My Ukay-Ukay Finds

I had my very first ukay-ukay experience back when I was still working in my first job fresh out of college. Our office was in Makati and I remember me and an officemate had to do something near Makati Cinema Square. Of course, we ended up checking out the ukay stores there before heading back to the office. I was a bit hesitant at first, but then I remember finding this blazer which fit me so perfectly! It was in great condition and I think it was just P250! Ever since then, I was hooked!

This continued when I transferred to a big advertising agency where it was kind of considered part of your job to look good. I remember not wanting to repeat outfits (kaloka diba?) so I really loved shopping to death! It was "the cheaper, the better" for me, so going to ukay-ukay shops gave me great mileage for my salary at that time. I always waited for them to go on sale since I considered the new arrivals which cost about P200 expensive na haha! I remember finding lots of unique and vintage finds, some as low as P10 each! I would get lots of compliments on my outfits at work and I would just think to myself "if only they knew where I got this" haha! There was even a time it got popular in Multiply with lots of "vintage" shops popping up, remember? I couldn't resist shopping from there too lol! ;p

But of course, I grew older and I started thinking that I should invest in more quality pieces. So I grew out of my ukay phase. Until my sister reintroduced me to it again recently! She studies in La Salle so she and her friends have discovered some ukay stores in Pasay. Warning though, it is not for the faint of heart! We took the jeep in the crowded areas of Libertad and ended up walking most of the way since it was so traffic. We passed by wet markets and lots of trash on the streets. But you just have to suck it all up for the sake of shopping right haha! It was such an adventure and I'm happy to share with you my loot. It wasn't sale in some of the stores, but I'm proud to say that the items I bought ranged from only P60 to P180. Not bad right? :)

This piece caught my eye because of the vibrant colors. It's sheer so I'm planning to wear a black dress underneath it. Or maybe layer it over a tank top and shorts for a more casual look.

This dress looked so cute on! I love how the skirt is so full and kinda balloons out when worn.

My weakness is anything embroidered. So I just had to get this top with these lovely details on the chest area. So pretty and perfect for summer!

There's no shortage of peasant tops in any ukay-ukay. Glad I found this one which looked good and not as worn out as the others.

There are a lot of branded stuff in ukay-ukay stores, you just have to keep a sharp eye out for them. Found this gorgeous F21 blouse with all the beading pretty much intact save for a few loose threads. I believe I got it for just P120. :)

I was looking for a nice parka jacket for ages and finally bought one in Stradivarius for about P1500. But look what I found in the ukay-ukay for less than P200! It almost looks the same, the color is just different.

Also saw another jacket which looked the same but for the price, I just had to get it too. The color is slightly darker and there's no hood. Love the neckline and the placement of the zipper as well. Can't wait to wear this when I travel. :)

My favorite thing to buy in an ukay-ukay is probably skirts since you can find so many nice and unique designs. And I don't know, parang it's more hygienic to wear these from an ukay-ukay rather than pants dba? haha! I'm obsessed with pleated skirts so I'm glad I found this paisley printed number.

I also love the nautical feel of this flowy midi skirt. Looks so classy don't you think? :)

Anyway, since these are second-hand clothes, you have to take special care in washing them too. Here's a few tips from my mom:
- Soak the clothes in water with vinegar for a few hours to disinfect them and remove the germs. Separate your lights from the dark colors.
- After that, rinse and then soak in water and detergent (to remove the vinegar smell). My mom also said to sprinkle some salt on the clothes to ward away the bad spirits (napanood daw niya na sinabi ni Kris Aquino hehe). Well, no harm done to do this right?
- Then, you can wash them as you normally would.

Shopping in an ukay-ukay can be a hit or miss. But you definitely have to be prepared to rummage through hundreds of pieces, sometimes in a dusty, hot, non-airconditioned place. Make sure to check the clothes carefully for holes, rips, discoloration, etc. Sometimes, you can overlook some of the minor defects especially if it's such a unique piece. You can always have it altered too if it doesn't fit right, but depends if you want to spend extra pa. Overall, ukay-ukay shopping is an adventure and you will definitely come out of it with treasures that won't hurt your wallet. :)