FASHION VERDICT: FURLA CANDY S BAULETTO

Here's my take on FURLA'S CANDY S BAULETTO.

Summer 2011 marked the huge comeback of the Jelly fashion. Furla's candy bags and footwear brought the fun and style back in Jellies with their lust- worthy bags and whimsical footwear.

Photo Credits: roseinthewind.com

Ottonella Mocellin served as the bag's image model. Furla's candy baulettos became such a hit that it went OOS everywhere in the world right after a certain online shopping site/boutique replenishes their stocks (I should know, I've been hunting this bag down in different international shopping sites for a time!).

The no- nonsense bag is made of high quality PVC material. Furla eliminated excess designs, introduced it in eye popping colors, and gave free automatic locks to every bauletto purchase. Its utter simplicity made me fall for this bag real hard. It stands out on its own sans the scarves and flashy key chains.

One of the most sale- able colors is Dragon Fruit Pink. Thank goodness, Jameela Velasco made my dream come true. She decided to give her car a new look and sold this bag to me. She's heaven sent! I could never thank you enough. :D

Dragon Fruit is a hot fuschia color. It's quite see through, but not as much as the clear and yellow version of this bauletto.

Plastic has expanding properties. So if you prefer a spacious luggage, Furla's candy bag might be perfect for you.This is how the interior looks like if it's loaded with stuff. Take note that I bring big pouches and wallets with me everyday. And everything went inside the bag easily, without having to worry where to place each item. I used my Lumix LX3 to take a pic of the bag. And the LX3 fits perfectly right in it, plus more space to spare. To give you a concrete idea of how big this bag is, it's almost as big as LV's Speedy 30, but at a more affordable cost.

Stitches are excellent, and on its own, the bag looks and feels sturdy. However, the plastic PVC might be heavy to those who prefer bringing lightweight bags. You can still own this, but make sure that you bring less and lightweight stuff because the material is quite thick, which can add to its overall weight.

Let me present you a summary of the PROS and CONS of this bag:

PROS

- Spacious

- Stylish

- Unique

- Gives you the bang for your buck

- Easy to clean

- Rain- proof

- Safety feature (has an automatic lock)

CONS

- Price (if you get it from another country, it's cheaper as compared to our prices here)

- Weight (can be a bit heavy if you put too much stuff in it)

- Can warp or melt if placed on hot surfaces or near fire (well, knowing that it's plastic, I suppose we all know that it reacts negatively to anything that conducts heat!)

**Nothing follows

Here's a friend of mine, Erick, posing and having fun in front of the camera with my Furla Candy Bag. It looks gorgeous in the pics (and you too my dear mela :D)!

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE FURLA CANDY S BAULETTO? LET THE BEAUTY JUNKEE KNOW!

STYLE ALERT: PYLONES RAIN PARADE UMBRELLAS

You'll be singin' in the rain in no time with these hot umbrella styles from French brand, Pylones.

These whimsical and charming umbrellas are wide enough to cover you from the rain, yet small enough to fit in your bag. The brain behind these brilliant reinterpretation of the good ol' umbrella is Laurent Mouveau.

With Rain Parade, you'll always be looking forward to the next rainy season!

I wish I could collect them all!

Red coquette

Blue bum

Pink

Mint blue Geisha

Green dude

Purple lady

White Parisienne

Buddha Orange --- I'm eyeing this one! :D

Black

Ditch your cane umbrellas, and forget about designer ones because they are so long ago. These babies retail at $32 each, and can be bought directly from the Pylones USA website. Better order fast, or have your loved ones abroad get 'em for you 'cos they're the hottest rain staple right now! And they're selling fast like pancakes!

**Photos are from goodhousekeeping.com, luuux.com, stylehive.com, kaboodle.com, polyvore.com, and pylones-usa.com

STORE ALERT: EMPORIO ARMANI IS HERE

The high- end fashion and accessory line is now in the Philippines!

Watch out for its formal opening at Greenbelt 4!

STYLE ALERT: RAINY SEASON STAPLES

The water trickling down my window and the calming sound of rain have inspired me to create this post.

The rainy season is my least favorite season of the year. It's impossible to look your best because it's the season of soaking wet clothing and mud- stained shoes and jeans. The rainy season is quite cruel, especially to commuters, so most people prefer to dress down.

Looking stylish shouldn't be a problem when it comes to dealing with the wet season. It's time to shop for these rainy day staples so you'll still look your absolute best even under heavy rains.

Photo Credits: glamgaloshes.com

RUBBER BOOTS

- Rubber boots have transcended their plain and boring look. Plueys revolutionized this rainy day staple by introducing it in super stylish prints. Though Pluey's might be expensive for some, our local department stores carry cheap, sturdy and fashionable rubber boots finds.

Photo Credits: bussbuss.com

UMBRELLAS

- Bringing an umbrella doesn't make you feel and look old or unfashionable. In fact, it's your best friend during the rain because it keeps you from getting wet. Opt for tote-able umbrellas if you're the type who keeps on losing umbrellas (like me). These super cute umbrellas are unavailable locally :(. I'm eyeing the Rain Parade umbrellas, the cute character umbrellas that make them great conversation pieces.

Photo Credits: retrotogo.com

HOODIES

- Hoodies are back in the spotlight! Personally, I love jackets. Opt for hooded jackets so you don't have to worry about getting wet just in case you forgot your umbrella at home.

Photo Credits: fashionno5.com

CARDIGAN

- Feeling girly? The soft and flowy textures of cardigans are great alternatives if you think that hoodies are making you look boyish.

HAUL: FROLLIC TAKE AWAY GEAR

Portability is the next best fashion feature. All of sudden, foldable totes are on everyone's shoulders, and teeny weeny PET bottles and travel essentials are sold on its own in specialty stores, when during back in the day, they only deserve a place in the beauty tools aisle of your local supermarket.

And now, you can bring around 5 pairs of shoes in your bag without the burden and bulk.

Enter FROLLICS TAKE AWAY GEAR.

Photo Credits: kaliwaan.com

DESCRIPTION (TAKEN FROM frolliconline.com):

FROLLIC take-away shoes are the perfect treat for your weary feet. Here's why:

Portable, dubbed the ultimate "emergency shoes," it's lightweight; rolls, flexes, flattens to fit right in your bag

Comfortable, it feels like walking on foot and you won't feel it biting through your skin after hours of walking

Stylish, perfect complement to your classy ensemble when you feel like going on a stiletto break

Affordable, prices start at P380 (SGD $15), complete with shoes, two shoe bags and reusable box

BEST USES

• indoors, paved walkways

• spare shoes at the office

• while traveling, shopping, driving, commuting

• after clubbing

• at weddings and special occasions

Note: Not for walking on uneven, rough terrain; can be worn outdoors but please watch your step.

These shoes come in small cartons that resemble the "Great Chinese Take Out" meals (makes me crave for singkit right now). Since we're talking about portability, the brand has eliminated excess carton by housing the shoes in portable boxes. Even if you shop for ten pairs or more, you won't have to worry about bringing tons of paper bags while strolling in the mall! And another great thing, you have two shoe bags: one for your Frollic pair, and one for your regular- sized shoes.

I got a pair for my mom and meself. I bought mom this spankin' zebra pair that looks very nice on the feet when worn. It's my birthday treat for her.

And I got the Honeysuckle Bloom, which is a hot pink color. It will definitely complement my Furla Candy Bag! :D

Women of all ages in all professions will benefit from this shoe. You can bring it anywhere. It's perfect for backpackers, jet setters, and career women who are in the work force. If your heels are killing you, and your rubber shoes are making you look too boyish, bring these Frollics anywhere and you're sure to look girly and walk comfortably anytime!

Now here's the downside. I am usually a size 9 in shoes. Unfortunately, their size 9 for the plain colors are way too big. But at least, they're offering half sizes. So for my next order, Imma get a size 8.5.

I'm into flats right now. Finally, I have appreciated the beauty of wearing closed shoes. And unfortunately, good quality flats don't come at a cheap cost. I prefer leather and leatherette materials. The basic Frollic (the one I got) is made of plastic- like material with a foam- like lining (sorry, I suck at describing fashion raw materials), while the printed ones (the one I got for my mom) is made of leatherette material. It feels like you're wearing nothing once you slip your feet in these! It doesn't fall off your heel. And true enough, you don't feel the "biting" feeling even if you walk for hours in it.

And did I mention that these are REALLY cheap?! The basic pair retails at 250php, and it comes in tons of colors, while the Printed ones are limited, and they retail at 420php.

So if you're a shoe or a flats lover, go ahead. Indulge in Frollics. These revolutionary shoes are amazing. It's worth more than its price (Distributors and retailers, please don't take a hint by hiking up the prices)!

Julie, the owner of JULES STORE is very accommodating to her customers. Visit her site and shop for your Frollic pair now.

HAUL: I.CANDY AT THE RAMP

Soft shorts are in this Spring. So I got this one from I.Candy. Skirt? Nah. :D Just a pair of pretty, feminine shorts. :)

STYLE ALERT: BLACK IS THE NEW PINK

Black is back! Time flies so fast and the new school year is about to begin. Time to keep your wedges, pumps, espadrilles, and booties aside and start shopping for the stylish school shoes. School shoes doesn't have to be plain and boring. Rock your way to school with Manels' newest collection: BLACK ROCKIN' SCHOOL

Manels Leathergoods, the country's pioneer brand in leather, heads into the Back-to-School season with its campaign entitled “Black Rockin' School”. “We want to bring the sexy back into black” says Mark Siggaoat, VP for Operations of Manels. The Manels “Black Rockin' School” collection highlights mid-cut leather boots, rubber-soled oxfords with a sneaker-type finish, and casual loafers for the men. For the ladies, modern mary janes and patent leather finish highlights the collection. “The Black Rockin' School collection has a little bit of something for the rebel in each of us” says Siggaoat. While the brand continues to carry its comfort staples and classic school shoes, the campaign takes a fresh angle into the Back-to-School season by giving style-conscious students a chance to “strut their styles” into the hallways this season.

Check out these pieces from Manels' newest collection.

Apart from footwear, Manels also offers fresh bag designs to complement your school style.

Manels has got you covered with their stylish leather footwear this school year.

Boot camp baby!

Leather remains at the core of the brand's collection and campaign. Visibly, the store's look for the season takes its cue from vintage 70's punk rock. “We were inspired by that rugged black leather jacket look from the 70's popularized by The Ramones” says Siggaoat. Manels continues to reinvent itself in staying at the forefront of leather footwear since its inception in 1964.

Checkout Manels at all major Metro Manila malls. Checkout their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Manelsleathergoods or through Twitter via @marksig_manels.