STILL in his school uniform, he works on his photographs on the PC.
Actor Joross Gamboa can be one frugal shopper. He frequents upscale malls and stores, but he stumbles upon great finds, too, in bargain stores like Baguio’s famed ukay-ukay.
Vacationing in the City of Pines with his family, Joross found an odd-looking woven pair of Nikes for only P700. “It was brand new,” he recalls. He also got a watch for P400. “It was originally P550,” he says, “but I got a discount after haggling.”
When shopping, he counsels young people against peer pressure: “Don’t buy something just because your friends are wearing it, too. What’s more important is that you are comfortable in it – and it’s affordable.”
Joross, who appears on GMA 7, TV5 and ABS-CBN programs, is the practical sort. “I go where there’s work,” he says. His philosophy, at work and in sartorial matters, can be summed up, thus: “Minimum fuss, maximum fun.”
Clothes
Joross, who also models for clothing brands, thinks Mix of Zara, Philosophy and Topman go well with his personal style. “Topman is rugged. Philosophy leans toward the metrosexual. Zara is sophisticated and stylish.”
JOROSS gave away lots of shoes to cousins who were affected by “Ondoy.”
Shoes
NIKE from ukay-ukay; Grass Men’s leather shoes
He is a serious shoe collector. To make sure the family home isn’t overrun, he has started giving away some pairs as gifts. He gave a lot of them to cousins who lost their belongings during Tropical Storm “Ondoy” two years ago.
He’s a longtime fan of Converse, particularly Chuck Taylors and Jack Purcells. A size 10, Joross likewise owns Black Sabbath boots and used to order straight from the factory, “So I could have the latest styles before they hit the stores.”
Belts
“I like buckles that look unusual,” he says. “I have one that looks like a can opener and one that lights up.” Another allows him to type special messages that can be flashed via LED pin lights. After a Manny Pacquiao prizefight, he proudly flashed the message: “Congrats, Pacman … Magpa-inom ka naman!”
Caps
MOM GOT the idea for this hanging cap and accessories rack from a TV show.
His mother, Monet, used to get a headache keeping track of Joross’ caps and other accessories. So she got him a hat rack/accessories organizer – an idea she got from a TV show that featured Joross.
Caps come in handy on bad-hair days, he admits. “He’s not brand-conscious,” says Monet, “but he likes caps that are one-of-a-kind and buys them in China and Japan.”
Scents
Joross is partial to fruity and fresh, cool and citrusy scents. His all-time fave is Lacoste Red, followed by Kenneth Cole Black and CK Summer.
He says he loves the three brands because they leave a lasting impression on the ladies. “I keep looking for those scents… which make me smell fresh… like I just stepped out of the shower, like dalandan (Philippine orange),” he jests.
HE PAINTS “when the mood hits me.”
Paintings, photos
To relax, he dabbles in painting. Mom says he’s self-taught: “It runs in the family. My mom is a portrait artist. I also draw, and his dad paints, too.”
Initially shy about his secret hobby, Joross eventually relents and shows Living Stars a few samples.
He picked up photography in school. (He’s a senior Mass Communication major at Southville International School and Colleges in Parañaque.) His Canon EOS 400D is a birthday gift from his parents two years ago.
Photography and other school subjects (editing and scriptwriting) are priming him for his big dream: “I hope to work behind the scenes, maybe produce indie films in the future.”
STUFFED orangutan toy, from the United States
Souvenirs
When the family home was renovated, interior designer Cocoy Cordoba gave strict instructions. “He said not to display posters of my favorite TV shows,” Joross says.
Still, his love for the Japanese action series “Ultraman” and the US animated show “The Simpsons” is undiminished. “They remind me of my childhood,” he says, “when I… found happiness in simple things.”
Joross displays a special memento in his room: a stuffed toy, an orangutan, which he got from a store in California. He has a collection of buttons and pins. Some of the buttons, including Mr. Bean dressed as Mona Lisa, are pinned on a bag.
One significant keepsake is his best actor trophy (for “Maalaala Mo Kaya”) from the movie press’ Star Awards for TV in 2009.
Bicycles, gadgets
HE GOES biking around the neighborhood.
He never leaves home without his Oakley shades (with MP3), iPod and laptop.
He recently rediscovered biking. “I’ve gone back to old-school, Japanese bikes from the 1970s,” he says. “Pasyal-pasyal lang. I just take a quick spin in our neighborhood.”