The Filipina outside of the Philippines becomes the extravagant buyer of those particular must-have goods, and in the circles that she creates with other Filipinos she takes great pride in her attire. How true is her charm to what is really going on, to Filipinas who live abroad?
You are generalising, my wife has not become extravagant but makes purchases on, will she look good in them, is the purchase good value for money, but yes she wants to look good not just in the circles she mixes in but she likes to look good and feel good all the time. The charm bit I think I get what your trying to ask and would say that for us my wife is my wife and I wouldn't have her any other way.
Actually I am just discussing this and looking for opinions - my fiance is not bothered in branded goods, but suggests that others are. I thought it would be a good subject to hear views on.
Don't think she would impress anybody with an iPhone5. Seriously though, I do take your point that there are a lot of Filipinos that dress to impress so to speak. Having said that, I don't think they are necessarily different to most/lots women in that regard. My wife does like to buy new clothes to look good, but they are not expensive designer clothes, just things that she knows she looks good in.
I cant speak about women in general - i might be a fluke of nature since I managed not to buy myself one even after being in dubai for 8 yrs. At the back of my mind, its easier to find your true friends if you dress down. Lets you know how they treat people in general. I have set myself a challenge (you might want to challenge your partners as well)- i'll only buy designer bag or wallet etc if i can 'afford' them. And 'afford' means it comes from cash dividends from my investments. There is no challenge in buying something i can afford with my salary - its too easy. The utility value (or the fun or happiness) out of it declines very fast. Plus the real trick is to buy something cheap but looks expensive on you.
I just got my divorce and the Filipina I was with drove off with her new Mercedes Summer 2016 - at least it was leased! But I had paid the deposit. I speak of course from her love of of Bicester Village and designer brands. My fiance isn't bothered about brands.....
you are absolutely right on this @Maley , "its easier to find your true friends if you dress down. Lets you know how they treat people in general."
I think one thing is noticeable and certainly for me is since being married to a Filipino I perhaps take a bit more care of myself in a lot of areas.
You forgot Woolworth and Poundland! George and F&F have franchises in Malta and neither is cheap. A pack of three pairs of socks for my three year-old cost more in F&F than the equivalent in Mothercare. It is only about four weeks ago that BHS finally closed its doors here; ever since the closure of its UK stores, BHS had been selling-off its UK stock and when that ran low, it stocked lines from Philip Green's other chains. The shops are now operated by Matalan which is owned by Green's near neighbour in Monaco, John Hargreaves, who like Green owns a multi-million Pound super yacht but unlike Green doesn't flash his wealth. Lidl is also here. Apart from milk and bread, everything stocked is flown-in (by Ryanair apparently) from a Lidl warehouse in Italy and none of the packaging is in English. Even their two litre bottles of water are trucked-in from somewhere in the Italian Alps - and it's no better than a local brand bottled in an industrial estate on the outskirts of Valletta, yet it's more expensive.
They have F&F in SM or Ayala Cebu and it's fronted as though it's a designer outlet I shop at Asda as I am used to the layout so I can do an in/out dash. I think I use Asda as my parents used too, just like their banking of choice was Lloyds so is mine!
So I am in the Arndale shopping mall Manchester wife ,daughter and wifes sister are shopping so Ive parked myself in Costa coffee, fairly posh lady sits down on the table next to me with a Primark bag fairly full, a few minutes later there is a Zara bag there and not a Primark bag in sight!!
Nothing beats Maltese timpana and pastizzi. I used to eat timpana nearly every day when I lived in Malta, especially when its freshly made from the local Marco takeaway, and so cheap, but that was back in the 90's. If I remember as well, locally made bread in Gozo was delicious, probably the best I've tasted in my lifetime.
Yep, indeed! But for my taste, the best bread is made here on Gozo ... soooo good with Cheddar cheese, Haywards Piccalilli and ice-cold Cisk. They even make a fair imitation of Hovis - before it became plastic-wrapped on supermarket shelves. If you're slim and Maltese then you're a rarity!
My wife loves bargains and often says "save money, dear!". She has never been extravagant since she arrived in the UK. It is my guess that most Filipinas are brought up like this, of course I am generalising.
the isle of wight is soon to get its own Asda. been years in gestation. worst place here is t k max. i hate the place. no primark here.
