To hear celebrity fashion stylist Priscilla Ann “Boop” Yap-Tañedo say that she has embraced easy dressing might come as a surprise to those familiar with her signature prepandemic ultra-feminine glam looks. Yap-Tañedo is one-half of the styling sisters behind the red-carpet looks of Kathryn Bernardo, Erich Gonzales and Kris Aquino, including the latter’s yellow Michael Cinco couture in the top-grossing film “Crazy Rich Asians.” She, like sister and styling partner Kimi Yap-Sy, also wed in a show-stopping Michael Cinco confection a few years ago.
“My style philosophy definitely changed during the pandemic. I have come to love easy dressing pieces, since I am home most of the time. I love to wear comfortable pieces that make me feel good about how I look,” Yap-Tañedo says to Lifestyle.
This shift is in part also influenced by motherhood. She’s mom to two toddlers now. “However, for me it’s still important that I feel good about what I’m wearing, so I definitely try to balance comfort with style by wearing stylish, easy-to-wear pieces.”
Like many, she’s also turned to online retail therapy during the quarantine. “I haven’t been to the mall since March. Online shopping is just so convenient and I really love it.”
With many events and shoots canceled or rescheduled due to the pandemic, the sisters’ many styling projects were also affected. But work is once more slowly picking up, Yap-Tañedo says. She resumed work recently under strict safety protocols.
“At first I was afraid . . . But I learned that you just need to be really cautious about protecting yourself,” she says. Besides, she adds, film and photo shoots now require RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) and antigen tests for everyone involved. “I’m learning to adjust because life has to go on.”
Style sisters
The Yap sisters grew up close, and were into fashion even at a young age. They enjoyed dressing up and carried on that passion into adulthood. “We always used to borrow stuff from one another when we lived in the same house, because we’re the same size in everything except for shoes,” says Yap-Tañedo, the older of the two.
They both studied Fashion and Merchandising at De La Salle University-College of St. Benilde. Both wanted to go into fashion design. A chance styling project with a young actress, however, changed all that.
“We are so glad we took it on because we actually enjoyed it,” Yap-Tañedo says. “After that, we decided to pursue styling as a career, which ended up as the right decision. Our job doesn’t feel like a job, since we love doing it.”
The sisters get along so well that working together “is always a breeze,” says Yap-Tañedo.
“We don’t disagree that much because almost always, we have the same eye for things, and that for me is very important. In the rare case that we do disagree, we make sure to compromise. We have to agree on the final look. What I appreciate most is that in every job we take on, it’s very collaborative. We very much value each other’s opinion, down to the smallest detail.”
Like her sister, Yap-Tañedo yearns to travel again. “I really miss traveling. It’s a very relaxing and enriching experience to see new sights, try different cuisines, explore new places and just experience a different culture. I also miss eating out with family and friends, and planning parties to celebrate milestones, so I’m definitely looking forward to all of that when this is over.”
If cabin fever also makes you give in to the urge to shop online, here is her advice: “You can never go wrong with classic investment pieces. They will last and, sometimes, their value even increases over time. I like to buy pieces that I can pass down to my daughter. I like to invest in jewelry, watches and bags.”
Her favorite fashion shopping sites? “Net-a-Porter, Farfetch, MatchesFashion, Moda Operandi and Luisaviaroma.”
Ultimately, she says, it’s “quality over quantity—always.”
