Fashion Consultation | RJ Santos

Never did I really see myself being out there and advising people on what clothes would fit them. I think It's because I'm too shy? Hahah. I dunno. This task made me overcome that 'fear'(?). I had a blast! Haha The people who I consulted were cute. Haha Cute in the sense that they're very in to the consulting thing. They really listened to me and even asked for some advises! I start the consultation by asking them about their lifestyle and their icons so that I could get a hint on what they're into. I tried to establish a connection between me and my consultee(?) Hahaha so that she'd be comfortable with me advising her and I'd get more ideas from her.

Yana and I also went to Casaa and told people there that we were having a fashion consulation because there were few people in CHE that time.. Probably around 9:30? I don't know if they visited. :-)) Then, Pau, Mia and I also went to Ateneo. We consulted like 9 people there. They were very open and there was this girl who I really thought was cool. See, she rocked this Agyness Deyn do and sported a Boom Boom Pow outfit. Haha I honestly thought she did not need any advises. I told her to try liquid leggings and some floral top. She agreed and told me she'd try those things on! HAHAHA! To think that she already had her own style... And would still consider my suggestions... made me... cry. Hhaahah I kidd. :-))

Anyway, I think that this project Miss Kitty gave us is a simulation of our lessons. It has no difference from an exam. This is more fun though cause you really get to experience it and really see body shapes and tell if it's hourglass, triangle, etc...

My Favorite Fashion Designer| Rj Santos

I am so excited for this one! This is by far the most exciting post Miss Kitty made us do. Anyway, I really have so many designers in mind and I found it difficult to really choose one because I personally don't like 'levelling'. Hahaha. I really never came to that point wherein I analyze and really choose one person until today. But, I have to do what I have to do Hahahaha. It's actually surprisingly fun narrowing and choosing a favorite. Ok, anyway, so, after the long deliberation, I ended up choosing.....
Hedi Slimane!!! haha yeah, the 'runner-ups' include Marc Jacobs, John Galliano, Yohji Yamamoto, DSquared, Alexander McQueen, The D and the G(haha you know...), Raf Simmons, Christian Audigier, Paul Smith, Giorgio Armani, the designer of Topman(Kim Jones), Lanvin and ACNE!!, Ann Demeulemeester, Ivarluski Aseron, Leslie Mobo, Oliver Tolentino.
I chose Hedi Slimane as my favorite designer because his designs really intrigue me. They astonish me in a way that it motivates me to keep exploring and experimenting. I also adore the fact that aside from being a great designer, he isa also a photographer which is definitely a plus. It's actually the tie-breaker haha cause I was choosing between Galianno and him. For me, the design itself is not enough, how you present it is also really important and one way of presenting it is by photography. I really like his style in photography also! I am a sucker for black and white simple photography, so yeah.
I like and applaud his designs which are very wearable yet innovative. I love it that his designs are somehow ispired by the British Punk Act, it's so exciting! I like it that he keeps it simple even if some of his designs are very uhmmm... loud? He also has good taste in music cause he collaborated with Daft Punk which is my favorite! :-))

Hedi Slimane is authentic. He is not the kind of deisigner who is conscious or in the lookout with the trend. He creates and starts the trend. Hedi creates a statement everytime he does something. He is 'his own client'. One thing about him that makes me very interested about him is because he is post-modern.
Miss Kitty, I have to say that I am enjoying our subject sooo much! :-) Thank you!

- Rj Santos

Fashion Cycle| Rj Santos

I honestly still don't know where I stand in the cycle. I feel like I am an innovator because I want to create new looks instead of just following what's 'hip'. As I've said in our past meetings in our CT11 class, I get inspiration from things that are opposite to my style, so that I can innovate and create new things. Having said these things, I don't know if I can call myself the innovator yet because I haven't really influenced a great number of people yet, having known that the fashion innovator should be able to 'trickle down' his style to the masses. Therefore, I think that I'm also a part of the 'masses' where innovators can also get ideas from, following the 'trickle up' theory.

I am the kind of person who'd play with things, rather than just using something the way it should be used, or something like that. :-)) Like in my paintings, I usually distort it or add something to it that would make it look odd or something. I like adding mystery to my works, I like the feeling of 'bitin' that I get when I look at someone's work also. I really don't like following trends because it does not always fit my style.

I really think that I'm more of the 'innovator' rather than the follower because of the fact that I don't get my style from the latest trends, which what followers usually do. Usually ha. :-))

As for the lecture about this, I'm really glad that I'm learning things like this in our CT11 subject. I've learned that clothing is also a psychological thing. I always enjoy discussing these matters. :-)

-Rj Santos

Clothing Personality and Philosophy| Rj Santos

Ok so we had this discussion in CT11 about the way people dress and how clothes can show one's personality. I honestly had fun and learned so many things about it. I like Miss Kitty's style of teaching, not boring. She has her ways to keep us interested.
So last Tuesday we were told to wear a white top. We were then asked to explain why we chose that particular white shirt. It was cool hearing from my classmates. I honestly chose to wear my white shirt because the one I was planning to wear was missing and my sister kept on rushing me cause she was already late. Hehehe. Anyway, so a part of our homework is to explain our clothing personality. Here are a few pictures of what you can find in my closet:






So yeah, my clothes don't really belong to one 'category'. I really like to be open when it comes to fashion. I don't restrict myself. I enjoy mixing clothes up and coming up with one outfit that's unique. I think my clothing personality is playful...? You think so too? Haha.
I get easily bored with one particular style so I always look for fresh stuff I can add to my 'collection'(?) Hahaha. I don't usually take note of the latest trends or the 'what's in' clothes cause I really don't like it when I'm 'following the flow'. I dunno, I just want to have my own and create my own flow even if no one wants to follow it. :-)) Atleast I'm happy, that's what's important.
My inspirations, believe it or not, are the things that are not my style... Uhmm, the complete opposite of what I want. That's where I get my inspiration. I try to alter them in a way that it could fit my style. I 'revolutionize' or morph it into my style. This is because I want something authentic, something that's me, and to be able to achieve that, I believe I have to go beyond my comfort zone...or comfort style, perhaps.

Ok, as for my clothing philosphy, I would say that my philosophy would have to be:
" Do your scene, don't mind if it's obscene"
Hahaha It means to do your own thing regardless of what people might think about you. I used the word obscene to symbolize something that's out of the norm. I came up with this statement because I believe that for you to fully express yourself, in clothing or in any aspect, you should first have your own scene, or you should have your own 'thing'. Having your own 'thing' can push you into really expressing yourself and letting go of your inhibitions. I believe that the one thing that restricts people to do this is inhibition. It's really hard to just be there, out and about, but if you believe in yourself and let go of everything negative, then I think you'd find no problem expressing your true self through clothes or whatever.


- Rj Santos, a wannabe jollibee :-|

061809| RJ Santos

Everyone's an artist who creates an artwork everyday called the outfit. This is one of the things that I realized after our lecture in our CT11 class. I came to this thought because I realized that everything you wear can express a part of who you are and self-expression through things is art. What you wear can reflect on who you are. People can get their first impression of you from what you're wearing, and of course, how you carry yourself. It may not represent the way you are or the way you think, but it can somehow give people a hint of what to expect from you. This may not be good but people can already categorize you by just basing everything on what you're wearing even if you're really not what they think you are.

We also talked about the communication of the symbols and the perceiver. I've learned that if the garment is trying to make a statement, the one who's wearing it or rather, the one who did it should express/execute it well so that the one observing it would understand what the garment's trying to convey. It should be clear. Same applies to a person wearing something and wants to convey a message.

During the lesson, Miss Kitty gave examples and asked us what we think about the people being shown. I was quite disappointed at myself because all this time I was against stereotyping or categorizing people. It turned out that I was stereotyping the two guys being shown to us. Well, atleast now I know. One may dress according to what he/she may like but the only thing we can get right from it is the person's sense of style, not his/her age, sexual preference, social status, etc...

Then after the lecture, Miss Kitty showed us the lyrics of Gwen Stefani's Paulina and asked us to sketch her the way she was described in the song. My partner and I brainstormed and got to one conclusion, that Paulina should be very appealing and all that for Gwen Stefani to like her. I mean, come on, she's not just Gwen Stafani, she's THE Gwen Stefani. So here's what we thought, a modelesque girl who looks like a mix of Dita Von Teese, Alessandra Ambrosio and Gisele Bundchen. A very independent and confident woman who can attract both men and women. Her attitude and personality are louder than what she wears. I honestly enjoyed sketching her for we already had a picture of her in our minds. We got so excited that we spent more than half of the given time discussing Paulina. :-))

Oh, before the lecture, we did this pair work wherein we were asked to write a 'hypothetical' personal profile of our partner. It was a fun activity. I had the chance to know what others thought about me. My partner thought I was Hip Hop. :-)) She got one thing right though, that I like dogs. Hahaha, maybe I smelled like my dog that day.

-Rj Santos