Best Job in The World

A few weeks back, I had come across a Facebook post by Dr. Martens Philippines in which it was stated that they were looking for two product testers. If chosen, these two lucky souls get a free pair each month for the next six months. All you had to do to get a chance to win was to share the post and tell them what you and your Dr. Martens stood for in the comments section.


At first, I was reluctant. I wasn't entirely sure what my trusty pair of boots and I stood for. This lead me to ignore this job offering for a while and went back to living the way I usually do. It didn't come to mind that much, meaning I hadn't really given it much thought. But then about a week later, I saw it again. It felt as if it was nagging me, reminding me that I shouldn't pass up this opportunity. Figuring I had nothing to lose anyway, I gave it a shot. Upon scrolling through hundreds and hundreds of comments to get an idea, I noticed that they all said the same thing in general. Which is ironic, because the most common thing mentioned was individuality. I thought, that if I really wanted to win, I'd have to bring something new to the table. I'd have to set myself apart from everyone else, and so for the next thirty minutes, I spent writing my answer.

Saying that Dr Martens stands out for individuality, everlasting style, non-conformity, and so on and so forth would make me just like everyone else who commented here - therefore, cancelling out my individuality. While the facts mentioned above by other people are true, perhaps it would be better to shed some light on other aspects of the brand and what it stands for.

It goes without saying that Dr Martens' products are a wardrobe essential. You have to own at least one pair. The fact that they're easily paired with whatever outfit you feel like putting on and still manage to look brilliant. I feel, and I know that many others will agree with me, that Dr. Martens has stood for the rebellious, and most often than not, stylish youth. Regardless of what subculture you belong to, Dr. Martens is - for a lack of a better term - "in."

And so, I stand with all others in the past who have worn, loved, borrowed, and/or owned a pair of Dr. Martens. Regardless of race, age, shape, hair color, eye color, and all of that physical differences, we all share a common love for a brand whose novelty and beauty does not wither away with time. I stand for - besides the commonly mentioned individuality - the unity, the memories we have all shared with our boots, and the reckless youth. Cheers to better days rocking our favorite brand!

On the 22nd of July, I found out that I was one of the two winners out of the six thousand entries. I found out after being congratulated by someone on twitter. I was seriously not expecting the news to come so quickly at all. After sending in my entry, I told myself not to expect. The contest was always in the back of my mind, but I hadn't given it much thought since I tried out. The moment I confirmed that I had indeed won and was not being pranked, I ran outside to where my mom was, screaming "MOM! I WON! I WON THE DR. MARTENS COMPETITION!"

Unlike me, my mom made it a habit to check my comment every day to see how many people were liking it. She jumped up and called my father almost instantly. My dad, who was at the resort, came home immediately and we were celebrating. My parents, my two best friends (Chesca and Ozni, who came over), and I, all sat under one roof, chattering in excitement. I honestly could not believe it. It felt so surreal, and I was in a state of shock, even until now. On the 31st of July, I finally received a call from Dr. Martens. I was to begin on the 1st of August. For my first pair, I was allowed to pick from their low-cut collection. It was a tough choice, if I'm honest. I had trouble picking between the lavender one or the bright pink one (pictured above). My dad told me to get the pink one, but my mom said she preferred the lavender one. Do you see why it took me quite a while to decide?

In the end, I chose the pink one. I wanted something different from what my usual style, and I wanted something that was really eye-catching. I saw this as a chance to challenge myself to be more daring and to test my limits, so I went with this pink pair. These are sure to add a pop of colour to my entire outfit.

The shoes are really really comfortable too. The leather is perfect, and it's not the least bit heavy at all. It comes in lavender, as you may already know, and orange (which I did not try). I found this collection of shoes to be perfect for my age demographic, and proved that my entry was right. Dr. Martens did stand for the youthful, and if these colorful shoes aren't enough to prove it to you, then I don't know what will. I was unfortunately not able to bring my camera along, so I apologize that the photos aren't of the best quality! I had to make do with my phone, but I'll be dropping by their branch again next week. I'll take better photos of everything then, in case any of you guys want to see the place. Trust me when I say the interior is insanely pretty. The brand is much older than I am, and my parents have been sporting them way before me. I'm sure your parents, uncles, and aunts have been too. The brand isn't just for the youth, mind you, because while we were there, my dad busied himself with looking at whatever they had available and picking his favorites. We both agreed that the silver/metallic low-cuts were the best. The people there also gave me pins, which I stuck to my backpack, and patches, which I plan on having stitched onto a denim jacket. And to celebrate, my mom and I purchased sweets. I've been craving macarons for a while, and she's been wanting to try the cupcake place in Serendra. It just so happened that both restaurants were right next to each other. August 1 was a good day.