The classic bustier gets a vibrant makeover in Rabiya Mateo’s powerful pink ensemble.
Related: Miss Universe PH Style Radar: Rabiya Mateo’s Little White Dress
“Even in my simplest form, I know in my heart I am nothing less than phenomenal,” says Rabiya Mateo over her viral no-makeup TikTok video. Being in the spotlight, for a beauty pageant no less, comes along with magnified criticism over one’s physical appearance. “You’re not beautiful enough. You’re so thin. I don’t like what you wear,” the Miss Universe representative mentions in her post, but through it all, she believes that a beauty queen will always be about building love and celebrating the true beauty of every woman.
Exhibiting an enviable self-assurance and recognition of who she is, it was fitting that the next outfit she dons a few days later is unapologetically pink. A color associated with love and compassion but when amped up into a much more saturated hue turns into a color of feminine power.
LOOK 007: The “Legally Blonde” Look
Lazada Meet and Greet Ensemble
Style Trend To Crop: Hot Pink and Bustier Tops
When I first saw Team Rain x Em’s reveal on the latest look, I immediately thought this is a Legally Blonde fashion moment. Similar to Elle Woods, the confident and pink-obsessed heroine who dominated Harvard Law School, Mateo’s power dressing is a mix of class, youthful energy, and a whole lot of pink.
A major trend already due to Netflix’s Bridgerton, corsets and bustier have made a comeback to the runways. While we all can’t transport ourselves to the Regency-era of London, we can always take inspiration from it.
A collaborative effort between Raphael Kiefer and Ilonggo Haute couturier Nono Palmos, they accentuated Mateo’s doll-like physique with a bustier structured dress with added an 80s-style waist-cinching belt. “Pink has to be worn with a little playfulness and a splash of youthful energy,” says Palmos.
To keep it effortlessly elegant, Mateo lets down her hair in gorgeous loose waves, topped off with classic diamond earrings from LVNA By Drake Dustin.
Check in daily with our “Miss Universe PH Style Radar” series for the latest on Rabiya Mateo’s looks.
