Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Brain Drain: Wearing Heels pt 1


I like high heels. I have the worst posture and high heels force me to straighten up. But they’re quite hard on one’s feet so I follow some rules on buying and wearing them.


· Size. Size 5 is not always the same size 5, even when you’re buying from the same store or brand. It’s harder when you’re buying online so I usually check reviews on whether they tend to run on the small size or not. When you’re not sure, check the site’s size guide. I find the Easy Unit Converter’s shoe size converter helpful in this when the site doesn’t give a size guide. When I’m still confused in the end, I simply give up and check if there are any physical stores available in the area and fit from there. It’s still worth it for me to buy online, though. I hate carrying bulky shopping bags around and the shops I like to buy from has free delivery.


· Base. Check if the base is narrow or wide. I have wide feet so it’s important for me to check this. I’d hate to squeeze my toes in and get corns. A wider base also provides better balance.

· Material. I buy leather. PETA please don’t throw stuff at me. I eat meat. Why leather? Because leather stretches and conforms to my feet and eventually gives the best fit. This isn’t always the case with all types of leather. Also, leather shoes last longer on me, except for that one time rats chewed on my favourite flats. But I still subscribe to leather as they last a long time and don’t peel the way shoes nowadays tend to do.



· Cushion. If you’re going to be on your feet for any time at all, you’re going to have to make sure it’s comfortable. I always press on the foot bed for any foam to absorb the shock. I’m a sissy that way. 




· Initial fit. I don’t believe in buying a pair that doesn’t feel comfortable the first time you fit them. When buying shoes, check that they’re comfortable the first time around. I once went back to the store 30 minutes after purchase to change to a bigger size because I couldn’t bear to walk in them by that time. Shoes will be broken in, yes, but what that means for me is that they will feel uncomfortable after about the first 2 hours of wearing them. There will be stretching and there will be some blisters and after a time, they will be as comfortable as when you first wear them. Of course, if you wear 5 inch heels for a whole day of walking/standing, prepare for a world of hurt. It’s not even your feet that will hurt by then. It’ll be your lower legs screaming.

· Rubber soles and heel tips. Sometimes, I think this is the hardest thing to find in the shoes I shop for nowadays in the malls which make me wonder how most shoe-wearers handle slippery areas. I’d hate to slip in my heels. It’s embarrassing for one and a lot of aches and pains if you slip in high ones for another. It’s actually easy and cheap enough to get heel tips replaced in the shoe repair shops littering the malls. This actually lengthens shoe life as it takes longer to wear them out than the plastic ones. Soles are not as cheap so when I find rubber-soled shoes that I like, it’s love. An alternative is to buy one of those stick-on rubber soles. They won’t last that long, though and you’ll have to replace them. I actually found a couple at the P88 Japan Home store.

Monday, January 30, 2012

Giveaway Winner Announcement

Congratulations Apricot Sheen for winning the Bvlgari giveaway. Kindly wait for my mail.




Craves: Goody Simple Styles

I am considering the Goody Simple Styles collection as the Fashion blogs, Kryzuy.com, Break My Style, and Camille Tries to Blog have been featuring said pieces. They look easy enough to use and their reviews in MakeupAlley have been very positive so far. Have I mentioned my sweet little baby boy has a very strong grip and I’ve been putting my hair up to save myself from going bald as they’re his favourite toy?


I checked them out at SM. I already knew beforehand they would be priced a little high for my tastes and I hate being right this time. It’s not that I can’t afford them. I just don’t believe in paying that much (close to P600) for a glorified hairpin. So I’m going to have to resort to buying online from drugstore.com. Sorry, Philippine economy, for not buying local.


They’re $6.49 each, which translates to less than P300 each. Yes, the shipping is probably going to be excessive if I use normal means so with all things purchased online from US stores, Johnny Air will be my savior. I’ll just add a few more stuff to get the 2 pounds minimum and that’ll be an additional $6. Should I go with some Goody Stay Put elastics or try some hair goo (smoothing cream, conditioners and the like)?


Pictures from drugstore.com website.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Love: Audio Technica Bloom

I initially bought the Audio Technica earphones because of a love for a certain Masuda Takahisa. If you don't follow JPop, you wouldn't be able to relate. He was wearing a pair of white headphones in Gachibaka and they just looked so cool.


Why do I love these? It's not the bass. It's not the clarity. It's not even the pink design. It's because I found them in a pocket of a pair of pants I've already put in the wash and put in the spin cycle and  they still work. This is a true story. By the way, I have no idea about bass stuff but I also swear on the clarity of the sounds. The pink has not tarnished after more than a year.


Initial picture from the product website. Second picture is a screenshot from the drama.

Needs: Philips Avent Manual and Electric Breast Pump

I have wanted to buy an electric breast pump since I was only a month into my pregnancy. There were two choices, either the Medela or the Philips Avent. Ok, I confess, there was only really one choice. I was just hemming and hawing because it was bloody expensive around here. We checked the mall this weekend and the Philips Avent Single Electric was worth P17k. There was a 10% discount but who wants to throw that much money around?

 

Thankfully enough,with the advent of the online age, it's available online at $99.97 at Amazon.com. We're definitely getting one this month. I'm close to giving up on the pumping altogether and my little one is only 5 months old. Ok, it's not that I'm giving up. It's just that my arms are feeling really heavy lately and I don't want to give up. It doesn't only take dedication to pump milk for the baby, it takes a really stubborn personality.



While I firmly believe in buying local whenever possible, I don't believe that it's the best of ideas to simply throw money out the window in a very stupid way, and so, Amazon.com it is. The manual is also available for $29.51. Is it excessive to want both?

Pictures from Amazon.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Looked Up: Forever 21 rompers


I wonder if there’s anyone out there who’d lend me their credit card. Or I could borrow my mom’s debit card. I’m wanting to get a Forever 21 romper online. Aren’t they just so cute and at $6.99 each, I’d only be spending roughly P3,000 for all of them. Really, I should get a debit card. It’s not like it’s hard to get a debit Mastercard these days. I heard BPI has one. As for delivery, there’s Johnny Air, right?

 I'm just lazy wanting onesies, like my baby too.


Pictures from the product website.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Link: Fashion Chalet Giveaway Balenciaga Arena Classic City


I did mention I like winning, didn't I? I like to share links to possibilities, too. So please help yourself and click below if you want a chance as well.

http://www.fashionchalet.net/2012/01/giveaway-balenciaga-arena-classic-city.html

Picture from the page site.

Link: Healthy Child Healthy World Searches for 2012 Mom on a Mission


Nominations are now open at http://www.healthychild.org/mission to find eight extraordinary parents—one of whom will become our 2012 “Mom on a Mission.” From January through August, Healthy Child will select and honor one finalist each month; in September and October, the general public will vote to choose the winner, who will honored with a grand prize at a gala event in New York City in November.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary year, Healthy Child Healthy World began in 1992 after five-year-old Colette Chuda died of a rare form of  non-hereditary cancer linked to environmental factors. Playing a leadership role in one of the most important public health and environmental movements of the 21st century, today Healthy Child Healthy World ignites the movement that empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals. More information can be found at www.healthychild.org.

Above picture is from the site logo.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Giveaway: Bvlgari Omnia or Bvlgari Aqva



I so love these two scent lines and I'm giving one away. And yes, I'm building my network. The winner can choose from either an Omnia or an Aqva. Guess which one is pour femme and which one is pour homme?


Open to residents in the Philippines. Just click on below widget from Rafflecopter for a chance at winning. Loves

Contest ends 31st January.


Pictures from the Bvlgari website.

Giveaway: Rafflecopter Launch Party Giveaway




I love joining giveaways. Don't you? Win an Ipad 2 or a Kindle Fire. Try it!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Love: By Nature Disinfect It! Spray



This is my liquid band-aid. It smells like band-aid, I swear. I spray it on my hands whenever I’m going to start pumping (milk) whenever water and soap isn’t available. I spray it on baby’s bum when changing his diaper when we go out and I spray it on whatever surface I might set him on. I spray it when I feel my hands are gritty and dirty. And I spray it around a weird smelling taxi. I love that I don’t have to deal with alcohol or triclosan.


I keep one at home and another one in my bag. Love that it’s water-based. Works for me lots.

Initial picture from the By Nature website.

Haul: Krispy Kreme 2012 Calendar



I got suckered into buying a Krispy Kreme 2012 Calendar when I purchased a box of three. Why would I want to do something like that when doughnuts are fried, sugar-glazed white carbs and the calendar is a celebration of 75 years of that?


Because of this!!!


Yes, I’m a sucker for the freebies and at the purchase price of P150, I get to enjoy P1000 worth of bonus coupons year-round. Can’t wait for July!



Initial picture from the official Philippine Facebook page.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Love: Forever 21 ankle socks


I confess my feet are disgusting. They sweat and sweat and sweat and my shoes smell unearthly (hellish) because of all the accumulated moisture at the end of the day. They’re also very sensitive and get abraded way too easily with new shoes, sometimes even old ones, regardless of whether they fit me or not.

Because of said (yucky) condition, ankle socks have become my friend. Specifically, Forever 21 ankle socks. They’re not too thick that I have to squeeze my fit into my well-fitting shoes but they’re not too thin that the sides of my wide feet get abraded. I am so in love with them and at the end of the day, my feet do not feel damp in any way. This is the kind of love that develops once you know you have found the one.

Price starts at P60.

Pictures from the product website.




Link: Mom Bloggers for Social Good #socialgoodmoms



I mentioned this before and they have launched. Kindly follow if you care...

Wondering: one laptop per child (OLPC) program

Whatever happened to the OLPC program?

There’s a lot of buzz around the Consumer Electrics Show that will be starting today in Las Vegas. One of the products I’m excited to be unveiled is the XO-3 tablet model of the OLPC program. I’ve heard about the program long ago when they started with their first model. The program aims to provide a laptop to a child in a developing country. It was with hope that though the initial price was a little steep for those children at the starting price of $200, with an increase in production, the price will get lower per unit and end at the $100 price point.

There have been several initiatives, including the Give 1 Get 1(G1G1) program where you buy one and a child somewhere in the world gets one. These days, they’re more into fundraising through donations than the G1G1 program. It’s a little sad that the price is still at $200 but it is heart warming to see the models in action at their website. Below is the first model in action in Madagascar. Aren’t the children just so cute?

The following are the concept designs of the tablet XO-3 model from Wikipedia.



But I’m guessing the final product will be closer to the Technorati feature picture.

 
Fingers crossed on the program and maybe they’ll get to the Philippines someday. I know a lot of children at our province who would love to get one.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Craves: Totseat

I was just blog surfing when I saw the totseat and I so want it. The design matches our diaper backpack so well it’s almost making me salivate. And doesn’t that smiling baby boy make you want to gurgle yourself? My little darling does love to sit up lately. Too bad I have to wait a few more months. It’s recommended from 8 months, when the baby can already sit up without any support.



Available at Chicify for P1,999.75. This is note to self.

Picture from the totseat website.

Keens: TOMS ballet flats

I’m looking forward to the TOMS ballet flats. They look very adorable.

 

I come from a third world country or we could go with a more PC word, developing country and I appreciate it when a company makes an effort to help like TOMS does, giving a child in need of shoes a pair for every pair that you buy. That’s where their “One for One” slogan comes from. I’m not really very much into their alpargata. I wasn’t excited about their wedges either. The new ballet flats, though, looks something I would very much want to wear.

From what I’ve gathered round the net, they’re coming out in leather and suede, burlap, leopard, linen, textures and whatnot. I’m very much excited. Prices will range from $74 to $129. Not sure how much it will cost around these areas but there are coupons that abound if ordering directly from their site.

Picture snipped from the official TOMS website.

Link: Mom Bloggers for Social Good #socialgoodmoms

 
I believe in a lot of things but I confess to not doing a whole lot about them. Yes, it is my laziness coming to the fore most of the time but there are some things I believe I should do now that I am a mother and one of those things is committing to making a better world for my child in one small way or another.

In view of that, I've decided to become a founding member at Mom Bloggers for Social Good. I'm very excited about this and more that anything, I believe in spreading the word about their cause.

  • Children
  • Maternal Health
  • Fair Trade
  • Workers’ Rights
  • Environment and Climate
  • Communicable Disease
  • Non-Communicable Disease
  • Access to Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Food Security
  • Malaria and Tuberculosis
  • HIV / AIDS
  • Women and Girls

Link: Fashion Chalet Giveaway Balenciaga Arena Giant City


Fashion Chalet has a giveaway and I'm hoping to win. Hop over to her site to try your luck as well until the 12th. It's open internationally. Music to my ears, loves.


http://www.fashionchalet.net/2012/01/giveaway-balenciaga-arena-giant-city.html

Picture from the link.
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