Back in high school (whoa, major throwback right there), Glorietta was the only cool place to hang…read moreout in. There were only a handful of stores I could visit where I could actually afford to buy something. Broadway Gems was one of those places. What was a simple store to get scrunchies, headbands and clips from has grown at a phenomenal rate. They now have several branches across the metro. The size of their stores and the product lines have also grown significantly. They now offer shades, jewelry and my favorite additions: tiaras and wigs! Many years after first experiencing the wonders of Broadway Gems and they still make me feel like a giddy high schooler.

If you're looking for ANYTHING that you want to put on your hair, this is the place! From headbands…read moreto clips and extensions... you'll find anything in a huge variety of colours! Nothing too elegant but does the job! :D

I've had a recent interest in kooky jewelry using found objects and odds and ends, stringing them…read moreonto chains or rope and wearing them as necklaces. There's really nothing skillful or crafty about it, but it's fun to do with stuff that are pretty but you have no idea what to do with them. And I don't know anywhere else to get small chains but in Quiapo, at Joyo Fashion Accessories. It's very easy to miss this store walking along Evangelista St. from the Recto LRT Station, since it's covered by the area's wealth of stands hawking religious items, flowers, and candles, but it's not hard to find, really, since it's near the church and one of few stalls there that aren't selling construction supplies or phones and gadgets. If you've ever been around the stores in Quiapo, it's very much like most other places there, just stacks and racks and walls of stuff everywhere. You see necklaces, earrings, rings, and other accessories first before you get to the actual good stuff--beads, charms, trinkets, lace, cording, and other things you'll need to make your own jewelry. There are other places in the area selling similar things, but Joyo has an advantage being closer to Recto Station, and being in the somehow calmer, less dense area of Quiapo.

I love shopping at Claire's especially at Christmas time and I have a lot gifts for my tween and…read moreteen godchildren. They have the cutest items that are great for that age range. The truth is, I also buy a lot of things at Claire's for myself. They have a lot of hip accessories like sunglasses, jewelry, hats and bags. The best gift I found there were locked diaries for tweens with cute owl designs and a bejeweled red one. They are also among the few stores that have gloves, we're not really a glove-wearing country so that's a bit hard to find before Claire's. And they also carry the Prism line of Katy Perry. They often go on sale offering buy 1, take 1 promos for items of the same price. If you ever chance upon one of those, I suggest going big on the shopping because you will always be able to find young girls and those young-at-heart to give the items to.

Claire's is every pre-teens dream come true. When i would vacation in the US, my shopping itinerary…read morealways included Claire's for all my kikay needs. Their accessories are the best! They sell colorful hair pieces as well as cute earrings, belly rings (for the rebellious kind) and even boy band merchandise. Just so you know, i didnt buy any of the Justin Bieber stuff when he was super famous. In grade 6, all my classmates wanted to have my denim wallet which had glitters and the world Angel stitched on the front part. When i told them it was from Claire's their faces looked a bit upset because they knew they wouldnt be able to buy it right away. When i saw Claire's open their first branch in BGC i remember feeling what i used to feel when i wouls enter their US stores before. Unfortunately i was already working so i decided to be happy for the preteens instead. I still pass by once in a while and delight in the cute stuff they have.

I feel like it's a quintessential female trait to loose hair accessories and the ever elusive bobby…read morepin. We don't mean to do it. They just simply disappear. It makes me think that bobby pins are actually alien life forms who visit us, hang for a bit and then leave. Or they could also be those playful pixies who mess with you so they can have fun. There could also be a black hole specifically made for bobby pins. *dundundunnn* Haha, I just love conspiracy theories. I wouldn't be surprised if bobby pins were part of the Illuminati. It can get pretty hassling and expensive for us girls when we lose our precious hair ornaments and hair accessory survival kits for everyday especially in this hot and humid weather. It's a good thing that there's Marcella. Whenever I need a good and cheap hair item, I always visit this store. They have rows upon rows of any hair tie or clip, headbands and hair ornaments you could ever want, even scrunchies! They also sell some prom accessories so you can also stop by Marcella if you want something inexpensive. Especially since you're only using it/them for one night.

Just the place to get some bargain knock offs! Yep, I'm cheap. Everyone's respectful and no one…read morepushes their stuff on to you. Just check them out and get only what you want.

Over the years, Tumblr users have skyrocketed. It's so popular that a lot of kids, teens and hip…read moreyuppies get inspiration from Tumblr blogs. May it be photography, quotes, memes, gifs, art, pop culture, style and most especially fashion. My friend actually introduced my sister and I to Fashion Market. After learning about it, we go there every time were at this mall. Fashion Market is split into 2 sides on the mall - the left and the right. I suggest going through all stores. It can take hours though, haha, but you won't regret it. They have every style and trend you'd typically see on Tumblr, fashion blogs, Youtube beauty channels and fashion week! Inside, you'll also find spas, salons, money changers and ATM's. The prices range from super inexpensive to normal clothing price rates. A lot of stores sell super hip shoes, clothes, hats, shades and even prom dresses and traditional Filipino costumes. Definitely check out these stores I frequent when you're there - (right side) Push Thru, Mastermind Chase and Muradito, (left side) Nava, Berca and Ballow. Happy shopping! :)

My friend introduced my sister and me to N. Cat. We were hanging out and checked out Japan Home…read moreCenter because it was nearing Christmas and we had last minute presents to shop for. Originally, I wasn't going to buy anything as my friend and sister was. They wanted to find simple, everyday jewelry to add to their collection. I was only going to look around but then I saw some really cool stuff that I just had to buy. I bought this hand mirror that was very 'Beauty & the Beast' and very Anna Sui (one of my favorite fashion designers). Anna Sui products are sooo expensive that I never owned anything by the brand. Until then, I'll settle for the really pretty, gothic dupe mirror I got from N. Cat. They also had a mini version with an equally beautiful comb so naturally, I had to buy that too, hehe. I got some rings, necklaces (one with a bullet pendant), pretty pearl headbands (so I can feel like a mermaid or channel Queen Mary from the television show 'Reign') and (I got a panda and skulls) phone accessories as well. Their accessories are affordable and I discovered that they don't tarnish and make my skin green. Bonus points for that! They also just opened a store in Market! Market! so if you're in the area, check it out!

After living in Thailand for a month years ago, I've always been on the lookout for stuff from that…read morecountry. I was so happy when I found out that A'postrophe had some stuff, specifically bags, from Thailand. They don't just have stuff from Thailand, they also have items from other countries sold at a relatively cheap price. Exactly what do they have at the shop? Oh my. It's pretty hard to explain what they have because it's an eclectic kind of place. They have clothes you can wear every day, costumes for parties or just because you wanna dress up, jewelry to make you stand out, shoes that are so pretty, items for your house that can be considered art and on and on and on. Just know that whatever you're style or taste is, you'll fall in love with this shop.

The fact that A'postrophe caters to my not-so-hidden hippie chick aesthetic is not lost on me. The…read moremoment I stumbled upon this kitschy, colorful beauty of a store in Glorietta, I was hooked. So many things I wanted to buy! The Hmong floral bags from Thailand! The brass skull paper weights! The seed bead earrings! The Nepalese brightly colored keychains! Whoever is in charge of A'postrophe is doing a damn good job at curating the products, because I love everything they sell here. Of course, not everything they sell is aimed towards pleasing the granola girls out there. There are products that are more trendy, but still really gorgeous. Their selection of costume jewelry is also really well-curated. I remember purchasing a gaudy gold plated ring in the shape of a jaguar's head, with green gemstones for eyes, and a large red gemstone in its mouth. You'll have to see this store to believe it, but I love going in here even just to window shop and to take my mind off the ugliness of the city.

If you're into K-Pop then I think you'd love CNA as much as you love your idols. I'm not into it…read morebut I have a lot of friends who are. One of them is a Big Bang fan girl and she said that it was easier to purchase an album nowadays because of CNA and she didn't have to wait long unlike if she'll order online. She didn't also have to bother contacting a few people in Korea to get rare ones and pay more because of the shipping fee. Apart from their KPop-related selection, they also sell great accessories. They're a bit pricey but as for Korean silver, they don't tarnish too easily unlike other silvers out there. They also sell cute glasses with colourful and perky designs. If ever I do get reading glasses, I might just purchase the frames here because their designs don't make you look like an old librarian. Speaking of cute, I'm also in love with the ribbons or bows that they sell. The kikay in me couldn't help but hoard them. They also do sell Korean makeup and have a lot of BB creams that you can choose from.

I super love this shop! Not a totally fan of kpop but there's a lot of cute things, accessories,…read morebags etc

My mother-in-law is not a fan of Chinese zodiac signs and their meanings, but she believes in the…read moreenergy of gemstones. Hence, each year she buys charms and bracelets that are appropriate for her and her children's Chinese zodiac signs. On the year that she turned 59, I decided to buy her a bracelet that would protect her from harm and boost her health. Since my mother-in-law has a good fashion sense, I knew that I needed to buy her something that's charming and genuine. Therefore, buying from a tiangge was not an option. I scoured many stores that sell good-luck bracelets and charms, but the place where I found what I was looking for was The Red Jasper in Power Plant Mall. This place sells Asian-inspired jewelry and accessories that are enchanting but a bit pricey. Still, I believe that I got good value for my money because the stones and quartz set in my mother-in-law's bracelet were solid, cold (meaning genuine), and heavy. The best part my purchase was when I saw her happily using my gift.

Everywhere I travel in Asia I seek out a Muji. For travel items,stationary,tee shirts,kitchen ware…read more( I still use a pair of heat resistant silicone tipped extra long chopsticks when wok frying I bought in HK 10 years ago). Japanese minimalism at its finest..... hop inside if you see one.

I love this store, period. It's clean and simple and everything I want my home to be, but…read moreunfortunately isn't. I think people are drawn to this store because it makes even the most mundane things in your home look cool. With barely any color, this store manages to capture the eyes of most who walk by. I'm fascinated with all the store offers from clothing to shelving needs, notebooks & pens, travel gear, home wares, personal hygiene products and even food in some of the outlets. How a company can manufacture so many different products and still be successful and profitable is a feat. I don't care how they do it because I get to enjoy the benefits of their clever little store. The prices are definitely on the high side, which is a good thing. Otherwise, I would be walking away with the entire store and trying to figure out where to put it all. The only thing that bothers me is all the plastic. I wish they would move away from all the plastic and switch to glass. This is for all their personal care items. There is too much synthetic crap in the world and Japan is great at taking the environment seriously. Muji, please take note and do your part to switch to glass!