Update: 09 November 2011 - I went to HMR last weekend and they're having a sale. However, the winter clothes left are few. You can now find the clothing section on the 2nd floor.
I have noticed that my post about winter clothes shopping is slowly rising to the top of the most popular entries. Maybe because it's winter already in other parts of the world and Filipinos are flocking to those countries with snow; i.e., Korea, Japan, Canada, the US, etc.
When I went to Beijing, I only had minimal winter clothes. I have a trench coat which I asked a dressmaker to create for me, a sleeveless beige jacket with hood with faux shearling lining (the trendy one), and a fleece jacket which I bought from Winterhouse in Cartimar, Pasay, and a trench-like cardigan I bought from H&M in Hong Kong. The rest are just normal summer clothes (the ones I use here in the Philippines, a country with almost a year-long summer). So, I planned to buy some items in Beijing, but my luggage could not accommodate thick jackets anymore; it was filled to the brim. Oh well, it was a pity since winter clothes are reasonably priced there.
So, anyway, I went out around lunchtime today to go to HMR, just to pick up some items. HMR is a surplus shop located in Pioneer, Mandaluyong City. I was supposed to buy a L.A.M.B sneakers which just sells for Php 790.00 but I ended up buying a Jantzen bathing suit and some summer skorts (skirts with shorts inside). While busy choosing some surplus summer outfits, my eyes strayed to a clothing rack at the far end, and by golly, HMR has some very good looking winter jackets! Who knew?! They have the slim type sleeveless puffer jacket with faux fur lining in glorious white and a velvety-type jacket with shearling-like lining (in choco brown or beige) which is so cute. And it's only Php 790.00! And there are some Kenneth Cole blazer-type short winter jackets in black, white, and navy. It has puffer sort of lining inside, very warm, and it's very chic and trendy, and it sells for Php 1990.00. And there are also some London Fog wind breaker in colorful varieties: yellow, purple, and green, which sells for the same price (it's sort of a short, fitted trench). In fact, they even have a snow bib, whatever that may be (it's like a jumper, really).
While the winter clothes aren't that plenty, they're more fashionable than those found at the Winterhouse. The clothes look something like these:
The snow bib I'm referring to is on the right side. The picture came from HMR's website. Apparently, it's insulated. The photo on the left looks a little like the puffer jacket I saw, only, the stitching is made in diamond-like pattern, and the closure's not the same. Also, the puffer jacket at HMR is a lot slimmer than the one in the picture. It looks really hip and young. The photo on the middle is similar to the shearling-like short jacket at HMR, although if I remember correctly, it has a standing collar and the zipper has small fur balls and it looks so kawaii. The Winterhouse in Cartimar also has a similar jacket; a short one and a long one but it sells for around Php 1500.00 to Php 3000.00 depending on the length and on your haggling skills. The sizes of the shearling-like jackets from HMR, however, are from size 7-10 (medium), and the biggest is 14 (large). There's a pink one for a child, but it's damaged. The puffer-jacket has only one size, or rather, they only carry a single size; I think it fits a smaller to medium frame. As for the Kenneth Cole women's blazer/short belted jacket, it comes in bigger sizes like XL. The London Fog jackets look a like they're all in large sizes.
HMR Philippines is located at Pioneer corner Reliance Street, Mandaluyong City. For directions, check their website HERE.
In case you're wondering how the trench dress I had custom-made for me looks like, this is the pattern used, from Rakuten, a very popular Japanese on-line store:
Happy winter clothes shopping!
[TIP: You can also find winter wear at Greenhills; branded overruns as well as snug-fitting thermals (top & leggings). The bottoms sold at Winterhouse are more like fitted jammies or jogging pants with those 2 or 3 inch elastic ends of some sort.]
