EDUCATOR, businesswoman, hospitality industry maven, religious devotee, leader are just the few titles we can attach to Joji Ilagan-Bian’s name.
She singlehandedly created an empire from her first business venture she founded in 1982—the Joji Ilagan Career Center, a school that made quality education and personality development within everyone’s reach.
Today, the center has grown to a foundation with a chain of schools across the city— the Joji Ilagan College of Business and Tourism, Institute of International Culinary Hospitality and Entrepreneurship (ICHEF) and Joji Ilagan International School of Hotel and Tourism Management, and the Stockbridge International School, the first international school in Davao opening in the coming year.
Joji, or JIB as she is popularly known, has never been busier, even if she has her daughter Nicole to run the company with her. But through all these, she is the personification of all things she champions – be driven and succeed in style. Smart, chic, dapper, elegant are a few more adjectives to attach to her name.
Made up, well dressed and stylish, JIB faces her everyday corporate challenges and personal engagements with propriety. She is perennially sharp –both her business acumen and fashion sense—and at ease with the “old world glamour” trait of “always looking one’s best before stepping out of one’s private sanctum.”
“Power dressing is what I would call my style of dressing since I spend most of my time attending business meetings, conferences and social events. Its important that I use clothes that convey confidence and professionalism,” said JIB.
Here, she shares ten of her personal rules on style and beauty she abides by.
1. The kind of occasion or event is not the only factor that you will consider in determining the degree of formality of informality of your wardrobe. The culture and lifestyle of the city, province or country is equally as important.
2. Always strike a balance in achieving what I call “quiet elegance”. Whether I’m in denims, smart casual or high fashion clothes, I make sure the look is seamless from the hairdo down to the shoes.
3. Invest on classics and build pieces of your wardrobe around them.
Pants and skirts are staples in my wardrobe. I can achieve the look I want by switching tops or blouses. Pencil cut, knee length skirts make me look taller and slimmer. Wear it with a t-shirt and I’m all set to go to the shopping mall. I switch the top to a silk blouse and I can go to cocktails or evening dinners.
To keep looking young, experiment on colors and prints. Mix and match and be surprised at the results. I ‘lose years ‘ by just doing this, try it.
4. I love white because the color is ‘ fresh and clean’. It’s easy to accessorize with colored pieces. Be careful with white of you are on the heavy side, it’ll make you look bigger. Black is your best bet if you want to look slimmer.
5. Pearls are a woman’s best friend. “Power pearls” are anything from size 11mm to 16mm in a single strand. The perfect length must hang within the neckline and not over.
6. Play with accessories. Arm and neckpieces, earrings and rings, I have them in different sizes and colors. I love how these can put life in my wardrobe. I am a great fan of chunky accessories, which I find perfect for my tall and slim figure.
7. Bags and shoes can make or break an outfit. A staple in a shoe collection must be black, brown and nude or beige. Nude or beige tones make legs look slimmer and longer. Wear dark colored sheer stockings with your black shoes to make your legs appear slimmer.
8. Shop alone and never with a friend or you’ll end up buying their choices. Avoid “sales and bargains” nor do “speed shopping’ or you end up buying items that are not worth it.
If you are traveling abroad and you love something, buy it. “I’ll come back for it” will never happen.
Do not shop when you are emotionally upset or you’ll end up with tons of things you do not need.
Shopping is a source of great joy and excitement even if I end up buying nothing.
9. On make-up, study your face and its contour. Learn the art of blending and contouring. Put emphasis on what is beautiful, your best asset, and ‘downplay’ features that you think are your ‘ liabilities’.
Avoid too heavy make-up that masks your face. The secret in makeup is one that looks natural.
Invest in high quality make up brushes as well as in your cosmetics
10. Most importantly, dress like you are always on top of your class. A high level of self-esteem is always the key to success. Hold your head high and enjoy the moment. You will always look elegant with this kind of posture. It is not the size of your brain that will propel you to success but on how big your faith is.
Credits:
Fashion: Marks & Spencer 2015 Autumn Collection available at SM Lanang Premier & Abreeza Mall
Photography: Kenneth Hao, Licentiate Wedding Photographer of Asia/2015 Tanglaw ng Inspirasyon Photography Specialist of the Year Awardee
Styling: Joji Ilagan-Bian & Otoy Mercado
Shot on location at the Marco Polo Davao Hotel
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