After a long and tiring day balancing my school, business, events, and blogging, I just want to cap the night off by blowing off some steam in the best way I know how: by working out or running at a track and field. It’s the perfect way, I realize; not only does it get my mind away from whatever stresses the day presented, but also, it is good to the overall health of my body. It is thus embarrassing to admit that despite taking pride in understanding men’s fashion and being a fashion blogger, I am most unstylish when working out. My mantra, “style above all”, does not apply when I’m at the gym. Not because I don’t care about style, but because I choose to put greater value on comfort and ease of movement whenever I exercise. I didn’t think, however, that style and comfort could be achieved at the same time when working out until I discovered Onzie’s yoga and jogger pants.   

  Designed with Free-Flow Fabric Technology, Onzie’s active apparel dries quickly for ultimate ventilation while you work out: a truth that I have discovered myself one Wednesday evening while running in an indoor oval, jam-packed with runners such as myself. While the area was understandably hot and damp, I was surprised that my legs were feeling cool and not dripping in sweat. I was so impressed that I researched the brand right away as soon as I got home and discovered that it was (apparently) what made the brand so loved by its customers and reviewers online. In one review, it was "more like a swimsuit for your legs than yoga pants". Further, though my choice of design doesn’t show it, they also feature distinctive printed yoga for those who want to be a bit more playful in their sports attire- another reason why they are so loved. Printed yoga pants? Yup, they made it a thing. 

  Another product I love so much is their jogger pants. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I am a fan of jogger pants, especially when I’m feeling a bit lazy to dress up or when I go on road trips that I just want to feel like dressed for bed to ease my discomfort while stuck in a car for hours. Thus, I was so happy to know that they offer a wide variety of jogger pants. And true to their promise, they are as "flexible, functional, and flattering"as their yoga apparel. Here I am sporting one on yet another trip the province over last week's holiday.

  For more, you may view their website at www.onzie.com, their Facebook, or Instagram

 Dubbed as one of the best local phones in the country, Cherry Mobile continues to develop its products in ways that may even rival its international counterparts. Adding to the success of its flare series, just last week, it has launched 6 new handsets under the line-up, including the successor to last year’s Flare 4, the Cherry Mobile Flare 5 that I have luckily set my hands upon. So while I may neither speak techie nor do I really know how to review a phone, let me share with you, in perhaps the most layman way possible, some of my thoughts on why I love this device.  

  First, while it’s incredibly cheap at a retail price of 5.5k, it uses HD AMOLED panel, making it the cheapest handset to use the said display technology. Second, it’s incredibly light. It’s no surprise though, considering that it’s made of plastic. The back part is so glossy due to the polycarbonate material that it produces a flare effect when hit by light. Thus, here I am thinking just how aptly named this device is. HAHAHA! Third, it boasts a 16-megapixel Rear Camera and an 8-megapixel Front Camera, making it even better than the iphone 6 that I currently have. As a blogger-influencer, this would certainly help me take my OOTDs in times that I forget my camera at home (which I have the tendency to do so). 

Here's a full specs that you might want to know of:

Battery: 2400mAh Removable

SIM: Dual Micro 

Display: 5" HD IPS Screen 

Front Camera: 8MP BSI 

Rear Camera: 16MP BSI PDAF

Memory: 16GB ROM 

Network: 4G 

Connectivity: Wifi b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 

RAM: 3GB 

Processor: 64-bit Octa Core 

Operating System: Marshmallow 6;0 

GPU: Mali T720 

Others Feature: USB Type C, Fingerprint Sensor 

  Since salons have almost always been a women’s domain, I say it’s high time for a place where men, dudes, and bros, can have that much needed pampering without being judged. Guys, let me introduce The Men’s Room, a full line of salon, spa and pampering services designed specifically for a man’s grooming and comfort. Located at the 2nd floor of Oracle Hotel and Residences in Katipunan, it’s truly a hidden gem where, as their tagline goes, guys can be guys!   

  One thing you should know about me is that I have always been picky when it comes to having my haircut. As a blogger, I can say that have tried at least once or twice a lot of the known barbershops and salons in the metro. Nonetheless, for 12 years, I have only been comfortable going back and forth to the same barbershop, to have my hair cut by the same barber--- well, until last week, that is, when I tried The Men’s Room, which, in my honest opinion, is one of the coolest men’s salon I have ever been to.  

  The Men’s Room is everything I look for in a barbershop/salon, and more. Everything - from the ambiance, to the amenities, the grooming services, the hospitality of its staff, down to its pricing- was well thought of to give us guys the maximum satisfaction we crave for and deserve. Truly, I have been pampered to my heart’s content right from the moment I entered the premises up to when I left.  

Come and take a closer look at what I love most about The Men’s Room  

1. The Ambiance  

  Imagine plush leather chairs, a separated lobby from the cutting floor, and flat screen TV to get a bro feel at home. Add that to the walls that are made of bricks and the pipes that lines the walls and accentuates the shelves - and you’ll feel like you’re transported somewhere between a gentleman’s room in Victorian England, and a railway station in Industrial New York. It’s probably the marriage of these two periods, which created this ambiance that made me feel retain my manliness even while I was getting a hair spa. No doubt that I’ll feel the same even if I had a mani-pedi HAHA!  

2. The Amenities  

  I don’t even know where to begin! First, the lobby. I love the fact that it has a mini lobby separate from the cutting floor where the customers can sit and relax while they wait for their turn. This is something lacking on so many barbershops and heck, even salons. Second, the massage room. I love how they have a legit massage room divided by curtains. Again, this is something neither most barbershops nor salons have. They either massage you where you sit, or they bring you to a separate room, which was obviously once a storage area. Not in The Men’s Room…No! Here, you’ll be brought to a separate room with a massage table and even your own bathrobe just like in spas. And third, the shampoo bowl. I know this is probably no biggie for many, but this is probably my favorite. Unlike in most, if not all, salons and barbershops, here in The Men’s Room, the shampoo bowl is just right in front of your chair so there’ll be no need for walking! Something you probably don’t know is that I always get a hot oil or hair spa. However, I’ve always hated it when they ask me to get up of my chair and walk several feet to and from the shampoo bowl; in the process, passing by so many other customers while I’m either wrapped in towels or my hair is dripping with water. Ugh. It’s embarrassing, and not to mention, downright annoying. Here in The Men’s Room, they just turn your seat around, adjust it a bit, and voila!! There it is.  

3. The Services   

  Let me divide this into two parts: the range of their services, and the quality of the work itself. As to the range of their services, believe me when I say there are a lot! Like, I probably didn't even know a quarter of their services; case in point, the Malunggay Scrub in their spa services. Just what is that exactly? I wanna try it out! Indeed, from the hair grooming services, to the facial, and massages, you'd have tons to choose from. 

  Meanwhile, as to the quality of the services itself, I can say that I was satisfied. Kuya Ares, the barber who attended me, really went into detail to determine the best haircut he could give me. First, he started by asking me what hairstyle I want. Second, he asked how I usually style my hair. And then, he interposed some suggestion on how he thought I could improve on my style. Honestly, I rarely feel good right after I get a haircut cause my hair is kind of my comfort zone but this time, I really felt good. I cannot speak of the other barbers, but insofar as Kuya Ares is concerned, I can say that he really did well. 

4. The Hospitality  

  The moment I entered the premises to when I left, I was welcomed and acknowledged with all smiles not just by the receptionist but by every single staff-from the barber who didn't even attend me to the masseuse who were on break, even though I didn't really get a massage. Plus, there even ask you if you want to drink anything and frequently refills it. Truly, this is the first time I have encountered a salon/barbershop like this.

5. The Pricing

  I'm not really so sure about the normal price of their other services, so for the cost, let me take their haircut and hair spa services as basis. I'm used to having a haircut that ranges from 250php-350php, and hair spa/ hot oil that usually range from 350php-650php, so I guess when it comes to pricing, The Men's Room prices their services really cheap. This didn't surprise me, though, since I assumed that one of their target market are the students from the nearby school 

  These, being said, I can say that I am one satisfied customer and recommends every bros to try this if you want to get that much needed pampering without being judged. For more, you may like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/themensroomph or add them on Instagram: @themensroomph

 Hello, guys! Let me yet again welcome you all to my humble page. For today’s post, let me first share a realization. I was having a (maybe drunken) conversion with my non-blogger friend a couple of days ago about why I blog. He queried, “so Ronwell, why do you blog?” And I was like, I don’t know; I like doing it. I like styling myself, and I like sharing said style to others. In my mind, my only mission is to inspire my readers & followers alike to find their inner style. However, as pointed out by this friend, I never really considered that as a Filipino blogger, maybe I should aspire for something bigger; that is, to help promote local clothing brands for so many reasons such as to help Filipinos overcome colonial mentality, help those who cannot afford foreign brands feel assured and proud of what they wear, etc. And that got me thinking.  

 One problem with so many Filipinos (myself included) is that a lot of us would rather buy foreign rather than local brands. Some do this by choice, others by habit. Personally, I just never really got used to buying local because…well I don’t know; I never got used to doing so. I excused this by saying that local brands are of inferior quality, but really, we all know that’s not true for all. There are many of those that strive to be as competitive in terms of design and quality as their foreign counterparts. My friend then went straight to pointing out that after a year of reading my blog, he never saw me wear any locally produced/marketed piece of garment. And this, he said, raises a problem. First, it supports colonial mentality, and second, it is insensitive to those who can’t afford foreign brands. To be honest, I never realized this at all because…well, I never really (over)think things but when I did, I realize he was right. As a menswear blogger and influencer, I have the ability to help others give local brands a try, to help them see that it’s not so bad at all. So let me make a promise that I’d be more patronizing of these brands, especially those sold by small enterprises.

  Anyway, here I am, wearing my SM Youth apparel from head to ankle HAHAHA! Shoes are from Dr. Martens so I couldn’t really say head to toe TEEHEE.

To say a few words, I love how the shirt has adopted that long tee street wear addiction right now; it’s very 2016. I also love how the bomber jacket is just as good as its foreign counterparts in terms of design, while having in mind the condition of the weather here in the Philippines in terms of its production. I mean, unlike foreign brands, it’s not as think and thus not as hot, perfect for the tropical weather here in the country.

  Hey, all! How has it been? As promised, here’s part two (day 2) of my DC trip. But if you haven’t read the part 1/day 1 yet (which is a mistake), you may view it by clicking on this link     

  Anyway, day 2 of our DC trip was surprisingly cold. It, being on the start of summer, I thought I’d be forced to wear tank tops and the usual attire you’d expect to wear on a usual summer day. But such was not the case, as you can see- me wearing leather and all, clad in black. Thank god I was prepared; well, I had to be since I blog fashion and stuff. But more on my outfit later.   

  First, let’s talk about my day 2. Hmm..day 2. What can I say? It was just all about the usual city tour and whatnot. Very tourist-y, I know. Had it been my way, though, I would have avoided the city tours (just for a day) and instead explore the non-touristy sites in Washington. Maybe a coffee shop only a few know about, or a bar behind an alley, or maybe even go on a hike. I don’t know what and where these non-touristy areas are but I know they exist and DC surely has some, maybe even a lot of them. But alas, I was touring with my family and they’re the most tourist-y of tourists you can prolly meet. HAHA! Still, it was fun.   

Going around the city, I realized the magic behind DC. As I mentioned on my previous post, DC has successfully combined the charms of both the North and the South. I like that. You can live the city life with the suburban feel. 

  Having been born and raised in the metro, I’m used to crowded areas, and that hectic, fast-paced life. I’m not sure if Washington is all these too, and I just didn’t realize it because I’m not living in it. But based on my experiences with it so far, it wasn’t like that at all. Well, maybe just a bit but not what one would expect on a capital city. For while DC may be a city, it also exudes the charms of a suburb- that relaxed, worry-free feel. Case in point, a guy in a suit biking to god-knows-where. A park in the middle of the city full of skater dudes. A coffee shop full of hipsters reading a good novel, and not giving an eff about life. These are not something you’d see in every metropolis. And for these reasons alone, I have fell in love with a city.  

What I'm Wearing: Leather Jacket (Zara), Shirt (H&M), Jeans (Topman), Sneakers (Bershka)

  Moving on to my attire, as I mentioned, I wasn’t expecting for a cool weather. I was prepared with backup outfits to my shirts and tank tops but not much. Good thing I brought this very trusted leather jacket. I had long since realized that it’s always advisable to pack one just in case. Case in point, this surprise of a weather. Anyway, you could pair it with pants or with shorts, and you’d still look good. For this particular outfit, though, I wanted to bring more of that street, highsnobiety look (for a lack of better term to describe my idea) into it but the leather jacket wasn’t making it very easy  (this is one reservation I have against leather jackets) Thus, the baseball cap. Truly, accessorizing is key.