Living in Mono

MANILA, Philippines - The way we dress is a wide reflection of who we are as people. Between the notions of style and fashion, an aesthetic is only the bare minimum. Choices in clothing (be they informed, affected, or otherwise) represent a point of view that is unique to the wearer; a sense of taste, culled influences, or a glimpse of shared history. 

For most, regardless of audience or goal, clothing is merely a vehicle in which to ambulate from point A to B. But for some, the way we dress goes beyond the idea of a quotidian uniform. When choices in clothing become an extension of who you are and what you do, personal style makes a statement far greater than a worn burlap sack.

The curated self is about style, and as we’ve said, choices. When the possibilities are unending and color becomes an all-too-conscious decision, there are those who choose to simplify--subscribing to a world seen purely in black and white.  It isn’t a lesser point of view that is devoid of color, it’s merely dressing for life in a specific kind of light. YStyle explores a portfolio of six personalities and their forays into stark neutrals; from the severity and banality of living in mono.

JP Singson

Owner of Unisex Rewind and blogger at www.jponfashionspeed.com/

YSTYLE: When did you start to develop your personal style?

My love for fashion began at a rather personal point in my life, when I broke up with an ex back in 2007. I was living in San Francisco and I was immersed in a rather conservative style environment. Fashion was a means for me to cope and I took the breakup as an opportunity to delve deeper into what I really loved. It was a form of rebellion for me.

Have you always dressed in a monochromatic palette? From where did you draw your influences?

This was around the time a lot of labels were cross-collaborating with High Street brands. My awareness was piqued specifically when Comme des Garçons did a collection with H&M. It became a jumping-off point for me to get into all of these Western and Japanese designers of a certain aesthetic—Rick Owens, Ann Demeulemeester, and so on. 

How do you feel about color?

At that point in time, I really didn’t want any color in my life and it reflected in what I wore. But of course, things change  and right now I’m starting to inject more and more color into my wardrobe. Similar to how I used to run my store Unisex Rewind, in the beginning the entirety of my stock would be a range of black and white pieces. But as time went on, as my style evolved, my store evolved with me. 

 Is it safe to say JP on Fashion Speed is evolving to a lot of brights soon?

Nothing too crazy. Maybe a colored clutch or an accessory here or there.

Jed Gregorio

Fashion and beauty editor at Candy magazine

YSTYLE: How did your style evolve?

Growing up, I was influenced a lot by my parents and the way they used to dress me up. I like to think I dressed a lot better when I was a kid than I do now, but it was a lot of plaids and denims. I grew out of that.

How did you achieve your personal style? Has it always been black and white?

When I was in college, I was drawn to the idea of having a uniform. The ease and simplicity of having a singular look was really attractive to me. Coupled with the fact that I lived far from the university, I started wearing a singular look of a black piqué polo and khaki pants for everyday. My love for all things monochromatic grew from there.  

I was influenced a lot by vintage cinema; the old American movies of the 1950s depicting holidays at the Hamptons and sporty tennis getups. My style is an uncomplicated take on vacation dressing and work wear by way of Americana.

You’re known for having a lot of color in your signature, how does that not translate to your own clothes?

As a stylist, I love color and I believe in its staying power. Color will always be relevant but I think it takes a great eye and a certain amount of effort to get it right.

Cara Sumabat

Product developer of Wabi Sabi and Halo + Halo

YSTYLE: Can you tell us about your outfit?

I had everything made, except the shoes. The shoes are from COS. For me, the most important thing about an outfit is the shapes you create, and the pieces I develop have that at its core.

Impressive. So can you tell us how your style evolved to what it is now?

I’ve always been drawn to stark colors. Growing up, you see what other people are wearing and you either dress similarly or you don’t. The impulse for me was to experiment. Eventually I grew up, shed all of my old clothes and I learned to stick with what was really comfortable for me; which was definitely black. Oh, and a lot of gray. I can also survive with just gray.

On that stark note—in your aesthetic, how do you feel about color?

 Color is always a difficult thing, It’s probably the reason why I’m really drawn to stark colors, just because color isn’t always just color. There is a multitude of tones and hues to contend with, whereas you can’t go wrong with black or white. It’s color in its purest form.

How about color in what you wear?

It’s complicated. When you say you like green when there are so many kinds of green, it becomes a problem. It all depends on the make of it, the texture, the fabric, the material, the saturation. the tonal mixes, or where it is in an outfit—well, you get the idea. I just think color is very complicated.

I get it. So, you would never wear color?

Oh no, I do but you know how it always has to be the right shade? The right sort of muted and dead. That’s when, you know, I just end up saying to myself “It’s the one” and everybody wins.

Kerwin Go

Chef

YSTYLE: Can you tell us about your outfit?

I’m wearing a shirt from Fred Perry, pants from Comme des Garçons, shoes from Acne and a cap from Kenzo.

So, do you always dress up in black and white? Can you tell us how your style evolved up to this point?

Yes, I do.  I actually used to wear a lot of color. I’m Chinese and color plays a huge part in the way we dress, and I used to celebrate that. But when my grandmother passed away in 2009, it’s part of Chinese tradition that when one dies in your immediate family, you spend the next three years without any color.  That went for my entire family—safe to say we were a little hardcore.

What was it about monochromatic dressing that drew you in?

It was during those years, after I started investing in so many whites, blacks and the occasional gray—I discovered the ease and simple luxury of it. I liked the idea of pulling out anything and it instantly just clicks. From the ease of everyday dressing to traveling, it’s uncomplicated and that’s how I built my personal style.

With the ease and starkness of monochrome,  I find that I can play around with my style more. I try to dress up in a way that is never too serious. 

Jo Ann Bitagcol

Photographer

YSTYLE: How do you define your style? Why do you choose to wear a lot of black and white?

I wear a lot of black and white because, in a word, kuripot ako. I really invest in a lot of classic pieces that I can mix and match. I’m a big fan of the dichotomy of monochromatic severity in the shape of basics. High-low is what I want to achieve, classic pieces remixed with buildable basics.

And of course, it wouldn’t be me if it wasn’t androgynous. Right now I’m wearing a Joey Samson mesh top, a shirt from Gap, vintage Helmut Lang pants and shoes from Charles & Keith.

When did all of this begin? How did your style evolve?

Of course my awareness began when I started my career in modeling, noong nag-ka muwang na ako. Back then, black and white dressing was the ultimate fashion basic. You couldn’t go wrong.  I just learned to appreciate its simplicity and I applied it to my own aesthetic.

 With that said, are you a big fan of color?

I am but too much color isn’t for me. But I do love a muted wine and a good navy.  

Which labels influenced your point of view the most? 

The height of my fashion influence came from the '90s; I swear by Helmut Lang, Maison Martin Margiela and Jil Sander. All of their iterations from the '90s, right around the time I was starting to look outward in terms of personal style. But for something a little more current, Dries Van Noten is still my favorite, hanggang ngayon.

MJ Benitez

Fashion assistant at Preview magazine

YSTYLE: Do you like color?

To be honest, I don’t really consider myself a person who dresses exclusively in black and white because I really like color in my clothes. I don’t like super happy colors but if I had the time, I would always be in muted tone on tone or a complement of layered similar colors.

But for me, that’s just the thing: color is always studied. It’s always a conscious decision, and as someone who doesn’t have a lot of time, things can get a little trying. I’m a lazy dresser so I had to find ways to cope, to reconcile my time and my inclination towards fashion.

So you often find yourself wearing black and white?

Definitely yes, I had to augment my wardrobe. Colored pieces for me are always in danger of being outdated or too “well-remembered," as a self-admitted pragmatic shopper, I need basics that can stand for longer. As I discovered along the way, you can’t get any more classic than black and white. And when you need a pick-me-up at work or feel the need to impress, black and white always reads “power” agad-agad.

Color is seasonal, monochrome is forever.

Fair enough. What would you say influences your style?

I’ve always been drawn to an Asian aesthetic, I tend to look for inspiration in Japanese magazines like Vivi and Korean franchises of Vogue, W and Dazed & Confused.