Okay, I won't lie. I don't even have to. Massimo Dutti is extremely expensive! But I really like…read morethis store. I adore the casual, hip but elegant air of their clothing. They maintain their brand and their style without giving way to trends and simultaneously never falling out of fashion. They have some of the best genuine leather jackets in the market and all their items are of consistent quality. All their clothes and accessories and bags and footwear are practical. No weird holes or rips in inappropriate places, no odd straps or paneling. The design and displays of their store are also excellent. Never crowded, never clashing. Always clean and welcoming with aircon always at a comfortable temperature. Their store attendants also, do not hover. They remain polite, friendly, attentive. Their presence is always there, ready for when you need them but never pressuring nor overbearing.

Having been a Rockwell Powerplant regular for years now, I always got to drop by Massimo Dutti to…read morewindow shop and to simply see what they had to offer to pass the time. I never really bought anything because I always found the items to be really expensive. Along came a sale one weekend though, and I thought it was time to give the place a shot. I picked a nice long-sleeves polo that was marked down to 50% off to take home. To give you an idea of how expensive the items of the shop are sans the mark down, the price of the polo that I bought turned out to be the same as similar items at regular price at a Zara or Topman. Fast-forward to today, and that discounted polo eventually became one of my favorites wear. I do understand now why the prices are high; the quality and comfort that it gives me at least backs it up. Next time Massimo Dutti goes on sale, I'm definitely making the most out of it and I'll be taking more than one item with me.

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.

90% of the store's inventory are Havaianas slippers. Walls are lined with those familiar rubber…read morethong slippers of all sizes and colors. However, a closer look and a quick look around the store reveals that it carries much more than the brand that makes the entire place smell pleasantly like new rubber. One of the indie brands they carry is Gouache, which I adore. They're known mainly as an online shop for sturdy waxed canvas bags, though they do have a few retail partners. Common Thread has nearly all the colors and designs available, and the prices are the same as Gouache's original prices. I bought a city bag for my boyfriend as a Christmas gift, and it is now his everyday bag. The colors Gouache has available are very versatile as they have a deliberately worn look, and the color palette is pretty tame. Lots of outfits will go well even with their vintage red designs. We are so happy with the bag's performance that I plan to buy a knapsack next. Prices aren't unreasonable either. I'm extremely happy about the fact that I can buy from a physical store something that I would hesitate to buy online. Being able to touch, hold, and inspect an item just provides a different satisfaction.

Menswear is a curious thing. In one of the few realms that women dominate, the men's subsection in…read morefashion must be specified as being strictly for men. 10 years ago it was seen as an anomaly to be considered a 'metrosexual', but the word has since gone out of favor due to the continued growth of the sector. Being a well dressed man is slowly becoming an expectation, leading to a rise in the number of stores focusing specifically on menswear. General is one of the more notable, featuring brands like Lyle and Scott, Penfield and Laco. L&S is a popular source of layering sweaters, while Laco is well known for their military inspired timepieces. It's an aesthetic that slants slightly toward the martial, though they do have a little bit of everything.

Karimadon is that place for me where there are seemingly endless options for dresses - from casual…read moresun dresses to cocktail and gowns. I think dresses are what they really specialize on, as those are really what I notice whenever I go inside one of their stores. After looking through many shops, it was at Karimadon that I found my graduation dress. I was looking for a white, beige, cream, or something along those lines as that was the color required for our graduation dress. Karimadon has one, and its design is nice, too, with leaf outlines. It was also something I could wear in other occasions. Karimadon's designs are generally pretty and unique. When I was already working, I bought a Karimadon dress which can also be worn as a skirt. It was that dress - or skirt - that got me compliments when I wore it. This Megamall branch to me was accessible back then as it was near the office. I looked out for sales there from time to time.

I don't want to spend so much on clothing. In fact, I hate shopping entirely. But there's a place…read morein SM Megamall that I visit every once in a while if I want a good pair of jeans or a nice long sleeved shirt or even a bargain leather belt. And that's Tutto Moda, located at the second floor of the Atrium in SM Megamall. This shop actually sells slow moving items or products from past seasons. They carry mid-price brands under the franchise of Store Specialists. If they are on sale, you can surely find brand items like Polo Sports, Armani Exchange, Anne Klein, and Reiss sold at 30% to 70% off. However, it's important to note that they have broken sizes. So, for example, you see a pair of pants that you like, it doesn't mean that they have one in your size. You need a bit of patience here before you can find an item that's perfect for your size. Aside from clothing, the store also sells shoes and bags.

A while back I was looking for some funky socks to wear to my sister's wedding. I didn't want to…read morejust wear any old pair of black socks that blends in with everyone. Spent an entire day looking at every store I could find but nadda! Nothing! Nowadays that is no longer case, and Iconic Socks is my favorite place to grab a pair of colorful funky socks! Once upon a time my problem was I couldn't find any cool socks. Now my problem is they have so many and I want ALL their socks! EVERYTHING!!! They have foot socks, some pretty dope midlength ones, and thick ones that are great for looking good on the court while playing some basketball. I have a pair to match any outfit now, and black socks are completely out of my clothing cycle. Great for adding a little flavor to your wardrobe or a perfect gift idea for that dapper friend of yours who's into a more colorful way of expressing themselves.

I'm not fussy when it comes to my clothes. Though I may not exactly dress like I'm ready to walk a…read moreParisian catwalk, I don't think I dress like a bum either. I make do with what simple clothes I have in my closet, but I always compensate by adding that pop of color through really offbeat socks. I think socks just liven up an outfit, and this little surprise says a lot about the wearer's character. Iconic Socks is really cool and cute because they have plenty of designs, such as sushi, food, everyday objects and cute geometric patterns. I only buy what I like, which is about P200 a pair ,but you can also buy a big bunch ,which the shopkeepers arrange neatly in a gift box. The statement socks always lend a fun and playful surprise to any outfit. I personally love the eggs and bacon one, and the hotdogs-mustard-ketchup design. Also, I love how the designs are outrageous and tongue-in-cheek, but they are still quite manly - like you wouldn't be embarrassed to be caught wearing it.

I always love going to Common Thread because they combine all these cool brands in one place. Some…read moreof these brands are Hoola, The Lost Nomad, Gouache, Superga, and more. This is the perfect place to get a birthday or Christmas gift because of the variety of unique products. Price points are also reasonable. You can get leather sunglasses cases for less than Php 500! They also have Hoola sunglasses which are well made and only about Php 3,000 or so if I remember correctly. There are a lot of otther cool finds here and the brands and products they offer are suitable to both men and women. Common Thread also has a lot of footwear choices, with Renegade Folk, Bensimon, and Havaianas being my favorites.

Common Thread is one of those cool and hip concept stores that carry basic items as well as iconic…read morebrands such as Havaianas, Ray Bans, KWay, Ben Simon, Komono Watches, and hip brands like Lagu, Happy Socks, Thread 365, LuluDK, iLoveKoi, and many others. The store carries novelty gift items like bamboo speakers, pouches, bags, satchels, temporary tattoo for skin bling, bobble bottles, and many more. The space is fun, functional, quirky, and modern. The colors of the wall of Havaianas alone will be enough to get you started. I like purchasing their basic t-shirts from Thread 365, some flip flops for different occasions, Komono watches, and K-Way jackets. The staff are very nice and accommodating and can help you with what you're looking for. Its the perfect place to find gifts or even just things to treat yourself to. I've always found crowd-pleasing gifts here for any occasion. Prices are moderate to pricy depending on what you are looking for but they are most definitely great and fun!