Fashionista Of The Month: Monina M

Nina or Monina Magno Nuguid in is a 21-year old devoted follower of fashion and is currently based in the Philippines. She graduated with a degree in International Studies. As Monina continues to explore her creative side, along the way she became StarCentral Magazine’s Fashionista of the Month for the month of July 2015.

Unlike other fashion bloggers, her career was not planned. It took an accidental turn when she began posting her outfits on Instagram. Her followers began to grow and left most of them wondering if she’s a fashion blogger. This has sparked her interest to venture into that side of the fence. ‘To be completely honest, I was not really into fashion when I was younger but my sister would always style me, she would braid my hair, and do fashion experiments on me’, she recalls. Her sister had definitely planted a seed of inspiration in her and when she realised how she would love to inspire young ladies, she grabbed the chance and is now on her way to making her dream a reality.

From bohemian fashion style to modern retro look, and classic preppy statement, Monina has tried them all! Her wardrobe inspiration goes on. As her fashion ideas vary every time, her followers started to multiply. Monina’s goal is to be in sync with that of the brave, young ladies who want to remain stylish and comfortable without the need to show too much skin. Staying trendy yet classy is the statement she is aiming for.

Monina still relies on basics most of the time. It is always the go-to fashion comfort when it comes to everyday styling. However, this does not limit her desire to explore on different colour combinations, patterns, and pieces. She still has a lot of steps to take as she has not yet fully indulged in fashion as a career, but a glimpse on the outpouring support from her followers, friends, and family tells her that this is definitely going to be a fruitful direction for her.

With her sister as her official photographer, Monina continues to share more fashion ideas. She is very thankful for the people who back her up to realise her aspiration. ‘My sister owns a clothing line and she is the major influence on my blogging experience’, she quipped.

Though her career is yet to fully take off, Monina has received fashion opportunities from other companies already. She was invited to collaborate with a known clothing line and she has worked with various online shops both locally and internationally. She may be a new style blogger but her artistic ability to mix and match clothing pieces is too hard to ignore.

Monina recognises the importance of embracing the unique qualities of everyone. She believes that being different is a way to create your mark. When asked about what she has learned in this promising journey, she utters that staying grounded is the key to make everything falls into place. ‘Always acknowledge God in every facet of life and keep your feet on the ground’, she adds.

As for the future, Monina plans to pursue her graduate studies but expanding her blog is definitely part of the grand picture.

‘LIGHTNING FAST’ Round:

1. What is the one beauty product you can’t live without? Moisturizer

2. What is the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to change your looks? Cut my long hair short.

3. What is in your makeup bag when you travel? Moisturizer, face powder, lip balm, and lip tint.

4. What is the one “flaw” you wouldn’t change about yourself? Keeping a positive attitude and always looking for the good in others although I’m not sure if that’s really a flaw.

5. Your best guilty pleasure. Sleeping all day.