I'm almost finished with my Christmas shopping. Almost, I insist. Sure, I've bought a gift for everybody I'm buying a gift for, but my personal shopping list isn't complete yet - and no, I'm not counting Allison Iraheta's debut album. It's this time of year when I, like perhaps everybody else, update my wardrobe, and so far I've bought a pair of jeans (that I haven't altered yet), two shirts and a pair of shoes, although it's annoying to think that Jack Purcells are only available up to a size ten, or so I think.
Now, the one thing I have yet to buy is a collared shirt. It's been a priority since I began working: it looks absolutely smart (especially in a world where the tee takes priority) and it somehow fits my current style philosophy, which is "look decent while throwing everything in the sink". (Actually, I don't have one. I just choose what looks good for me, and nobody has yet to stage a fashion intervention. Do I really need one?) Now, I haven't had time to shop for that, either because I've been buying gifts, or I've been too sleepy, an unusual side effect of daily Starbucks intake.
I've been having a hard time looking for one. I was at Rustan's earlier - then again, why am I looking there? Unless, of course, I plan to buy myself an expensive collared top - which I can do, if I had the guts to go for it. So, to the rest of the Shang, then, although it being a relatively upscale mall, there really is nothing for me there.
Rule number one: Do not go shopping for clothes at the Shang, or at any other upscale mall, for that matter.
Then again, I did find something. There's a Bench store at the fifth floor, and there's a Human store right beside it. Surely there's something I can afford there, right? Collared shirts for under P500? Kewl! The problem is, none of those fit me - and they're not the discounted items. I'm not exactly the fittest man on the planet - I have a fairly prominent belly, although I haven't been drinking beer - and anything that isn't straight anything is bound to look bad on me. Wider-than-usual outfits will make me look shaggy. Slimmer-than-usual outfits? Do you want my nipples poking out? Surely you'll throw up if you realize I'm not female.
What makes it more unfortunate is, I found something that I really like. I found this brown and purple shirt at Human. It should fit me because it's a large, but it's label is a turn-off: "slim fit". I still tried it on, but it pokes badly, and they don't have an extra large one at stock. And no, I haven't checked out the one I like at Bench. "Vintage tee. Slim fit." No, I don't think my sort are allowed to look like Enchong Dee. And to think beauty products are now starting to say, "girls, it's okay if you're fat." If you're a guy, you've got to work out, else you're hopeless.
Rule number two: Guys are not allowed to be insecure about themselves.
I spent my afternoon shopping. A good distraction, I must mention, from the Christmas party somewhere out there - I didn't attend because I had lots of Survivor work to do, although I ended up finishing before three, and the office closes at three, and after hearing stuff like "ikaw lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit kami pupunta", I might as well make the most of the idle time between then and the time the shuttles are available. (That, and I couldn't meet Monica because she's wrapping gifts at work.) Obviously, I wasn't successful, which is why I'm writing stuff now from some half-dumpy Internet cafe at Starmall, which is so far from upscale from the mall across it. I wouldn't shop here because, well, I have this mindset that I won't find anything here that would actually fit my non-existent style philosophy, never mind that there's actually a Human branch right here. Slim fit? No, thanks.
If I spend my life dodging social engagements because I know, for a fact, that nobody will bother engaging with me socially, then why do I bother looking good in the first place? Oh, right, adulation from relatives. "Ang galing mong pumorma" from a distant relative will make me swoon because I don't really try... until I see someone who does try. Remember, there's the second rule for that. Guys are not allowed to be insecure about themselves.
I do not mean to offend, but is this the reason why gay people are abound nowadays?
12/21/2009
View this blog's entries from
Niko Batallones writes The Upper Blog.
Subscribe to this blog,
follow him on Twitter,
or check out earthings!,
his music blog (of sorts).
Unless otherwise stated, this blog's content is owned by Niko Batallones. No part of this blog may be reproduced elsewhere without proper permission and attribution.
All opinions stated in this blog are solely those of the writer's, and does not reflect those of his employers, or the organizations he is affiliated with.
Some photographs have been edited using post-production curves from Shalla Yu.
Powered by Blogger. Established in 2005.
View this blog's entries from
Post a Comment