RAK & ROSE

Aaaaanyway...

Andie and I are voracious readers. We both grew up with the girls of The Clique, Private, and Pretty Little Liars. Andie had a good, long Meg Cabot phase and I once read a bunch of angsty, over-dramatic young adult novels to pass time. Having grown older and (hopefully) wiser with our beloved bookshelves, we want to share some of our favorite selections with you all.

On Beauty by Zadie Smith

On Beauty is a treat for anyone at all who likes observing people. The novel is full of clashing cultures, interesting ideologies, and very real characters. I'll admit, though, it's not a lovable book. By that, I mean that not everyone will be drawn to Zadie Smith's kind of wit and flavor. It takes a while to get attached to the characters here but I think that's part of why I like it so much. Smith made these fictional beings feel so human, so real, so un-beautiful. Dealing with issues regarding race, privilege, gender, meritocracy, and a whole bunch of other things, On Beauty is a messy story -- and, well, that's just how I like 'em.

“Right. I look fine. Except I don't,' said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki had dreaded having girls: she knew she wouldn't be able to protect them from self-disgust. To that end she had tried banning television in the early years, and never had a lipstick or a woman's magazine crossed the threshold of the Belsey home to Kiki's knowledge, but these and other precautionary measures had made no difference. It was in the air, or so it seemed to Kiki, this hatred of women and their bodies-- it seeped in with every draught in the house; people brought it home on their shoes, they breathed it in off their newspapers. There was no way to control it.”

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

I am half-ashamed and half-proud to say that Les Misérables made me whimper as I read its last few chapters in a dark room at 2AM, dropping a handful of tears onto its pages. Jean Valjean will always be one of my greatest fictional crushes because of his kind, kind soul. Lord knows how many times I had to pause and reflect while reading this epic story. Les Misérables made me want to be a better person. It wasn't preachy or perfect -- in fact, it was pretty gritty and sad. But it reminds you of why goodness is worth pursuing and worth saving. Doesn't that sound like it's worth reading over 800 pages for? (It really is worth it) (Also, I watched Les Mis on Broadway last summer and cried immediately -- I'm talking about silently bawling upon hearing the overture, people. That's how much this story means to me.)

“The power of a glance has been so much abused in love stories, that it has come to be disbelieved in. Few people dare now to say that two beings have fallen in love because they have looked at each other. Yet it is in this way that love begins, and in this way only.”

The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera

The last book is more of a current favorite than an all-time fave. If I'm being honest, this spot should belong to A Million Little Pieces by James Frey but my copy is still with a friend. The Book of Laughter and Forgetting is an interesting anthology of sorts -- I say "of sorts" because it is one whole novel comprised of several small stories. Kundera is infinitely quotable, offering perfectly composed, bite-sized sentences that are even better once context is given to them. This novel dissects and explores some of the most basic human experiences/thoughts/feelings/longings.

“It takes so little, so infinitely little, for a person to cross the border beyond which everything loses meaning: love, convictions, faith, history. Human life -- and herein lies its secret -- takes place in the immediate proximity of that border, even in direct contact with it; it is not miles away, but a fraction of an inch.”

A book that also almost made the cut was Fifth Avenue, 5AM, a non-fictional read on Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffanys, and feminism. That’s all for now. Not sure how to end this. So. Bye.

Stay Gold, Mags

The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux

Being an avid reader, choosing your top 3 favorite books was a hard decision. But I was very sure that Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera would be in it. Despite being maybe being outshined by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical adaptation (to which I will pattern my wedding <3), there is just something about Leroux’s depiction of the typical tragic love story, about the Phantom’s obsessive, all-consuming love for Christine that makes you reflect on what beauty really is. If you grew up loving Beauty and the Beast, then you will for sure be entranced by this darker and more depressing novel.

“Know that I am built up of death from head to foot and that it is a corpse that loves you and adores you and will never, never leave you! ....Look, I am not laughing now, I am crying, crying for you Christine, whp ave torn off my mask and who therefore can never leave me again!”

Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

An erotic novel disguised by Nabokov’s clever writing as romance - many are actually horrified once they find out that this book portrays child sexual abuse. What kind of sickly fascinates me is the way it is written - from the view of an unreliable narrator (Humbert Humbert). It actually makes you understand his side because Lolita’s view is silenced and thus makes you sympathize with Humbert. Again, it is a novel about a man’s raging and obsessive love (if you can call it that) about a girl who is clearly not right for him.

“Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my sould. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta.”

Whitney My Love by Judith McNaught

If you knew me since Highschool, you would know that my guilty pleasure are smut books, hehe. Judith McNaught’s Whitney My Love is actually the novel that got me into this very sexy and romantic genre. Like would you believe this book had me in tears, longing for someone as beautiful as Duke Clayton Westmoreland to love me as he passionately did Whitney?! UGH. Historical romances always get to me. They just have a way with portraying innocence and sensuality that makes you want to fall in love and in love again. 

Actually, cray men just generally get to me. Hmm.

“When she spoke her voice was soft and filled with awe. “You black-hearted, treacherous, conniving scoundrel.” Clayton threw back his head and laughed at the contrast between her tone and her words. “Your flattery warms my heart”, he chuckled. “You have no heart,” Whitney quipped, smiling dazingly at him. “If you did, you’d never abuse  helpless female by luring her into  a game at which you are obviously a master.”

Without Wax,

Disclaimer: this guide does not guarantee the reader a job seeing as we are both still unemployed as of writing (despite passing several rounds of interviews, submitting assignments, doing contribution work, etc. for the companies we’ve applied for... But whatever, right?)

One of the most obvious things to pay attention to when going for a job in the fashion industry is your outfit. You want it to be professional, sure, but still full of personality. Remember that you don’t need to wear a full-on corporate suit to impress your prospective employers. Rather, you’ll need something sensible yet memorable.

For this post, Andie and I are wearing a foolproof silhouette: the high-waisted pencil skirt + crop top combo. It’s comfy (which is very important) and somewhat unassuming but it’s a strong enough silhouette to be taken seriously -- to know that you mean business. With a good pair of  heels, a power bag, and the proper accessories, something as basic as a shirt and a skirt can work for an interview. Feel free to explore your options, though. We’ve worn dresses, leather jeans, blazers, booties, midi skirts, and so many other pieces to interviews (ok that makes it sound like we’ve been to a ton of these things... we may or may not have gone to at least 5 each). Have fun with it but remember to keep things appropriate.

There are other things to consider besides your outfit, though. We listed ten tips we have for entering the industry based on the interviews we’ve been to so far:

Confidence is key. You need to believe that you’re the best for the job (or at least fake it) so that they believe in it, too. Speak up, sit straight, walk tall. This is also why comfort is important. You don’t want to wear anything that’ll shift too much when sitting and standing nor do you want shoes that you can hardly walk in. 

Punctuality’s not dead. Always arrive at least ten minutes before your scheduled time for interview. The more lead time, the better! Always leave as early as possible for your interviews. Remember guys, walang tiwa-tiwala sa EDSA.

Know the industry. If you wanna be in fashion you have to know the industry’s history, its present, and its possible futures -- locally and internationally speaking. Read designer biographies and back issues of magazines. Stay up to date with the latest trends and fashion news. Think about the next big thing. 

Know the company. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to an interview as a back-up to your back-up job. Even if it isn’t the company of your dreams, you have to know what it stands for, who runs it, what their projects are, how it’s different from other companies, and how you can apply your strengths to help it grow. They will ask you what you know about them -- don’t be the doofus that thinks you’re above the place where, y’know, you’re actually applying! (???!!!!)

You are never overqualified. In line with the last sentence of the last number, do not act all hoity-toity and entitled. Please. Job descriptions overlap. You will be getting coffee if it’s your first job, you will be running odd errands -- it’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s part of the process.

Always bring physical copies of your resumé and portfolio. Whether or not they ask for physical copies, bring them. It’s good to be prepared. Plus, it shows initiative. Bonus: make sure youre resumé and portfolio look pretty + organized!

Your worst nightmare in question form is, “What is your weakness?” Such a sadistic little trap, isn’t it? Choose a weakness that you can spin into a strength or that you can prove you’ve somewhat corrected already. Andie usually uses the fact that she zones out when she’s really into her work -- this weakness can be translated into passion and concentration. My fallback weakness? Inexperience. I usually salvage this by saying I’m a fast learner and a willing mentee.

Know what to ask. When talking to the HR representative, some of the most important things to as are: how much the salary will be, what are the benefits of the job, how long the contract will last, what is the official job description, what are the work hours like, and whether or not you can still do freelance/other kinds of work elsewhere. These are crucial. When speaking to the bosses (editors, directors, designers, etc.) ask them to describe their ideal candidate for the position, what the work is really like, or what they think the company needs at the moment -- questions along those lines!

Don’t be afraid to do a follow-up. It’s been three weeks and they haven’t gotten back to you, huh? Jafeel, bro. The worst part of unemployment is the idle waiting. If you feel like it’s been too long since you’ve heard from the company, don’t be afraid to follow up with HR. At least that way, you’ll know if you’re still in the running to become Asia’s Next Top Model for the position. Usually, if you haven’t heard back after several rounds of interviews, they’re still deliberating (purgatory-feels, I tell you).

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Keep the big picture in mind. Know your “why.” Know where you want to go. Make sure to pursue jobs that bring you a step closer to where you want to be ten, twenty years from now. Follow the path that will lead you to the dream job. You won’t get it as a fresh graduate, sure, but you can get something that will eventually lead you to it. Never ever forget where you’re headed. Use your heart as a compass.

And with that, we wish you all (and ourselves) the best of luck in job-hunting! May the odds and #OOTDs be ever in our favor!

Stay Gold, Mags P.S. Sorry for the delayed posts. Tumblr’s been giving us hell.

On Andie: White crop top from Bershka | White Pencil skirt from H&M | Booties from Bershka | Bag from Charles & Keith

How To Look Like Mags and Andie (just ‘cause you might want to) :

One time, I had to go out just to specifically satisfy my Starbucks Iced Tall Hazelnut Latte craving and I could not, for the love of all things holy, go out without curling my eyelashes. I mean, how could I let people see my lashes in their sad, droopy state? HOW?! Ahem. Anyway. I guess that just tells you how obsessed I am with make up not just to enhance my features but also just because of the sheer fun of it - all lines and colors and pigments~ 

I think one of the best skin care tips I have ever received is probably that the first thing one should slather on in the morning before leaving the house is sunscreen. I am deathly afraid of showing signs of mortality wrinkles and sunspots and that’s why I am eternally devoted to Avène’s 50+ SPF Mineral Cream Sunscreen as it also does not aggravate my super sensitive skin. After slathering that on, on days that I feel and look especially stressed and sleep-deprived, I proceed to conceal my dark undereye circles with my Last Perfection Concealer from Collection Makeup. I then curl my lashes to prep them for mascara but before that, I line my eyes with my signature winged look (which I have perfected with years and years of practice) using my Revlon Colorstay Liquid Eye Pen. I also lightly line my outer lower lashline with my Avon pencil liner, just to even it out.  After that, it’s time to plump up them lashes even more with 3 coats of Etude House’s Lash Perm Volume Mascara. Guys, I swear by this mascara - it makes my lashes look like falsies! Also, don’t forget to put mascara on your bottom lashes as well. It just wraps the whole eye look up together and makes you look even more wide eyed and awake. 

Now moving on to my cheeks! I luuurve bright candy pink blushes and Etude’s Lovely Cookie Blusher in Raspberry Tart. It really brightens up my face also since it gives a dusting of fairy sparkles and makes me look all kawaii~ and dolly. After that, I highlight my cheekbones (or where they are supposed to be) and the bridge of my nose (or where that is supposed to be as well) with my The Balm’s MaryLoumanizer. A little tap of this gold shimmer does absolute wonders to brighten up your complexion, I swear! 

Last but certainly not the least, I dab a bit of Odbo’s lip tint on my inner lip and apply either a bright pink lipstick (usually Body Shop’s Colour Crush Lipstick in 201) or a red lipstick (usually City Chic’s Lipstick in B5 these days or generally my fave red lippie EVAR, Mac’s Russian Red [not pictured] ).

And then I apply some more.

And then some more.

Okay, one more. Just to be safe.

Without Wax,

The Andrea

I’m really not the most put-together person, facewise. In all honesty, up until this year (when one of my resolutions became “to look presentable 24/7″), my daily beauty routine was literally just slapping BB Cream or moisturizer on. On days that I felt extra peppy, I’d fix my brows. That was it. Now, I’m happy to report that I fix myself up a bit more. If you’re into the wala-masiyadong-make-up-kunwari-pero-wow-nagpopop-ang-lip-at-cheekbones aesthetic, keep on reading. 

I take the longest doing my base. Seeing as my skin isn’t so great to begin with (I should work on that! HELP!), I invest time and money into making it look, at the very least, okay. Right after washing my face, I slather on some of my Olay moisturizer and then I leave my face alone for 10 minutes or more (depending on how much time I have) just to let my skin absorb it all and swipe on some Vaseline Lip Therapy balm. Then, I apply a tinted moisturizer from Aveeno all over -- it’s in my shade and pretty sheer so it’s pretty easy to put on and blend. Then I whip out my Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Concealer (shade 02) and dab it onto problem areas. I blend it in by lightly tapping on the spots with my finger. I try to avoid brushes as much as possible, to be honest -- mostly because I’m too lazy to clean them regularly.

Now, we move on to the less basic part of my base routine: highlighting! I use Chanel’s Correcteur Perfection Concealer (20) to form triangles under my eyes, a line that goes down my nose bridge, and spots on my forehead and chin. This concealer used to be my shade but it became a shade lighter post summer -- now it’s perfect for lifting certain areas! After blending it out, a dewier, more luminous look is instantly noticeable. I swear by this concealer now. It takes me from drab to fab in less than five minutes. Because I’m currently a highlighter freak, I add a light dusting of an Etude highlighter on top of the areas that put concealer over. It makes me feel golden. I finish off my base with a layer of plain powder -- lately, that means Lewis & Pearl’s Chill.

I then do my brows with a simple brown Nichido pencil. I didn’t get to include it in the flat lay which is kind of ironic because it’s one of the most important make-up products I own! I finish off my eyes by curling my lashes and putting on some Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara (the brush of this thang is amay-zahng). On the off chance that someone else is willing to line my eyes for me, I let them do it. I can’t handle liquid/pen liners. If it counts, though, I tried to make the emo-too-cool-to-care-smudged-waterline look work -- and it did... ‘til I lost my black kohl pencil..........

Lastly, I wipe off any leftover Vaseline then line my lips with Nichido’s Rosette lip pencil. This step really helps to make lipstick last for hours on end. I then apply my lipstick which would most likely be any of the following depending on my mood: Lancome’s Plum Show, Guerlain’s Garance 06, Rouge d’Armani in Rouge 403, or MAC’s Rebel (not pictured).

I did not expect that to be that long. Wow. 

adj. 1. lasting only for a short time; impermanent.

n. 1. a momentary variation in current, voltage, or frequency.

The following excerpts come from David Levithan’s The Lover’s Dictionary -- a book both of us have loved for years now. (Andie stole my highlighted copy - Mags) 

abstraction, n. Love is one kind of abstraction. And then there are those nights when I sleep alone, when I curl into a pillow that isn't you, when I hear the tiptoe sounds that aren't yours. It's not as if I can conjure you up completely. I must embrace the idea of you instead.

stanchion, n. I don't want to be the strong one, but I don't want to be the weak one either. Why does it feel like it's always one or the other? When we embrace, one of us is always holding the other a little tighter.

flux, n. The natural state. Our moods change. Our lives change. Our feelings for each other change. Our bearings change. The song changes. The air changes. The temperature of the shower changes.

Accept this. We must accept this.

I want to take back at least half of the “I love you”s, because I didn’t mean them as much as the other ones.

only,  adj. thats the dilemma isn't it? when you're single, there's the sadness and joy of only me. And when you're paired, there's the sadness and joy of only you.

dissonance, n. Nights when I need to sleep and you can't. Days when I want to talk to you and you won't. Hours when every noise you make interferes with my silence. Weeks when there is a buzzing in the air, and we both pretend we don't hear it.

aloof, adj.

It has always been my habit, ever since junior high school, to ask that question: “What are you thinking?” It is always an act of desperation, and I keep on asking, even though I know it will never work the way I want it to.

I still don’t know if this is a good quality or a bad one, to be able to be in the moment and then step out of it.

dispel, v. It was the way you said, “I have something to tell you.” I could feel the magic drain from the room.

“It was a mistake," you said. But the cruel thing was, it felt like the mistake was mine, for trusting you.

corrode, v. I spent all this time building a relationship. Then one night I left the window open and it started to rust.

love, n. I'm not even going to try.

For I have never wanted a lover, but I have always wanted to love, and to be loved.

Spending time with Andie always leads to at least one thing: a great conversation.

From rants to raves and from ideas to actual stories -- we never seem to run out of things to talk about. The day that the set of photos for this post was taken, we had a pretty interesting semi-rant session about a sub-specie of human that has been invading spaces way too close to us: the hypocrite.

It's been said that you are what you hate. Although this isn't always true, Andie and I have been noticing more and more manifestations of the saying in the physical world. From something as shallow as making fun of people who care too much about social media likes whilst constantly refreshing your own notifications to something as serious as saying you are against rape culture then lambasting a girl showing "too much" skin seconds later, the degree in which these people show their hypocrisy vary. In general, they seem to lack something we believe to be very important: self-awareness.

"Check yoself before you wreck yoself," is an OG adage for a reason. In fact, we constantly ask each other after a few rants: "I'm not like that am I?" It helps to have an honest friend by your side who'll tell you (in the most loving way) that maybe you are just seeing yourself in someone else.

We have to admit our flaws to ourselves. We aren't saying y'all should hate yourselves or what you do. There's a better way to react to the realization that you are, in fact, what you hate: fix it. Fix you. Work on becoming a better person for yourself -- whatever that "better" is for you.

Talking smack about someone else won't do you any good. Focus on you.

Yeah, guys. We're pretty deep. Sometimes.

Stay gold, Mags

On Andie: Forever 21 Gingham Skater Skirt, Hue Manila Sandals, Christian Siriano Bag

So we finally got to shoot Teddi Teopaco (Mags' high school friend from Tarlac who also studies in Ateneo! Oh wait - we already graduated… oops) and it would be safe to say that we were all very pleased with how the photos turned out!

Whenever Mags and I collaborate on shoots (she mostly does the production side while I do the photography and we both do the editing/layouting), we always try to start with the question "What vibe are we going for?" and then think of outfits, location and set design from there. With this shoot with Teddi, we all agreed to go for a dreamy, filmy and feminine vibe - playing with lace and tulle textures as well as shades of white and cream. We also tried to capture the moment of I WOKE UP LIKE DIZ waking up in the morning - all warm sunlight filtering in through the windows, stretching with full make-up on - you know, all that jazz. LOL. 

We also couldn't help but be inspired by Shaira Luna's (who we got to assist a month ago!) photography - with all its candid, filmy and vintage artistry.

What turned out to be a normal work/shoot day turned into a wild crazy day of girl bonding (+ Andrew & Feria) over gossip, fashion, Taylor Swift and Hiphop music. Would you believe that I only met Teddi on the day of the shoot itself and yet it seemed like we're soulsisters - like we had an otherworldly white girl connection that couldn't be explained. I really wish we could have met sooner :(

Really, nothing like working with your dream team <3

Photography and Make-up by Andrea Beldua | Styling & Design by Mags Ocampo | Art Direction and Production: A Collaboration | Model: Teddi Teopaco | Assisted by: Andrew Panopio | Poem by: Jackie Kay

Without Wax,

Hola! We're Mags and Andie -- two seemingly extremely different best friends that actually share the same slightly corrupted soul. Welcome to our latest endeavor as a duo, Rak & Rose!

Over the past few years, we've worked on mini theses, actual theses, photo shoots, and art projects hand in hand. We've been told countless times that we should make our tandem an official thing -- di lang nila alam kami na, chos -- and this blog is our way of doing that. We've always been a team, we're just sort of formalizing it.

At the same time, we've been known to have some of the most passionate stances, funniest wisecracks, deepest insights, and ditziest (sometimes literally) blonde moments in our circle of friends. We hope to share our knowledge, thoughts, and humor with the world -- even if we aren't quite sure if y'all are ready for this jelly.

Get to know us more by visiting our about section.

Stay tuned to catch some of our crazy adventures, our unpopular opinions, our interesting fashion choices, our favorite people, and our unapologetic selves. We'd like to believe that we're entertaining enough to keep an audience interested (please prove us right).

Without Wax / Stay gold,

Andie & Mags

On Mags: Thrifted "Whatever Forever" sweater + Forever 21 tennis skirt | Mesh dress (brand forgotten, will update once it’s back from the laundry place hehe)

On Andie: H&M crop top + Forever 21 floral skirt | H&M lace dress