MY FIRST STYLE ICON

All her student life in Nueva Ecija she was voted as school queen. In her college years in Baguio, she was always invited to join beauty pageants and always landed on the top ten. In our family, she'll forever be The Queen. Meet my first style icon, my beautiful and loving mother.

The family's reigning Queen, my dear Mama.

Here as the School Queen for the nth time.

Like most daughters, my mother was my first style icon.

During my parents' struggling years as newlyweds, my mother had only one dress -- a salmon long-sleeved piece accentuated by lace. It was her "uniform" to church. Walang ka-alternate.Yun lang talaga. I've been pressuring her to remember where she kept the dress. Because I want to have it. If it's still in good condition, I'd love to wear it today (vintage, anyone?). Unfortunately, she can't remember where it is. So I vowed to at least find a photo of her wearing it.

When life became more comfortable, she was finally able to buy all the clothes she wanted. I'd always be part of her shopping trips. She'd buy for me too. Nothing extravagant. She prefers bargain finds. Her style rule: matching colors. As in everything pink. Or everything red and white. Or black and silver from head to toe. You get the drift.

And so that's how I was for most of my life -- a color-coordinated girl. My hubby finds this amusing. He always finds our terno-terno family pictures (all in white or all in plaid) funny. But today, when Mama asks us to dress in one color or theme, my hubby obediently follows. He'll laugh at the idea but he'll cooperate with my Mom anyway, hehe. They love each other.

We're both in plaid for my sister's bday.

My Mama loves clothes. And as a homemaker currently living abroad with my Engineer dad and sixth-grade sister, she keeps herself busy by sewing clothes! Bilib ako. I mean, I love clothes but I'm not sure if I'll ever be interested in actually making or sewing them. Some clothes she makes from scratch, some dresses she tries to alter, some pieces she tries to accessorize. And then she'd post her creations on her Facebook album. It's like having her own fashion blog, haha.

Both in nude colors.

Preparing for a wedding.

Thank you, Mama, for being my first style mentor. It's from you that I first learned how fashion is a right, not a privilege. Your bargain hunts must have shaped my "look for less" style today. As for the color coordination, I'm trying not to be too matchy-matchy anymore. =) Brown bag, blue jeans, red shoes -- mixing colors can work too. *wink*

Love your fashion style. Love your parenting style. Love you.