June 28, 2012

Fashion Blogging. The Ugly Truth

new year 004

Denise Katupinera circa 2006.

Hi girls,

For the past months I have been receiving quite a lot of emails and messages on my on line shoe store. And guess what it's about? - a young blog(s), aka one month old blog,  asking for a "collab" aka send-me-free-shoes-and-I-will-abuse-your-shoes-for-total-exposure-among-my-less-than-50-readers-in-google-connect-and-15-followers-on-blog-lovin. Charming! Some emails starts with this - "I stumble upon your store a week ago and I think your shoes speaks for my style and I am open for collaboration." What? She's not even pretending to kiss my old fat ass or pretending to drool over my store since the day I started. 

And oh!, this one too, the best seller:

"Hi! I am open to sponsorships, ads and other projects. Visit my blog here ....  My style has always been self centered, it always depends on my mood, whenever I feel like wearing on a specific day. I am obsessed with sky high heels and rare clothes, clothes that barely can be seen in stores, which makes you stand out and some people will have a hard time finding the exact same dress you are wearing. It's always been a motto for me to "Never leave the house under dress" even without make-up I always see to it that I'm in my most fashionable outfit. I blog about everything though, fashion does not stop me doing other things. I also blog about my travels, making an emphasis on what i wear. I thank you so much, hope you consider me." So I clicked on her blog link and it broke my heart. There I saw her best picture with her best pose and best pout. And my reaction was, OMG girl, who hurt you? who did this to you? you want me to call the police? 

Everyday, I do receive these kinds of emails that make me mental slap my forehead each time I see how young and naive these girls are to fashion blogging. They have no idea what they're getting into. I have been meaning to address this whole brand sponsorship and collaboration with bloggers for months now. But weary on sounding offensive and to appear know-it-all are two of  my biggest fears as internet-Denise, while real life Denise's fear are  big hairy spider and the faaaareeeeking flying cockroach. And let's be honest and reasonable here because it has been a huge annoying dancing color-block elephant in the room among the fashion blogging community now. And I don't think these young bloggers know how to do it. This is not an attempt to pro-tip you on blogging. Believe me there is no such thing as the right or wrong way, but there is always the dignified way. 

First let me bullet point you some of the requirements to be a fashion blogger. (In no particular order)
  1. If you're young, no job, let's say a teenager, you will need rich parents to buy you shoes, clothes and the rest of the trends. A loaded mom and dad to let you max out their credit cards.
  2. btw you will need internet connection too, a computer and camera. And if you're lucky, a boyfriend with photographing skills to follow you around for your ootd. A plus point too if you have a mad Photoshop skills. That way you can always shoot yourself against your bedroom wall, away from the prying eye of the mass, so you can pout and pose your heart out.
  3. If you're young, no job, no rich parents, still studying, you can always eat a big breakfast ala construction worker con carne everyday before school, skip the double grande mocha latte with whipped cream for instagram, so you can save money and hit the thrift store for a student budget friendly fashion. And I am serious about this. I always think that young people are supposed to be full of ideas, over flowing with creative juices, and skills and talent. So Diy, sew clothes, do alterations. A young girl with a Prada isn't really impressive. Okay, I am a bit jealous. But seriously, a mad emailing skills to ask brands for free stuff does not count as talent too.
  4. A job! you will need a job to buy stuff. It sounds boring but that's the real deal. Fashion means clothes, shoes, bags, accessories. You need moolah to fashion blog.
  5. Talent. Meaning you should be able to write. Produce a content. I know you can't always beat the top bloggers with their designer shoes and their affiliations and their puke inducing photo ops with the super rich and the botoxed and the semi-famous. But trust me, if you have an IQ of a thousand and can actually write, damn girl you are going places.You will gain readers, and I mean real readers that will come back to you everyday, with real comprehension ability for written words. Find your voice. Be a blogger with a cause extraordinaire. (that sounds cool ei?). 
Anything else? If you have something to add, please do so.

Now let's talk about these local bloggers who made it. Aka the Cinderellas of the blog world. The bloggers who gets invites everyday to attend events and do collaborations with brands. Please consider that these bloggers are old. (Peace!) When I mean old, meaning they have old blogs. Blogs they'd started from between 2005 to 2010 or even way before blog became a word. Maybe some of them were rejects from the field they love. Journalism drop outs, real life stylish girls and gays, snubbed by the magazine publications. These outsiders with talent, individuality and independent thinking who blogged as an outlet of their frustrations and inspirations. These are normal naive girls and gays (the innocent, organic kind) who work hard and thrive on passion with the power to express themselves. And after a couple of years, say 2010 here in the Philippines, the brands made a notice of them. That these girls and gays, the pioneer of style blogging here in our country, has the appeal and influence. And voila! the rest is fashion blogging history.

I do not mean to offend anyone by this post. I am pro blogging. I support blogging as a way to express yourself. So it's really sad how bloggers these days turned out to be. I love how the old school bloggers were so shy and really genuine with their blogging-success stories. How they squealed on the first email they received from a reader and how they almost died over the omg-I-can't-believe-this-brand-emailed-me for a brand collaboration. I am just sad how "collab" aka send-me-free-shit is used among young bloggers these days. I hate to compare these girls with a beggar but that's just how they are. A beggar is a stranger who knocks at your door throwing themselves at your mercy for a spare change and food. Their survival hangs by a thread to other people. At  least they are the legit kind of beggar. They are homeless, no family, no source of income, no internet, no twitter, no facebook. So don't beg. There is no dignity in begging and shooting thousands of emails for free stuff. You have a home, an iphone, so i believe in my heart of hearts that you have no resemblance to a beggar. If I put my own spin to this thing called collaboration these day, I would probably email Cebu Pacific and pose as a travel blogger to get a free airplane seat so I can put some content on my faux travel blog. See what I mean? Blogging itself is a already a privilege. And however huge you think you are in blogging, asking for a free shit isn't business like at all.

I guess the only unsolicited advice I can give to anyone, young people who read this is study, finish your education. How about education for the sake of education. Blog for fun. Do not blog for fame. No koryente, no internet. Goodbye internet fame. Don't blog for money. Stop reading the IFB. They are full of shit. When they said, we (bloggers) can command as much as $50,000 for a brand campaign. No. You won’t. Unless you are Atlantic Pacific or Rumi or Bryan Boy, no you won't. Only about 10 bloggers can do this. (And not one of them is a local blogger)You still aren’t one of them. And when they said, We’re legit enough to be awarded by the CFDA. Unless you are Scott or Garance, this in no way legitimizes your vanity blog. And don't quit your day job. DON'T. And prove yourself first. And do not compare yourself with other bloggers and please, please PLEASE do not clone these bloggers.

So, what does this mean for you if you’re a blogger? If you’re blogging because you’re hoping to retire at 30 with a closet full of free stuff and a bank account loaded with money from online sponsorships, you’re probably doing it wrong. It will never happen if your focus is all about monetize monetize monetize. Stop trying so hard to be a sponsored someone and try for interesting or fun or original for once.

love,
Denise Katipunera, one time second placer in the Bataan Provincial High School Debate 1996, thank you very much!

ps,

please don't hate me. I am a very nice person (ask my Catholic dead Grandmother) but not today. Not today. But you can always find in your studded-glitter-fashion-forward-heart the gist of this blog post. There is no intention of hate. Not now, not ever. Try to read this with an open mind. Pretty please? Pretty pretty please, with Brad Pitt on top? Thank you very much. 

pps,

here's part 2. Fashion Blogging and The Ugly Truth 2.0

June 26, 2012

Some Days Huh?

mini burger

The picture has nothing to do with this post but it looks delicious anyway. soooo, a day from now is our much awaited family weekend. I know it's falling on Thursday, but hey every family is different and special in their own weird way haven't I told you that? Jayson's work isn't the regular 8-5. Our weekend isn't the regular Saturday and Sunday either. Well sometimes it falls on those days too, but usually it does not. Oh I miss the weekends. The real kind. The thank God it's Friday jumping up and down because tomorrow is Saturday and it's the weekends! Oh yeah, it got me thinking that we haven't had the legit kind of weekend since 2005. So that means we've been this weird for less than a decade now. 

So it's our weekend soon, so I was thinking the exciting silly things we will do. Here they are:
  •  learn a new song. Given the last song I discovered was "cause you're amazing, just the way you are". Feels pretty new to me when i sing it in my version.
  • wear the false eye lashes I bought 3 weeks before Father's day, (do the math) and red lipstick and pink blush. Clooooown!
  • eat sushi and halo-halo.
  • clear my closet from everything I haven't worn in months that obviously isn't working for me.
  • lose 80 pounds in two days. (that's a great movie title too)
  • See an eye doctor. My right eye is still 20/20 but my left eye is all wonky. 
  • Buy Yllac an orange ball. 
  • Wear matching outfit. Dork family on the loose.  
  • Eat something I don't know.
  • Mani. Pedi. 
  • Make champorado. 
that's it for our weekend. 

How about you? What are your plans this Thursday? Work? Oh! I feel special alright. At least until Friday. Goodnight everyone.

ps, 
here are some of our instagram photos for the last two weeks. Not much. It's weird to think we got something huge going on everyday in our home but according to instagram it's not much.So much for a-lot-of-going-ons because If you didn't instagram it, it didn't happen.

We are civilized people. I SWEAR!!!Ayan na. Yakapan na.
Uniform.Baby it's cold outside.
Weight lifting. @paxieness #twinshoesExtra storage space. #underthebed
Lost some weight in this picture. Maybe because my head is really that obeseYou. Complete. Me.
My little one turned 18 months today. He suddenly looked bigger today too. #wheredidmybabygoYllac was here...sneaky baby.

the end.

June 24, 2012

18 Months Today

18 months Yllac

I cannot believe it. 18 months! This boy turned 18 months today. And I am freaking out. He is changing, constantly changing and it is just too fast. Sometimes I couldn't keep up. And the only way to keep up is to take a lot of photos and videos because honestly speaking from the bottom of my aching heart, mental pictures won't take all of it. For the past months there's this joy and ache from looking at him and see him grow so fast. He will never be this small forever and that realization made me sad. All I have to do and my job as a Mom is to savor every moment, spend every waking second with him because nothing else matters. It just makes me extremely sad thinking about every single beautiful moment of everyday with him, every wonderful smile and laugh, even the worst moments,  knowing they cannot be relived again. It's gone. And somehow it gave me reason to hang on to him now. I need to memorize him. Remember everything. And keep up. Because from the looks of it, he won't keep up with me. As his Mama I will keep up. I will always keep up. Forever.

Sea Green

Sea Green belt, Mango clutch, thrift leopard dress, Go Jane sea green wedges, denise katipunera, Filipina Style Blogger, Mommy Style
Sea Green belt, Mango clutch, thrift leopard dress, Go Jane sea green wedges, denise katipunera, Filipina Style Blogger, Mommy Style
Sea Green belt, Mango clutch, thrift leopard dress, Go Jane sea green wedges, denise katipunera, Filipina Style Blogger, Mommy Style
Sea Green belt, Mango clutch, thrift leopard dress, Go Jane sea green wedges, denise katipunera, Filipina Style Blogger, Mommy Style,
Sea Green belt, Mango clutch, thrift leopard dress, Go Jane sea green wedges, denise katipunera, Filipina Style Blogger, Mommy Style

Went out on a little date with my husband, Jayson. Am not sure how it happened but this shoes made me flirt a little with him the entire time. Just a little. I know! Blame the shoes! How can a shoes you step on possibly take over your whole being right? I mean, our foot is one complex part of our body that they say has pressure points connecting to the rest of our moods, pain and pleasure. Am not sure about those, but sexy shoes is like a big acupuncture needle that shoots up to reveal every woman's sexy side. I am not sure for men though. I know!, needle on your foot and shoes. What's the difference? Not much. Ever heard of tiis-ganda? But this one is just perfect for my comfort, it is bulky alright, but i think it's still sexy. It's big and sexy. And I like it.

thrift dress
GoJane wedges
Sm Accessories ring
2 year old Mango clutch
Stanley Market necklace

June 22, 2012

Hex Boots Winner Announced

Hex boots winner

Hi Jing! Congrats! Email me at harukijayden@yahoo.com as soon as you read this to get your Hex.

Thank you so much for joining and to everyone who shared my store - Shoe Etiquette to your friends and loved ones, thank you so much. You're all amazing and extremely kind to me. 

love,
Denise

June 21, 2012

Hi! Hi! Hi!

recently

I do feel a sense of fake accomplishment each time i do my own nails.

recently

 my favorite pair of shoes. I sometimes think she's being bullied by other shoes each time i put her back in the closet. Poor girl.

recently

 my baby boy doing the dog thing when-dogs-are-inside-the-car-minus-the-tongue-wagging.

recently

disgusting looking food always tastes great. 

recently

 we're nuts about nuts.

recently

 oh nothing, i just feel obligated to take a picture of this coconut tree under a clear sky.

recently

daaaaaaahhhh!!!!

recently

when it rains, i wear sandals.

recently

they don't come any cuter. biased!

recently

look I can wear tiny bags again. Thank you Et, I love this bag. 

recently

So pretty. Very pretty. I bet you can't tell all my toes are dead inside that shoes.

recently

Hi! Is it me, or there's some kind of a tiny mustache growing on the face of this baby? 

That's all folks!

June 20, 2012

Another Shoe Giveaway (CLOSED)

Hex Zigzag Bootie Wedges

Hi!

Hello there!

Okay take your time....

Still drooling?

Anyway, If you like Hex, (yup, I call them Hex) just pick a color and she's yours. All you have to do is visit Shoe Etiquette, leave a comment here with your name and a valid email address and the color of your own Hex. 

example: 
Maria Shalahlah
shalahlah@yahoo.com
purple
you are beautiful Denise inside and out, i like you soooo much! - (not really, just optional) 

THAT'S IT.

That's it?

Nope. That's not all of course. Now that you're all nice and tender and all buttered up and hazy dreaming of Hex and since you're a doll and so sweet and the nicest person in the whole world, you'd help me - your sdbff (super dooper best friends forever), to spread the word about my store, Shoe Etiquette. It's just simple actually, you can facebook or tweet something like this : 

I love this shoe store http://shoeetiquette.multiply.com or 

Shoe Heaven is right here at http://shoeetiquette.multiply.com. 

Or of course you can say anything what your pure heart desires. But that's just optional, only and only if you're a real nice friend and if you're going to heaven of course you'll help me right? - I know you'd say YES! Thank you very much my friend! I can guarantee one sure ticket to heaven just for you.

Now go and pick your Hex. 

Goodnight and good luck ladies. I will announce the winner this Friday, June 22 at exactly 7pm. 

June 18, 2012

Monday Love. Pointed Toe Shoes

It's Monday alright. It's raining too. Can we just sing? And dance too? Carl Perkins you are some kind of an Alpha and Omega.


Well there's a
Brand new style going round
A hypnotizing cats in town
Living in a walking dream
A pointed toe and that's what I mean

I said pointed toes
Are coming back again
Uh huh uh, pointed toes
Are coming back again

Well, everything's alreet
When I got 'em on my feet
I say the point's coming back again

Well, they're made from high colored dye
Long and lean, narrow and keen
Some are brown, some are black
A cat starts a walking
He's easy to track

I said pointed toes
Are coming back again
Uh huh uh, pointed toes
Are coming back again


Everything's alreet
I got 'em on my feet
I say the point's coming back again
Rock

Well, I'm sharp toed
A high heeled
And buckle on the side
Zip 'em up and lace 'em up
Or any old style

I won't have to worry
Who's stepping on my blues
A keen cutting cat
In my pointed toe shoes

I said the pointed toes
Are coming back again
Uh huh, pointed toes
Are coming back again

Everything's alreet
I got 'em on my feet
I said the point's coming back again
Rock

Sharp toes, I want a pointed shoe
Uh huh, sharp toes, I want a pointed shoe
Ooh, yeah, yeah, I want a pointed shoe
Uh huh, sharp toes, I want a pointed shoe

Well, everything's alreet
I got 'em on my feet
I said the point's coming back again

ps,

long and lean, narrow and keen...

pointy blue heels
pointy blue heels

June 17, 2012

Dads


dad
Dad

Dads thank you for telling us, back when we were little that we are the most wonderful kid in the world and that we can be whatever we want to be. Well, Jayson didn't actually end up making cars and I am still walking on my foot - NOT flying, but thanks anyway for those sweet words. We love you very much Dads. Thank you for our lives. Happy Father's Day. 

ps,
happy Father's Day to your Dad too.

Yllac Lorenzo Lozada's Dad

Yllac Lorenzo's Dad
Yllac Lorenzo's Dad
Yllac Lorenzo's Dad
Yllac Lorenzo's Dad

I like Yllac Lorenzo Lozada's dad. And Yllac Lorenzo is crazy about him too.

Why?

Yllac and Jayson aka Dad, have a standing morning date ( if jayson's work isn't in the way) while I am at home in deep comma, drooling on my pillow, gloriously snoring. I am at my happiest when I'm asleep. How do I know that I know how crazy happy I am while asleep? Becaaaaaause the best experiences in life are those of the moments you know it's so good you cannot remember a single thing about it. So back to the boys, ... They walk around the neighborhood chasing after cows and chickens. Sometimes they drive to the nearest park, check out the skater boys and gals, eat biscuit while watching people and they go home to me with my cold Jollibee coffee float minus the chocolate fudge. Okay, most of the time, it's just kisses and hugs. It's a bliss. 

Honestly I am not jealous. I just let them go and be boys and Jayson be a Dad, any way he want to be. The two of them would go out, sometimes Yllac wearing briefs. Just WHITE briefs and an oversize shirt. But who cares right? Sometimes he'd make Yllac wear socks with sandals. Who cares right? When we grocery shop, Yllac would stop at the bottled water racks and poke them for half an hour with Jayson watching him do it. For half an hour!!! But who cares right? I can see them a year or two from now, they can tell fart jokes as much as they want to. Heck, they can fart as much as they want to. Drink juice straight from the carton. Burritos, pizza, or burger or hotdog every night, leave the seat up in the toilet. As long as I'm not around (NOT awake) there's no need to pick up dirty clothes from the floor, sports on tv all day long. They can even scratch their balls without embarrassment. Who cares right??? Now, that is living. Because ask Yllac now and he'll tell you, his Dad is the best. He really is. With these two boys as my tribe...now I understand what it really means for a girl to be extremely lucky.

I love you Yllac Lorenzo's Dad. You are good to us. 

love,
Yllac Lorenzo's Mom

June 14, 2012

Oh Snap!

denise katipunera
DSC_5036

Just so you know, I need constant reminder that camera batteries aren't car batteries. FYI to me, camera batteries needs to be checked and recharged coz they don't live forever. In my defense, I seldom use them, so how should I know? Right? ... Super Wrong! So with a little trick from Jayson - he took out the battery, blew on it twice, put it back on and whaaaalaaah, I got a new blog post produced from a little magic trick, and with a lot of luck, and an awesome background for a beautiful distraction. See? Blogging is easy. If I can do it, I'm sure you can do it too. 

Okay, seriously. Blogging is half and half. Half easy, sometimes half difficult. There are good blogging days, there are off days. So why do we do it? Because we're nuts. Right? (El Oh El. Smiley Face) Am sure every blogger has a reason. But being nuts is on the top of it all. 

Good Thursday everyone!

cardigan: thrift
dress and scarf: gift
boots: custom made
ring: Quiapo

June 12, 2012

Snakeskin Booties


Snakeskin Booties
Snakeskin Booties
Snakeskin Booties
Snakeskin Booties
Snakeskin Booties
Snakeskin Booties

Got these boots last year. Honestly, I don't know how to wear it. The boots looks pretty when i first saw it. It's still pretty and I am still attracted to it, but I really don't know how to wear it. To have a shoe in your possession so beautiful but seemed to crash with everything, it takes a lot of genius to style it. Now, may I stress that I don't have that talent. But I have this dark shades on when I scan myself wearing this. Voila! Just like that everything matches. It's like looking through a filter. The stripe top, this skirt, and my snakeskin booties looking friendly towards each other. Even if you're shaking your head now, all I see are nods of approval. This is a magic shades people. And I think everyone needs a magic shades. Now going back to the boots. Isn't it precious? 

top and skirt: thrift
ring: Quiapo
boots: Go Jane
magic shades: ??? forgot

June 11, 2012

Monday Love - Brahmin Handbags


brahmin tote bag
brahmin carry all bag
brahmin satchels and sling bags
brahmin handbags

Oh, where do I start?

First, Hello there Brahmin

Just discovered the brand a couple of months ago and got to say I have finally found my bag. Because, you know, every girl has their own brand of bag right? The girl in me don't have it yet. But not for long. So wow, every single one looks pretty ei. All I have to do is save. Save. Save. Save. I sure hope saying save three times must have hypnotized me now. I mean It shouldn't take me long to save, after all Brahmin isn't suuuuper expensive bag right? That's what I love most about it, aside from the obvious that they are gorgeous. The price is just right.

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