Levi's Accessories S/S 2013

Styling for a well-known brand such as Levi's (even if "only" for the accessories line) is a big responsibility, and I'm very grateful to my friend James for trusting me with the task. Our photographer and dear friend Bliss also gave me a lot of encouragement. These ads were shot two months ago at a friend's lumber yard, with this one as my favorite:

A few weeks before this shoot, my mind was filled with worries on whether I'd ever have my own styling projects, on what my career path would be, on what I'd be doing for the rest of the year and the next five years. Talk about a worrywart! When God assures me with His promise "I have plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" in Jeremiah 29:11, He doesn't give me a timeline. There is no five-year plan, actionable items, and goals. I simply need to trust Him and His timing. Of course I have to do my part too! But I'm not going to worry about every little detail of my life.

Because I know God led me to this occupation, I resolved to let go of my anxious thoughts and busied myself with work. Then one day, out of the blue, Bliss asked me if I were free to do a shoot with Levi's accessories. Of course I said yes!

Lea Salonga and Daughter Nicole on the Cover of Working Mom May 2013

I shrieked when Sidney told me the news. "We're styling your idol this weekend."

Lea Salonga of Miss Saigon and Les Miserables fame, Disney princess, and international star. I was both excited and slightly daunted to meet her.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go to the shoot as it was moved a few days later, when I had already left with my family for our vacation during Holy Week :( Still, I'm looking forward to working with her in future shoots!

555 Tuna TV Commercial Starring Robin Padilla and Cristine Reyes

One of the more exciting moments in a stylist's life is when the ad we worked on finally comes out! Often, being busy with work is a blessing because we don't feel the long wait before we see the final product after all the edits, client approvals, ad permits, etc. I squealed when I saw this TV ad with my family during one night we were watching the evening news.

Rachelle Que and I teamed up to assist Sidney in styling Robin Padilla for his endorsement of 555 Tuna with Cristine Reyes, who was styled by Em Millan. The costume requirement for Robin was a rugged vest, which we cut up from a long-sleeved cotton twill shirt, and worn-in jeans.

Do you see the storm clouds??

As with TV commercial tapings, we had an early call time and as Rach and I drove to Alabang, we kept on wondering, "Are we seriously pushing through with taping today???" Don't get me wrong -- I wasn't complaining, as I've been on outdoor sets in worse conditions (Typhoon Ofel last October), but bad weather does cause major delays for production and we wanted to be 100% sure we weren't traveling at that early hour just for the whole thing to be called off. It had been raining on and off since the day prior, and the bosses almost did. Thankfully, God cleared the skies a few hours after we arrived, when everything was all set up.

Next month...

A magazine cover with a gorgeous mom and her three beautiful daughters, from L-R: Cheska, Sam, and Angelina.

These little ladies are as lovely on the inside as they are on the surface. Soft-spoken, well-mannered, and friendly, they were such a joy to dress up today. Can't wait to see the final output :)

Psalm 133

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured upon the head, running down on the beard,

running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes.

It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion.

For there the Lord bestows his blessings, even life forevermore.

Rissa Mananquil Trillo and Baby Celestia on Working Mom April 2013 Cover

Super-sexy teen-and-baby momma Rissa Mananquil Trillo graces this month's cover of Working Mom with her daughter Celestia.

It's not difficult to make a model look amazing; Rissa takes great care of her skin and body so everything just looks amazing on her!  Mental note to self while styling this shoot: must begin and continue exercising* so I'll look great before AND after having kids. Haha!

A Little Nugget of Wisdom from It Takes a Man and a Woman

Disclaimer: this is not a movie review :)

Okay, call me whatever you want, but I watched It Takes a Man and a Woman starring John Lloyd Cruz and Sarah Geronimo yesterday. In the name of research, you understand ;) In my line of work, I need to constantly update myself about pop culture and potential/current clients' recent movies or projects. Of course, I was also curious about the costumes, and how the outfits represent the characters*, and other such details.

The storyline wasn't as solid as I'd like it to be, but I found a surprising nugget of wisdom in the speech given by Miggy Montenegro's (John Lloyd's character) late father. Paraphrased, his character says that in the quest for being the best, we forget how to be good, which is ultimately more important. This struck a nerve because I've recently been wanting to do more in my career in the near future, and I've had several opportunities to advance it but at the expense of integrity. This is going to be a long post, so you can leave while you can. ;)

Pia Guanio and Baby Scarlet on Smart Parenting March 2013 Cover!

Another cover Sidney styled this month is Smart Parenting, featuring the lovely Pia Guanio and her adorable daughter Scarlet. The pair was such a breeze to work with and the shoot went by so quickly, I barely had time to take a breath.

As a stylist, it's my job to get everyone dressed on time, in the right order (when there's more than one person in the frame and only one dressing room), to minimize delays to the shoot, which may include making the talents comfortable and at ease. One thing I picked up from styling is that there's no time for fear. Had I all the time in the world to make SWOT analyses, I probably wouldn't have the courage to hold a baby, much less change her clothes. I've always been afraid to hold babies during shoots in case I made them cry -- another reason to blame me for cause of delay! Eeek.