Bangkal treasures

The places I'm willing to go for thrift finds! 
This one I've heard of in the past but really never bothered to check out. One "domestically busy" (i.e. motherly errands such as doctor checkups) Saturday, I chanced upon a feature on the newspaper on bargain hunts. One was in Makati, the commercial business district in the Phils, and the article said if you're lucky, you may even find designer's handbags and shoes! Obviously, the latter part made me drive all the way to Bangkal.


I should have expected it won't be a "stroll in the park". It was literally rows of residential streets selling all kinds of wares - from furnitures to trinkets, to used books. Think yard sale but this one's open forever. 


Here are some interesting stuff I found, but didn't buy.

Japanese scary mask (ceramic)

antique brooches, earrings, necklaces, all in good condition

whatever you can think of is here!

my K had a grand time book-shopping

I did snag a few items - an orange velvet vintage thick belt, navy blue chain belt, antique clip on earrings, and this adorable mini doctor's bag. the zipper inside is just screaming at me to buy it!

latest loot

I have 3 favorite thrift therapy destinations: SM department store, Landmark ladies' section, and ukay-ukay shops. 


SM Dept Store: the most popular and crowded malls in the Philippines, this is all over the country now with 32 branches. Its tagline "we've got it all for you" never failed to disappoint. Literally, they've got everything under one roof. I usually go here when the girls need to do their own shopping either for school or to update their wardrobe staples. A "side trip" to the ladies' department actually becomes the main event =) Discovered that the best shoe selection is at Megamall, while the newest dresses and tops are in Makati. 


Landmark: if I were given a forced choice among the three, I would have picked this. Not only do their items are all priced so deliciously, they actually have the latest styles! When the menswear vest came back in fashion some years back, I found mine here. When high-waisted skirts were all the rage, I bought mine in 3 colors, at Php500 each! My black ten-way dress was purchased for merely Php400+, and my batwing nautical blouses were also among my fantastic finds from this mall. Of course they do have the basics (it's my go-to when I need to update my knitwear and cardigans -- they have such a great selection! Imagine very soft-knit pullovers that can be had for less than Php1,000) but I am constantly amazed by how of-the-moment their items are. Once a month visits is a must as they replenish their stocks quite quickly - local magazines that feature shopped items from the Landmark are never available anymore by the time you read it!


ukay-ukay: a rummage pile, this is thrifting at its ultimate. you can find these shops all over the metro, but the best ones are in baguio city, at the northern part of the country (for a self-proclaimed thrifter, I have actually never been to baguio ukay!). my biker jacket for Php100, my ultimate favorite metallic pink oversized shirt for Php65, are just some of the best finds. will post more of these soon.


Latest loot from the Landmark: black halter harem jumpsuit for Php549, 2 striped shirt dresses for Php419 each, grey cotton jumpsuit for Php649, bright yellow beach dress for Php419, and basic long leggings for Php149