I’m not really that fussy or picky with my things—usually—but I do recognize the power that something fancy holds. When I put on something just a little fancier than my normal wares, I feel my mood perk up a little bit. Call it superficial, but it’s the truth! (Perhaps I am just a superficial person? Cue another existential crisis for Carina.)
I don’t really rely on much makeup for pick-me-ups, though I do have to hand it to Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait in Orgueil for making me feel like the HBIC and not a tiny, awkward mouse. I also feel a little bit better about myself when I pull out the Dior Addict Lip Glow to moisturize my lips, which was given to me by Laala from our swap! Recently, I’ve taken it upon myself to spritz on some perfume, something I used to do a lot in high school, but have outgrown now that I’m actually at an age when perfuming yourself is the norm. For extra fancy fumes, I use Diptyque’s Vetyverio.
Normally, though, I just go for clothes or jewelry. My two favorite necklaces are both from designer collaborations with Of a Kind. One’s by BRVTVS and it features two Vs that hang over your clavicle like vampire fangs (Double Arrow Necklace). The other one is by Aili, featuring three small sapphires, my birthstone, nestled in a golden triangle (Sapphire Lucky Number 3 Necklace). This is the first piece of somewhat expensive jewelry that I ever bought myself, so it holds a special meaning. It helps that these seem to be compliment magnets! I also put on this weird old ring when I want to make an effort. It’s not really classy or elegant—it’s kind of tacky, really—but I saw it at a flea market in Paris (Porte des Vanves!) and fell in love.
This top by Alexander Wang is my go-to fancy shirt. I scored it on eBay for way less than it was going for (it was used for a photo shoot) and it is beautiful and billowy. The pair of shoes I recently acquired that makes me feel all sorts of fuzzies is this second hand pair of brogues by Mark McNairy, discovered thanks to my brother. It’s pretty fucking snug, but I’ll endure the foot pain because it’s so darn pretty.
What about you? What do you do when you need to feel fancy?
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Softly Sometimes 
Hello. I have been a subscriber of yours for over two years now and I can no longer tolerate your 4 letter word language. Your language is less than ‘cool’ or of the moment. It is down right unladylike. Yes, I am male and a professional makeup artist. Read this as I make my living from doing makeup. I have many, many Filipino friends and they would be appalled to know that you write this way. You are not a credit to the makeup community. Please unsubscribe me. I dare you to publish this.
Literally no one is telling you to subscribe to my blog or asking you to “tolerate” my language. You can unsubscribe yourself, I’m sure you can figure that out. What’s truly appalling here is how you judge a person by what they write on a BEAUTY BLOG, and that you feel you can tell a stranger off about how they talk when you could have just unsubscribed and let other people be.
I have no idea what he means by “four letter world language” or unladylike, but I find it ludicrous. I’m sure you don’t need to be told, but your blog and your writing is fantastic and it’s one of the reasons I enjoy reading your blog above many, many others.
LOL I think he means “the f-word” haha. I dunno, the dude is strange. Also, yes, my sister pointed out why cussing = unladylike, when it shouldn’t be. If you’re going to sanction “foul language,” I think both sexes should be um, frowned upon. Haha.
Thank you so much, Laala. ❤ Much appreciated!
Is this the new generation of trolls/spam? How odd..
How rude!
Carina, I for one, fucking love your blog.
Fucking thank you, Unpalettable! ❤
I smell a troll.
TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!
I put on some heels to feel fancy! I normally wear flats every day, so a vertical boost always makes me feel good! 🙂
-Morgan Etoile
http://www.morganetoile. com
Yay! 😀 I got my first pair of heels that I actually love for a wedding, and I’m thinking of where I can use them 😀
I remember you mentioning Of A Kind before (I think in the statement necklace post?), I looked into but I didn’t REALLY “look”. Aaah regrets! Their earrings, I like all of them!
PS. Wow. That comment. The word was used once, and if he’s been really reading your blog, he would know that you don’t throw the F word for the sake of. And the generalization that Filipinos would be appalled? Please.
Diba! They’re jewelry is amazing, and if I don’t find what I like on Of a Kind or if I run out of an edition, I go to the designer’s site and see if I like any of their regular designs. 😀
P.S. Hahaha I know. Whateva~ he is probably old.
1. Wow, people can be…quite something, can’t they? Earlier this year, another grad student in my department told me off for cursing under my breath (I was having the worst day imaginable, too), and now I feel like saying “HOW ‘BOUT THIS FUCKING WEATHER, HUH” whenever I come in earshot of her.
2. I like to wear perfume when I’m feeling fancy, too! I always feel vaguely daring when I wear it, like, who am I to wear something this fancy?
1. LOL, it’s so annoying. Like, fine if you don’t like it but do you have to let your opinion be known?? Go you, I’d love to do that some day but Manila is so small, lol.
2. Haha! YES. That is so accurate. I wonder what kind of scents you like 🙂
Those shoes look pretty! But I probably wouldn’t endure the foot pain hahaha. Hashtag not martyr material.
Good news! They are a bit more loose na 😀
Wow. As someone who literally cusses once per sentence (in real life and my blog and even Twitter), I am appalled — APPALLED — that you only cussed once throughout the post and got called out.
Anyway, I want that Of a Kind necklace! Sapphire is my birthstone, too. Do you know where similar cutesy, minimalist jewelry can be bought locally?
HAHA IKR. Sorry I’m not being a dalagang Pilipina~ I think he’d lose his shit if he found out I was a lesbian.
Thanks! 🙂 Not sure but I’ll keep my eyes peeled. I kinda wanna start a jewelry line though cos a lot of what we have, though cute, is not minimalist.
I can definitely relate to feeling a mood uplift when I wear something fancy. Maybe that makes us superficial, but I think in this case, fancy equates to quality, and that’s definitely a reason to feel better!
Haha true enough! I think I’d rather have a couple of fancy things than a ton of okay stuff, lol.
I know what you’re saying! Personally, when I wanna feel extra fancy, I think about my clothes and actually put together an ~outfit~ rather than just schlucking together non-clashing basics. And I do my hair! It makes me feel really eleganzaaa
Hahaha I feel super cool when I have like a super basic minimal look, tho! My hair is at a hopeless length right now huhu
You had me at Alexander Wang ❤ SO GORG.
Hahaha thanks 😀