As I got acquainted with all the procedures, I found myself gradually drowning. At first glance, everything seems ordinary. Although the place was brighter than usual, I knew I'd been there many times. And as I looked closer, I saw a familiar energy. It's the same energy that suffocates one's soul.
I have been bombarded by streams of feeling unworthy since this season. It has been a major learning and growth curve; a journey to self-awareness.
Overcoming the monsters in my dreams seem far-fetched. Doubting if I can be one of the few and perhaps be signed up for greatness.
Will I make it? Do I have what it takes? Am I made for this? Is this what I love to do and my passion — in the first place?
More and more questions and doubts set in. At times I feel I am winning but then again I find myself doing the same thing. And very soon I find myself stagnant. I allowed my situation to hold me captive which eventually becomes my jail cell.
Have you ever been into a fog, stress place? Wherein you relentlessly questioned and judged your slow progress in life? Where playing the blame game was never an option. After all, you were the culprit for that state of misery you had fallen into.
One illustration of this is my faith journey. As you can probably tell, I grew up attending church. Your typical Christian girl since a little girl who attends Sunday School, sings hymns, and participates in presentations. Our church is small thus, it calls for more involvement. One, in particular, is the music ministry.
What God is going to do in your life is not just going to be in private. People around you see His power. It's nothing ordinary and there's no doubt that it is the hand of God.
Hi guys! It's been a while, I know. A lot had happened and you bet I got lots in store that might interest you but before anything else, I would like to share first a long overdue post. Here I will be sharing with you some of the must-have pieces that you can style during cold weather. A little disclaimer, this is not on the days when it's super cold weather (trust me when I say because I've personally experienced it) although this applies for milder winter weather. Let's just say this style is applicable only up to 10 degrees Celsius.
Today, most countries are currently bracing the cold season, so I hope that this might inspire some of you to style even if it's cold outside. I'm in no way expert as I live in a tropical country but I thought that my experience might help you in a way. This shows how I styled during our trip to Hong Kong and Macau on there cool and dry winter season.
1. Trench Coat
Okay, I must admit that I set a target that as much as possible I'd wear a different outfit for each day on this trip. I know that it can really be expensive especially for winter pieces. I like styling and hey this is my first out of the country trip, I really want to savor the moment by really feeling good with my outfits. I can hear those practical ladies out there that's why I set an intention that if it's too pricey then I won't buy. Apparently, trench coats were so expensive but in my mind, I got to have one. I could imagine those artists wearing the classic Burberry trench coat.
Days before our flight, I was close to giving up on having one but then I pass through a thrift store. I realized why not try to check if they have a trench coat. I immediately went to there winter rack and so happy to be able to find one. It was so cheap and I even got to haggle over the price. The condition is still good although not the same as I imagined. it's still a nice find. This one is a Korean brand.
I personally like my coat long that will cover my bum which provides more warmth and a trench coat is one of them. It is such an iconic wardrobe staple that I can find myself wearing. It is an easy to use piece which protects yourself whenever a cold breeze blows at the same time adds style. I pull it over with a pair of pants with a sweater and a sleeveless jumper. Honestly, at first, I paired it with leggings but I went back to change as I can't take the cold.haha... So it's fairly cold and not to mention I'm one of that person who easily feel cold.
2. White Jeans and Boots
You can never go wrong with having white jeans in winter and add boots for a chic winter look. I styled it with a long coat as usual which is a favorite and sweater underneath and some accessories. I did have two color options when buying this coat, the other one was black which is similar to my other coat shown in the last part. I got my boots from my sister, good thing that it has a neutral color that can be easily paired with other colors. I cannot stress enough how important boots play in cold weather. This gives comfort and protection, this one has a fleece lining inside. It's a plus that this one is very lightweight as well.
Styling white jeans are endless and believe it or not, white in the winter look so good. On the other hand, rocking boots in winter will not let you look more fashionable but truly an essential piece during winter. It will keep your foot warm and protected.
Coat: Forever 21 | Boots: SM Store (local brand)
3. Accessories: Beret, Scarf, Winter Gloves & Knee-High Socks
Beret, that European kind of fashion vibe. And yes this girl got to have it! haha. I mean just look at that, it's so cute and who says you can't look cute while bracing cold weather? Definitely not me.hehe. This one for me is a bit pricey since I got it from the store, however, tons are selling online at a lower price. Not sure if the quality differs though, this one is made of wool. I chose a neutral color to be safe since I still don't know what pieces I'd pair it with. Can I say this, it's as important as having boots when it's super cold. You got to keep warm by protecting your head.
This easily folded loop that you can do with an infinity scarf is such a go-to. I'm simply in love with the color as it pops on my white fur jacket. Aside from that, I also made sure that I have other styles to choose from: I got a silk scarf, a tassel scarf, and a handkerchief scarf. Although this knitted infinity scarf is a favorite, I must say it's not recommended for long-term use. Mine got stretched out already, not sure what happened. I wasn't aware that you need to take care of it. Anyway, there are other materials aside from knitted ones that you can buy.
This finger cut winter gloves is so cool. Open fingertips are great when using your smartphone without the hassle of taking off your gloves while keeping your hands warm. Another plus for this one is that you can cover the fingertips anytime you want if it gets colder and it comes with a very cute design.
Winter knee-high socks give you extra warmth whilst looking stylish. Mine was more on to give that extra warmth since I was on leggings so to it comes in handy.
It was an extra cold day because the place that we visited is located high up the mountains. It was below 10 degrees, I'm not even joking as we experienced smoke coming out while talking. Good thing I wore my trusty fur jacket and a wool skirt also the accessories were very helpful. I even needed to cover my face with my scarf because of the chilly wind and the husband needed a coffee break.haha.. We were so close to deciding not to go upstairs to see up close the Buddha because of the cold weather but it's a relief that we did push through.
Beret: Forever 21 | Scarf: SM Store | Winter Gloves: Terranova | Knee-High Socks: Calliope
4. Leather Jacket & Long Sleeve Maxi Dress
Leather jackets are pretty popular and they're worn all year round mostly on colder days. This one is on top of my list of must-have pieces solely because it's so chic and elegant. I've never owned one so having one makes me happy as I can still use it even if it's not winter. With that being said, too much layering on this one is not advisable as this can feel stiff at times. The color is a bit strong though but I prefer it that way at that time. Still, I love my style here, this kinda shows my bubbly side who's not afraid experimenting with my style. Since we need more coverage and warmth, I paired it with a long dress and jeans. The zipper details add to an edgy look while the strong silver embellishments such us buttons create more interest on the look.
Faux Leather Jacket: Calliope | Long Sleeve Maxi Dress: Forever 21
5. Wool Jacket x Romper Suit
If you really want to rock your romper on cold weather but the cloth is thin then a little layer will do. In my case, I layer my romper with my jeans—case closed.. haha. I just want my look to be different and still feel comfortable although my layering went overboard when I layered my upper body with a sweater. After hours of roaming around, I felt exhausted the reason for being the over-layered cloth. Boy, I didn't expect that this wool jacket will give you so much warmth, no wonder I survived without creating so much fuss the day when we went high up the mountains to see the big Buddha. If you are looking for a trusted jacket during winter then make sure to have this fur jacket that is made of wool. I even brought this on my recent trip which experiencing really cold winter days. This one is highly recommended. I got this on sale, how insane.
Wool Jacket: Forever 21
6. Dress and Bag
I personally want to wear a dress and style it even if it's cold outside. So I managed to buy a short thick dress, this one is box pleated. I got this from an overrun store and was very cheap (I kid you not). My coat is from a thrift store which I bought along with my trench coat the reason why I got to haggle the price. Okay, I must say that I'm really not good at thrifting and I rarely go to a thrift store because it can really be tricky for thick clothes like coat because of the chemical that they put on clothes. Still, I'm happy that I did it at that time.
A sling bag was best for me to carry the entire trip. Aside from it's easy to carry, it also looks stylish. I was really planning to get one just like this style for the trip but then for some reason, my mom gave me this bag just right before I could buy one. I'm just so grateful for times like that.
How playful is my look? My husband kept on joking that I looked like a student. He even let me pose at the subway with a sign on it and then told me that I need to hurry because I'm already late for my class.lol. So timely that the place that we visited was actually a school campus.
The only takeaway for dressing on cold weather is that to always make sure that you got the right clothes then do layer. On our part, we took it lightly and that's the reason why there are times that the cold kinda get into us but not to a point of bothersome though. We didn't have thermal clothes, it could have helped us in a way because, during the trip, the weather was ranging from 15 - 11 degrees. It's fair enough to use thermal. This is very important especially that you are touring the place, you always have to go outside. It's best to wear the right clothes to fully enjoy but nevertheless, we did enjoy our trip. Being able to explore and discover new places with your special someone is what matters most.
