It started with a barkada flexing their OOTD on TikTok

@jenbarangan Outfit check! #ootd #outfitoftheday #fitcheck #bardakads #baiconxbardakads ♬ original sound – Jen Barangan

TikTok star Jen Barangan, whom you might remember for starting the flight attendant challenge that let everyone fantasize about doing the cabin crew voiceovers, posted yet another viral video a few days ago. It was simply captioned “Outfit check!” where Barangan and her barkada lined up to flex their denim on denim OOTD.

Each tried to make the most of the one-second spotlight by shouting the mix of fashion brands they were wearing. “H&M, Bershka, Nike!” Barangan started. After that, it was a blur of Uniqlo, H&M, Bershka, Converse, Nike, and all other brands that could probably open a sponsorship deal for the whole crew. Though many of the brands they flexed weren’t exactly high-end, most Pinoys still find them quite expensive. And luxury brands like Valentino and Lacoste were thrown in there somewhere too.

Netizens join in on the fun

As of writing, the TikTok video has 3.1 million views with 257.8k likes. As expected, it didn’t take long for netizens to descend on the post and start making fun of the trend the Pinoy way. But instead of flexing casual clothing brands, they got a bit creative and real.

“Sali ako! ‘Ukay, ukay, ukay tiangge!'” read one of the top comments. “Me: ukay, bigay, pinagliitan ng limang kuya!” said another. It was a regular Pinoy’s hilarious and realistic response to the flashy OOTD video that might have slightly insulted every viewer’s net worth. After all, not everyone has enough money to get decked out in name brand fashion anyway. Or a Valentino piece for that matter.

Some are asking “What’s the point of this?”

But while some are laughing at how the video called all of us muggles poor, others are simply not having it. Scroll through the 6k comments and most are variations of “What’s the point of this video?” Some TikTok users are offended that a whole barkada had the audacity to flex their fast fashion uniforms in the guise of a “trend that needs to be blocked.”

“Payabang lang alam kairita,” wrote one user. Not in front of our salads!

While some are defending the trend

Some netizens find the trend lightly offensive and not at all necessary but others are defending it by saying it’s all in good fun. It didn’t demean anyone or hurt them in any way. Sure, our wallets might have teared up a little but if it annoys you, why not scroll away, right? Defenders are saying it’s not about the price tag or the brand, it’s about the fashion. Specifically, the denim on denim getup that made a lot of people cringe.

i cant believe theyre spending upwards of 10K pesos just to pair denim with denim in a non camp way https://t.co/SAM7K7B6my

— Sæichii (@cursedMARLBOR0) November 3, 2021

Sassa Gurl claps back

@itssassagurlWag kayong mag alala, may hampas lupa version na:♬ original sound – Sassa Gurl

Enter our hero, Sassa Gurl who 100% understood the assignment, or at least understood that normal Filipinos needed representation for this trend too. Sassa Gurl dressed up in three fashion statements that will forever be burned into our eyeballs. “Sa mga nakshit kong walang pera wag kayong mag alala may version tayo,” she captioned the video.

“Arbor, ukay, Divisoria,” she declared for the first outfit. “Tiangge, pinaglumaan ni ate, hiniram sa kaibigan tapos ‘di na binalik,” Sassa said for the second outfit. Sound relatable? The final outfit was the best of them all: “Cartimar, lako, Avon two gives.” She just exposed our fashion secrets!

Netizens applaud Sassa Gurl

And the crowd goes wild. The video has almost 850k views on TikTok and 600k views on Twitter. Sassa Gurl’s comments section was flooded with users either appreciating her fashion serves or laughing their heads off. That “Avon two gives” really hit the spot. Doesn’t it just throw you back to 2006? Everyone’s moms can #relate.

Moral of the TikTok: You don’t need expensive clothes to look good

Just look at Sassa Gurl and her fire outfits. You could interpret the original TikTok in two ways: get offended that these rich kids are flaunting stuff you can’t have or save it as inspiration so you know where to shop next. Or maybe you should go for an entirely different interpretation: you could still look as good as Jen Barangan’s friends even on a budget. Ukay-ukay can get you awesome OOTDs that are so affordable but you’d look expensive in.

Anyways, here’s where you can shop for clothes that won’t hurt your wallets

If there’s one thing this TikTok and Sassa Gurl has taught us it’s that capitalism and fast fashion are still winning and that’s bad for the environment (and our wallets). Secondhand clothes are the way to go. They’re cheaper, you get to stumble on absolute fashion gems, plus there’s a slim chance you bump into someone wearing the same thing as you. If you can’t physically shop for ukay-ukay, there are so many IG stores to explore that sell secondhand clothes.

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