Name: Joy, current online handle is Ligaya
Location: Manila, Philippines
Fashion Style: Sophisticated office lady on weekdays, anything-goes girl on weekends XD
Link: http://ligayas-joys.blogspot.com
What is your style, and how long have you been interested in fashion?
My style is mostly sophisticated office lady - I work in a PR agency, so I need to look presentable to clients and suppliers. But I do wear all the other Japanese street fashion styles on occasion, especially on weekends when no one will bother to critique my outfit. ;PI have loved fashion ever since I was a child; I wanted to become a fashion designer, and I still have sketchpads and old notebooks full of designs from when I was 10 years old! Sadly, I discovered I was a better writer and journalist (I was horrible with the sewing machine), so I entered college and finished with a bachelor's degree in mass communications. But life has a funny way of going about things - I became a cosplayer, then at work was involved in events management first, then in marketing, and finally now in PR, and fashion just pretty much returned to my life!
How did you discover your style?
I think it's actually a bit more of a return to this style. When I was younger I had more 1990s gyaru sensibilities with my preferences of tiny minskirts, slinky halter tops and go-go boots thanks to my sister. Then when I entered college I completely let go - audio-visual editing was expensive so all my allowance money went to it. It was only in 4th year that I rediscovered Japanese street fashion, where I went through decora style and the general street style found in FRUiTS magazines. I went through a lolita phase, but sadly lolita style isn't very practical when living in a tropical country. I rediscovered gyaru, reviling ganguro at first (I miss it very much now though! XD), and ultimately graduated into the sophisticated style of gyaru today as befitting my status as a young professionl.I would like to add though that I sported a lot of the current trends before they were followed. I got reviled in the everyday_gyaru community for wearing what is now considered rock-flavoured agejou wear back in 2008. XD
When do you dress in your style?
At work, I borrow from OL, otome and oneegyaru styles during the day when I'm in the office, very stuctured clothes and modest heels; in evening events it's usually oneegyaru and agejou styles that I take from, though there are times when himegyaru and hime lolita are called for. On outdoor events, I usually stick to casual clothing and wear rubber shoes/sneakers a lot because you never know what to expect, especially with finicky weather conditions.I do wear other Japanese styles on occasion though, usually depending on my mood for the day and the situation I am in. When I party at night I borrow from the agejou look; when I'm at a picnic I either go country/casual lolita or mori; when I'm really exhausted I just wear very soft, unstructured clothing and flats because I can't be bothered dressing up.
Do you like to follow fashion rules, or create your own?
I follow some of the fashion rules, but I also create my own. I refuse to be boxed into a single style because my needs and my moods keep changing.Do you have one item (clothing, accessory, cosmetic) that is your signature?
I always have my half-rimmed eyeglasses with me, though if you'll notice I hardly take pictures wearing them because they give off glare. I have myopia and astigmatism on my left eye, and the grade disparity between that and my right eye is so high! Without my glasses, all I can see are fuzzy colours and fuzzy shapes; I've even walked into glass doors on occasion. Unfortunately, both the staff at the eye laser surgery center I used to handle as my client and my EENT have told me that because my eyes don't shed tears easily, the surgery is too risky and it could make me go completely blind (contact lenses would be too much of a bother and are still more expensive than glasses). So, until better technology for eye correction is developed, I have to use my current pair of eyeglasses. If only my lenses and frames weren't so expensive, I'd get the nice large horn-rimmed ones, but maybe next time.What do you think is important about fashion?
Fashion has three key points, in my opinion. First, it helps improve your mood. If you look your best, you feel your best! I learned this when I was at a Thanksgiving event mounted by the US Potato Board's Philippine division - even while hungry, bloated with with my period and suffering in my sky-high booties, I was floating because I got so many compliments with my flared ruffled dress and sky-high cage booties, never mind that my physique at the time could give the stuffed turkeys at the dinner serious competition. However, this doesn't apply when I'm too tired, because it just shows in my face no matter how I dress.
On the other hand, style and comfort are key; fashion isn't worth killing yourself over. I only wear those booties when I have evening events (which run shorter than daytime events); otherwise, my back would warp even more due to lordosis. I am a recovering bulimic whose weight keeps see-sawing to extremes; working with models - one of them my own younger sister - makes it extremely difficult to simply stick to exercise and a balanced diet, but I do my best to keep from scarfing and barfing because I've known how weak it makes me. I do my best to save money and keep both hand-me-downs and clothes from way back when in usable condition, because I wasn't born rich (thank goodness for second-hand fashion shops!). I'd rather just look good with what I have on instead of obsess over is trending; besides, I can be so finicky and random, and at the end of the day it's all just clothes and shoes and accessories. XD
Finally, try to always dress for the situation because at the very least, it makes the commute easier. I can obviously not go completely amekaji, lolita and agejou at work, but I can get away with some elements of the style at the office.
If you would like to be featured as a Fashion Hime on an upcoming Friday, please click on the button below to be taken to the sign up page!
