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Design Philosophy (CT 11-Sixth Entry)

Last meeting's Design Philosophy activity has given much more value to what design elements and principles are compared to the first time. It's so nice to see how different designers support and uphold their philosophy through the ways they incorporate elements and principle to their creations. It makes me wonder what my philosophy will be in the near future, and how my collections will look like with regards to my concepts and philosophy. Rather than going with Boom Sason again, I decided to talk about Giambattista Valli. His pieces are almost always feminine, as he designs for women and he is a favorite of women, too. I admire his decision to make 12 collections a year so as not to limit his creativity. The way he celebrates the female body through his playful but still wearable silhouettes is something I would love to be able to do as a designer as well. Here's my ootd beside his creation I got inspiration from:

One thing is for sure, I want to find my unique play on design elements and principles. Though I'm not quite there yet, I'm sure I'll be able to figure it all out soon enough!

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Random, Not-So-Random Thoughts (CT 11-Fifth Entry)

Frustration kicks in as I try to brew up concepts for my capsule collection. Maybe I'm overthinking or I may even be not thinking enough. All I know is that I want and need to step out of my comfort zone which is dance. Pretty hard to let go of (for this matter only) since dancing has been such a huge part of me and my life. My thoughts as of now (Monday, Sept. 11, 2017, 00:08am): Okay, I want to go out of my comfort zone since my personal style is quite experimental and adventurous. Not everyday though since my wardrobe collection doesn't allow me to be as bold as I would like. But I do try. Wait. Should my personal style even relate to how I want to be perceived as a designer? Well, I think so? I have an idea 💡!!! Hmm but what if someone thought about this already? How can I make it ME? Uniqueness+Purpose+Me=???

Also, whaaat we're already almost six weeks into the first sem? Ber months have arrived and Christmas is around 104 days away. Where'd the time go? I need sleep. And I need haaalp. Concept please!! 😭🙏🏽

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Color & Texture (CT 11-Fourth Entry)

Okay, I need to step up my title-game. Moving on. Today I want to focus on COLORS and TEXTURES! You’ll come across these two words quite often in this entry, I apologize in advance. As someone who still can’t define her fashion sense or signature style, I try to steer away from looking basic as best as I can (not obvious since my blog is basic, amiriiite?). I personally think that venturing and experimenting with colors and textures are two of the best ways to do so. That’s what I did for the remainder of the week but documenting it completely slipped my mind. I’m sure I’ll be playing with the two elements again though so I’ll put them here soon! Color harmonies was my favorite topic. Sometimes my willingness and curiosity to wear various colors are killed by my fears of looking mismatched or too bold. The color wheel and different color harmonies are great tools I could use for when it’s time to put my outfits together as well as create designs and collections in the near future. Textures, however, is something that I need to refine. I have always been fond of buying knitted and leather clothing but find myself wearing them only when I travel to countries with cold climates. I learned that distinct textures are appropriate for certain seasons, and can make or break your designs. Here are a few photos I got from Pinterest and Instagram that serve as my inspirations:

Photo from BJ Pascual (@bjpascual on Instagram)

Photos from Pinterest

Photo from Aimee Song (@songofstyle on Instagram) Now here are some photos that show how adding texture can add life and dimension to an otherwise monochromatic ensemble:

Photos from Pinterest

Colors and textures may be intimidating and overwhelming at first, but knowing the right combinations makes a whole world of a difference! Can’t wait to be able to purchase (and create) more colored and textured garments to play with. Aside from pleasing the eyes, I hope I can relay my feelings and intentions through my outfits. The past few lessons about elements are helping me step out of my comfort zone and be more adventurous, too! We’ll talk again soon! :) ❤️💛💚💙💜

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Concepts (CT 11-Third Entry)

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a concept is something conceived in the mind (thought, notion) and an abstract or generic idea from particular instances.

For our third week in CT 11, we were divided into groups and then tasked to design a garment based on what "Kapayapaan" (filipino term for peace) meant for us. Our group made the mistake of creating and designing our dress first before formulating concept. We came up with this:

Photos from Rowell P. Cristobal

We were apparently more excited and worried about what we could do with the white shirts instead of the meaning behind our creation. So what happened was we had to think of ideas that would go well with the garments we had made. Our garment manipulated what Kapayapaan meant when it should have been the other way around. In the end our concept of Kapayapaan was not as genuine as we have hoped.

This has been my greatest takeaway for the week since I myself have committed the same mistake in the past. Lesson learned: the concept should always come first!

On to the next one. 👉🏼

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Make a Move (CT 11- Second Entry)

There are a few things I can reflect on for the past week’s topics for CT 11. I can talk on and on about what I’ve learned about lines and space, and how I have a long way to go before I get used to utilizing them in the best ways possible. This time, however, I want to touch on a more profound topic with regards to being a Clothing Technology student in the Philippines.

Halfway through the last meeting of the week, a few students came to class to update us on various issues concerning free education, Lumads, Marawi, and Martial Law. In the midst of his talk, a few thoughts came to my mind: does this have anything to do with my course? Why do they have to inform and involve everyone? Why must we, as UP students, be socially and politically aware? What will we gain from it?

Don’t get me wrong. These thoughts are not based on foolishness or ignorance. These are based on curiosity and wanting to be of actual help. For the longest time, I have settled for reading articles, shedding tears behind the screen for when I come across stories about extra-judicial killings, and simply tweeting #prayforthephilippines. Although I have genuine concern for the many problems our country is facing, I realized all I have done is be silent and passive.

My plans on going with my friends to interact with victims and families of Martial Law, the Lumads, and just people fazed by various issues remained plans. I was always too scared of turning them into reality. I’ve had fears of not being emotionally stable enough to handle the situation, as well as being traumatized by hearing their stories firsthand. You can call me a coward, apathetic, or even selfish. But let me tell you that someday my actions will speak louder than my words.

Perhaps some of us aren’t ready to face the war. Maybe joining rallies isn’t our cup of tea. But that doesn’t mean we are excused from trying to improve the Philippines. That doesn’t mean we can’t help in our own little ways. One day I will discover the big ways I can contribute to the country as a student and eventually, as a designer. But for now, maybe I can start with sewing for the Lumads, or donating to the victims of Marawi. That may not be enough for some but that is a big-enough step for me.

If I can do it, you can, too! Make the Philippines a better place for all of us instead of wanting to leave it. I'll update you on this matter and I hope you can join me in my journey to a life with a greater purpose. We’ll talk again next time! :)

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Welcome! (CT 11-First Entry)

Hi! Noob here. Welcome to my blog! Well, I’m not really a blogger. I’m doing this as a requirement for one of my majors so I hope you can be a tad forgiving when I make mistakes or awkward remarks here and there. But who knows, perhaps I’ll eventually get the hang of this and even fall in love with blogging. Here I am serving you amateur-blog realness, for now. <3

For our first week, we were tasked to blog about the following:

OOTD (with regards to our favorite designer)

30 Circles Activity (I’m not exactly sure if this is what it’s called though)

creative space

first weekly reflection

Let me just breeze through each one as I don’t like reading lengthy posts myself.

First, my favorite designer! Her name is Boom Sason and she’s a local designer. 

Her design philosophy is pretty simple: (in my own words) she likes creating pieces that women would feel sexy and confident in. She has a pretty huge following, with the likes of Martine Cajucom, Solenn Heusaff, and Megan Young. If you stalk her on Instagram (@boomsason), you may notice that she caters more to small-framed women. Although her designs are what I fell in love with (just because I can see myself wearing them), I aspire to be a designer that can cater to a wide variety of body types with a more playful and adventurous aesthetic. 

Next up, the 30 Circles activity. Here’s what I was able to come up with:

Okay, so technically I was only able to fill out six circles. HAHA. I spaced out for the first five seconds. The fear is real! Will surely get on with the design exercises and tips Ma’am Kitty gave in class. 

Take a peek at my creative space!

Not much but this will do for the time being. I’m planning to put up a cork board where I can pin inspos anytime, as well as clear up that mess you can see on the left side so I have space for my sewing machine (which I have NOT yet learned to use pls send help.) 

Lastly, my reflection for the past week. Hmm, as some of my classmates may know, this is my second time to take CT 11. The first time I took it, I missed almost half of the semester because my dad had cancer. Ma’am Kitty and I agreed that I would retake the course as I wasn’t going to settle for a grade of 3 and a fresh start was much needed, considering that I am now OFFICIALLY a Clothing Technology student! Yay.

Moving on... As I expected, I’ve come across some topics I already know. There are even times when I felt like I was having deja vu, but of course there will always be something new to learn in class. I told myself that I was going to retake this class with an open mind (and heart chos) and that’s exactly what I’m going to do! Meeting a new batch of CT students will surely contribute to my learning experience as well as give me a whole new CT 11 journey altogether. Although I can already sense strong personalities and competitiveness, I’m excited to see how this semester will go and I’m up for the challenge. 

That’s all for now. We’ll talk again soon! :)