Simply Sam Milby Bayani San Diego Jr. Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 05, 2009
MANILA, Philippines—It’s hard to believe, but actor-singer Sam Milby describes himself as a “simple” dresser:
“I’m into plain, no-frills stuff. Most of the things in my closet are either black or white.”
He built a spacious walk-in closet on the second floor of his home, adjacent to his spiffy bathroom.
Like the toiletries in the washroom, the clothes in the closet are neatly arranged—jackets and long-sleeved tops in one section; shirts, caps and jeans in another.
Although he’s an avowed Bench man, he shops for imported brands prior to concert tours abroad.
Shirts
“I’m not a big spender,” Sam swears. “When abroad, I shop in outlet stores to save money.”
He’s partial to the Japanese brand, H&M. “The nearest branch is in Hong Kong. Clothes in H&M are inexpensive and unique. You’re assured that no one in Manila will have the same shirt as yours.”
He has a new favorite store. “Jack & Jones shirts fit me well. But they’re only available in Europe.”
But Bench suits his lifestyle “perfectly,” he says. “When I’m free, I usually go to the mall myself, to get the right sizes.”
Shoes
Though he’s a former figure skater, Sam doesn’t have ice-skating boots in his closet. Instead, there are racks of sneakers and a few pairs of leather shoes.
He has white shoes by Dolce & Gabbana and a gray-brown-white pair by Zara.
Sam’s a size 10. “I go for different brands. I have Converse and Kickers. I still have the first pair of shoes given to me by (sponsor) GBX when I joined show biz four years ago. It’s quite worn … literally dying on me.”
A favorite is his Gucci pair, a gift from Princess Sarah of Qatar. “I think it’s one-of-a-kind. The princess, who has Filipinos in her staff, used to watch my old (ABS-CBN) soap, ‘Maging Sino Ka Man.’”
Jeans
For cruising on his motorbike, a Yamaha YZF-R6 2008, he wears Bench denims.
“Jeans should be a bit loose and the denim should be thick, to protect your legs from possible spills.”
When picking pants, jeans or slacks, the main factors he considers are style, cut and color. These days he goes for black jeans.
Headgear
For his head, he’s partial to caps, mostly Bench. He also has a blue Ben Sherman and a brown Banana Republic.
But a current obsession is motorcycle helmets. At this time of Living Stars’ visit, he has two: A white Caberg and a black Shark.
“I plan to buy another. I’ve been advised to get one in a lighter color, to make sure I’m visible even at night—especially since I always wear dark clothes.”
Caberg and Shark are his brands of choice because “they have an inner lining that protects the skin from bacteria.”
Books, DVDS
Aside from his collection of inspirational books, like “Wild at Heart” and “Boy Meets Girl,” Sam has built an extensive library of movies on DVD—all original.
“I have roughly 200 titles. I’m a regular at Astro Vision. I don’t buy pirated discs. I watch movies almost every day—any kind, even cartoons.”
The titles on his DVD shelf include such eclectic picks as “The Incredibles,” “Mean Girls,” “Almost Famous” and “50 First Dates.”
Toys, gadgets
Sam’s a kid at heart. Beside his bed sits a guitar-playing stuffed toy. “It was a gift from Chicago-based fans. It’s so cute.”
He’s tech-savvy and is updated on the latest applications for his iPhone. He also relies heavily on his computer, which he uses to store everything, from photos to music (by Jordin Sparks, MYMP, among others).
“I can hook up everything myself.”
He also has traditional board games at home, like Pictionary and Trivial Pursuit. “My family and I used to play Pictionary in the US.”
Few people know that he’s a whiz at the Rubik’s Cube and Rubik’s Snake puzzles.
Computer, cameras
He uses the computer to master piano-playing.
Sam explains: “I attach the Axiom 61 to the computer. It’s not a keyboard; it’s a controller. Funny, but I am teaching myself how to play the piano. I don’t know anything about chord progression, though … I just listen closely.”
He’s a self-taught photographer, too.
“I have a fish-eye lens film camera when I wish to go old school, but I also have a Canon 30D when I want to go digital.”
Drums, guitars
In a corner of his computer/entertainment room is his drum set.
Yes, he is a self-taught drummer as well. Unlike his piano-playing, however, he is more confident about his drum skills.
Again, he’s a self-taught (and self-assured) guitarist.
“I have three guitars: Two acoustic, one electric. They’re all Paul Reed Smith—good brand, but a little pricey.”
Naturally, he loves strumming while playing the music video game Guitar Hero, and is addicted to other PlayStation titles like Assassin’s Creed and Metal Gear.
