Joyce Makitalo Lands on the Pages of Marie Claire US Feb 2011

Yes it's true, and boy was I excited when I realized that a Filipino designer has once again landed on the pages of a US glossy.

Can you see the cuffs? They're right at the top of the page, front and center. $670 each.

 On page 45 in the 101 Ideas section, Joyce's bold, ornate gold cuffs are shown with an assortment of textured neutral extras. I don't think the pictures do them justice though. You'll really appreciate Joyce's craftmanship when you see her pieces up close.

My friend, stylist Alyanna Martinez, was the one who introduced me to Joyce. She used a lot of her pieces for her fashion shoots with Preview, and I would always compliment her on the attention-grabbing gigantic Makitalo rings she herself would wear. I would use them sparingly for some of my Cosmo shoots (the price points were a little too steep for our readers) but I felt that the materials (semi-precious stones that read like an encyclopedic list and brass dipped in 24k gold) and the raw, original designs more than justified the price. And her jewelry definitely deserve the press and fanfare.They're like works of art, and it's no surprise that the Ayala Museum was the first retailer to start selling her designs under the label Galleon a few years back.

Charm Aragalia Choker (turquoise, tiger's eye, aquamarine, aventurine, sodalite, apatite, agate and solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

Lakme Versicolor Valentina (turquoise, agate, aquamarine, amethyst, aventurine, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

East Caligo Valentina Necklace (onyx, amethyst, agate, tiger's eye, freshwater pearls, jasper, cubic zirconian, mookie, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

Venus Argente II Valentina Necklace (quartz, lapiz lazuli, white and blue turquoise, aquamarine, solid brass dipped in 24k gold)

I don't know how much these pieces sell now, but I highly recommend making the investment. I was just scrolling through the pieces on the site, and my sartorial senses are salivating over the amazing designs. See for yourself over at her website.

P.S. A Celestina multicolored clutch is also featured on the same section, page 42!

H&M Collaborates with Hasbeens

Refinery 29 reports that Swedish Hasbeens, best known for their wooden clogs, is collaborating with H&M on a limited line of wooden-soled footwear made of environmentally-friendly materials. Oh rejoice! Ever since clogs became the footwear du jour last season, I've been toying about buying a pair. Actually, no, I REALLY couldn't afford to buy them cause they were just too darn expensive, starting at $149 for the braided sandal, and tagging in at a whooping $399 for a lace-up boot at Endless. At prices ranging from $59.95 to $69.95 for the H&M line, I can finally afford to get myself one.

I like the strappy beige wedge and the low-heeled red sandal (It'll look fab with scrunched up socks and a floral dress!). What are your picks?

I took a look at the Hasbeens website too and read this funny tidbit about the company's history:

"Her name was Anita and she was the hottest mum in all of southern Sweden in the 1970’s. While smoking Camel she screamed at her kids until her curlers fell out and just looked fabulous in her white high-heeled clogs."

Before I end this post, let me share with you my favorite Hasbeens styles:

I'm off to await this line. I probably have a much better chance of scoring a pair than I had picking up any single item from the chaos that was the H&M Lanvin launch!

Upstyling my Uggs

As most of you probably heard, New York was besieged by an insane snowstorm a few weeks ago. I would have been a miserable warm-blooded Filipina if I wasn't outfitted in my just-purchased fur-lined Uggs, especially made to trek through snow, slush and those pesky corner puddles. I never ever thought I would actually purchase Uggs (I'm really not a big fan of their original design), but Mariel swore by the comfort and warmth of her pair (she has nice suede buckled ones that are quite styling). I had to get myself a proper pair of snow boots since I had been working at an open park and my toes were going completely numb from the cold.

This was the pair I really wanted but the footbed wasn't lined and I was afraid it wouldn't be warm enough. Uggs Belcloud boot at zappos.com, $225

After much researching, I settled on this brown lace up pair. Now, it wasn't love at first sight—I thought they looked too clunky plus they were pricey, but my Canadian bf (a certified snow trooper!) gave the thumbs up (as well as a group of strangers trying out shoes beside me), and they were definitely the warmest among my options. When I first wore them, I found them too heavy, and a strain on my leg muscles but boy oh boy did they keep my feet toasty. And after I tramped them through thirteen inches of snow, I was happy I made the investment. 

Uggs Adirondack tall boot, $250, at zappos.com. They must be quite popular because they're sold out at the Ugg website!

 

My only problem is that they're not exactly very stylish. I almost always end up wearing them with a chunky sweater and leggings, not exactly the most imaginative outfit. But yesterday, I made the effort to dress them up, seeing as I would be wearing them in the Refinery29 office.

Gold sweater, Topshop (bought on sale for Php500 I think); denim vest, 99c City, $0.99; jeans, Jag (free!); Beaded bib, Zara, on sale for $25.99; multi-layered crystal and cloth braid necklace, Aldo, $19.98 on a two for one sale.

I love how the green of the Aldo necklace contrasts with the beads on the bib.

I'm still wearing a sweater but I gave my outfit a spin by adding a cropped denim vest, and layering my recent fab jewelry buys. What do you think?

Not quite sure what my next outfit would be but do tell me your ideas! I would love to hear your sartorial suggestions for dressing up my Uggs!