FN Blog - Seven heads are better than one!

“You’ve got a lot of goodlooking people out here! Never expected that”, exclaims my stylish foreign friend. And indeed, we do have a lot of style! Considering how 80% of the population is below poverty line and that a lot of them are all scrunched-up in Manila’s sidestreets and esteros, you really get caught by surprise by the inherent style everyone has. From the hip-hop street children, to the Paris Hilton-esque collegialas, there’s always a fashion statement being made.

Street wear: the hip-hop Manila scene

I’m especially fascinated by how you can catch people in trench coats and knee-high boots in the streets of Manila at the slightest hint of rain. Tropical weather withstanding, we still find a way to dress ala-New York and Milan. This used to irritate me, but I’ve learned to appreciate the bold and brave outfits of the global thinking Pinoy style-sleuth.

The preppy must-have

Manila keeps things stylishly interesting by having several style tribes. There are the hip-hop boys with their loose sporty-chic outfits, the preppy yuppies with their reptile-embroidered tees and sleek sneaks, the artsy alternative type with their scruffy jeans and vintage tees, the style mavens with their six-months-ahead outfits, and two million other permutations in between. Maybe this explains why we have such humongous malls and an ever-present crowd inside – we like dressing-up!

She made it cool to wear local designers

The port never looked so good!

Sure there’s the smog and the traffic, but try and focus your attention to the person crossing the street and the person seated beside you, you’ll see how the stylish of Manila are making the city beautiful, one outfit at a time.