Style Crush: Zoe Hart on Hart of Dixie

One of my favorite series to watch on television right now is Hart of Dixie. Plot aside, I love the style of the main character Zoe Hart played by Rachel Bilson. The premise of the show takes place in small town Alabama, so Zoe’s New Yorker style stands out even more fabulously amidst the Southern backdrop of the show. I would kill to have her wardrobe!

Rachel Bilson plays a doctor in the show, and even with lab coats on she always look so chic.

This season, I’ve noticed some repeated pieces worn by Zoe, this brown and black two-toned skater skirt in particular. I love that the stylist are incorporating pieces previously worn in the show, it shows us different ways of wearing and styling a piece.

Mademoiselle’s Guide to Tote-Matching your Personality

The structured tote handbag is definitely one of the staple items that every woman out there should own. There’s just something about structured totes that screams female empowerment. Perhaps it’s in their sturdy form; structured totes hold themselves incredibly well, far and beyond other handbags out there in my opinion.

For today’s post, I thought it would fun to pair different personalities to different structured totes! What can I say, I’m tote-obsessed!

Personality #1 – The Professional Powerhouse

Whenever I picture myself as a professional working girl in New York city, I picture the Miranda tote by Michael Kors along with me. Currently, I am loving Miranda’s new look this season, such as the quilted black and white one as seen below.

The Miranda tote above retails for about $1295. A more affordable option that I found is this tote from Zara that retails for $229. As much as I love the Miranda, this Zara one below is equally as professional and chic.

Personality #2 – The Glam Diva

Personally, I think you can’t get any more glamorous than Givenchy. I am loving it’s Antigona tote this season.

The price tag for this divalicious baby is around $3,595. I found a much cheaper alternative at Romwe for $54.14 (below). Its faux crocodile texture gives off a glamorous look. For under $100, I think it’s a great steal.

Personality #3 – The Young & Free

The structured tote tends to exude a more sophisticated or mature feel. However, this does not mean that it can’t pull off looking youthful. I love it when structured totes come in bright eye-catching colors or color-block form, such as this bright orange 2Jours Vitello Elite tote bag by Fendi.

The color reminds me of candy! Even though winter is coming it doesn’t mean that we can’t embrace bright colors! This yummy tote retails for about $2350. A cheaper alternative that I found is by this mini Evian tote bag by Topshop, which is only $72. The color block here looks very youthful with a touch of edge.

Personality #4 – The Timeless Lady 

Last but not least, we can’t forget about the classic tote bag; one that would never go out of style. Céline, the queen of tote bags, does this so effortlessly. For the timeless lady, I picture this grey Edge tote in pony calfskin.

The Edge tote costs about $2,500 according to what i’m seeing online. For a cheaper alternative, this minimal black tote from H&M is a good basic one to start off with. And with its $24.95 price tag, you won’t feel too guilty when purchasing it!

As for the structured tote I’m currently sporting, my favorite is this black, white and tan color block bag that I got from Zara last season. It is such a versatile piece that goes with every outfit. And I got it for under $100, which is a huge plus!

Bold Prints and Leather

Notice anything different? I got myself a new blog header! The perfect header personifies the person behind the blog; it says a lot about that person, and I feel that mine truly epitomizes who I am.

Anyways, moving on to today’s post!

Jacket – Zara; Top – Charlotte Russe; Skirt – H&M; Platforms – Payless; Sunnies – Diva; Rings – F21, H&M

Be bold.

I love mixing competing pieces that might seem like they’re polar opposites and work to make them harmonious with each other. Here, I attempt to apply that principle by working with leather on the one hand, and a bold print on the other.

These photos were taken a few weeks ago before the leaves started to change colors, but this is definitely an outfit that I can still wear now, especially on the few occasions when the weather warms up a little.

There’s countless of ways to incorporate both leather and prints in a single ensemble. If you feel apprehensive about it, I suggest embracing this bold mix in your accessories at first. For instance, try wearing something that has a bold print and accessorize with a leather bag or leather shoes.

Image Source: Fab Sugar

As you feel more comfortable with the idea of it, slowly ease this bold mix in your clothes pairings. Here’s some inspirations for you guys to consider embracing this look if you haven’t already!

Image Source: Who What Wear

Image Source: Fourth and Grand

Image Source: Chictopia

Haul: Skincare and Clothes

I’ve recently made a couple of purchases online and I just got them in the mail, so I decided to do a haul for it. Here goes!

Kiehl’s is definitely one of my all-time favorite skincare line. I’ve been struggling with some serious skin problems for what seemed like forever, it was only when I came across Kiehl’s that I started to see major improvements. Furthermore, the fact that the brand provides pretty generous samples is a big plus for me. I tend to hesitate buying new skincare products if I never used them before because I’ve had really bad reaction to certain brand.

This time around, I bought the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque after trying a sample for it. It was sold out nationwide for a few weeks initially, so glad I got it now. It is definitely one of the best facial mask out there, and $23 for a decently big tub of it is incredibly worth it. The purchase came with 5 complimentary samples, which I get to choose myself. I haven’t tried any of them yet, but I have a feeling that I’m gonna buy some of them if they end up having really good results, so stay tuned!

In addition to Kiehl’s, I also bought 3 items from Charlotte Russe. I’ve been doing better with my shopping addiction this semester, I haven’t bought clothes in a while, so I decided to reward myself with some online shopping! (contradictory isn’t it?, haha) I got a modest red skater dress with faux leather trimmings, a black and white shift dress, and a green and blue leopard printed sweater. I will have to tailor the dresses because they’re a little bit too long for me, can’t help myself from straying away from the petite section!

I seriously need to stop shopping for a while so that I can save up for black friday, till then!

Winter Survival Kit for the Fabulous Self

As much as I love the fall season, winter is looming sooner than I want it too. As depressing as winter can get (especially if you live in Minnesota like me), it can seriously discourage any sensible person to ditch on style altogether. I’ve come up with a lust-list of fashion and beauty finds and suggestions that I think can at least help alleviate this upcoming winter depression.

1. Platform Boots

I’ve recently came across these pair of platform boots from H&M and I fell in love with them instantly. I’ve been obsessed with this chunky heels trend for a while and was really happy to have found an affordable version of it, gotta love H&M for that. The chunky heels and and thick platform soles also make for ideal walking on snow. On top of that, they’re still incredibly wearable for the fall season as well, go chunky or go home!

2. Skincare

We all know how crucial it is to find THE perfect moisturizer especially come winter time. One of my personal favorites is Neutrogena’s Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer. The low price tag is an added bonus! Great product with great value.

It has been a struggle for me to find the perfect toner to use. As a result, I tend to skip the toning step during the dryer seasons. That has all changed since the day I came across this baby, Kiehl’s Calendula Herbal-Extract Alcohol-Free Toner. It’s a little bit on the pricier end, but I think it’s totally worth it. In addition to transforming my skin texture for the better, it is also incredibly hydrating, and the fact that it is alcohol-free makes it ideal for my acne-prone skin. I can’t stress how much I am in love with this product enough!

Next on the list, I highly recommend MAC’s Strobe Cream. During winter, I like to swap my normal primer for this product instead. It moisturizes the skin while making the foundation last longer at the same time. It also illuminates the skin to make it more dewy looking. I normally don’t like dewy-looking skin especially in the summer, but its a great look for the dryer winter weather.

3. Light Hair Color

When the weather gets colder, it seems like a lot of people tend to dye their hair a darker color. What not go lighter? Go bright when others are heading the darker route, in that way, you’ll certainly stand out! I don’t know about you but I love seeing lighter hair colors during the colder seasons, it warms up my day!

4. Sunglasses

Even during winter we still need sun protection! One of the latest sunglasses trend I’ve been obsessed with is mirrored sunglasses. I find them to be incredibly suitable for winter, can’t quite explain why, maybe because it can really add a pop of color to one’s outfit in a nontraditional sense. And I sure do love to embrace colors in the winter!

Speaking of sunglasses, I’m obsessed with these ones from Pacsun under the Kendall and Kylie collection. In addition to the reflective glasses, I love the metal frames, super chic.

That’s all I have for now, stay warm people!

Halloween: Flapper Girl 1920s

I’ve just came across this tutorial from one of my favorite makeup gurus, Michelle Phan. She totally convinced me to dress up as a 1920s flapper girl for Halloween this year! I love this video, but then again, I’m incredibly bias towards anything Great Gatsby!

If I could go back in time, I would want to live in the roaring 20s. From jazz music and Charleston dance to Art Deco, and don’t forget about Coco Chanel as a key pioneer in 1920s fashion, there are so much about 20s culture that I am in love with.  I haven’t dress up as a flapper girl yet, but then again, I’ve only celebrated Halloween twice in my life (this year shall mark the third!), so I should totally go for this look! Also, I’ve been casted in a 1920s inspired dance piece for a theatre production in my college. I’ll take that as a sign. Flapper girl it is!

When it comes to dressing up for Halloween, I don’t like spending a whole lot of money on items that I can’t really wear on days beside Halloween. I like to be versatile in my choices for Halloween looks. And even though it’s Halloween, I still like to try and look chic in whatever “costume” I’m wearing (no grabbing ’em flapper kits from Walmart!). So for this flapper girl look, here’s a couple of ideas on picking out pieces that may still be wearable individually even after Halloween is over.

Flapper by michelle-lim featuring a deco dress

Flapper by michelle-lim featuring flower hair accessories

flapper by michelle-lim featuring a lace dress

I love putting these looks together! Halloween is pretty much the only day that allows me to go all-out-crazy with exuberance, extravagance, and glamor! Nothing is ever too much on this day!

Have you guys thought about what to dress up for Halloween yet? I would love to hear from you!

The M behind M by Mademoiselle

Hey guys! So I decided to switch things up a bit and blog about some fun facts about me! Thought it would be nice to put a face behind the author responsible for these posts on M by Mademoiselle. So without further ado…

Fun Fact #1: I don’t own a single pair of sweats in my closet

Shocker right?!?? I know I know, how could you Michelle! It’s not just sweatpants, I’m just not a pants kinda person in general. I’ve pretty much made it through life in the tropics without having to wear anything longer than shorts/skirts. The only time I ever wore pants back home was when I’m out hiking or doing other outdoor-related activities in order to avoid ’em pesky mosquitoes.

I’ve only started wearing pants more often when I came to Minnesota due to the colder weather. As for sweats, those that really caught my eye tend to be super expensive, like the ones from Phillip Lim. So will I ever embrace sweats in the future? Probably. When affordable retailers start giving them a chic facelift, then I’ll consider them.

Fun Fact #2: I’ll go all Moaning Myrtle on everybody if I don’t get to travel the world

Traveling is a huge passion of mine. There’s so many places that I want to visit. It kills me to think that there’s a possibility that I might not be able to travel to all the places I want to go. From Czech Republic to Greece, to Japan and Argentina… I’m getting all giddy just thinking about it! If only I have all the money and time in the world to see everything…

For now, I’m taking baby steps. I’ve just settled my itinerary for my upcoming winter break trip. I’m heading over to the west coast, I’m beyond excited! One of the perks of studying abroad is definitely being able to travel to other places nearby. After conquering the US, I’ll take over Europe!

3. I’m such a huge foodie that it’s ruining my life

Ok, so maybe I’m being a little bit over-dramatic here, but hear me out. I have a wide palette for different cuisines, so I can’t stand eating the same stuff over and over again. Growing up, I’ve been exposed to a lot of different cuisines from all over the world, and I’ve never tasted a cuisine that doesn’t suit my palette before. Not to say that I like every single dish that a culture has to offer, there are some specific dishes in certain cuisine that I’m not really a fan of, but overall, there’s something in every cuisine that I can appreciate.

My passion for traveling is definitely at play here. Whenever people ask me what’s my favorite food is, I can never give them a straight answer. It’s hard enough for me to choose my favorite cuisine let alone a specific dish. But I do have a special appreciation for Mediterranean and Japanese flavors. It has been hard for me living in a small Midwestern town as I’m constantly craving for cuisines that are only available in larger metropolitan areas. Hence, I’m always cooking up a storm in my kitchen. But being in college, I don’t always have the time to cook, but I would force myself to make time anyway. All those years spent watching the food channel definitely pays off!

Fun Fact #4: I secretly want to be French

Where do I even begin? French food, French fashion, French architecture, French language… I’m even re-modeling my bedroom back home right now inspired by my French obsession.

Learning the French language is on top of my bucket-list; it’s such a romantic and beautiful language so I just couldn’t help myself. I’m planning to learn French pretty soon, it definitely helps that a good friend of mine happens to be French! And don’t even get me started on the food, the desserts especially! I would kill to have some macarons and mille crêpe cakes now!

That’s all the fun facts I can think of for now, so now you know me a teensy bit better. Till next time!

Trends Revisited: 1990s

It is nothing new that trends from the past will sometime resurface in the present day, albeit with a little face-lift to fit the current style. Recently, I’ve noticed quite a lot of revivals from the 90s in terms of beauty and fashion. I grew up in the 90s, so I find a lot of these trends to be very nostalgic. Speaking of the 90s, Cher Horowitz was my style icon back then, remember how she taught us the importance of Alaia?

Here’s a list of some 2013’s revival of 90s trend that caught my eye.

1. High Waistline

Some of my guy friends were talking about how girls should stop wearing high-waisted shorts because they don’t like how their butts look in them. If you’re reading this to pick up fashion advice to impress guys, then I’m sorry to say that you’re at the wrong place. My fashion philosophy is feministic; wear what you want that best express who you are. I personally love this trend!

Image Source: Style Without Borders

2. Crop/Bustier Tops

I am obsessed with this trend! It seems like everyone was sporting this look during the spring and summer time. Although it’s the fall season now, that doesn’t mean that this midriff-baring piece is going to go away soon. Here’s a look I put together to hopefully inspire you to embrace this trend during the autumn season.

Crop Bustier for Fall by michelle-lim featuring an aztec pattern shirt

3. Oversized Coats/Blazers

A lot of tv-show characters from the 90s sported this look for both male and female. The 21st century interpretation has a more structured look compared to the 90s version. In order to pull off this look without having it weighing you down, make the oversized coats/blazers the focal point of your look. Avoid voluminous bottoms like palazzo pants or loose and flared skirts. Instead, pair the oversized outerwear with body hugging pieces. I personally love to pair this trend with shorts and high arched sandals/pumps that elongate the legs. It won’t look as overwhelming.

Image Source: Fashiontoast

Image Source: Fashionsquad

4. Hair Scrunchies

I’m sure you all are familiar with these infamous hair scrunchies. It was extremely popular in the 90s to wear hair scrunchies with a bun, a high pony, and a high side-pony. For the 2013 version, I prefer scrunchies with a smoother or silkier texture, paired with a slick low ponytail instead. My favorite scrunchie right now is this one by Marc by Marc Jacobs.

Image Source: Net-a-Porter

5. Dark Lips

I love bold dark lips. You see it everywhere on the runway this season. Back in the 90s, it was popular for women to sport dark brown or burgundy lips. Sometimes, they will use an even darker color to line their lips, which is considered a huge beauty faux pas nowadays. In addition, the grunge look was also popular back in the 90s, with grunge girls wearing dark stained lips. Here are some fall runway looks that embraced this dark lips trend, minus the three-dimensional 90s lip liner.

Image Source: Oscar de la Renta

Image Source: Harpers Bazaar

My Take on: Olivia Palermo’s Leather Accents

I’ve recently came across a picture of Olivia Palermo when she was out on the streets in Brooklyn. I love her rendition of a fall trend I’m currently obsessed with; leather accents. Instead of wearing a piece that is full-on leather, this trend entails a more subtle way of incorporating leather into one’s outfit. In Olivia’s case, she embraced the trend by wearing a blazer with leather accents on the sleeves. I love the way she styled the blazer, casual yet still very chic.

Olivia’s Outfit

Here, Olivia styled her blazer with a pair of denim jeans and a burgundy top. And to top it off, she accessorized the outfit with a gold statement necklace and a pair of color-block pumps. I happened to own a similar blazer, so I decided to re-create Olivia’s look with my own interpretation.

My Take

Blazer – H&M; Shirt – F21; Skirt – H&M; Sunnies – Diva; Necklace – F21; Ear Cuff – H&M; Heels – Payless

Instead of denim jeans, I opted for a chambray shirt. It’s still a little bit too warm for fall, so I wore a skirt instead, in which I incorporated the burgundy color. I can’t wait for it to get a little bit colder. Being from the tropics, I’ve had enough of warm weather, gimme ’em Minnesota weather!

DIY – First Hair Cutting Attempt

This past weekend, I decided to take a major risk at cutting my own hair for the very first time. I have zero experience in cutting hair, I go to school for public relations for God sake! But I decided to do it anyway because I got so frustrated with not only the current state my hair is in, but also at the thought of looking for a professional hair stylist that will do the job.

Before

This is how my hair looks before it went under the knife. I had a blunt cut with no layers, so everything is pretty much the same length throughout except for my bangs. It looks fine when I first cut it because it was way shorter a la Elin Kling. My hair has since grew out and the blunt cut totally wears my hair down. I desperately wanted layers, but I’m very picky when it comes to how I want my layers done, and several hair stylist in the past had failed to fully understand my request and preference.

Elin Kling – The inspiration for my previous hair cut

Thus, I decided to take matters into my own hand. I figured, I paid attention during my past visits to the hair salon enough to kinda know how hair cutting works, or at least how to use hair cutting shears and thinners. Ballsy move, I know. I also looked up some YouTube videos on how to cut hair at home, but all I picked up from watching those videos are what NOT to do. The end results were not what I was expecting in the videos I watched. Do let me know if you came across any good videos for cutting hair at home!

So on to my DIY attempt! Viewer discretion is advised.

The evidence

Here’s the after pictures!

I’m really happy with how my hair turned out considering the fact that it’s my first time cutting it myself. I cut some layers to frame my face as well as some in the back to compliment my ombre better, though I was a little bit saddened that I had to trim off the lightest tips of my ombre to accommodate the layers, but I can always re-color it later. It definitely took a long time because I was going through some trial and error to see how best to cut the layers, such as at what angle and so on. I’m so glad with the results. Definitely no regrets!

How it looks when I curled it

So, will I ever go back to the salon? Probably… once in a while. Let’s just say that I’m soooo gonna save a lot of money from now on! Cheers!