Mischmash Stylish Mama {November}

Richie Ortega-Torres, makes stunning, whimsical bridal wear while effortlessly raising two beautiful girls with husband, Itong. She keeps a gorgeous well-lived home that is evident of a happy marriage, an extensively-travelled couple, and a young endearing tight-knit family.

The family's broad interests spawned into a myriad of books spied all over the place.

We asked Richie to bring out her favorite things and one of the first things she unearthed was this intricately beaded silk puse.

Even Gaudi's gecko covets Richie's Miu Miu rope leather sandals.

Marni dress, Paul Smith court heels, and a hat from milliner, Carmina de Dios.

Her black Marni sandals towers over Hogwart's castle.

Artifacts from various travels adorned with her favorite necklaces.

(L) Much loved medallion charms. (R) A Super Award for rocking the world of fashion.

(L)The family's trying their green thumbs and so far so good as you can see with this thriving basil. (R) Interesting pieces that are actually functional are spotted here and there.

Richie's most precious gems: Luccia, 3y.o. and Oliva, 5y.o.

Quirky dolls at the girls' bedroom.

Olivia and Luccia played hostesses to my little assistant.

Describe your personal style.

Always relaxed, minimalist/simple/sophisticate but bohemian and free spirited. Which is sometimes the opposite of what I design, feminine and romantic. It's funny but I think it balances out my "style" sanity. Staying in one end of the spectrum would drive me crazy and bored.

What are you wearing this holiday season? Zero by Maria Cornejo

Closet staples? Black dresses. My Arche rubber flats (addicted to these for close to 20 years), scarves and shawls. Leggings and rubber soled ballet flats.

How are you influencing your daughter's personal style? I am a shopaholic when it comes to their clothes, and they love dressing up, so it's really enjoyable for all of us. My eldest (5 yrs old) is already adamant about picking all her everyday outfits, and my youngest (3 yrs old) loves wearing costumes, and I highly encourage it, so they can express their individuality through their style choices. I just want them to have fun with it.

Style icons? Charlotte Gainsbourgh, Lou Doillon, Marion Cotillard, and Michelle Obama.

Tip or 2 for all moms out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings? I find that dresses have been my life saver since I've become a mom. It's just one piece so it's a no brainer.

Any shopping advice?
If you can, choose quality over quantity. In my experience, it'll last longer and you'll wear it more and more, then you'll likely to take care of it more.

Luccia wears a dress from The Ramp Kids and Olivia in a dress from Gingersnaps.

The girls are their mother's biggest fans. 

Spending an afternoon with Richie and her daughters is as refreshing as it is inspiring. You'd easily admire the way she balances the crazy push-and-pull between motherhood and running a business. 

Outside her little family, she makes brides (jittery or cool) happy. And I happen to be one of those brides who made the best decision ever and pick a designer I most resonate with. Richie just got me from first meeting to final fitting. I couldn't be happier with the outcome. And I am one of many, that I am sure.

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Find Richie Ortega Bridal on Facebook for details.

Photography by Anthony Co.

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Mischmash Stylish Mama {October}

Leona Laviña Panutat, former Esprit buyer, stylist, writer, ShopCrazy shopping editor, blogger, art enthusiast.. wrap up this pretty package of a loving wife and a brand new mum.  

Her work station is conveniently situated beside her son's crib. This is where she writes away while  Wyatt is deep in blissful slumber.

Art by Francis Nacion hangs in the master bedroom where we spied Matryoshka dolls and hardbound reads on fashion and design.

Carlo Ongchangco, Cambridge Fluro Pink Satchel, BCBG Multi-colored Sandals.

Accessorizing is second nature to Leona who owns a vast collection of baubles from cocktail rings to statement necklaces all neatly labeled and categorized. 

Clad in her typical mash-up of preppy-boho. Pleated skirt, crew neck sweater, boho-inspired accessories with a Joyce Makitalo ring to boot.

Shots of color you'll spot all over her insanely neat and put-together place of dwelling.

His and hers. Mama brogues and baby brogues.

Elephant Wooden Menagerie by Jomike Tejido.

Wyatt's nursery is peppered with art lovingly made by his mum and his cousins.

A wooden horse spruced up with one of Leona's favorite scarves holds commanding presence. 

On the right is Wyatt's travel blanket, the hands-on mum especially made for her son before his big arrival.

Describe your personal style? Hmmm.. Preppy-boho. I like wearing clean and classic pieces and pairing them with something quirky, colorful and a bit off. I used to have a monochromatic closet but now all of a sudden I can't get enough of color!! 

What are you wearing this fall? Colored denims, slim V neck and crew neck sweaters, maxi skirts, wedge booties and my Missoni for Target loot! 

Closet staples? Denim cutoffs, straight cut jeans, stripe tees, slim cut cargos, men's button downs and my manly flats: brogues and loafers. 

What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise? Crisp white button down. You can wear it to absolutely any event. Great when dressed up with a ball gown skirt or dressed down with cutoffs. Plus it's breastfeeding friendly. 

How are you influencing your son's personal style? Well, he's only 2 months old so I don't think I have that much influence on him yet but when he's a bit bigger I'd say.. wear whatever makes you happy! 

Style icons? Jenna Lyons, Tory Burch, Olivia Palermo and Taylor Tomasi-Hill.

Tip or 2 for all moms out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings? Any shopping advice? Buy basics with a twist. A white button down with with an unexpected collar, khakis with pleats, cropped dark denims. These pieces will always look good together no matter what. Just throw on some accessories, grab a leather tote and you're good to go. As for shopping, always be aware of your surroundings. You might just score a great deal in the most unlikely places. Some of my favorite pieces are from Supermarkets!

Styling may have taken a backseat but style is obviously innate for this first time momma who looks like she's having the time of her life. What, with that palpable glow you see and feel around her and adorable Wyatt. Priceless.  

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Photography by Anthony Co.

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Read the prelude.    

Mischmash Stylish Mama {August}

Christine Dychiao aka Manila Fashion Observer. 

Wife, blogger, entrepreneur, columnist, consultant-- are just some of the roles Christine effortlessly plays. It is that picture of maternal bliss so evident in her and daughter Berry however, that tells you, its mothering she does best. And only in ways no less than chic.

A typical day around Singapore with Berry in tow.

Christine is always armed with the chicest yet most functional shoes and bags.

She lives in nautical stripes. 

Her no-fuss fashion sensibility results to a well edited closet with statement pieces to surprise here and there.

Describe your personal style.

Simple, no fuss, practical, comfortable. Downtown girl with loads of French inspiration.

What are you wearing this fall?

These days I'm rotating three pairs of pajama pants - from H&M, Zara & Isabel Marant. So comfy! I've also been obsessed with rope/ friendship bracelets these days, not the grade school types but the grown up sort from Shashi and Proenza Schouler.

I also vow to wear more dresses and can't wait to try out the midi-skirt trend!

Closet staples?

Lived in jeans and khakis, button down shirts, striped shirts, tissue soft tees, seamless undies and a well-fitting bra, flat shoes, tasteful accessories.

What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise?

Comfortable shoes - but please don't make me pick just one =)

How are you influencing your daughter's personal style?

By teaching her that quality trumps quantity. The same lesson my mom taught me.

Style icons?

Alexa Chung, Sofia Coppola, Ashley Olsen.

Tip or 2 for all moms out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings?

Maintain a manageable closet filled with all your closet staples. That way, you only have to choose amongst pieces you actually love and wear. I know that's hard to do in principle, but I find that it's so much easier to dress when you don't have to face a closet groaning with a load of things. Otherwise, you end up with decision fatigue and run the risk of wearing just whatever.


If you can't pare down to your definition of basics, then have at least 3 fall back outfits you can wear over and over. Who cares if you repeat the same items? I do it all the time and nobody seems to notice. I think. Heehee.

Any shopping advice?

Always wait for the sales! I almost never pay retail when I shop. I try to hold out and wait until prices are marked down. But that is not the main deciding factor. I always make it a point that what I buy will go well with most of the items in my closet. That way, even if I introduce something new to my wardrobe, I can throw on anything from my closet in ten minutes and still look put together somehow.

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Christine is like our not-so-typical young mom-next-door who happens to be always so put-together but never in an over-the-top kind of way. She gets it right-- all the time. 

So here's to hoping you picked up a lot of styling tips from the fashion observer herself. Thank you Christine, for taking time out of your busy schedule to take photos and share with us your enviable style. 

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Dear readers, pardon the posting of August's Mischmash Stylish Mama on the first day of September. Sometimes, as much as I like to keep things consistent around here, life gets in the way. 

But all well's that ends well. September's Stylish Mama is already in the works. Wait, it's September already??! 

Mischmash Stylish Mama {July}

Sarah Tirona, a former restauranteur who paints, sews, and creates jewelry. A real artist at heart who is also a nurturing mother to her 5y.o. daughter, Nikola. She also happens to be the author behind the fabulous blog, Ms. Eggplant's Chronicles.

Upon entering her flat, you can immediately sense artists dwell here. Music was blasting from interesting gold speakers and we found her typing away in her laptop at a bright and peaceful corner of her home. This is where she is most creative, she says.

Channeling the 70's in a high waist pair from Topshop, a pretty short-sleeved jacket with tassels from Funky Plum Vintage (which I absolutely fell in love with!), and clogs from CMG.

Sarah is very passionate of her vintage records and shoes. At the moment she is smitten by Jeffrey Campbell's Litas. Above is a pair of Julian Louie's for Aldo.

To be able to paint seems like the most natural thing for her. Some of her masterpieces greet you at the doorstep.

In one of her creations, an animal-print maxi. Only she can pull off pairing a loud skirt with an equally loud gold jacket (not to mention those Litas!) and not look over-the-top at all. Such is a signature Ms. Eggplant look. 

Describe your personal style.
Eclectic, I dress according to my mood and the music I'm listening to at the time, but more or less classic boho with a rock edge. I have always been greatly influenced by fashion from the 60's-70's.


What are you wearing this fall? A lot of light cover ups for manila layering, Jeffrey Campbell Lita boots.
Closet staples? Shorts, a good bra, my DIY camisoles, bell bottoms, statement shoes.


What is that one piece you can't live without fashion/motherhood-wise? Comfortable shoes, loose tops and maxi skirts great for running around in with my daughter.


How are you influencing your daughter's personal style? I make her mini versions of my clothes by request and I allow her to play around with my accessories and shoes. I believe in self expression through dressing even at a very young age. I usually give her free reign when it comes to her outfits. I just noticed that when I wear pants, she picks pants, when I wear skirts, so does she.


Style icons? Hollywood wise, I like Nicole Richie and the Olsen Twins. Lately, I've been digging Cherie Curry a lot. I also adore Edie Sedgwick, Jane Birkin and Bianca Jagger. I also look at a lot of stock photos from past decades.


Tip or 2 for all mums out there who want to stay stylish amidst all the hullabaloo motherhood brings? Any shopping advice? Don't be afraid to experiment and keep an open mind. Always be on the lookout for a good bargain. Buy clothes with simple cuts that you can easily layer and recreate from day to night with the right accessories.

Sarah with her adorable Nikola.

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Thank you Sarah for allowing us to take snippets of your life beyond Ms. Eggplant's Chronicles. Yours is utterly inspiring. 

I asked her to briefly describe herself and what she does..and she pretty much summed it up this way:

"I'm an artist at heart, sometimes a little eccentric that's why I decided to leave the corporate world to just do what I enjoy best which is to create stuff. I paint, sew, make and design jewelry for fun and sometimes for profit. I am happy as a stay at home mom to my beautiful 5 year old daughter and I managed to snag the best man in the world." 


How cool is that?
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I am secretly hoping you didn't notice I missed last month's Mischmash Stylish Mama. I will definitely make it up with 2 features next month!

Again special thanks to Anthony Co for the patience and wonderful photography. And for Le Misch for always gamely tagging along.

(behind the scenes)

-Prelude-