GLAM SUIT AT ALCA 2022

 

Last November 19, our company, Creative Environments, has won 12 awards for our excellence in both design and installation.   These are projects produced and conceptualized by the Design Studio which I am currently heading. The event was held at Sheraton Grand Wild Horse Pass and all of the Senior Leadership attended this time.   It was a night of fun after experiencing a very high-strung schedule these past few months.   The kind of break that all of us in the office gladly welcomed.

I opted to wear a suit this year mainly because the originl roster of the people. I assigned to receive the awards were supposed to be all men since Senior leadership is all men;  and yes, I am the only female (senior leadership) in the very masculine world of design and construction.  It is very seldom that I step into presentation meetings with Builder’s CEOs/Presidents that I get to have another female presence in the room unless, I am meeting with the  heads of Marketing.   I know, it sounds unrealistic in this modern world but that is the truth. The Design/Build world is still very much brimming with testosterone. 

However, in spite of opting for a suit set, I chose a neutral color  knowing fully well that I will be standing mostly in a sea of black suits.  I also opted for a metallic makeup and a slicked-back hair for additional glamour and of course, a Chanel 19-because everything looks good when you have a Chanel by your side.

WHAT I WORE:

Ecru Suit Ser-ZARA

Blush Corset-ZARA

Purse-Chanel 19

Shoes-Shein

Love never fails-Bohemian wedding part 2 (Pre-Ceremony Shoot)

 

Our 15th anniversary is just around the corner and I thought I might as well continue the blog series about our renewal of vows last 2018. So stop rolling your eyes on the long delayed sequel, but hey, I have a life, you know... and a pretty hectic one juggling work, family and everything else on the side.  So without further ado, here goes the tale of that eventful day.

We chose to hold a very intimate ceremony and reception mainly because of the short amount of time for preparation as well as the actual days that we were in the Philippines.  It was actually a whirlwind of day events.  We arrived in the Philippines 2 days before the event and my mother-in-law arrived from Italy the next day.  We had to wake up really early in the morning on the day of the event because we had to travel from Manila to Batangas .  The event was at 5pm.  Imagine the ruckus of having 3 convoys and none of us had actually been to the venue. Add the quest for the elusive lechon along the way and it was a sure ball funny but undoubtedly tiring adventure.  We arrived at the venue a little past noon because we had lunch in a quaint Italian pasta and pizza restaurant owned by an Italian living in Batangas.  They had good food but we also have our own diningding in a pot which everyone ate together with the pizzas and pastas; something I can't even fathom how we managed to eat those unlikely combos.  

 

 

  

As soon as we arrived at the resort, it was mayhem.  The funny thing was I actually forgot to book a photographer since I have gotten so used to doing the photography myself during events.  I was on full blown panic mode when I realized that I can't really photograph myself during my own wedding for obvious reasons, right?  So I was so relieved when I learnt that my fellow photography club member was also in Batangas that time and that is why we have all these marvelous photos! 

So don't forget to hire a really good photographer because the pictures will always remind you of that special moment in your life.

 

 

He always makes me laugh.

 

Collaboration with Nora NYC

 

Classy and Chic.  These are the key features that I look for in an eye-wear.  Sunglasses have been an integral part of my everyday life mainly because I am a night owl.  And to insomniacs like me, we all know what happens the next day after a long night....grotesque sallow circles around the eyes that can rival any walking dead which cause us to be best friends with concealers and of course,  the ever reliable sunglasses. Eyewear is more than just a fashionable accessory to me; it helps me survive a dreaded aftermath of a sleep-deprived night.  My eyewear should be functional enough to cover those hideous eyebags and block a great deal of sunlight and yet elegant enough to get me through client meetings and work.

This is what I love with Nora NYC.  Their extensive design collections of eyewear is like a total candyshop to sunglasses fanatics like me.  I do like the fact that their designs range from trendy mirrored and colored lenses to classic elegant pieces like the one I've got here, "Liberty".





It is cat eyed shaped black frames with a gold accent at the sides.  I am particularly fond of its size mainly because it gives a lot of coverage. As you notice in most of my blog posts, I am almost always wearing humongous sunglasses that almost covers half of my face most of the time.

You can get your own too and use my code "chillsclosetshades" for a 20% off your purchase.

Love never fails-The Bohemian Wedding Vows Renewal series- chapter 1 (Pre-Wedding)

 

Last February 14, 2018 marked one of the most important milestones in my married life. My husband and I were entering the 13th year of our marriage that month when we decided to renew our wedding vows once again and recommit our vows to God before our lives change again big time (cross-continent moving and all).  I recall that it was after our Bible study when we decided to do it; and that we were racing against time.  All we know is that we had to do it before we begin a new chapter of our lives in America.  I tried hard not to do it on Valentine's date but sadly, there was no other available schedule because of a lot of factors.  Stuffs like return flights, availability of our families and our own packed time schedule made it impossible to choose another date, so we settled for the 14th.

 Our plans started rolling after finalizing the date, and our daughter volunteered to make the teaser video for the event.  I have always known that I wanted a boho themed wedding.  I was never a fan of those very formal wedding celebrations, mainly because I have always wanted the relaxed setting of a beach.

Everything was a whirlwind of plans.  We only had about a month of planning before the event.  We wanted it to be really small and intimate; rededicating our marriage is something very special to us.. A romantic, intimate beach wedding is what I have always wished for. However, one of the major concerns we had is that the resort should be dog-friendly.  We brought home all our dogs from Guangzhou and they should be in our wedding.  We found the perfect beach side setting at Stilts Calatagan.  We did not want the venue to be far from Manila mainly because we have to consider majority of the attendees' convenience and ours too. We also had to address our dogs' comfort during the travel.  They just came from the first plane ride of their lives, we did not want them to be traumatized even further. And Stilts is majestic! The view is spectacular and they were very accommodating to us and all our whims in spite of a short period of notice. I will discuss the setup later on another series of this blog- the Celebration Part.

After coordinating with Stilts about their packages and finalizing the details/set-up with them, we proceeded to look for my gown.  Initially, I wanted to buy online because that is the easiest one for me. I have a very demanding work schedule so my availability is quite difficult but my husband did not want to do that.  He said we are already in Guangzhou and there is actually a so called "wedding street" here where you can find almost everything for a bride and the wedding entourage so we should just go there and make sure of the fit.  So off we went one Saturday and visited several shops at the wedding street. Honestly, it only took me 3 hours to find the dress.  I already knew what I wanted and the only thing we need to do is find the ready made version.  The hubby wanted to have my measurements taken and made to order but I was adamant to bring home a gown that night. Mainly because we had no time, it was just roughly two weeks before our flight and I just wanted everything to be ready early.

 I chose a full bodied gown with a beaded corset top.  I told the seller to take out the 3 layers of petticoat underneath because I don't want a poofy princess cut ballgown.  And yes, she did take out everything underneath and assured me that it won't be bulgy when I wear it.  I decided to wear a lace embroidered Bohemian white robe on top of the gown to downplay its formality.  It was fun having my husband, daughter and our bible study leader around while I looked for the gown; they took turns ridiculing me and weighing the pros and cons of the gowns; (like no, you can't walk in that or you will look like a "suman" in that fishtail gown)

I opted to wear sandals because of the setting but of course, I just had to have the bejeweled one!  I ordered this one online and it is a sparkling  gladiator slippers.  Honestly, it was covered by my gown so it would not actually have mattered how dazzling it is but in my mind, I did not really care if people can see it; as long as I know that I have my glitzy gladiators underneath. Hell yeah! I am extra like that!

I will be writing more about the day itself on the next chapter in this series.  Stay tuned for other details.  Till the next one, lovelies!


All the love!
Sheri

The Amanda de Cadenet collection at Warby Parker

Being mostly a night owl and an architect, I have spent countless sleepless nights labouring over designs and drawings thereby usually causing severe consequences for me on the next morning. Intense sunlight makes me all the more sleepy and grotesque under-eye circles just won't cut it for presentation meetings.  This is why a pair of sunglasses is actually a necessity for me.  It is more than a fashion statement; it helps me cope with the dreaded aftermath of a sleep deprived night.

But of course, having a stylish eyewear is a major plus for me.  This is where the Amanda de Cadenet eyewear collaboration with Warby Parker comes in.  And yes, you read it right people - Amanda de Cadenet, the multi-talented TV personality who heads her own production company as well as writes, directs, creates and hosts TV and online shows, have teamed up with Warby Parker to come up with a drool worthy frame collection of spectacles and sunglasses.  This is also Warby Parker's way of supporting Amanda in her latest venture, #girlgaze which I  am all for as well especially since I am into photography.  #girlgaze is a multi-media digital community that acts as a platform and showcase the ways in which girls see the world.

The eyewear frame collection is comprised of Silvan and Ella, and come in both optical and sunwear versions.  Both are crafted in cellulose acetate and are named after Amanda's twins.

Ella is an optical frame that comes in a jet black color, adorned with bold gold accents on the frame's temple. Amanda's daughter Ella chose the black frames hence the name.  The frames evoke a classic crisp look, perfect for that modern preppy style.  The jet black color, coupled with the gold accents, contributes to the overall elegance and sophistication of the frame thereby making it appropriate for my business meetings, client presentations and the likes.  More so, black has always been a very versatile hue, and this frame easily transcends from being a very "serious style" eyewear into a more "casual look" accessory.  Whatever your style preference is , surely, this frame will fit in every way.

Silvan, which was name after Amanda's son, comes in peony which is the signature pink colour of #girlgaze.  It can be an optical frame or can come with the silver reflective lens as sunglasses.  I am particularly fond of the youthfulness and vivacity of this frame.  The quirky colour and style are reminiscent of those ultra chic retro-modern eyewear.   Those pair of reflective silver lenses just make the look even more neoteric and upbeat. The frame's style and colour reflect a certain creative lifestyle.  I can see myself pairing this with a very artsy outfit while checking out an art district and street artists' works.

The collection comes out today and each frames start at $95.  And the best part that I like with Warby Parker is that with every  eyewear that is purchased, a pair is also given to someone in need through their partnership with non profit organisations like VisionSpring. Buying a high quality eyewear at a decent price has never been easier and being able to help at the same time is just simply awesome, isn't it?  

So come on and grab a pair at their website or their retail locations all over US.  It will be a purchase you'll surely won't regret.