One shopping/ movie weekend, I just decided to wear shorts and a tank top. I found it so plain though. I was supposed to use my denim bolero, but I was thinking it would be so hot. Hehehe! You know how hot it can sometimes feel when wearing denim. The cloth is a bit thicker compared to other fabrics. So what did I end up wearing? Check it out below…

Uh-huh, a light blue long sleeves polo! Since I haven’t seen my light blue denim polo, I thought this could do for now. I just left the buttons open, tied the ends above my waist, rolled up the sleeves, and TADA… It looks like denim from a far! Hehe! More pictures below…

As for my accessories, I wore my vintage cow tanned belt from my mom. I really love how this belt adds “UMPH” to an outfit. Hehe! I think the color and the gold detailed buckle make it unique. As for my layered necklace, this is one of the “treasures” I brought home from London. I forgot to post it here together with the bib necklace, which I have worn already in one of my outfit posts. Check out the bib necklace here. You’ll never guess how much I got these necklaces! Hehehe! These are only less than Php 500 bucks each at Primark! Oh geesh, that store is an ultimate bargain shop!!! I wish I could go back there soon… Hehehe! Wish. Wish. Wish.

On Lush Angel: plain white shorts and black tank top; Kamiseta botton-down polo; H&M gold and wooden bangles; layered necklace from London (Primark); Philip Stein watch; vintage belt from my mom; wedge shoes from Schu; Louis Vuitton Alma Damier Ebene

Yay, another Louis Vuitton damier for me… and now in Trevi PM! But before I was able to bring home my new baby, there is a complicated story behind this purchase which I will be sharing first. Hehehe! So read on…

Honestly, I was not supposed to buy a Louis Vuitton again. I thought that the two Louis Vuitton bags I have is enough. I was really targeting for a Balenciaga and a Chanel during my last vacation. Since I was able to buy my dream medium/ large Chanel classic flap bag already during my second day in Austria, I was determined to look for a Balenciaga boutique for the entire trip. Two weeks have passed and our tour guide was not able to bring me in a Balenciaga store.  Well, there are a few Balenciaga stores  in Eastern Europe but it’s just quite far from the places we went to. For some reason, their boutiques can’t be seen in most shopping areas where other designer brands can be found, such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci. In fact, the one and only shopping area that we went to where a Balenciaga boutique could possibly be found (based on my research), closed! Darn! When I called the contact number I got from the internet, a new tenant already occupies the space and told me that Balenciaga transferred to another district which is quite far if we were just going to walk. Argh! How lucky, huh?!

My luck did not stop there! On our last day in Europe, I requested our tour guide to bring us back to Kohlmarkt in Vienna because I realized that I’ll just be getting the beige Chanel GST I saw when I bought my flap bag, instead of that Balenciaga that somehow keeps on hiding from me. Anyway, we were really going back to Vienna since we would be flying from there. It’s just that the original itinerary was to stay in Budapest (Hungary) longer and be back in Vienna around 6pm. The problem: all stores close at 6pm! And because our tour guide prioritizes us, he adjusted our itinerary to get to Kohlmarkt by 4:30pm! Yay!

Well, just when I thought I would be bringing home another Chanel bag… I was surprised to see that almost everything on their display was entirely different when I went inside the Chanel boutique. I initially thought they really change their bags on display that often so I asked for the beige GST I saw two weeks ago. When the SA said “Everything was sold”, I wanted to shrink! I looked around if I wanted something else that were available at that time, but na-da! Time passed so quickly and we left Chanel almost 6pm. I went outside thinking I won’t be bringing home another bag, but when I saw Louis Vuitton just in front of Chanel, a light bulb popped out my head! LOL! :-)

When we tried entering LV, the guard did not want to entertain us anymore as they were already closing. It was 15mins to 6pm at that time and he explained to us that their system automatically shuts down at 6pm. That means, it doesn’t matter if a customer have been choosing a bag to purchase since 4pm. If she doesn’t pay before 6pm, all the time she spent in there is wasted. Anyway, I just told the guard that I knew what I wanted already, even if it wasn’t true. I totally did not have any idea what to get! Well, I had one in mind, which is the beautiful and spacious Neverfull, but unfortunately they only have it in monogram. While I was glancing through the bags available on their display, I saw this Louis Vuitton Trevi in Damier. I pointed at it right away and paid for it! Hehehe!  Yah, that fast! In fact, I didn’t even know the name of this bag when I bought it. When I saw it, I just knew I liked it. In short, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT! LOL! Take a look at my new baby below. Isn’t she gorgeous? (I really sound like a proud mom… hahaha!)

There are two sizes available for this style. Trevi comes in PM and GM. Well, for those who have been following my blog, big bags have always been my choice. Ummm… Okay, not all the time as I bought the medium/large classic flap bag instead of the jumbo. Hehehe! If you have read my post about it here, I have valid reasons why I settled for the medium so it really depends. Probably, it is more of- I love carrying around big bags for my casual or day activities. Anyway, going back, when I saw the two sizes of Trevi on display, without a doubt, I chose the PM. Geeesh, the GM is just way, way too big!!! Well, the GM is great for travel but when I tried it on, the bag itself is already heavy for me! I’m certain I couldn’t last carrying it even for half a day. Hehehe! Good thing I find the PM still very spacious. I’m so glad I found Trevi PM. Even without my Balenciaga or GST, my Louis Vuitton Trevi PM still made my day! Imagine, having a love at first sight in Europe… Hehehe! It really is like a fairytale to me. LOL!

Uh-huh, a certified shopaholic like Rebecca Bloomwood! In fact, I can’t think of a SINGLE moment or experience to show how shopaholic I am. Why?! Because I was born a shopaholic! Okay, okay not exactly since I was a baby. Obviously, I can’t talk and walk then; but when I started to talk and point on things, oh geesh… my parents probably wished I were a baby again. Hahaha! The words coming out of my mouth were always “I want this!”, “I want that!”, “Buy me this!”, or “Buy me that!” I’m not exaggerating! Okay, probably I grew up to be a spoiled brat. At least I’m honest. My wants just never ends! In fact, when I was in grade school, my mom and my aunt would call me “Bilmoko”. Shortcut for “bili mo ako” (in English- “Buy me…”). Oh and guess what?! Since I was a kid, I was trained well to shop all day. That’s what you call real “talent”! LOL! Imagine, my mom and I would go to the mall every single weekend. We would arrive just before lunch and stay up until closing time. You can literally say, we shop ‘til we drop! So now you guys probably understand why I can’t share a single moment ‘coz there are just so many moments! LOL! :-) Well, of course, there is more to this. This is just my childhood days.

When I was in high school, my mom thought I’m responsible enough to get a credit card. Yeah, baby… a supplementary credit card! No need to bring cash! Since I also started going out with my friends, my mom thought I really need to have one for emergency use. Oh, but there were just so many emergencies… the first release of Havaianas flip flops here in Manila, the last stock of a stunning dress, the last size of the red shoes I have been eyeing for so long, the gorgeous bag that went on sale, etc., etc., etc. As a result, whenever the credit card bill was delivered to our house, I literally get nervous! Thank God my parents love me so and they never ranted about my shopping sprees! Uh-huh, again I know and I admit- such a spoiled brat! LOL!

Now that I’m working and earning my own moolah, you think things have changed?! Nah-dah! Of course, I still have my supplementary credit cards and for some reason, my primary credit card bills are also being taken cared of by my parents. Hehehe! Oh, I know I’m horrible, but what can I do I just can’t live without shopping! Well, you might wonder what I do with the money I earn. Well, most of them are allotted for my craziness with designer bags and some gadgets. Okay, I have this ONE moment to share… When I went to the States last year, I ended up taking home 2 bags of Louis Vuitton. What was I thinking then?! I really go ga-ga over bags. In fact, before the year ended, I asked my good friend, Fashion Juice, to buy me my Chanel PST even if I haven’t seen it personally! But my sickness doesn’t stop here. The year just started and I seemed to have spent thousand and thousand of pesos already. I started my year with gadgets. First, a new mobile phone (as seen here). Then 2 weeks after, I bought a new DSLR. And I have yet to buy bags…hopefully, this summer.  Plus, a new laptop… Oh, and I haven’t included here my almost weekly shopping for clothes, shoes, accessories, etc., etc., etc. I’m sorry but the list just goes on and on. I could actually write a book just by listing what I plan to buy this year. Pardon me, I know I said earlier that I’m only going to share ONE moment. Well, this is exactly the problem I was trying to tell you earlier. There can never be ONE because my entire life is mostly about my being a shopaholic! I’m totally intoxicated with shopping! Whenever I’m sad, shopping can make me happy. Whenever I’m in pain, shopping can heal me. Whenever I feel tired, shopping is my stress reliever. For some this may sound awful but SHOPPING is really my short-term solution to everything. Retail therapy can do wonders for me!

I am totally a certified shopaholic like Rebecca Bloomwood (but yes, minus the debt, thanks to my parents)! This is why I can’t wait to see my favorite chic flick of the year! So for those here in Manila, join me catch “Confessions of a Shopaholic” in Cinemas on February 18, 2009!

Silver hardware or gold hardware? That is the question! A question that every Chanel shopper faces before purchasing those luscious bags… Since I am Lush Angel, I want to live up with my name by being an angel to those who are confused whether to buy the silver or the gold hardware. A confusion that I, myself, went through. So what made me decide?

Okay, first it seems that I did not have any choice. When fashion juice ordered it online for me, we actually did not know what kind of PST it was. She tried to call Neiman Marcus but the SA wasn’t sure as well if it is timeless, if it has gold or silver hardware. So what was I thinking then? What the heck?! It’s still Chanel!

When the bag arrived at fashion juice’s place and saw the pictures of it, I was like star struck! Hahaha! It was only after the bag was bought that I realized how much I liked the silver hardware. I was actually hoping for a gold hardware. But thinking about it, I actually needed a silver hardware to match my white gold jewelries since I already have a Louis Vuitton Damier and Monogram to match my yellow golds. Hint. Hint. You also have to think of what bags you lack in terms of the accessories you wear. If you are wearing more of yellow gold jewelries, then go for the gold hardware. On the other hand, if you have more silver or white gold accessories, then the silver hardware is the right bag for you. But if you are like me who wears both kinds of accessories, then opt for the bag you lack. Since I already have a number of bags in shades of brown and gold hardware and only a few in silver, then my PST will definitely serve me well!

In my opinion, gold is very elegant. In fact, for me, gold equates to elegance or glamour. This is why I’d like to reserve that gold hardware for my flap bag. Since my PST is more for my casual get-ups or occasional night outs, silver is perfect for the bigger bag. Again, only my opinion… silver looks more casual to me. Then, for my night outs and parties, I’m dreaming of a black flap bag in gold hardware. Oh my, here I go again…

Well, I hope that somehow I was able to help those who are so puzzled with this mind bugling question: Silver hardware or gold hardware? For those who still can’t decide, then buy 2 bags in different styles! Actually, to make things easier for everyone, both are really gorgeous! Forget about the gold or the silver! Chanel is Chanel! The hardware would not take off its worth! *wink*