MANILA, Philippines – Ever wanted to wear a girly headband, but held back for fear of looking like a Blair Waldorf rip-off?

While last year’s ribboned headbands were cute, it was hard to wear them without being mistaken for an enormous Christmas gift or a Gossip Girl fanatic.

Those dilemmas are what made Ahyen Largado start her accessories business, dubbed Alohandmade, last year.

“Most of the headbands I saw in stores were too wide and had ribbons that were a little too big,” Largado said. “My accessories are inspired by Gossip Girl, but they’re not things you’ll see directly from the show. For instance, for my current collection, I focus on floral designs instead of ribbons.”

Everything in Alohandmade is stitched by hand. The flowers in every headband, for instance, take hours to make. Largado also uses materials such as chiffon, lace, silk and felt for her clips and headbands, but the final products are quite affordable (considering the labor and materials used).

These headbands cost just P320 to P480 pesos each.

Visit http://alohandmade.multiply.com or contact 0916-2221303

Email the author at biancaconsunji@yahoo.com