Back in high school (whoa, major throwback right there), Glorietta was the only cool place to hang…read moreout in. There were only a handful of stores I could visit where I could actually afford to buy something. Broadway Gems was one of those places. What was a simple store to get scrunchies, headbands and clips from has grown at a phenomenal rate. They now have several branches across the metro. The size of their stores and the product lines have also grown significantly. They now offer shades, jewelry and my favorite additions: tiaras and wigs! Many years after first experiencing the wonders of Broadway Gems and they still make me feel like a giddy high schooler.

If you're looking for ANYTHING that you want to put on your hair, this is the place! From headbands…read moreto clips and extensions... you'll find anything in a huge variety of colours! Nothing too elegant but does the job! :D

I miss this place! I wish it's still open!…read more This is our go to gift shop back in the days

A visit to Greenhills will never be complete without going to Regina Gift Shop…read more When I was a kid my parents would remind me that it's a gift shop meaning I went in to buy gifts for other people. I believed that lie until I was about ten. I guess that was to prevent me from buying all the awesome goodies this shop has to offer. Sorry, parents. I'm buying gifts for myself. They have everything! And I really mean everything. They have all my childhood candies next to a stand of plastic balloons. You know, those little tubes which you squeeze until this substance comes out which you blow into with the use of a little stick. There's a shelf with plates, spoons and forks and knives, cups and lunchboxes. And in the center, you'll find notebooks, stickers, pens, art materials, cellphone cases and the occasional sex toy. Speaking of toys, they do have toys for babies and children and adults who collect toys. Not into those things? They have bags, clothes and hats too. I remember being dragged here by my mom whenever I needed a costume for school. "You're only going to wear it once anyway. But it at Regina," she'd say. Don't get me wrong, their clothes don't break after one use. They have cool socks and hats. And sometimes if you're lucky, they have sell Christmas stockings. I can't remember everything they sell at this shop. So it would be great if you have a look for yourself. You won't be disappointed and you'll leave with lots of loot.

I've had a recent interest in kooky jewelry using found objects and odds and ends, stringing them…read moreonto chains or rope and wearing them as necklaces. There's really nothing skillful or crafty about it, but it's fun to do with stuff that are pretty but you have no idea what to do with them. And I don't know anywhere else to get small chains but in Quiapo, at Joyo Fashion Accessories. It's very easy to miss this store walking along Evangelista St. from the Recto LRT Station, since it's covered by the area's wealth of stands hawking religious items, flowers, and candles, but it's not hard to find, really, since it's near the church and one of few stalls there that aren't selling construction supplies or phones and gadgets. If you've ever been around the stores in Quiapo, it's very much like most other places there, just stacks and racks and walls of stuff everywhere. You see necklaces, earrings, rings, and other accessories first before you get to the actual good stuff--beads, charms, trinkets, lace, cording, and other things you'll need to make your own jewelry. There are other places in the area selling similar things, but Joyo has an advantage being closer to Recto Station, and being in the somehow calmer, less dense area of Quiapo.

Just the place to get some bargain knock offs! Yep, I'm cheap. Everyone's respectful and no one…read morepushes their stuff on to you. Just check them out and get only what you want.

Over the years, Tumblr users have skyrocketed. It's so popular that a lot of kids, teens and hip…read moreyuppies get inspiration from Tumblr blogs. May it be photography, quotes, memes, gifs, art, pop culture, style and most especially fashion. My friend actually introduced my sister and I to Fashion Market. After learning about it, we go there every time were at this mall. Fashion Market is split into 2 sides on the mall - the left and the right. I suggest going through all stores. It can take hours though, haha, but you won't regret it. They have every style and trend you'd typically see on Tumblr, fashion blogs, Youtube beauty channels and fashion week! Inside, you'll also find spas, salons, money changers and ATM's. The prices range from super inexpensive to normal clothing price rates. A lot of stores sell super hip shoes, clothes, hats, shades and even prom dresses and traditional Filipino costumes. Definitely check out these stores I frequent when you're there - (right side) Push Thru, Mastermind Chase and Muradito, (left side) Nava, Berca and Ballow. Happy shopping! :)

I love shopping at Claire's especially at Christmas time and I have a lot gifts for my tween and…read moreteen godchildren. They have the cutest items that are great for that age range. The truth is, I also buy a lot of things at Claire's for myself. They have a lot of hip accessories like sunglasses, jewelry, hats and bags. The best gift I found there were locked diaries for tweens with cute owl designs and a bejeweled red one. They are also among the few stores that have gloves, we're not really a glove-wearing country so that's a bit hard to find before Claire's. And they also carry the Prism line of Katy Perry. They often go on sale offering buy 1, take 1 promos for items of the same price. If you ever chance upon one of those, I suggest going big on the shopping because you will always be able to find young girls and those young-at-heart to give the items to.

Claire's is every pre-teens dream come true. When i would vacation in the US, my shopping itinerary…read morealways included Claire's for all my kikay needs. Their accessories are the best! They sell colorful hair pieces as well as cute earrings, belly rings (for the rebellious kind) and even boy band merchandise. Just so you know, i didnt buy any of the Justin Bieber stuff when he was super famous. In grade 6, all my classmates wanted to have my denim wallet which had glitters and the world Angel stitched on the front part. When i told them it was from Claire's their faces looked a bit upset because they knew they wouldnt be able to buy it right away. When i saw Claire's open their first branch in BGC i remember feeling what i used to feel when i wouls enter their US stores before. Unfortunately i was already working so i decided to be happy for the preteens instead. I still pass by once in a while and delight in the cute stuff they have.

J'S, Nikes, Adidas, NB, Asics, Saucony, Mitchell and Ness, American Needle, Supreme etc etc etc ALL…read moreAUTHENTIC; most DEADSTOCK (brand new) some used (but still very goos condition) Gabbys has it all when it comes to street swag! This store is consignment for the most part - so dont expect them to have a full size run of whatever you're looking for. That said, they often WILL have that pair you missed out on cos it was sold out the moment it released. Trust Gabbys to be holding that grail you've been looking for!!! Best to keep updated with their social media accounts for the latest and greatest and message them ahead if you are looking for something in particular. IG: gabbysoset_shaw FB: Gabby's Closet Manila --CONSIGNMENT--- being a consignment store means they also accept anything you might have to sell! Provided it fits their genre (so dont be consigning those joints you got on sale at nike factory store ). Gabbys offers 20% on shoes and 30% on everything else (meaning you set the price - they get 20 or 30% of the sale).

I may be giving out my age here but this shop used to be my best friend when cellular phones and…read morethe internet are not yet household names. I go to Papemelroti when I need to send a love letter to the girl I'm courting. Yes kids, it's that thing where you use an actual pen and paper to communicate with the girl you like. We really used to do that. And you have to wait for a day or even several days just to receive a response. Papemelroti has stationaries and notebooks made out of recycled paper with cute designs and vintage look. The said stationaries and notebooks also have nice designs and even sayings. They also sell trinkets like brass necklaces and bracelets. They even have little jewelry boxes made of recycled materials. The fact that Ms. Patty, who partly owns Papemelroti together with her siblings, is such a nice person is another reason for me to continue patronizing this store. Yes, the first two letters of Papemelroti is from her name. RO is for Robert, the sibling who is the creator of the designs and drawings you see in their products. Their classic and beautiful items should be more than enough reason for customers to continue patronizing them. If you need another reason then it's nice to know that the crafts and trinkets that they sell are handmade by mothers living in destitute areas. Papemelroti provides them with materials and pays them for the labor. Just keep in mind that everytime you purchase an item from Papemelroti, you are also supporting these mothers who found a decent livelihood because of Papemelroti.

Ever since I started working, there was never a year that I did not receive a gift coming from…read morePapemelroti. This just goes to show that this rustic-vintage inspired store is on top of a lot people's list for gift items. I can't blame them, it's on top of mine too. The place sells a wide array of stationery made of recycled paper which gives their items the old fashioned vibe without making it look used or scrappy. They also have small trinkets and thingamajigs perfect for giveaways or tabletop displays. What I usually get from this store is their small boxes of inspirational messages that can brighten anyone's day in a jiff. I would just tie a little ribbon around it and it's good to go. I wouldn't have to spend a little extra for gift wrapping. So the next time a friend or family member celebrates anything and you can't think of a present to give, you can always go back to the basics and give this place a visit.

If there was a store that would be the epitome of me, it would be A'postrophe. My style and…read moreinterests are very eclectic - bohemian, old world, vintage, Gothic, antique-y, Renaissance-esque...the same style of the accessories and clothes A'postrophe sells. I'm a huge fan of their hip and cool items like hats with cat ears (I bought 2 of different colors and because I love cats), rings with skulls and tea cups on top, flats with an embroidered skull design, mugs with Renaissance paintings printed on them as well as wallets, containers that look like vintage books and a lot of bohemian themed stuff! I pretty much mentioned most of the stuff I've bought from them, hehe. One time, I was looking for birthday presents for my sister and I loved the stuff I got her from the store so much that I got myself the same things! Crazy, I know but I can't help myself when I'm in this store. Pull me away if you see me passing by! Haha! Sadly, some of their stuff is a bit pricey but they do have sales on sale season so you can watch out for that. :)

My friend introduced my sister and me to N. Cat. We were hanging out and checked out Japan Home…read moreCenter because it was nearing Christmas and we had last minute presents to shop for. Originally, I wasn't going to buy anything as my friend and sister was. They wanted to find simple, everyday jewelry to add to their collection. I was only going to look around but then I saw some really cool stuff that I just had to buy. I bought this hand mirror that was very 'Beauty & the Beast' and very Anna Sui (one of my favorite fashion designers). Anna Sui products are sooo expensive that I never owned anything by the brand. Until then, I'll settle for the really pretty, gothic dupe mirror I got from N. Cat. They also had a mini version with an equally beautiful comb so naturally, I had to buy that too, hehe. I got some rings, necklaces (one with a bullet pendant), pretty pearl headbands (so I can feel like a mermaid or channel Queen Mary from the television show 'Reign') and (I got a panda and skulls) phone accessories as well. Their accessories are affordable and I discovered that they don't tarnish and make my skin green. Bonus points for that! They also just opened a store in Market! Market! so if you're in the area, check it out!

Need to update your wardrobe this year? Want a new swimwear? Or do you just want to shop till you…read moredrop without burying your wallet alive? Then this discreet yet stunning local clothing line could do the trick for you. Apartment 8, with branches in Trinoma, Greenhills and Glorietta, have been around for some time and has been creating quite a stir because of their trendy collections. Endorsed by famous fashion bloggers, Apartment 8 offers clothes for women, mostly for teenagers and young adults. But hey, their clothing line is for everybody, as long as you wear the dress, and not let the dress wear you. From casual to formal, from summer to winter, from vintage to modern - Apartment 8 surely has them all.