Yong Chavez’s pandemic fashion diary
Unlike most people working from home, the TFC and ABS-CBN Hollywood correspondent can’t get away with wearing sweatpants every day: ‘I’m human and vain’
Unlike most people working from home, Yong Chavez can’t get away with wearing sweatpants or ratty old pambahay every day. That’s because the Hollywood correspondent of TFC and ABS-CBN has been doing on-cam interviews on Zoom with some of the world’s biggest stars from the comfort of her residence in California.
Chavez has only left the house thrice since March 15, 2020—once to get her flu shot in October and twice to get the two doses of her COVID-19 vaccine. “I’m 100-percent work from home. Very grateful for that, since I’m highrisk,” she told Lifestyle.
When she’s not doing interviews, Chavez is “writing, editing, doing my day job, learning to bake and bragging about it.”
Recently, Chavez found a way to merge her newfound love for baking and her life as an entertainment reporter. She posted a series of her photos from red carpet events and awards shows side by side with things she made during the pandemic.
It’s basically Chavez twinning with her baked goods—a purple dress beside an ube loaf, a green outfit with pandan bread, a brown gown with a chocolate cake and more.
“I was saddened by my lack of pan de sal-colored outfits, and I intend to correct that when Hollywood red carpets reopen,” she said.
Chavez kicks off a new series for Lifestyle’s Fashion pages. In it, we ask interesting personalities about their style secrets and what they’ve been wearing during this really crazy time.
My style: I grew up poor, and there were years I didn’t have anything new, not even for Christmas. In college while looking for jobs every weekend, I wore the only pair of shoes (tan, flats) I bought from a UE (University of the East) Recto street vendor till napudpod ang suwelas. I put Band-Aids on them. So, to answer this question: Being someone who has any kind of “style” other than affordable wasn’t in my dreams, but I do aspire to have cheap chic style. Not sure I’m successful with “chic,” but I try.
Tell us about your closet. Why do you ask? Did my family complain that I took all three closets in the house?! Seriously, though, there’s only one word to describe them: full. When you’re on TV but a small fry, a big part of your earnings goes into wardrobe.
Sure, I can wear the same thing every time, but I’m human and vain. But at least on Zoom, it is easier because all you have to change is your top.
Describe yourself as a shopper. Bargain-hunter. I have gowns and outfits I’ve worn at certain Hollywood red-carpet events that cost $30 on Amazon. I also addto-cart a lot without buying. Shopping is soothing because it distracts you from whatever worries and sadness and challenges you’re dealing with— and there are plenty of those during the pandemic—so in adding to cart without buying, I get that same high without the wallet ding. I do come back to some of them. If they’re still there after a while and the price is a steal, then we’re meant to be together and I hit check out.
My fashion essentials: Pockets! I adore clothes with pockets. I stash my cough drops and tissue paper there. I have a weak heart, so sometimes breathing is an issue. When you’re doing something
exciting and high stakes (in my field) like interviewing a big Hollywood star, your heart works more. It sometimes makes me have that coughing reflex when it’s hard to breathe. I break the cough drop into small pieces so I have them in my mouth but not obvious in interviews. It helps. It’s tough having an invisible illness but I’m still luckier than many because it’s manageable.
My fashion icons: Helen Mirren and Zendaya. So I have days when I only wear dresses, just like Dame Helen. Then there are other days when I try to have my affordable version of the bold and perfect fashion style of Zendaya, I also fell in love with suits in recent years. They just make me feel put-together, and sometimes that supplies half the necessary confidence to do what I do. What’s one thing you will
never wear? In interviews? Deep-cleavage tops and dresses. My attention was once called by my boss for wearing a low-cut dress that I didn’t realize till later would be a bit more revealing. It’s just not good to do that on-cam. But off-cam, anything goes. Ooh, except for Crocs. Not even Zendaya nor Helen Mirren can pull them off.
How has the pandemic affected your style and your relationship with clothes/ fashion? I love bold colors, but recently, while working from home, I’ve started to gravitate more toward tans and nudes. I guess my subconscious desired neutrals to counteract the chaos of everything. Or, it’s possible that I saw Jennifer Aniston wearing a tan suit in “The Morning Show,” and I just wanted to copy her like everyone else.