“I’m a jeans and T-shirt person,” Janina Manipol says when asked about her style. “On normal days, you’ll probably see me in my white tee, leggings, sandals, and my hair in a bun!” That is the exact same Janina I know from college—the slender, animated, girl-next-door beauty I used to hitch a ride with to school. Except now, she’s a partner (who’s sometimes MIA from board meetings due to frequent globe-trotting) at Vybe, a Manila-based concert production company responsible for bringing in indie acts such as Disclosure, Cut Copy, and Chvrches last year, and more recently, Charli XCX.
Being a concert and music festival maven, we figured it was best to ask Janina how she dresses for such occasions. A frequent attendee herself (this girl doesn’t scrimp on fun), she points out that comfort is key. “It’s very important for me to wear something stylish but very comfortable! Lounging in the grass is no easy task with a short skirt on, so I stray away from those,” she shares. Janina’s no-nonsense approach to clothing spills over to her choice of footwear as well. “Ideally, something kind of covered because people can step on your feet and it can get dirty and wet. Something comfy to walk on the grass with and stay standing for a long time,” she says. But don’t mistake her simplicity for lack of style. The twentysomething turns to minimal accessories and maximum prints to stand out in a crowd. I compliment her on her dress as she twirls over and over for the camera, to which she replies, “Oh, this is only P500 from an online store!”
Dressing to impress is always well and good, but if you spend the night fidgeting with your outfit, then you’ll miss out on the experience (which is really the whole point, you know). “The most important thing is you’re comfy and having fun!”
Right on, queen of cool.
Photos by Patrick Segovia