I remember the time Dr. Martens opened its doors here in Davao (yes, it's about those goddamned shoes again). I first laid my eyes on the 8-eye 1460 cherry red boots. It looked so badass that it made me believe in love at first sight. But priced at around Php 9k, it would be a cold day in hell before I would be willing to pay that much for something I would not use regularly.

Five years and a devastating news later, hell froze and I finally got my very first Docs. It is not my dream cherry reds but it is badass enough to make me fall in love with the brand even more. And it was such a challenge to stop at one pair.

So I had another. 

And another. 

All in less than a year. 

It's a terrible addiction.

Do you remember the time when I could not be bothered to look good because I paid so little attention to my outfits? Well, my blog does. 😅

Then I realized how making a simple upgrade to my style just made me feel better overall. It does feel empowering, you know. Every outfit that I chose to rock—despite getting shot at with those disapproving looks for not dressing "like a mom" because I love to flash my belly button out—is a reminder that I can be anything.

For this trip, I prepared about ten outfits. Yes, ten! However, our seven-day trip was unexpectedly cut short, so I only got to wear five. 

The idea was to wear something fresh and appropriate for a hot and humid country. 

I would have loved to put on some light layers just for the aesthetics, but I'm pretty sure my armpits will go on a wild and violent protest. I also thought about wearing a summer dress or that plaid top and mini skirt set I've been meaning to wear for a long time. But I'm afraid I will have that Marilyn Monroe moment while running after two hyperactive toddlers. Or one of them will lift the back of my skirt up and expose whatever horror has been kept hidden there. 😝

So after a few days of planning, I came up with outfits that will still show some skin to keep me cool from the sweltering heat without putting myself at risk for an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction.

Yes, OOTD planning is one of my favorite parts about traveling. I like getting creative. But I am never really too eager to go overboard with the spending. So, here are the budget-friendly outfits that I wore in a fine, sophisticated, first-world country, Singapore:

Outfit #1

This is what I wore at the Singapore Zoo. The goal was to look like a zookeeper but make it stylish. 

Love the blazer and short set. Still thinking where else can I wear this.

I have a new pair of shoes!

And it's one of the most beautiful shoes I've ever laid my eyes on.

I know I don't need another one. Call it absurd, a weakness, a toxic trait, or whatever. But shoes do make me happy. Probably because I may have been healing from my "past traumas". You know, the time when we couldn't afford such. Growing up, I've never really owned more than one pair at a time, and it is usually a tad bigger for my feet just so I can use it longer until it gets worn through the soles. 

When I started working, majority of my shoes were from ukay-ukay. I did "splurge" but I would still limit my choices only to the items displayed on the discounted rack and never bought anything more than Php1,000 because that was already a luxury for me.

I have been skinny for as long as I can remember. While I can devour a truckload of burgers and still not gain a pound, being cursed with a metabolism that burns up calories more quickly than I can eat isn't always a good thing. 

I always had trouble finding clothes that fit me well. Size extra small (XS) is not exactly easy to find. Plus size women have a shop and an entire clothing line dedicated for them. But for the petite size? Not much. And I cannot always shop for children's clothes if I want to be taken seriously. 

So, I'd usually end up with these constricting, figure-hugging clothes because it's the only way for me to look womanly and accentuate my low-key curves. If I wear anything loose and comfier, it would be impossible to tell me and a coat hanger apart.

But lately, the baggy fashion is making its way back to the runway and, without a doubt, I immediately jumped into it. Such has always been my thing.

What I wore in our high school class reunion last December 2022. The shirt is medium.

Perhaps I have not made it very obvious but I've said this before: I am addicted to boots—even if it is something I know I cannot wear regularly here in the tropics.

Anyway, I finally got my very first Dr. Martens! 

Hands down to the coolest, sickest, and most badass shoes I've ever seen.

I love how I can rock the boots with anything.

I was never really a sandal girl. My toes look funny and ugly to be wearing one. But I have always wanted a pair of Birkenstock. They are not exactly attractive but they go well with my manly feet. They are also easy to wear and can go with anything—jeans, shorts, even dresses!

The malls here sell them for more than Php5,000. And each time they go on sale, I would slip one on in hopes that one day I would finally give in and get myself a pair. But every single time, I'd take it off with an expected dismay. Because every single time, it doesn't feel right.

I get it. I pay for the brand and durability. But if I'm paying for something that steep, I would have to pay for comfort as well. At my age, comfort has become my deciding factor for everything. Seats, accommodation, car, clothing, and so on. Apparently, the Birks do not have it. At least, not on the first try.

I settled for different brands that have a similar look to the classic Birkenstock Arizona because they feel much more comfortable. Unfortunately, they didn't last that long.

And then yesterday, strangely enough, I finally own a pair of authentic Birkenstock Arizona sandals. I love them. I've always wanted them. But wearing them for the first time wasn't as magical as it did with my brand new sneakers. (New Balance 574 ftw!) If anything, it was unsurprisingly anticlimactic.

That's Chino, our adopted cat.