Leetol Miss Joyce's latest fashion pet peeve

I'm pretty tolerant when it comes to clothes. I'm the type who'd just live and let live whenever I see something outrageous on the streets/school hallways. However, there are just a few things in life I don't understand. Are humans still evolving, and is bad taste in fashion part of it?

I could've mistaken that for your underwear

Today's Special: Shorts with the pockets showing.

Am I the only ones to notice how hideous these things are? Isn't this considered a faux-pas anymore? Honestly, this look has been around for about 3 years now, and all this time I've been waiting for the trend to just hang itself and die. But no~

 Are these supposed to be sexy? Am I missing something important here?

Don't get me wrong. I'm not hating on denim cutoffs. I've worn denim cutoffs a thousand times in my heyday. I'm a big DIY fag and it's the only way I could wear those hideous hand-me-down denim jeans from my grandmother. I'd cut them up a few inches below the rise and I would forget to hem them on purpose so that it would fray and get shorter and shorter with every laundry day. I considered those shorts disposable. Ahhh, good times.

If you don't think these are hideous, something is really wrong with the world.

BUT. THOSE POCKETS. No matter how short my cutoffs got I always remembered to tuck/ trim and sew the pockets in. It's actually a sign of when I have to throw them out -- when half the pocket flap is already showing. I don't know what these kids are thinking, but there is nothing pretty about showing pocket flaps on purpose.

Whenever I see these on the streets, my scissors itch to cut a hole on the pocket flap so that whatever change they have in there would fall out. Oh, I forgot, it's fashion faux pas to put anything in your pockets (they bulk up your silhouette, so they say. WTF are pockets for now???)

L: Check out how the rips were strategically placed to reveal the 

pocket. R: Printed pocket flaps!

Who invented these things? I'm guessing it's some high fashion casual wear designer from a collection I missed (Wang?) Please tell me so I can give him a serious beating.

WHY?

Not only can you achieve the look with some old jeans and a pair of kitchen shears, but wanting those pockets in particular is beyond me. Why would anyone want to buy these things??? WHY???

All photos from Lookbook.nu  but I was nice enough to crop and not reveal their faces.

X-posted to: The Joyce of Living

Leetol Miss Joyce and the Red Lipstick

Hi! I'm back! Again. Unfortunately my sembreak has come and gone and since I was consumed by laziness coupled with fandom and other related faggotry, I wasn't able to updated this blog yet again. 

Truthfully, I'm sorta running out of things to post about. I still have a couple of ideas left but I'm still sorting out how to post them properly. This blog was made to be kinda helpful and informational. Not some dump of what-i-wore-today or what-i-just-bought pictures. No way. This blog might be in every way as superficial as the next, but I want it to be more than that. Surely, I don't want to disappoint my three or four readers (LOL).

 

This girl has ideas that she isn't posting. That's why her hair is so big and messy. It's full of secrets.

Moving on, I finally picked up this tube of lipstick I've been lemming for.  I swatched it some time last year and was impressed at the pretty red color. Appropriate enough, it's called Love That Red from Ever Bilena's Matte Lipstick line. It's a pretty red shade that leans more towards the blue-pink side of the spectrum (not quite a true-red). I got it for PHP120 at the supermarket.

 

 EB Matte Lipstick in Love that Red. Check out the cap. That's lipstick on the red part.

I'm not much of a lipcolor person. My lips aren't quite as nice as my eyes and cheekbones so I usually just play it down. I usually use peach-pink-brown or coral shades on my lips -- basically anything that looks natural. However, this shade of red was too pretty for me to resist. I find it hard to find a red shade that will suit my NC40-42 greenish skin tone. This one does. Love it!

It's about an inch long inside the tube.

Another reason I decided to get this one was when I found out that Valerie (aka Miss Earth Singapore 2009) actually carries this particular shade in her purse. I guess it is pretty popular (it's a bit hard to find in supermarkets, usually it's just Mirrored Mocha and Mauvey left) because the shade is really pretty.

 

Top: my dry, naked lips. Bottom: my lips with love that red.

At first I had a hard time because my lips aren't very defined. I'm not quite sure where it ends as the corners blend into the skin. The thing is about red lipstick (or any bold lip color): mistakes are waaay more obvious. I wish I had a brush to apply it precisely. My friend Issa recommends cleaning the outlines with concealer.

I misplaced my remote so all you get is handheld camwhoreage.

This is also the first time I've tried a lipstick that is really matte. Some lipsticks claim to be matte but are still dewy when you hold it against the light. This one is really matte and opaque. Which is good because when you have such a bold color on your lips, you wouldn't want to attract any more attention by having shimmer or shine. 

 

I'd wear red lips with really clear skin and just a wee bit of magnum on my lashes.

 Something I don't like, this lipstick is waaaay hard to remove. I applied petroleum jelly on my lips and wiped it of yet there's still a bit of redness on my lips! Ah well, on the flip side, that's just a sign of staying power and strong pigmentation isn't it? Also, it's a bit drying but then again dryness is to be expected from any matte lipstick.

Overall, this is pretty much good enough for me. I don't really wear red so much so a low end brand would suffice for now. I'm glad the product delivers and actually exceeded my expectations. 

Yay, I can has a new post now! *disappears into oblivion once again* 

Shameless Plug: If after reading this blog you still aren't sick of my self-centeredness, then go ahead and visit my shiny new Tumblr blog at  The Joyce of Tumblr. My other tumblr is pretty much fandom stuff so I created another to host my original content (aka fail photography and massive camwhorage). Follow and Reblog!

Leetol Miss Joyce's Usual Eye Makeup

I realized that out of all the gunk I put into my face, I'm most obessed with my eyes and skin. I own more eye makeup than skin/cheek/lip products. I think doing your eyes can change your look the most. Anyway,here are some of the stuff I normally use.

My usual eye makeup

1. Fanny Serrano Mini Eyelash Curler. I've read a lot of raves for this curler. It's rumored to be a Shu Uemura dupe, and they say it's from the same supplier. I've only tried Shu at counters and I've only tried the regular sized one. I think they both curl lashes better than other curlers I've tried. I like mini-curlers though because it makes it easier to get my corner lashes. 
2. Lash Comb. A cheap lash comb I got at the discount store of doom. I run my lashes with this after mascara.
3. Etude House Oh M'Eye Line in Brown. I got this as a gift from a friend. It's the best liquid eyeliner I've tried. The brush handle is long, and it makes it easy to control when making either thick or thin lines. The brown is a nice everyday color, but lay it on thicker and it's creates a good effect as well. It's smudgeproof but not waterproof. 
4. Maybelline Volum' Express Magnum Mascara. The best mascara. My tiny lashes really become visible with this. I love the fat brush!
5. Angelique Eyeliner Eybrow Pencil. I use this pencil to fill in my brows. True to classic cheapskate Leetol Miss Joyce, this costs only Php11. It's really hard and the lines it makes are amazing on eyebrows. Plus it's long and you get both brown and black in one pencil. 
6. In2it Waterproof Gel Eyeliner in WG80 Aztec Gold. I use this for my lower waterline to open it up. Some people use silver or white on their lower waterline, but I think peach or gold liner works better for my skin tone. I like it coz it's waterproof enough to last on my waterline. Also, gel liner + pencil form = win! No need for brushes or anything crazy.
7. Sansan Eyeliner Pen in Brown. I'm not really a big fan of this product. It's not very pigmented and the shade of brown isn't very nice. It's cheap though, and the pen form makes it easy to apply on my lower lashline. I'm looking for a substitute. 

That's pretty much it. I'm on a crazy asian look mode so it's all eyeliner and no shadow, at least for now. (Also because I haven't invested on proper brushes/applicators for eyeshadow yet) Here are some looks I've created using the aforementioned products.

Winged eyeliner look.

 Simple daytime look. 

That's all for now. I might do swatches and a proper review of some of the products, when I feel like it. Until next time. ^_^ 

Leetol Miss Joyce is Back with 3 different (fake) hair styles and colors

Apologies once again for disappearing into the void without a trace. I'd like to say that I got caught up in school, family and real-life issues but sadly, my only excuse for absence would be the good old lazies.

But time spent not blogging was not wasted. I am back with three different hairstyles for everyone! Behold!

 L-R: Dark Blonde curly very long wig, bright red straight long wig, dark brown curly mid-length wig

Okay, okay, so they're wigs. My good shopping buddy Pier and I discovered this amazing discount store of doom that sells wigs at an unmentionably low price. So unmentionably low that I'm actually not gonna mention the price here. (Here's a hint though: it's roughly 10% the price of the supposedly "cheapest" wigs in the Philippines) I've been a cosplayer for 5 years now and I've always used my real hair for cosplays because wigs have always been too expensive. I like to keep my costumes at a budget of Php 1,500 or less. Even the complicated ones such as my Alexiel cosplay. We all know I am a scrooge like that, that's why this blog exists in the first place.

These cheap wigs though, totally changes the game. I've been on cosplay hiatus for about 2 years now (due to old age lol) but seeing these wigs are making me want to get back into cosplaying. These wigs are made of Kanekalon fibers, which look a lot more natural compared to other types of wigs. They only come in different shades of natural colors: brown, copper, blonde, mahogany, red etc. They come in different lengths and styles.

Aside from a few misses, such as some odd cuts here and there, I think the quality of these cheap wigs is up to par or even better than those that they sell for a higher price. The wigs shed and tangle, but all wigs do that. I really don't see myself buying wigs from sellers now that I've found these.

Some tips in wig use/care:

Mannequin head, PhP170. Wig cap.

I got myself a stand for my wig. Nevermind the bad faceup and scary face, I just need somewhere to hang my wig on when I style/comb it. The wig cap here is actually an old stocking, I found it fits much better than the regular wig caps. Holds my hair up perfect, even my bangs don't go peeking out.

I make it a point to clean my wigs every so often. I just swish them around in water with some conditioner of sorts (some people use human hair conditioner while others use shampoo specifically for wigs, I've heard some use downy!). I hang them up to dry, then as soon as the water is almost gone, I apply hair serum (for human hair) on it. Somehow, it works really nice. Then I comb it really well to style and rid of tangles. 

Wide-tooth comb. Php10 from the same discount store

I use the widest-toothed comb I could find. Finer teeth or bristles just cause more tangles. Real combs specially made for wigs apparently cost Php300 or more. That's even more expensive that the wigs themselves! No thanks. I'd stick to this one. I can use it on my real hair too. 

After cleaning and combing, I store my wigs in a ziplock bag to prevent them from getting all dusty. 

 

Me wearing the dark brown curly wig, my current fave. 

In case you're wondering, I'm wearing the ff: Face: Maxipeel concealing cream + Avon Ideal Shade Dual Powder foundation Eyes: Etude House Oh M'eye Liner in Brown Lips: Sansan concealer stick + Sansan Moisture Lipglow in Mango Strawberry Daquiri

That's it for now, I'll be back again soon, hopefully. Lots of things I'd like to blog about. 

Love, 

Joyce

Leetol Miss Joyce loves DIY Hair Treatments

Lately I've been getting so obsessed with my hair. I've always had a problem with dryness and split-ends and lately I've decided to face the problem head-on.

I got a haircut lately, and I had a lot of inches cut. It's now an few inches above the bra line, which is pretty short by Leetol  Miss Joyce standards. However, despite the cut, I noticed that I still get splits. And worse, even the shortest layers which are chin-length still get splits! I figured that it's not the length that's a factor, but rather, my hair shaft really is just that dry.

I got a L'oreal aromatic hot oil treatment at the salon. While it was good, it was rather too expensive and time-consuming for me. I'm too lazy to drag my ass to the salon every week. And since my hair is long, getting treatments done just isn't practical.

The Solution: DIY Hair Treatments

The tools: Shower cap, hair treatment, towel

I discovered that HBC sold their hair treatment gunk in sachet. Each sachet of Hot Oil and Hair Spa costs about Php10-12 and is good enough for one use on my hair (a few inches above the bra line, medium thickness). I've tried different variants such as the Keratin Hot Oil, Henna Hot Oil etc. but I found that I got the best results from the Hortaleza Professional Hair Spa.

 I found it to be good enough, so we got a whole jar for Php 200. Although I really prefer sachet sized ones better.

 The shower caps I use (shown in first pic) cost only Php20. But if you're a big cheapskate like me, and you do a lot of travelling, you can loot those shower caps they give away for free at hotels. ^_^

Following the directions on the packaging, I massage a generous amount of hair treatment product on my hair after shampoo and conditioner. Depending on whether it's hot oil or hair spa, I heat it differently. For Hot Oils, I cover my head with a shower cap, and then put the heated towel over the shower cap, then seal the heat in with another shower cap. For hair spa, I simply steam the towel to heat it (I don't dip it in water) and then wrap it directly around my hair before I cover with shower cap. 

Don't go boiling your towel, this is f \or Illustrative purposes only, lelz. For hot oils, I dip the towel in hot water. For hair spa treatments, I place the towel in a steamer, or use a colander over the pot of boiling water. 

Use the shower cap to trap heat in your head. For hair spa, you wrap the hair in steamed towel first before covering with shower cap. Sorry for the why so srz face. It's hard to look pretty in a shower cap hehehe.

Let the product seep into your hair for 45-minutes to an hour before you rinse. Make sure you get all the product out or else the buildup will not only weigh your hair down, it will also feel icky.

  

 For those hectic weeks when I just can't find the time to wait out the hair treatments (or can't be bother with heating a towel), I use Cream Silk Precision Repair Treatment (Php14). Just leave it on your hair for 5 minutes, and gives the same results. The downside is that the softening/moisturizing effects don't seem to last as long.

I do this every week, more often when I feel like it. I can't say my hair is totally pretty now, but it's less dry than usual, plus it feels much softer. I think it does make a difference. And for less than Php20 per treatment, I guess it's worth it.

Try it yourself, and tell me how it worked out for you.

LeetolMissJoyce is slowly turning into a hair blog. I promise I'll be posting other stuff (re: fashion, makeup, etc.) soon.

Hairstyle: Poufy hair

Lately I'm so obsessed with semi-poufy hair, like those of celebrities and even princess fashions. It looks so dressy and pretty, and best of all, so damn easy to do!

Yey poufy hair! Love the headband. Got it for just Php10 and it doesn't pinch my temples. ^_^

I've always been the girl who only combs on special occasions. On those rare occasions I have to fix myself up, I usually put my hair in a half-pony. I liked half-pony styles because it's easy, flatters my face, and isn't as casual as the usual full ponytail. This look is an upgraded version of it and I love love it!

Excuse my bad skin + eyebags, I didn't bother putting on makeup for just a couple of photos.

Doesn't the style look so princess-y? And you can wear it too school. Best of all, the pouffy-ness of it adds at least 4cm to your height! Perfect for petite girls. Hahahahaha! ^_^

I might do a tutorial on this style someday. Although it's a bit too easy and intuitive, (even I can do it) I doubt anyone would need a tutorial on that. I think poufy styles will be more popular soon, since I see even local celebs sporting the look.

PS. I finally grew out the hideous fringe I got a couple of months ago. Now I'm thinking of getting a more summer friendly style. Full fringe is a bit too hot, and if I get layers, I might not be able to put it up (my neck needs to breathe, it's just too hot and humid during summers). I'm inclined to get a short cut too. Hmmm...

NOTD: Shimmery Pink nails for crazy typing times

Found a little free time so I decided to paint my nails in some shimmery pink shade.

Hopefully, the colors in my fingers will inspire me to dance them above the keyboard in a (school-wise) productive way. That way whenever I feel sleepy doing them code stuff, my shimmery fingers could keep me awake.

I layered two different colors, one in baby pink regular finish, and another pearly-pink one in glaze finish. I used these cheap (Php12 only!) nail polish with the funny names (Piolo Pastel and Brad Pink, seriously!!!) in mini bottles. They were cheap and I couldn't resist. It's ok for me, doesn't chip. Let's see if the consistency is good in the long run.

Personally, I feel that all nail polishes are created equal anyway. I don't see any reason why I would go for the branded Php200 bottle when the drugstore Php50 bottle is good enough.

That's it. I'll be back to srs bzns stuff now.

Leetol Miss Joyce is not dead yet

Yes kiddies, I'm still alive. I just got caught up with some scary school stuff, Cheshire cats and lobsters. But I blog, therefore I am. Planning on posting DIY haircare stuff, plus some makeup and outfit posts. Coming verrry sooon~~~~~

Anyway, we got this nice floor lamp. Mom like house furnishings and dad got her this last V-day. It works really nice for photography too. ^_^

Some samples:

Simple look using Maxipeel Concealing Cream in Fair, and Sansan Coral Moisture Lipglow in Mango Strawberry Daquiri

I'll be posting some nice makeup looks with this lighting setup in the very near future.

That's all for now. I'll be going back to scary school stuff.

Uncanny Similarity between Rajo Laurel and Alice Auaa's Creations

A couple of years ago when I was still a young anime-loving college student, I was so into that Japanese gothic/gothic-lolita/punk subculture. Fashion-wise, this lead me to be familiar with brands such as BtSSB, Metamorphose, Alice and the Pirates, etc. One of those brands that I followed was Alice Auaa. Aside from dark, victorian long dresses and coats, what set this brand apart for me was their net dresses that resembled spider webs/cobwebts. It was brilliant and fit in just right with the gothic subculture for which it was created/marketed.



I was surprised to see local actress Ruffa Gutierrez in a very similar dress! I checked the comments of the photo and found out the dress was supposed to be renowned Pinoy designer Rajo Laurel's original creation.

Now, I don't know much about fashion. I don't know when this whole "spiderweb" fabric trend really began (I see a lot of ripped shirts and really threadbare fabrics nowadays). I'm not aware of a lot of designers and their works, or how trends evolve. But from what my eyes are telling me, this dress is not exactly unique/original.

On top is Rajo Laurel's Dress as worn by Ruffa Guitierrez. On the bottom are Alice Auaa's net dresses.

Coincidence? A common trend in the fashion world? You tell me.

Leetol Miss Joyce is not Happy with her Haircut.

I sorta figure that it was high time for me to get my hair cut. The ends were really dry and my fringe was nose length already. I'm actually growing my hair waist-length, like it used to be when I was younger, so I didn't want to cut off too much. Just a trim would be nice.

My friends tried out this new Salon here in our place. They said it was really interesting and so I decided to give it a try, not knowing I was up for my worst haircut experience yet.

Before



I took photos so I could tell exactly how much they chopped off, also for comparison purposes.

The look I want:


I scoured my Japanese Magazine Scans (which I'll write an entry about soon ^_^) to find a photo of the haircut I wanted to get. Believe me, this was a painstaking task as I have lots of volumes to sift through. I finally settled for this one from the magazine Ray. I printed it out big and headed off to the Salon.

After:


I AM DISAPPOINT. >.<

I wanted a trim, I wanted the tips to be maybe an 1"-1.5" shorter! I specifically told the stylist that, but he insisted that my hair tips was too dry and had to be chopped off completely! HELLO! I WAS GROWING MY HAIR! I was going to get a treatment on it, and trim it an inch every month or so. That way I could keep the length, and just maintain the ends.



Also, the stylist seemed like he was in such a hurry. Haphazardly grabbing sections of my hair and cut. My fringe didn't even look the slightest bit the one in my reference photo. Aside from cutting it straight across haphazardly (without even asking me where I part my hair naturally), it's not slanted and it's too short! I wanted semi sideswept bangs! Arrggh!



And look how uneven that is! There was this huge clump leftover from my old, nose-length fringe. I could've pointed it out to him but at that point, I just didn't want him touching my hair anymore. I wanted to cry.

I paid for my cut and just ran out the store. Lucky for that guy I could actually look good with full-forehead fringe. But I didn't want it because 1) it itches, and 2) my mom plugged my blowdryer in the wrong outlet so can't dry it evenly. I'm gonna suffer bad hair days... forever!

Ah well, not really. The good thing about hair: it grows back. Think of what could've happened if it were a rhinoplasty instead of a haircut. I am the lucky one.

Imma cut my own fringe even now. See ya!


Love,
-Joyce ^_^

What to wear in 2010: Leetol Miss Joyce's thoughts on this year's trends

Ah yes, it's that time of the year again, where almost every fashion magazine collate tidbits of fashion shows for the next season (which always happen months before), hoping to forecast the next 12 or so months in trends. Let’s face it, part of a lot of vain people’s resolutions for the new year involves dressing better.

Now, I’m no expert. As much as I love to ogle at new collections ever season, I don’t have any fashion background. Obviously, I can’t do predict trends with my fail credibility, so instead I’d pluck out some forecasts from other, more reliable sources.

First, a review of 2009 trends that chose to stay behind. (No kids, whether we like it or not, 2009 will come back and haunt)

Boyfriend clothes

Shirts, pants, blazers – we’ve seen them all last year. I loved it! Everything is oversized and it’s a good disguise for weight gain (haha!). Also, everything looks old. Since the concept is borrowed from the boyfriend clothes are almost always worn (read: rommy and comfy) and cheap (borrowed/secondhand). Now if only I had a boyfriend to borrow from.

Bodycon


Silhouette-wise, it’s almost polar opposite of the boyfriend trend. Bodycon accentuates every curve in the female body, making it look real tight and sexy. I love how bodycon dresses (particularly those Herve Leger-ish bandage ones) hold up and support curves where you have plenty, and yet constrict and create curves where there’s none (hahaha my description sounds like something for a pantyhose ad but whatever). I never really saw this trend flourish in the Philippines. Maybe I’ll watch out for it this year.

Playsuits


Oh no, those onesies (whether short or pants style) are here to stay. I admit, they’re comfy yet fashion forward, but I CAN’T PEE without stripping myself first!

So that’s it for the review. I’m sure there are actually more trends of 2009 that we’ll be seeing again (or more of this year) but these are the ones that re-appeared on the runways and stuff. Now it’s time for the stuff to watch out for this 2010.

Note: much of these are those that they nicked from SS2010 RTW. I didn’t include a lot of resort/AW stuff because we don’t have winter in our country anyway. It’s like SS season all year long.


Stuff I liked:

Military



Oh god I’m such a military-look fag. Berets and military caps, fatigues, camouflage prints, uniforms. I have so many army-green colored clothes. When I was in college, I even wore combat boots with a poofy skirt to class (proof). I love everything that has to do with Military. This season’s reincarnation focuses more on the colors (olive-green/khaki) and the jacket. Actually I think those “military” jackets are a bit exaggerated. Well, maybe army band jackets. Owell, they’re pretty nonetheless.

Exagg shoulders


Often coupled with the Military “band jacket” trend are the strong shoulders. The last we’ve seen of this, shoulders were pouffy and princess-like and came coupled with voluminous sleeves. This time around, shoulders are still emphasized but in a more structured way, either by way of cut or through shoulder pads (soft shoulders are in again, although they might remind us of the horrors of fashion past, shoulder pads are sort of a hit with the guys... they like to lean on it more. :3)

Short/Pekpek shorts



The fashion people have a different term, it’s either boy shorts for the tight ones (really, why do they call it boy shorts? As far as I can see, boys like their shorts real long and loose) and tap pants for the loose ones. As for me, I call them pekpek shorts hehehehehe. I love the whole look and all, but maybe not for me since I haven’t quite toned my thighs. A lot of women look awesome in them though. Maybe I’ll dare myself to wear this to fight the scorching Philippine summer.

Maillots/One Piece Swimsuits


Speaking of summer, I’m loving the new swimsuits in the form of maillots. One-piece pieces are always more forgiving than bikinis and it’s just about time that designers redesigned these. Just look at those pictures, the new maillots are anything but boring.

Stuff I don’t quite fancy

Bodysuits


I guess it came with the high-waist and the presumption that tucking in your top is cool again. Bodysuits are indeed easier to wear under your pants. But what’s up with these outfits? Really. (Also, even if you wear them under pants, it's awfully hard to pee)

Hot pants


Hot pants are an exaggerated version of the short shorts. These have negative hemlines. Same with the bodysuit, please. I don’t care what supermodel you are, I don’t want to see butt cheeks on the street. Just say no to negative hemlines.


Sheer trends gone wrong

Need I say moar? Maybe a peekabo here and there would be nice, but please don't show us your nips.


Miss Joyce's Verdict

Ah, well looks like we're in for a pretty awesome year. Before I end this entry, I just want to note that I don't really wear trends. I'm not telling everyone that you have to wear these things to look good this year. I don't have that mentality. However, I do think that if you're in love with some of these looks, this is the best year to stock up on pieces since once trends water down to the mass market, they tend to get cheaper. ^_^

Also, we never take runway to the streets. These are just artistic depictions and designs of fashion artists and designers. There is always a way to make things look wearable.


_{Image credits: Harper's Bazaar.com Fashionising.com Style.com}