The other day we celebrated the Chinese Lunar Year of the Horse, and I wish everyone prosperity, luck and good health the whole year round. And by saying so, this is a fitting blog entry to welcome 2014 as my partner George, her sister Ghing and I recently made a leisure trip to Hong Kong - the city that never really sleeps.
This is the second time that Geo and I have visited HK, and just like last year, shopping for fashionable finds is the ultimate goal (talk about really nice shoes, some bags, some clothes and even branded scents that are priced cheaper than in our local shores). We love HK that's why we came back. Aside from its modern structures, towering buildings, bustling streets, MTRs and Disneyland, it's the everyday inspiring fashion that HK nationals breathe anywhere you look around, the endless shopping surprises and destinations you can find in just about every corner, and the stylish, edgy brands that we always hope for, but are not available (yet) in the Philippines.
We only stayed in HK for three days, and January is the best month to visit because of cant-resist bargains, discounts, and sale markdowns you'll find almost left and right. Besides, we went there a week before the Chinese New Year, and we could feel the festive atmosphere growing upon us. It was freezing cold, too, and for me, it was the best time to put on layers of clothes and hit the streets in utmost cool and style that we Pinoys couldn't do in a tropical climate.
I am never a fan of selfie blogging, but this time I'll take the plunge. Geo, Ghing and I share one thing in common - we aren't sexy, fit or slim. But during our entire trip, we challenged ourselves on how to dress up extra while we're on the heavy side, and put our personal styling on to action in hope to come up with something "BIG" while in Hong Kong. To all chubby, plump, well-rounded guys out there, we can definitely make it happen and create an impact - agree?!
DAY 1
 |
| Arrived at the HK's New Territory airport in modern denim on denim style. I layered my bleached jean jacket with black leather sleeves (from Zara Man) along with a cool inner piano-printed graphic tee (from Uniqlo), plaid flannel shirt for grunge feel (from 21 Men), and a contrasting pair of dark-washed indigo denim pants (from Zara Man). |
 |
| I'm still at awe (for the second time) with HK airport's magnificent modern architecture... |
 |
| The road to the modern world... HK, here we go! |
 |
| At the MTR going to Kowloon. Geo shown here having a madame moment with his reflective silver sunglasses. |
 |
| After checking in at our hotel, we hurried to H&M at Canton Road as our first stop. I just love how they styled their mannequins on display with red, black, gray and white theme and finished off with horse masks and tails to signify the Horse-y Lunar Year. |
 |
| Geo looms large around figurine charms for luck at the Year of the Horse with Agnes B store in the background (at Sun Arcade Mall). |
 |
| Horsin' around - for good fortune :-) |
 |
| Eye catching red-and-gold setup in front of i-Square Shopping Centre along Nathan Road in preparation for the Chinese New Year. |
 |
| Sale! Sale! Almost everywhere. |
DAY 2
Friends, behold... From this point on, you'll be seeing our version of blogger style pictorial. Stomachs in, chests out! :-)
 |
| Making faces. The three of us having breakfast at the ever-reliable Mc Donald's. |
 |
| Holy Smoke! Get this street-inspired look under the cold weather: Checkered wrap coat by Indu Homme; Graphic sweat shirt by Givenchy; Black sweat pants by Uniqlo; Gray backpack by Salvatore Mann; Black midtop sneakers by Adidas Originals. |
 |
| Skirtin' the issue - Geo opts to stand out a midst fashionable Hong Kong in a man skirt (with Givenchy styling in mind). Blue knit shirt and leather skirt both by Forever 21; White inner button-down shirt and black slim pants both by Zara Man; Scarf by H&M; Red knapsack by Hello Lulu; Gray trainers by Reebok. |
 |
| Ghing puts on a black ensemble made interesting with a pop of bright color and styles it with loose, ombre-colored wavy hair. Black coat and dress both by H&M; Hot pink leggings by The SM Store; Red tote by Longchamp; Boots by Forever 21. |
 |
| Ghing checks out the gigantic 3-storey Adidas store near Nathan Road, which is a stone-throw away from our hotel. |
 |
| Exploring the city is more fun with a quirky style statement. |
 |
| If you're around Tsim Sha Tsui area, take a walk along Canton Road where you'll find a whole stretch of exciting high-end stores and global luxury brands. |
 |
| The power of shopping - the Chinese people flocking outside Hermes as early as 10AM! |
 |
| Sibling rivalry :-) Geo and Ghing at the lobby of Holiday Inn (along Nathan Road) while waiting for our city day tour. |
 |
| Pedestrians crossing. |
 |
| Roaming around is easier with a chic but functional backpack. |
 |
| Peace be with you! All set and ready to go for a half-day city tour! :-) |
 |
| First stop: The Peak Tram. The queue going up is just crazy! |
 |
| Me, Ghing and our lovable tour guide, Luna. |
 |
| The power of three :-) |
 |
| Me and Geo on the way up the Victoria Peak aboard a tram. |
 |
| A breathtaking view of Hong Kong atop the Victoria Peak. |
 |
| Ghing marvels at the arc. |
 |
| My turn for that special Kodak moment, hehe! |
 |
| Wait, this is the real special Kodak moment with my beloved partner :-) |
 |
| Paintings being sold on a narrow path atop the Victoria Peak. |
 |
| Giging's gets an art attack! :-) |
 |
| 2nd stop: The Aberdeen coastal town with the infamous Jumbo Floating Restaurant. |
 |
| A "Sampan" shown here, a traditional Chinese fishing boat. |
 |
| Me standing on a Chinese pier. The emerald green water looks impressively clean! |
 |
| That brother and sister kind of bonding... |
 |
| The Jumbo Palace as seen hazy from afar. |
 |
| A Millionaire's Club. One of those yachts belong to HK superstar Jacky Chan, but I don't know which. For now, my eyes are glued on this maroon beauty. |
 |
| Glad wrap! |
 |
| 3rd stopover: A jewelry factory also in Aberdeen. |
 |
| I'm at a total lost inside a jewelry store. |
 |
| International award-winning accessory designs from Aberdeen Jewelry Factory Ltd. |
 |
| Final Destination: At the Stanley Street Market in the south coast of Hong Kong Island |
 |
| Somewhere down the road... Ghing gears up for some bargain buys |
 |
| Feeling jolly and carefree :-) |
 |
| When shopping at the Stanley Market, do exercise your haggling and bargaining skills. |
 |
| Rest Mode. Our feet have gone sore going around different places, and comfy sneakers are our bestfriend. |
 |
| Ghing and I toy around while waiting for our ride. |
 |
| Stand by Geo :-) |
 |
| Thank you Gray Line Tours :-) |
 |
| Before capping the 2nd night off, we checked out K-11 Mall across Holiday Inn and found this whimsical fashion exhibit/installation showcasing young HK designer pieces. |
 |
| Geo looks out on this romantic designer creation. |
 |
| I love this armor-sleeved futuristic design. |
 |
| Another design entry that perks up Geo's interest. |
DAY 3
Our last day in Hong Kong. We initially planned to go to Ocean Park, but had problems with our bags and luggages. Our last frontier? Another shopping discovery at Citygate Outlet Mall in Tung Chung before heading to the airport for our flight back to Manila...
 |
| My 3rd & Final Look of the Day: Sweater boy meets skater boy. Sweat shirt with printed sleeves by 21 Men; Sweat pants by H&M; Sneakers by Adidas Originals; and Cap, a gift to me by George. |
 |
| Geo opts for top-to-bottom super sporty getup made interesting with shorts over leggings. Football shirt by Androgyne; Gray cotton shorts by Topman; Black tights by H&M; Athletic trainers by Reebok. |
 |
| Ghing keeps it simple & comfy since we're also heading back home later that day. Hooded jacket by H&M; Floral top by RDS; Black leggings by The SM Store; Boots by Forever 21. |
 |
| Ate Ghing cuddles her brother Geo while we wait for the MTR train to arrive. |
 |
| A very happy Geo :-) |
 |
| Ghing flashes a smile while going down on a subway escalator. |
 |
| My usual (but unaware) taray look :-) |
 |
| Harutan galore at Tsing Yi subway station. |
 |
| A picture of happy faces ;-) |
 |
| Me and Giging for last-minute shopping at Citygate Outlet Mall. |
 |
| Finally, very happy and contented with our additional pasalubong & personal purchases! |
 |
| A Happy Chinese New Year to all! |
It's been a week since we left Hong Kong, and we still crave for more! Seeing these pictures, who can say that only slim, model-esque bloggers can do their fashion feature? If you're adventurous, willing, style-savvy and confident, there's no stopping us heavyweights from formulating our own set of looks.
For those who plan to go shopping in HK, we recommend that you check out IT store (my personal favorite) at Silvercord in Tsim Sha Tsui, which is a multi-brand fashion house with cutting edge fashion labels from around the globe (e.g. Comme de Garcons, Martin Margiela, Jeremy Scott x Adidas, Doc Marten's, Isabel Marant, etc.) under one roof. D-Mop and Mixtra are another go-to stores, which we found at K-11 Mall near Holiday Inn along Nathan Road (with brands like Puma, Nike, Adidas SLVR, Giuseppe Zanotti, etc.). D-Mop and IT have outlets at Citygate Mall in Tung Chung, too. Speaking of Citygate, you'll also find a lot of branded outlet stores from Armani to DVF to DKNY to Calvin Klein to Y-3 to Nike to Esprit and so on. Then there's Harbour City at Tsim Sha Tsui where you can find a lot of high-end fashion labels (from Chanel to Louis Vuitton to Gucci to Versace to Ermenigildo Zegna to Chloe to Fendi to Tod's to Costume National to Alexander Wang, etc.). Also check out Sasa in just about every corner of Tsim Sha Tsui for beauty products and bottled perfumes at amazing lower prices. For cheaper fashion finds, there are street markets in Mongkok and Stanley that we visited, but personally, I'd prefer shopping in Divisoria where I can understand the salespeople more and haggle as much as I can.
We really heart HK. See you again hopefully soon! :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment