SHOEpper's Guide 2: CMG Trinoma

Post-Christmas sales.

Simply divine.

I had to muster all of my EQ to keep myself from spending much on shoes before Christmas.

Fortunately, by distracting myself through watching an MMFF Film and the Chinese circus, I was able to brave through Christmas.

And when the 26th of December finally arrived, I was in major SHOEpping mode.

So off I went to yet another one of my favorite shopping destinations: CMG Trinoma.

A stone's throw away from my home, CMG Trinoma is home to some of my favorite shoe brands: Kartel, Frank and Traffic.

What I love about the place is that they regularly have sales...up to 70% off during peak dates. Stocks are readily available, which is quite a rarity in other shoe stores. Very fashion-forward and updated when it comes to shoe styles. Classic ones are also available here though.

The upscale look of the place makes it the perfect haven for branded dress shoes and loafers alike. If you are into smart casual fashion, CMG Trinoma is your mecca.

Designer shoes abound the place. Quite pricey but well worth it.

Shoes and sandals range from P 995 up. The ones I like are priced at P 3,995 up. That is if they aren't on sale.

Patience is the name of the game when shopping here.:)

I recently got a pair of dress shoes (to be blogged soon) on sale which I intend to wear on my first day of teaching (January 11th) . Original price was P 3,595. I got it for P 1,995. But I had to wait for 6 months. Haha. Thank God for serendipity. The long wait was all worth it.

See, I passed the marshmallow test with flying colors. Haha!

CMG Trinoma is located at the 2nd floor of Trinoma Mall beside Aldo shoes, a few stores away from the Adidas Lifestyle Store.

Going Green: Reebok Insta Pump

Nowadays, I've noticed that suddenly everyone (and almost everything) has become earth-friendly.

From the eco bags to the eco warriors...all for the love of Mother Nature.

I don't see anything wrong with this...in fact I support the cause.

But I wanted to take it a step further by going beyond the usual advocacy and carrying it over to my personal style.

And I don't mean wearing wooden shoes and the like. Please.

Enter my green machine: the Reebok Insta Pump.

Yup, Reebok.

I know this might seem strange because I was never a fan of the said brand until I saw this pair at an outlet store in Tung Chung in Hong Kong. And at 699 HKD (roughly P4,194), it was quite a good buy, considering that this model was not (when the time I bought it), and still isn't (as I write this) available here in the Philippines.

I was instantaneously smitten by its perfect shade of green: not too dark, not too light. Just right. Quite cool in the eyes. Match it with the right shade of purple, and you have a stunner.

Then examining it closer, I found the quirky nature-inspired design appealing. The combination of flowers and birds, with hints of grass on its skin tells a story of its own. Or so I'd like to think. Haha.

Despite its seemingly large form, it's quite very comfortable to wear. The soles have this cushion base similar to Nike Air's. I actually feel taller whenever I wear this pair, perhaps because of its air-filled base.

This pair is perfect for working out as it gives you additional leverage when doing exercises, not to mention, it looks good with a pair of jogging pants or 3/4 shorts.

Here's a picture of me taken after working out.

Indeed, the Reebok Insta Pump lives up to its name: by pumping up my awareness about nature and my personal style at the same time.

Can't help but grin at this green machine. :) Being eco-friendly was never this fashionable. Hehe. :)

Oh Christmas Z, Oh Christmas Z!

My company's Christmas party.

The last major celebration before the year ends.

A celebration of good work, camaraderie and...good taste.

Yep, it's that time once again when I have to look my best. Not that I don't try on a daily basis. Haha.

But this is something special. You know what I mean.

So anyway, I never did really have the chance to plan my final get-up since I was so busy with work.

Admittedly, I was pressured. At the back of my head, I know my staff would be dressed to kill.

I must do something about it, I told myself.

So I hurriedly rummaged through my closet and found a cute checkered polo which I haven't worn yet.

Perfect. Thank God for my shopping impulsiveness. Hehe.

I scanned a few more minutes and found a new pair of jeans.

Great. The odds are in my favor.

And now for the shoes.

I looked around and saw a box at the corner of my bed.

"Thank you Lord for guiding me during Christmas SHOEpping!" , I silently prayed.

I opened it excitedly and boom! There were fireworks. Hehe.

The pair was a perfect match for my polo.

I hurriedly took it out of the box and marveled at its beauty.

It's the newest pair from Adidas: the Adidas ZX 800 Casual.

I actually got it a few days before as a Christmas gift for myself. Thank God (and Adidas) for the 40% discount, I was never guilty of getting the pair at P 3,177 (original price: P 5,295) from the Adidas Lifestyle Store in Trinoma, alongside others (now that's a teaser).

I chose to have this chalk/ligoni/sesame combination instead of the orange and brown one because it reminds me of wintertime. Perfect for the holidays with its resemblance to a pair of snow shoes.

The material, a combination of soft leather, gamuza and rubber gives it an edgy look. The cute laces (in chalk and aqua colors) contribute to its already fashion-forward look.

Surprisingly comfortable too, maybe because of the soft cushion inside. 

 Inspired by my new pair, I decided to try something different for the first time.

I tucked in my pants inside my shoes so I can show off my pair even more.

Here's a picture of me doing a last minute shopping for an exchange gift at Forever 21:

My pair never did fail me. They did get the well-deserved attention.

I lost count of the number of times I was asked where I got the pair.

So that's more than enough justification. I did make the right decision.

Of celebrating Christmas in my Adidas ZX 800 Casual. :)

Sunny Side Up: Adidas Nizza Hi-Cut Sun Lemon Peel

I woke up this morning feeling more cheerful than usual.

I'm not sure though if it was because I got enough sleep for a change or because it's a few days before Christmas.

Whatever the reason maybe, I was, well, best described as, my sunny self.

A rarity during my business' peak season.

But a most welcome change of course.

After eating a hearty breakfast of ham and eggs, I hurriedly went up to my room and looked for the perfect outfit to match my mood.

Hmmm. Sunny. Ergo, yellow. Bright yellow.

Luck was on my side when I saw the yellow Adidas shirt I haven't worn yet. New day, new shirt. Justified.

But the shirt's almost blinding color needed a pair of shoes to go with it.

Off to my shoe closet where I let my eyes feast on a melange of colors.

Only to narrow down on my pair of choice: The oh-so-bright-it-makes-my-eyes-squint Adidas Hi-Cut Nizza Sun Lemon Peel.

With its perky yellow hue, reminiscent of the morning sun magnified a hundred times, the Nizza Sun Lemon Peel is definitely a stand out by itself.

Made from soft fabric, it is both comfortable and functional, perfect for both indoors and not-so-muddy outdoors.

Being hi-cut gives it the versatility to look good in both jeans and shorts. Perfect.

It is quite rare for me to find a pair that suits my color palette. Coming across this Nizza Sun Lemon Peel was like spotting a ray of sunshine amidst a sea of blue skies.

And what's best about it was I got it on sale:  at P1,695 (original price is P3,295), it was quite a steal!

So here's a shot of me at the gym after working out. The huge smile on my face shows how pleased I am with my ensemble for the day. Color does affect one's mood, eh?

And so I ended the day with a smile as I headed home to wrap some Christmas gifts.

The sun is setting in a while, but it seems that nothing can change my sunny mood.

Perhaps because I have my favorite ray of light: my Adidas Nizza Hi-Cut Sun Lemon Peel. :)

A pleasant surprise that bites: Crocs Suede

I've been very busy during the last few days as you all know with my recently concluded bazaar, a number of pitches and a whole lot of deadlines to meet.

My Mom, who has been persuading me to take a break, along with my doctor, feels for me. She understands that even I, a mere mortal wanting to be like Superman, could use some time off.

But then again, she also understands that at this point, when business is at its peak, I just can't.

Next option for her was to give me a little something that might take away my mind from the usual daily grind of the corporate and not-so corporate world.

And she did the right thing.

I was caught by surprise when one day I saw a pair of walkers on my desk.

The smell was genuinely original. Great.

When I opened the bag, the texture, the color, and the size were quite right.

I was bitten by amusement. And great feelings of appreciation.

My mom indeed knows me too well.

Enough for her to give me a pair of Crocs Suede Shoes.

I have always been a fan of Crocs Santa Cruz and the pair given to me by my mom only adds to my fondness for the brand.

As expected, the pair is still as comfortable as ever. The suede texture gives it a more upscale look that lends itself to both weekend casual and smart casual look. The color combination of brown and orange is reminiscent of my passion for coffee.

Just perfect.

For a moment, i totally forgot about my deadlines and hurriedly put on my new pair.

I don't know if it was because of the new pair, but I breezed through the rest of the day with the greatest of ease.

Perhaps I was inspired by it.

Or maybe because I felt that, at the end of the day, everything else will pass.

And the only thing I will have left is the unconditional love of my Mom. And her knowledge of my taste. :)

An Open Letter to Santa: Adidas Edition

In my previous post, i have mentioned that I love Jeremy Scott.

Well...not him exactly, but his out of this world creations for adidas.

And his newest one, the OBYO is no exception.

Available at Adidas Greenbelt 3 Store since November 27.

And its already December 13, and still, I don't have a pair.:(

I am hoping to get one this Christmas.

Or even before that.

So here's my open letter to Santa.

"Dear Santa, if you could hear me, please send me a pair of this winged wonder. Size 9.5 will be fine. Any color will do, though a flambouyant one will definitely make me 10 times happier. I have been a very good boy lately, and I haven't bought any pair recently (recently: last 3 days). I promise to show my friends and loved ones your gift once I receive it. "

"Oh Santa, if you still have room in your sleigh and its not much to ask, kindly ask adidas if they have this cute pair from Jeremy Scott. This Teddy Bear series brings out the kid in me. I promise not to be a brat though. And yes, it's a size 9.5. "

"Prrrttttt...Oops, wait a minute Santa. Can I add something else if your elves won't mind wrapping it up?
You see, I was supposed to spend my Christmas in Hong Kong but I had to cancel due to a conflict in schedule. I was deadset on going to Disneyland once more but now that there have been changes in plans, I would have to settle for something else...well, something close to that experience. So while I was surfing the net, I came across this pair from Jeremy Scott. Yes, it would still be the same size as before. Would it be much of a hassle? I hope not. These pair would definitely be the happiest ones I will ever have (well that is until Jeremy Scott manages to come up with something to top this!)...enough to help me get over my cancelled trip to the happiest place on earth.  Please? "

"Thank you Santa. I hope that God (you know him right?)  will bless you and Adidas in the years to come. Mwah. Thanks. Much Love, Myke."

The Best Joyride

I'm stressed. And that's an understatement.

You see for the past few days I've been juggling work with my bazaar and a bunch of other important stuff in between.

Just yesterday, I realized that I've been working really hard and that I deserved a reward (after getting a big pimple on my right cheek due to stress, I needed to step back and enjoy the flowers).

I opted to enjoy the mall instead (the flowers can wait, no thanks to the scorching heat outside).

So off I went to MOA and engaged in some retail therapy e.g. SHOEpping.

Aside from the fact that I wanted to take some time off, I kinda figured out that if I was going to teach college students this January (on a part time basis only), I would have to get myself a decent pair of casual walkers to match my projected preppy look (well, that's how I envisioned myself, subject to change without prior notice. Oh, and I can't disclose the school yet until I finally sign up with them tomorrow.;) )

So off I went to visit my favorite stores: Traffic, the SM Mall, Shoe Salon, and the list goes on. After viewing more than a dozen pairs,  none still seem to have that distinct effect on me.

Well until I chanced upon this pair.

It was sophisticated in its own right: the elegant lines matched the perfectly crafted base.

The silver branding took my breath away.

"Sosyal!"

But what drawn me to it was its highly versatile look as it can pass for both as a weekend pair and as a pair smart casual dress shoes.

Hmmm.

"Size 9.5 please."

Hurriedly the sales lady came back with my most awaited pair.

And like Cinderella's one-of-a-kind experience with the glass slipper, I had my moment of euphoria as the pair fit perfectly.

I'm talking about the Adidas Vespa PX.

Award winning indeed like the print campaign of its namesake (I'm an avid advertising junkie) done by Saatchi and Saatchi.

With its sleek, sophisticated look and comfortable fit, it surely draws attention as it commands distinction.

Winner in every sense.

So anyway, after shelling out P4,995 for this dainty pair, I hurriedly went back to my selling post with renewed strength and vigor. Ahhh, the joys of retail therapy.

Of course, in order to sustain the newly found adrenaline rush, I decided to wear the pair to work today.

Here's my bazaarista slash informal meeting look (I presented to a prospective client onsite in my walkers).

As expected, my new pair of shoes got raves from neighboring tenants who became my instant fans, as they look forward to my chosen pairs everyday.

And now, I can definitely say that albeit stress, the Adidas Vespa PX has given me the best joyride.

Atomic Aqua

First impression: Explosively cute!

I know by this time you've probably noticed that I just love buying candy-colored shoes. This pair was definitely not an exception.

I got them during a recent trip to HK (yes, Nike Mongkok forever). At first I wasn't even sure if the said pair was original so I did some super sleuthing for a while and found out that indeed, they were authentic (it actually slipped my mind that I was inside a REAL Nike store...perhaps I got too carried away with excitement).
 
What made me doubt at first was that I never saw anything like it before...I mean with Nike, that is. It was made from soft, synthetic leather that's just darn cute.

The low cut was just right and the fit was just as comfortable.

It was just...well...PEPPERfect for me.;)

Introducing the Nike Pepper Low.

Pepper Low Cut. PEPPERfectly Low Priced.

I got this pair for an unbelievably affordable price of P 1,800 (on sale)!

Imagine the huge grin on my face as I got another pair of purple ones to compliment my aqua acquisition.

This pair goes well with shorts and jeans alike, perfect for weekend strolls at the malls or just having coffee with friends. However, being the adventurous type, once I wore this with my suit and...I got away with the murder. Haha!

Anyway, here's a picture of my Bazaarista look.

Aftermath: I chanced upon a Nike Store at Camp John Hay a few weeks back and saw a gray version of this pair.

Not bad really...until I saw the price tag.

On sale at P3,495.


I left the store with a triumphant look, happy with my PEPPERfect decision.


Of getting two pairs of the Nike Pepper Low.