What's a dude doing in a lingerie store, you ask? Well, for sure I wasn't there for myself. But as…read moreI write this, I have a friend who's about to get married civilly and he doesn't want to blow his and his fiancée's budget on an expensive gown. Nosing in and around Starmall EDSA-Shaw, I chanced upon this tiny shop selling women's undies. It's called Creem Lingerie. I swear, I wasn't lured in by the colorful, vibrant thingies hanging on the racks. I mean, being a married guy kinda makes me, uhm, knowledgeable and unmindful of women's underwear. Rather, what caught my eye was the row of white wedding gowns hanging by the wall. And I immediately remembered my abovementioned friend. I entered the boutique to check out the gowns. They all looked new and made of good quality fabric. Best of all, they were all reasonably priced - I know because when my wife and I got married, the price of her gown bore a huge hole in our budget. Indeed, if you are tight on cash or you simply do not want to spend big money on something that will only be worn once, then the gowns here at Creem Lingerie are good for the job. Lastly (and I'm going to say this just because I accidentally saw the price tags after I checked the gowns), Creem Lingerie has very affordable women's underwear. Some of them go as low as PHP 150.00 and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. This boutique is a must-visit when you're in Starmall EDSA-Shaw and if you're a woman, of course.

All women deserve to feel sexy. No matter your size, civil status or body type, you are sexy. Lucky…read moreDoll Bikini and Lingerie can make this a reality. No, they don't offer a weight loss program. It's not even anything related to boosting your confidence. What they have are really nice womanly things to make you feel your best. Whether you're into sexy costumes, corsets or babydolls and teddies, this is the place to shop for it. They have a showroom but it's so easy to just get it online. If sexy role playing isn't your thing, you can still look through their store for quality bikinis and swimsuits so you can be even hotter than this summer weather we are having.

This might be a little TMI, but I love Bench underwear. I'm not a big fan of their clothes in…read moregeneral, but I am sold on the kooky, wacky, and sometimes raunchy undergarments they sell. I now do not own any plain pair of inner wear. Like my tops and pants would usually be simpler than what I'm wearing underneath. Thanks, Bench! The Bench Body shop here in Glorietta I find is quite pleasant as there aren't a lot of people in the area in general, so it's often likely that you're just one of two people in the store. What I also love about them (Bench in general) is that they always have something on sale. And it's not just a a small bunch of stuff--it's like a whole bin or racks of things that are on discount. For someone like me, that's like being a kid in a candy store! Only the candy is oddly-colored, overdesigned boxer briefs.

I bet this is Festival Mall's attempt to compete with Pop Culture, hehe. Sorry Festival, but your…read moremini tiangge can never top ATC's. #TheTruthHurts Joking aside, this place doesn't really appeal to me. Most of the clothes here are cheap...in both a good and a bad way: you can find an affordable last minute present here, but you gotta be sure it's not too thin and there are no holes or loose threads on the thing. It'll take diligence and a keen eye to find something good amongst all the stalls.

The Mini Trade Hall at the Festival Supermall has become a shopping mecca for fashionistas on a…read morebudget. It is home to tiangge veterans, an online seller of ready-to-wear clothes, and several local retailers of footwear, lingerie, lounge wear, bags and other knickknacks. I was able to discover great finds at the Mini Trade Hall through the help of my shopaholic sister. She is an expert in finding the trendiest clothes that won't break the bank. She introduced me to her suki who sells inexpensive but durable shoes that are manufactured from Liliw, Laguna. It was from her suki that I was able to buy a pair of meshed ballet flats which I've been using up to now. I have subjected that pair to extreme stress by wearing it for two consecutive days as we toured the suburbs of Japan. I have also washed it and thankfully, nothing bad happened to my Liliw flats. Hooray for Philippine made footwear! It was also at the Mini Trade Hall that I got to buy that hard to find maxi skirt in my favorite color and preffered fabric. From another seller at the Mini Trade Hall, I was able to find the perfect off white and layered chiffon top that matches the maxi skirt that I just purchased that day. Check out the goods at the Mini Trade Hall today!

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! :)

Having a custom made dress doesn't necessarily mean that it will turn out looking amazing…read more Sometimes, even the best couturiers have their bad days. Enter Miss Selfridge. Miss Selfridge is a good place to buy ready to wear formalwear. It's relatively cheaper than a custom made dress. They have short cocktail dresses and full on formal wear with sparkly beading, embroidery and the works. They usually have good deals on their sale racks but be careful when buying last pieces. There are usually runs on the dresses. If not, the beading tends to be incomplete. A lot of people are afraid of buying ready to wear gowns because they run the risk of having another person show up wearing exactly the same thing. I always buy ready to wear formal wear and I've never had a twin at an event. Even then, it's always a game of Who Wore it Best. Rock that gown and everybody will only remember you.

I always make sure to check the latest collection of Miss Selfridge because they have really nice…read morepieces. I like how their clothing items range from casual to evening wear. I have had times, especially during the sales, where I would buy a lot of great looking tops - may it be for the beach, everyday or corporate wear. There were also times where I am in dire need of semi-formal or evening wear and I would also find it here. The price range for Miss Selfridge is okay especially if you need a dress for a special occasion but I recommend that you wait for their sale if you want to purchase some casual/corporate wear for everyday use. They also have really nice and sturdy accessories - scarves, bags, and very beautiful hats! Some of my scarves from Miss Selfridge have been with me for years and they haven't faded at all. Good price for the quality.

When I was 21 years old, ano nga bang ginagawa ko? Ahh.. nagpapakamatay for the last week of school…read morebefore graduation. (March din kasi birthday ko girl so inabot na ako ng 21 niyan! Shinare ko lang! Hahaha!) But no matter how stressful yung buhay that time, ito rin yung age na masarap i-enjoy kasi not too young pero not too old yung pakiramdam. Tapos feeling fashionista ka kahit saan sabay magwiwithdraw ka lang naman sa daan. SYEMPRE MAY PERA KA. The best part of being 21 siguro yung walang off na damit for you eh. Pwede kang mag-corporate na hindi nagmumukhang matanda pero okay rin naman kahit maging kasing-colorful ng damit mo yung parol sa kapaskuhan. Walang issue! Forever 21 is the place para makapagshopping sa lahat ng pegs mo: conservative pang-date, girly pang-ligawan, sexy kapag anniversary na, formal wear pang-kasal at pwede rin pangtulog para sa honeymoon or pa-bagets look kapag naghiwalay na! Choz! Nakakaloka parang kahit saang stage ng buhay mo pasok pa rin ang Forever 21! This store is for everyone talaga eh kahit babae, lalaki, for kids and lahat ng genders meron kang mabibili sa kanila. Stylish at meron din basic looks parang kahit anong character mo may babagay sayo! I actually use yung Forever 21 MasterCard kaya may special promos akong naaavail para sa mga cardholders (earlier kang papapasukin sa store, priority lane, and discounts) at malaking bagay talaga yung perks for someone na madalas mamili dito! KUNWARE MADALAS DIN AKO WAG KA DIYAN. I suggest na mag-apply ka for this card kung second home mo na ang Forever 21! Sulit siya girl! Pinaka-love ko sa lahat dito yung accessories (mahilig ako sa earrings) kasi maraming magagandang designs basta marunong ka lang maghanap ate! Maya't maya rin yung sale at kapag matalas yung mata mo, marami kang mauuwing damit na parang feeling mo nalugi sila dahil sa mura. PAG MATALAS ANG MATA BAKA MAY MAUWI KA RIN PAPABOLS. Hahaha! Ganyan. Feeling ko lang yung Forever 21 mas lamang yung porma over sa quality. Pak na pak ka talaga sa style mo dito girl pero parang hindi lahat matibay yung material na ginagamit. Kung wala namang kaso sayo kung hanggang kailan lang itatagal ng damit sayo PERO panalo yung porma/itsura mo, then shopping ka na at Forever 21! PS Masayang mag-window shopping dito kasi pagpasok mo pa lang parang gusto mo na siyang gawing bahay! Hours yung tinatagal ko sa loob kahit isang piraso lang yung nabili ko teh AT LEAST MAY BINILI HAHAHA kasi nakaka-enjoy talagang maglibot lang tapos sukat-sukat kahit yung wallet wala nang maisusuka! Kering-keri!

Cheap clothes, trendy clothes BUT not very good quality. I usually only get to use my Forever21…read moreclothes 3 to 5 times before some stitch unravels or shrinks or looks very worn. But hey, if you're paying PHP 1000 for a dress, I think it's unreasonable to expect anything more. Their shoes are awful though. I've never met a Forever21 shoe which are kind to my feet. Absolutely uncomfortable. But again, if you're looking to just wear it for an event and wear it once or twice, why not? Bags and accessories are also affordable. They'll last but only if you take extra care with them. Great gift idea: Give your girlfriend a gift certificate for PHP 1000 for her birthday and I'm sure she'll be very happy.