Back in High School, my get up was the typical t-shirt, jeans and sneakers. That’s it. The boyish type. I knew I wanted to be the feminine-but-I-can-still-rock type of girl but I have a very limited choices given the fad of styling that time (think bare back haltered tops, spaghetti straps, stilettos---not for me.) And basically, I was still finding myself and what my sense of style really is. But even back then, I was really fascinated with clothes especially all that mixing and matching stuff. Even if I’m a bit one of the boys type, I’m still really a kikay girl at heart. I knew I was kikay waiting to happen. :)

Now that I’m working, sans school uniform and all, I think I already got the hang of mixing and matching with a bonus of a wee bit of make up on the side.:)

I still don’t know how to describe how I dress though. It really just depends on my mood (and the weather of course.) One day I can be the girl-next-door (all girly---think blazer, cute dress and comfy sandals), a rock star (edgy top, bangles and boots plus the eyeliner), one of the boys (my all time favourite shirt-jeans-sneakers combo), the laid back (the crisp white button down shirt, jeans and flats) or sometimes the classic sophisticated (a dress with clean lines paired with heels—wedges of course! and red lipstick.)

I can be anyone, except, if you notice, the sexy seductive vixen. Haha! Because the number one rule I follow when dressing up is comfort.

So honestly, I’m not that comfortable in playing that sexy lady. Since I’m also not that comfortable with my own body. Yes, I know. I know I’m one of the huggable types. (Ehem. Hehe.)

What? Oh yes, the make-up. When it comes to that, my favorite is the “no-make up” make up. Just your standard foundation, concealer, powder with just a hint of a blush or mascara.

There’s one thing I’ve recently discovered to light up my face instantly.

I’ve discovered the power of red lipstick.

I bought the shade a month ago to try this look I saw in a magazine and I am in awe of the effect and my new found confidence to wear that daring color. When I was younger, I think of the red lipstick as power color. It’s confidence, class, sexiness and sophistication combined in that small tube of make up. Wearing red lipstick is like saying, “You can’t play bullshit with me.”

Needless to say, red lipstick SCARES me. Haha.

Now I found out, its my happy lip color. I finally found out how you can pull it off (and my favorite way to do it) without intimidating is to get the matte shade. The one without a shine. The kind that sticks to your lips like its your natural lip color. When you wear red lipstick pala, your face has to be clean. Pluck your brows, conceal those eye bags and no blush (or just a bit of it if you must) and certainly no eye shadow for me, otherwise it’ll look too strong.

The only down side of it, as I later found out, is that my boyfriend hates the red lipstick on me. Argh. I know!!

What good is wearing that if your own boyfriend doesn’t like it right? What does he know? He’s a guy.

Gorrrrr! You can’t even imagine how I want to rebel when we talk about it. Just by talking about it.

I mean, does he even know I wear it on my, “I feel so ugly” days? I mean really ugly. Yep. I get those days too, a lot. So sometimes, I want to rebel on my own simplicity. I’ve always been simple Yella. That’s how I’ve always been. Simple and safe. Completing my look with the red lipstick on top makes me feel different and out of the ordinary.

So you see and if you, my wonderful boyfriend you, can see, I don’t dress up for anyone else but for myself. Sometimes I feel dressing up is a project, like my face is a blank canvass waiting to be painted with the right mixture of color. Oh yeah, and the fact that I always look pale without it. It makes me feel confident and perks me up especially when I’m at my I-feel-so-fat-and-ugly phase.

There. I do wear lipstick and high heels when the occasion calls for it. But in the end, I think the real me is the simple, loose t-shirt,-my hair loose-pajama wearing-no make up kind of girl. Also the “I’d rather do movie marathons or read at home than party all night” kind of girl that my honey knows well.

For all the women who, bear the discomfort (and embarrassment maybe) of getting your first period and the succeeding ones after that, the pain of the night you become a real woman, the pain of giving birth to her children or even just the emotional pain of having your heart broken… the red lipstick is for all you strong women. Because guys can’t imagine what you women go through and what you put up with. J

So here’s some cheers to all the girls who have that fierceness and confidence to wear that red lipstick… and a salute and applause to those who wear it with high heels. You, woman you. Yes, you who strut your stuff in high heels, who is confident in facing life’s challenges, who is in control of your future and you who simply refuses to take bullshit from anyone who throws it your way. Keep shining!