Baby Barangay, the country’s favorite mommy squad on social media, is in no short supply of chic moms. In fact, these It Moms are all gorgeous and stylish! But our featured Calyxta Girl for the week, Bianca Santiago-Reinoso, is the designated “Stylista Mom” of the group. As a former fashion editor and now freelancing as a stylist, Bianca is definitely experienced when it comes to all things fashion.
Patty Laurel-Filart, former school mate and fellow member of Baby Barangay, tells Calyxta that Bianca exudes that cool girl vibe from back in the day till now. She shares, “I knew Bianca from high school. She was ahead of two batches from me, so I’d look up to her always. She was this popular girl in school who was with the most popular guy – who became her husband [Raoul Reinoso, the Co-Founder/Marketing Director at Titan and SLAM Philippines]! Since then, I’ve seen her carry herself in such an easy manner, and there’s just something about her that makes her stand out.”
Known to have been experimental with trends and silhouettes, Bianca turns to a more practical approach in dressing up now that she’s a mom to 4-year-old Liana and 1-year-old Juano. Though she still injects trends to her daily easy pieces, Bianca has been conscious in wearing clothes that fit her current lifestyle and body. In a way, this is how Bianca transcends positive influence to the mommies of Baby Barangay.
Patty said, “Actually the best way Bianca encourages and motivates us is just by being herself. I think she’s the best role model of a woman who’s still able to keep her own identity when it comes to style and fashion even after she became a mom. Bianca has taught me that the ‘mommy’ tag makes you much more interesting. Like when she was pregnant, she really looked great in her pregnant-appropriate outfits. Her ease of just naturally carrying herself makes pregnancy look so chic.”
Bianca encourages the Baby Barangay moms to embrace their current body type. According to Patty, “You’d notice that the five of us in the group have different shapes and heights. Whenever we’d take a photo, there’s an understanding on how we have to arrange ourselves. It’s because of Bianca – we’ve known how to work with the clothes that will enhance the shape and the curves that we have right now as moms.”
But more than sharing her expertise in fashion and styling with her fellow moms, Bianca’s parenting style is something that Patty commends a lot. She tells Calyxta, “I admire that she works perfectly with her husband, Uli. More than just being a wife, they’re more of a team. Like when we’re out for dinner, sometimes I’ll hear Bianca actually explaining small things to Liana, and Uli with Juano. They take the time to actually talk to their children, to communicate simple experiences, and for them to get tangible meanings in everyday engagement. Witnessing that makes me think they’re such intentional parents, and I think that’s something that whenever I see Bianca, I really try to emulate as well.”
Without doubt, Baby Barangay’s designated Stylista Mom inspires more than just style choices, she also influences other women to have their own identity and still be a great partner to their husband and a loving mother to their kids. Bianca is a perfect model of mom for moms!
Text by: SHERRY TENORIO
Videography: JEDROOT
Photography: RENZO NAVARRO & MEL AGUINALDO
MAKEUP: ANGELA YEO
MUA Assistant: MARJ MAROKET
Hair: TONI&GUY
Fashion: H&M
Styling: ADA LAUD
Meet The Crew: Sam Morales
Sam Morales is a Manila-based freelance videographer. Dreaming to become a filmmaker one day, Sam believes that when it comes to enhancing her video production skills, nothing beats practice. The Multimedia Arts graduate is new to collaborating with various fashion projects — the first one she did was a campaign that starred local actor Jake Cuenca — but she’s excited about this since it opened opportunities for her. She’s now working closely with Jedroot Manila, a renowned production outlet, that partners with her for projects. Sam’s work includes a cover editorial for Calyxta, a print editorial with Chalk magazine featuring the young actress Andrea Brillantes, and a beauty/fashion series with the up-and-coming star Elisse Joson. The young videographer admits that she’s never without her camera, shooting for stories, even during her spare time.
ARTIST STATS
Skin: Combination Skin
Hair: Wavy Hair
Can’t live without: My family
Favorite Calyxta find: Loreal Paris Infallible Pro Contour Palette
Find her at:
Facebook: Sam Morales
Instagram: @samrmorales
Vimeo: @samrmorales
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