Allyzza Kay Trinidad

Here's Bela Padilla's life hack when it comes to 'tipid' shopping for clothes

Article (news)

Here’s Bela Padilla’s life hack when it comes to ‘tipid’ shopping for clothes

Liezel Dela Cruz

Bela Padilla radiates a quiet kind of free-spiritedness. She&#x27;s independent, adventurous, and unafraid to chart her own path. But even someone as carefree as Bela knows the importance of setting boundaries, especially when it comes to how she lives, works, and connects with the people around her. Because while she may go with the flow, she also follows a set of life rules that keep her grounded.Let’s start with Bela’s rule when it comes to shopping. She’s careful with money and knows she can’t just keep spending if there’s nothing coming in, which is why she only shops after finishing a project, almost like a personal reward system. She loves treating herself to something nice, especially after working on an intense project. &quot;Kailangan meron siyang katumbas, either mahirap na trabaho or malaking blessing,&quot; she summed up her shopping rule. And sometimes, the universe just gives her an excuse, “&#x27;Pag meron palang nagbabayad sa akin ng utang na nakalimutan ko na, i-sho-shopping ko na lang.”<div><script data-wid="auto" type="text/javascript" src="https://content.viralize.tv/display/?zid=AAFz8gWM8iRADsJr&amp;cid=ABang5eoCXQB_HJv"></script> </div>But when it comes to food, Bela has no rules. She&#x27;ll buy whatever she’s craving. Especially when dining out with a group, she’d just tell everyone to order what they want. “‘Pag pagkain, dapat ine-enjoy natin ’yan,” she smiled. If you want to take notes from Bela’s fashion sense, her number one rule is simple: wear what you want. She doesn’t chase trends, mostly because she already knows what looks good on her body. For regular days and guest appearances, she usually styles herself unless it’s a big event that requires a gown or a brand event with a specific dress code. “I know what I want to wear. Minsan hindi siguro nila gets kung ano ’yung suot ko, pero ako, gets ko,” she said. Another important rule Bela swears by when it comes to fashion is choosing quality over quantity, something she had to learn the hard way during her early years in showbiz when she used to stretch every bit of her talent fee and would often end up buying cheap pieces that, of course, came with equally cheap quality, so they didn’t last or serve her that well in the long run. Eventually, she figured it’s better to invest in a few good basics that you can keep wearing and mixing up—like a crisp white button-down, a black dress, a pair of pants in black, white, and khaki, and a blazer that can easily pull any look together. And now that it’s 2025 and climate change is becoming more and more alarming by the year, Bela also encourages everyone to start being mindful and sustainable with their fashion choices.Being someone with serious wanderlust, Bela’s life isn’t complete without travel, but she’s not the type to stick to planned itineraries. Most of her trips happen spontaneously, like when a free weekend opens up and she decides to book a flight on the spot just to get away. She actually loves the unexpected moments in her travels, like meeting strangers who end up becoming friends, and while she may not have a plan, she has a way of figuring things out. &quot;Maghahanap ako ng isang spot tapos usually I hang out there for a while, tapos makikita mo kung sino ‘yung kindred spirit, ‘yung ka-vibe mo, tapos I ask for advice, &#x27;Saan kayo kumakain dito? Ano &#x27;yung napuntahan n&#x27;yo na?&#x27; Tapos naglalakad ako all day. Hahayaan ko munang mawala ako. &#x27;Pag gusto ko nang umuwi, saka ko na i-Google maps,&quot; shared Bela when asked about her rules on traveling. And while she loves spontaneity when it comes to traveling, it’s a completely different story when it comes to work as she admits she&#x27;s &quot;very, very OC&quot; with her career. She prepares for every role with intention and goes all-out, like with her upcoming film &quot;100 Awit Para Kay Stella&quot; (the sequel to &quot;100 Tula Para Kay Stella&quot;), where as early as now, she’s already starting to nitpick every little detail. Bela’s drive doesn’t just come from being an actress or wanting to deliver a good performance. She genuinely wants to contribute to the way Filipino culture is represented, and she believes one of the best ways to do that is through her craft, citing how Korean dramas have helped shape and uplift South Korean culture globally. And that’s why she puts so much thought into every project she takes on. “I really want to be responsible with what I put out because it’s reflective of our culture, of who we are as Filipinos, so dapat mindful tayo kung ano ’yung ilalabas natin,” she said with conviction.

Bela Padilla knows the importance of setting boundaries, especially when it comes to how she lives, works, and connects with the people around her.

Bela Padilla knows the importance of setting boundaries, especially when it comes to how she lives, works, and connects with the people around her.