Dressed for Success: Frank Orange Dress Shoes

Recently, I was asked to present to a real-life Miranda of the Devil Wears Prada fame.

Yup. Bad news. How bad?

Imagine this: a middle aged woman who knows what she wants and needs.

Sounds ok. So let me rephrase it:

A middle aged woman who knows what she wants and needs and tells you things straight.

Bearable still. Ok, time to be precise:

A middle aged woman who knows what she wants and needs and tells you things straight...so straight and blunt that it pierces through your heart and she wouldn't stop until she realizes how miserable you are and how little is left of your dignity that was barely there the moment you stepped inside her room and realized that her mere presence caused an immediate climate change and deafening silence among her subordinates.

Whew. THAT BAD.

But having a soft spot in the hearts of the marketing people, they gave me tips on how to present myself during the dreaded day.

" Please don't wear anything colorful."

Check. I have a black H & M top I haven't worn yet. Just perfect.

"Please try to tone down your perkiness."

Check. Boring mode on.

" Please present well and focus on your animated story telling. "

Check. Be boring and then present animatedly. Weird.

Whatever. I'll do everything I can just to get this darn account.

Bottomline: Be corporately bland.

Eww.

And then suddenly, my fairy god mother spoke to the marketing head:

"Oh, don't worry though, if she likes you, you'll know immediately. She'll joke around with her loud booming voice and she'll approve your work immediately. You just have to hit her good side. "

Ting! A spark of hope.

The only problem was: how do you hit the g-spot of a modern day monster who has a booming voice and hurls insults non-stop till you drop?

Well. I had it all figured out.

Immediately after arriving home, I brought out my H & M top and checked its fit.

Perfect.

Not too body hugging, not too loose. Classic design. Only people from Mars wouldn't like it.

And then I brought out my chosen pair of jeans.

Hmm. Just right. Not too slim cut, not too long. Nice shade of black.

Check.

And now for the shoes.

I was supposed to wear a black one with my entire ensemble. That was the safest thing to do when presenting to a lady who only recognizes two colors, both of which not found in the rainbow: black and gray.

But a part of me feels that I needed to add some color to my outfit.

I mean, I need not be as dark as the person she is right?

So I opted to use my secret weapon.

My orange and black dress shoes from Frank.

I got it on sale last december at CMG Trinoma.

Originally priced at P 3,495, I got the pair for P 1,995. Not bad. Branded after all.

Classy. Sleek. Trendy. Best words to describe this pair.

Made of a unique cloth like material similar to the ones used in making the espadrilles.

The color combination of orange and black makes it a striking pair to behold.

Not minding the advice of the marketing people, I decided to use the said pair.

At least I'll still look good if she throws me out of the room.

Here's how I looked prior to the presentation.

Presentation time came and true enough, her presence filled the entire room.

But surprisingly, she smiled at me.

That's when I knew that God was on my side. Haha!

Totally forgetting the reminders of the marketing people, i proceeded to charm my way through the presentation.

Her subordinates were nudging my legs and giving me incredulous looks as they saw their monster boss shift into a totally new persona.

After the longest hour of my life and a couple of high-decibel conversations with the lady dragon, you guessed it.

I got her nod.:)

Might be fate.

Might be God's will.

Or might be the hint of color she saw prior to me presenting.

To tell you FRANKly, whatever it was, I was glad. :)

Professor's Pick: The Adidas Stan Smith 2 CF

January 11 marked my first day as an Advertising Professor at Cosmopoint International, a Malaysian-based advertising school in Quezon City.

Despite the fact that it wasn't my first time to teach (I have taught at AMA and ACSAT, also on a part-time basis a couple of years back), I was quite nervous for several reasons:

1.) I heard that the students were not your typical ones since the school is primarily art-based---read between the lines. Those who have been working in the same industry as I have, would immediately understand that  prim and proper is a far cry in this set up. But I guess with my vast experience in handling such kind of people (my agency is composed of one rowdy bunch), I believe I can survive.

2.) Being a non-techie person, the school's IT system intimidates me. But then again, I already have a back-up plan for this: I befriended all the key people (e.g. technicians, maintenance etc.) who can eventually save me from utter humiliation.

3.) I didn't have the slightest idea on what to wear.

Boom.

Yup, you got it. The third reason is probably my major, major concern. Haha!

Just so you know, regular employees of the said school have their own set of uniforms which they wear on a regular basis: a navy blue regular-fitting shirt and khaki pants/ polo barongs paired with black slacks.

Err. So not me. The mere thought wearing such sends shivers shooting through my spine.

Hmmm, perhaps I can go corporate?

Say long-sleeved polo, slacks and leather shoes.

Err. Still not me. Too business-like. Those who know me personally can attest to the fact that I was never really corporate.

Gosh.

I finally decided on just sporting the best look I have mastered for years: the adman creative look.

Adman Creative look: Fun, Hip, Stylish. Corporate turned colorful.

I rummaged through my closet and found a bunch of clothes which I haven't worn yet.

A new career demands a new top and bottom to match.

Since I wanted to present myself as a cheerful professor (the darn kids must love me so I can make them obey me. Haha! That's my strategy), I opted to wear a yellow top from Adidas.

Got a slim fitting jeans to go well with my fab top.

And last but not the least, my chosen pair of shoes:

The Adidas Stan Smith 2 CF.

The Adidas Stan Smith 2 CF is another quirky addition to my growing roster of walkers.

Quite colorful, comfortable and easy to wear, its changeable velcro straps (in eggplant and white) make it a highly versatile pair which can match most outfits. Not bad for a pair that costs P 3,495.

The  green, purple and orange accent shades are offset by its predominantly white body, giving it a more streamlined look.


Here's a picture of me prior to attending my first class.

 I managed to overcome all my initial worries before the class ended: the students were nice and cooperative; I had no technical difficulties, thanks to the maintenance guy who helped me out and I think I found the perfect outfit to convince everyone that being corporate need not be bland.

Not bad for a first day.

Thank you Adidas.

Thank you Stan Smith 2 CF.

My Golly, My Giallo!

 My golly. I just realized how wonderful blogging can be.

Blogging allows me to share my sentiments. It allows me to rant or to rave.

Blogging also allows me to send hints to prospective gift givers about what I want.

Like how a pair of shoes can always make my day.

Something which an artist of mine didn't fail to notice.

Just yesterday, a few minutes before starting our brainstorming session for a pending project, my artist, Pat, approached me and gave me a box.

Apparently it was his Christmas present for me.

A box with Giallo printed on it. At first I thought it was an Italian brand, you know like gelatto etc.

"Sosyal."I told myself, but then my thoughts proved me wrong when I saw the made in Thailand print on the side of the box.

Still imported. Haha!

Aww sweet. Points for you Pat. Hehe.

I hurriedly opened the box to find a pair of red sneakers with orange laces.

Quirky, I told myself. AYLOVET!

I got the pair out immediately and tried them on to see if there's a fit.

If these were glass slippers, I'd be married now. Haha!

Yup, a perfect fit.

 
This pair actually reminds me of the United Colors of Benetton sneakers I had during my elementary days.

No fuss, no frills. Just a comfy pair for strolling.

I called out to my artist and gave him my sincerest thanks.I thanked him for the gift and for having taste. :)

It pays off to have someone within the company who shares my passion for shoes.

And someone who actually reads my blog. Haha! Gotcha Pat!

My golly ha! 

Interested in this pair? Check out www.giallothai.com.

New Year, New Shoes: Adidas Nizza Hi Colorway

First things first: Happy new year everyone!

The new year presents the perfect opportunity to come up with resolutions...and to wear a new pair of shoes. :)

I remember my Mom telling me as I grow up about the importance of saving for a rainy day.

Following that piece of advice dearly, I got this pair long before saying goodbye to 2010, from an October sale to be exact. At P 1,600 on sale, it was a deal I couldn't resist. Original price was P 3,295.

Once again, I passed the marshmallow test with flying colors, after being able to stop myself from wearing this pair immediately after purchase.  Ok, well, I admit removing it from its box and doing away with the tag as well since I almost...again, almost, wore it during an event last November. Almost.

I'm talking about the Adidas Nizza Hi Colorway.

I decided to save it for the new year since it looked nice and bright, perfect for my new mantra for the year: Be more cheerful, be less worried. Works for a corporate slave like me who beats impossible deadlines for a living. Wearing a pair of shoes that reminds me of colorful fireworks can be so uplifting.

Apart from that, no thanks to my poor eyesight (I'm still contemplating whether to wear glasses or not anytime soon), I've always thought that the designs were circles. Until finally when I looked closer on new year's day, I got the shock of my life when I saw that they were actually hexagons. Geez. So much for being my lucky charm. Haha!

On a lighter note, the Adidas Nizza Hi Colorway is made of soft, shimmery cloth, almost like waterproof, which sets it apart from the usual Converse Chuck Taylors and other wannabes.

Quite comfortable and flashy, this pair is my perfect accessory for the new year. In plain white shirt and jeans, I headed off to the mall to show off my new shoes.

After getting asked by a few random strangers about my pair, and getting a dozen looks from passers by, I was quite convinced that indeed it was the perfect new year fit.

 The Adidas Nizza Hi Colorway. 

What a way to start the year. :)