 0922 858 5554.

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.

A4, INdulge section. Edge Davao, Vol. 6 Issue 38, 8 May 2013.