Clothing and Change
with JC Manalo

JC, I love you, and I want to begin by saying, I know you’ve gone through plenty of growing pains, especially with your move to Singapore. After two years, it feels like you've found your ground. You are beautiful and imperfect. What I admire the most about you is that you’re able to sit with discomfort knowing it’s only a season, and you respect that.

And so when I was simmering about the whole “I want to do interviews for AO,” you were a natural top of mind. Our conversations always just always flow. When we sit down together, clothes naturally make way in our conversations. We gush over pieces, purchases, desires, and growing up. Being envious of this, dreaming of that, etc.

I know for a fact that clothing plays a big role in who we are. It defines us in some capacity, almost like an armor. And so I want to delve into clothing as an anchor of selfhood.

Style has been an extension of myself, and my way of expressing myself to the world. Growing up, I was very experimental in my dressing before I finally found my personal style. I remember the first time I wore something that felt more like myself, while also feeling like someone I was aspiring to be– I wore a plain White tee, Black fitted trousers, Black velvet slippers, and my first pair of Céline tortoiseshell sunglasses, and I vividly remember walking around university and feeling unstoppable.

Can you take me through what values you hold dear when it comes to dressing?

In the current era, when it is so easy to purchase anything, I try to be more mindful and give myself a little time before I actually buy. I sleep on them first. Something I wanted may be just a brief fixation, not for long. No matter what season of my life is at, I try to keep my approach the same. To wear and rewear, to acquire only what I can use repeatedly and can pair well with what I already have.

What I have observed over the past year is that I have been prioritizing comfort way more. I mostly go for linen and cotton pieces for daily wear, and I had to look for footwear that can keep my feet comfortable all day, since Singapore involves a lot of walking. I must admit that shopping became my stress outlet at some point, and a part of me felt hypocritical for someone who tries to be a ‘minimalist,’ but looking back, it was an unexpectedly rough journey, and I respected that season of adjustment. Thankfully, most of them are purchases I do not regret!

How has clothing helped you in navigating big life changes?

Throughout my whole career in Manila, I was mostly wearing White, if not every day. There was a time I was in a new workplace, and the Japanese consultants didn’t know my name, but referred to me as the ‘guy wearing White.’ It became my uniform and my style, my armor and identity; I was then the youngest on the whole site project and had to face people 10 or 20 years older than me during meetings. I had to feel confident and look confident, so I used to make more effort to look put together, wearing high-waisted pants and shoes that clunked on the office floor.

When I moved to Singapore, I was thinking of just being my usual self; carefree and laidback– but being in a new workplace in a new country, I found myself pulling back my style to wear a different armor. I camouflaged, so I wouldn’t be noticed. I was surviving, but it definitely did not feel right. It took more than a year, but I am happy to say that I am slowly circling back to myself.

Can you share three articles of clothing and what they mean for you?

My mom rarely buys me clothes because she knows I am very specific, but she randomly gifted me a White button-down polo, and it is one of my favorites. Now, wearing a white button-down reminds me of her because she used to have my pieces washed with Almirol, so they come out very crisp when ironed.

Second is my Black jacket from Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel cruise 2002 collection. It was one of my first big-boy purchases with my own money, and my high school best friend Sara brought it from the US for me. I had a Chanel-obsessed phase back then, and I would research the house’s history so much so finally having it felt like a big win for me.

The third piece would be my mom’s beige jacket that I stole from her closet. It is a cropped jacket with slightly puffed sleeves, a detachable hood, and a funnel neck. It has traveled so much with me; I can dress it up or down, it fits really well, and somehow I always get asked where I got it. I would say it’s the best jacket I own!

Let’s talk about the practical ways to build a wardrobe that can withstand change,

How do you define a capsule wardrobe?

My personal definition of a capsule wardrobe is having pieces you can wear repeatedly. Having less gives you a little challenge in styling, with how to make pieces look a little different from time to time, without having to buy new ones.

What’s an economical piece to start with?

I would say, because I have been wearing them for more than a decade already: my Hanes tank tops. They are light, easy to live in and travel with, layer with so many of my other pieces, and most of the time just wear them on their own.

How do you discern the gaps in your wardrobe, and how do you go about looking for those pieces?

I usually look to buy something only when the need arises: an event with a very specific color scheme, a trip to a country with a different climate, or when I really find a piece that I think would be a good addition or a contrast to my wardrobe.

I try not to rush in buying things, because I believe the right pieces will find you. When I go out to try on pieces, if something is not right: the fit, the fabric content, the number of times I can wear it, the other pieces I could pair it with– I don’t buy it.

What do you look for in a piece of clothing?

Fit always comes first. I would rather have fewer clothes that fit well than a big closet full of ill-fitting ones. Over time, I learned what works well with my frame and proportions, and I stick to that. I also usually check the inner tag of the shirts and see the fabric content. I go for pieces composed mostly of, if not pure, cotton, linen, silk, and cashmere, so I know they will be with me for a long time and age better through time.

Since I have a very simplistic selection for the key pieces in my wardrobe, what I usually invest in are accent pieces like jackets and other leather pieces that are unique and of meaning. I have a high respect for designers and craftsmanship, and I acquire pieces that I have a connection with in terms of values, vision, and history.

What if clothes were not simply reflective of personality, indicative of our banal preferences for grey over green, but more deeply imprinted with the ways that human beings have lived: a material record of our experiences and an expression of our ambition?
What do clothes say? by Shahidha Bari - Aeon Mag