One Haute Mess :: Marilyn

Marilyn eats, sleeps, breathes, bleeds and lives fashion, photography, art, music, food and extreme sports. Let’s learn more about her!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Marilyn Nguyen and I’m from Orange County, California. I am currently studying Marketing at CSUF. I love to get out as much as I can and be active. I enjoy going to the beach, surfing, snowboarding, and any fun or extreme activities. I have an obsession with shoes and accessories! My friends would tell me that I have a problem and I should seek help. HA HA! I also spend a large portion of my time browsing local shops, boutiques and retail stores for any new clothes that I can incorporate into a new outfit.



How did you become interested in fashion?
As long as I can remember, I’ve always been into fashion one way or another. As a kid, I loved diving into my mom’s closet and dressing myself up in her clothes, although they didn’t quite have the same look back then and the fit was a little less than perfect.



More recently, I have found myself transferring most of my paychecks directly to store purchases and ending up with one closet full of clothes after another. I really enjoy experimenting with different looks and styles. I love dressing up my younger sister and friends, and I often find myself donating items of clothing to complete looks here and there.

Reading fashion magazines, blogs and browsing through new trends has also fueled my passion for fashion.



What inspired you to start your own blog?
I’ve always wanted to start my own fashion blog and share my ideas, but I was too intimidated by many other fashionistas who has more style and creativity than me. After a great deal of persuasion from a couple of my close friends, I was finally pushed over the edge and I’ve been freefalling into it ever since. I always thought it would be great to have a way to track my own fashion throughout my life and see how it changed and progressed over the years. It has also become a great way for me to inform friends and loyal readers of any affordable deals on clothes and shoes that I come across. I’ve also had the chance to promote various fashion sites, brands and contests that I come across, and I’ve now had the opportunity to have my pictures featured on several sites! This will also help me build my portfolio if I want a position in the fashion industry.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
My dream would be to end up with a lifelong career related to fashion. I hope to pursue something in the field of fashion marketing or merchandising, and I’m always open to suggestions, comments and help. I’ve also considered the idea of starting my own online store to provide customers with easy access to fashionable and affordable clothing. Who knows, perhaps one day my own clothing line?



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
To be honest, I don’t think I could label my fashion as anything other than experimental. It tends to change from day to day and I love a variety of looks from punk / grunge to classy and elegant.

Currently, I have turned my sights to find cute grunge looks for the upcoming fall season. OR anything remotely close to Banana Republic, Stella McCartney, Gabriele Colangelo, Burberry Prorsum, or Hermes autumn 2010 look. :)



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
One of my favorite, personal fashion icons is Mary Kate Olsen because she wasn't afraid to take the road less traveled and put on the look less worn. But when it really comes down to it, I get most of my everyday fashion inspiration from other celebrities, designers, peers on chictopia / lookbook and my own imagination.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?.
I shop EVERYWHERE! From your local thrift stores to high end stores. I LOVE vintage shops and small boutiques, they usually have one-of-a-kind items that you won't see on anyone else.

Shops: Barneys, H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Zara, G-Star, Anthropology, etc...

Other Favorite Brands: H&M, Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, G-Star, Zara, etc...



Marilyn is both a contest winner and trendsetter at Mode Republic! Stay tuned for more inspirations from her!

Quality Rivets :: Lena Antonacci

Lena is the winner for the Most Flattering Look Contest. She is a buyer so she literally eats, breathes and lives for fashion! Let’s learn more about Lena!

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I live in Laval, Canada which is a suburb 10 minutes away from the famous Montreal. About 10 years ago, I obtained a degree in fashion marketing and now spend 40hrs/wk of my time working for a Canadian based fashion retailer as a Buyer. My dream job...I shop for a living :) I literally eat, breathe and live for fashion.



How did you become interested in fashion?
The earliest memory I can recall that would make me think began my love for fashion was back when I was approximately 10 years old. I had an aunt who was in her early 20's at the time and had a vast collection of Cosmopolitan magazines. I would sneak up in her room and try to look at as many of them as I could before getting caught. My parents weren't too keen on their little girl reading that stuff at that age. And that's when the little fashionista came to life :)



What inspired you to start your own blog?
What inspired me to start my blog was the fact that I might be able to inspire some girls out there to dress fashionable without having to spend a fortune. It's not always about brand names. All it takes is imagination and creativity. It will be 1 year in November that I'm blogging and I have to say that I'm addicted. I now post about anything. Outfits, personal, recipes, etc. I consider it a diary. I love blogging due to the fact that I've made so many friends from all over and have met some interesting people along the way.



What are your dreams and aspirations?
My ultimate dream is to be able to sew my own clothing as it is sometimes very difficult to find pieces that I'm interested in. My husband once bought me a sewing machine for Christmas with lessons included. The only thing stopping me is time & learning how to make my own patterns. I'm sure if I work hard enough I can make this aspiration of mine come true.



How would you describe your style? What’s your favorite look at this moment?
I would consider my style as being "broad". I try different looks all the time. Casual and sporty, romantic and vintage, trendy and eclectic, etc. It's no fun if you don't expand your fashion horizon. At the moment, seeing as I'm 6 months pregnant, my favorite look is baggy tops with leggings as it's the most comfortable outfit. However I still manage to make this basic look seem fashionable. Attached is an example. Basic leggings, basic loose fit top, but I jazzed it up with a gorgeous stripe blazer, suede platform wedges and of course a few accessories. I was comfortable but still trendy.



Where do you get your fashion inspirations?
Most of my fashion inspiration comes from magazines, fashion web sites and other bloggers. I absorb what I see and I interpret it to suit my taste and style.



Where do you shop? What are your favorite brands?.
My favorite brands are Alexander Wang & the Row, however they are not in my budget at the moment. So I make do with my favorite stores. H&M, Forever 21, Zara, & Aldo. I also thrift shop as you never know what you can find out there for incredibly cheap prices. Thrift shops are also great for any DIY projects I have in mind. As they say, "Someone's trash could be your treasure."



As you can see, Lena is 6 months pregnant and looking great!!! Congratulations Lena! We wish you all the best!