What Are Today’s Filipino Fashionistas Teaching Us About Style?

     Harpers Bazaar compiled the ‘The 50 Greatest Fashion Quotes of All Time, and one resonated strongly with us. "Fashion is about dressing according to what’s fashionable. Style is more about being yourself." —Oscar de la Renta

     Truer words have never been spoken. Have you ever been in a conversation with a friend, casually scrolling through their Instagram, when suddenly they exclaim “this is SO you”? Your style talks about you before you even open your mouth. Make sure it sings verses! In this article, we take a look at today’s fashionistas and what they’re schooling us about personal style.

What Are Today’s Filipino Fashionistas Teaching Us About Style?

Dig Deep and Pop Some Tags

     Today’s world is run by consumerism. We just keep buying. If you watched the Netflix documentary “The True Cost”, you will know that the Fashion Industry is the #2 most polluting industry next to oil. This is mainly thanks to the world’s leading fast fashion brands. While they can’t stop people from buying, these bloggers are changing the way they shop by favoring ukay-ukays. The talented photographer Kimi Juan lives the Zero Waste Lifestyle by applying it to her sartorial choices. Who knew saving the planet could score you some major style points?

What Are Today’s Filipino Fashionistas Teaching Us About Style?

     If you think that ukay hunting is only reserved for the fairer sex, think again. Although he might not be big on Instagram yet, Rich Ford Dela Paz Jr. showed that you can make an outfit look like you got it off the racks of Bergdorf Goodman while only spending P180. YEP! The scarf is P20, the coat is P100 (the most expensive item in this list), the button-down is P25 and the shoes are P35.

Don't Be Afraid to Take Risks

     The only way to develop your personal style is to keep experimenting – and that involves taking a lot of risks. Not all will pay off, but you won’t end up with something boring either. We couldn’t think of a better embodiment of this than Kim Jones. In an interview with Fashionista.com. Jones detailed the risk she took in leaving the comforts of Australia and booking a one-way ticket to Manila, where no one knew her name. All that has changed now. She obviously learned a lot from that experience and applied it to how she faces fashion. In this photo, the NYFW regular traded in her long, dark tresses for a fringed icy platinum blonde.

What Are Today’s Filipino Fashionistas Teaching Us About Style?

Have a Strong Foundation

     Rocking the latest trends is only as good as having a solid style foundation. Before you get to break the rules, you have to know what you’re breaking.

What Are Today’s Filipino Fashionistas Teaching Us About Style?

     Gab Lagman is currently an endorser for local denim brand BNY Jeans, an aspiring basketball star, and showbiz newcomer who knows how to rock a low key ensemble. And boy, we do love a man that can make a plain black tee look as ravishing as he does.

     What other things have you learned from today’s Filipino trendsetters? Let us know in the comments section below! If you like fashion articles like this one, make sure you read more posts on Kath Rivera.