Fashionista Of The Month
– Michelle Elena O’Neill –
Interview
1) We would love to get to know you more, tell us a little bit about yourself.
Hello, my name is Michelle Elena and I was born and raised in Southern California. I am your average working girl who seeks to be creative in every aspect of my life, which birthed my lifestyle blog- Revel and Row. When I am not working on my blog I like to spend time with friends, family and my fur babies. Aside from my love for fashion I also have a love for food and hockey (GO DUCKS!).
2) How & when did you first become interested in fashion?
I would say that I’ve always loved fashion but in my teenage years I was very shy and sheltered and often felt misunderstood. This is when I really started to get into fashion and express who I was through the way I dressed. I think Rachel Zoe said it best, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” Through my style, I was really able to grow in my confidence and express myself.
3) Where is your favorite place to shop and why?
Oh gosh, just one place? I would say Goodwill is an always favorite. Shopping at Goodwill really challenges my creative and allows me to make something new out of something old. Shopping at goodwill also gives you the opportunity to try out new trends without spending a ton of cash. Aside from Goodwill my current online store obsession is SHEIN.com, I was able to get a dupe of my favorite designer shoes for just $30!
4) What is your must have accessory?
My must have accessory is to wear something that means a lot to me and gives encouragement and confidence throughout the day. Often that is a piece that someone has purchased for me or that I have purchased myself that has a great significance. Currently that is my Zoe Chicco ring. It is something I have worn religiously for the past couple months. There is a lot of love behind that ring and it is constant reminder that I am not the only one who believes in me.
5) What is your favorite season and why?
Anyone who knows me knows that I am freezing more often than not. So spring and summer are my favorite seasons. I think it’s that Costa Rican blood in me that is always seeking warm weather. I often find myself daydream about being in a bikini on the warm sand.
6) Where do you get your fashion inspiration from?
Location location location. A venue can really set the mood for my style. Last summer one of my friends got married in Malibu, in the months to come before her wedding she shared with me all her plans for the venue, it was beautiful. I was so inspired by the location that I started to come up with this idea of what I wanted my dress to look like, to really compliment the location. I wanted a long flowy backless floral dress. Of course when you have something so particular set in mind its becomes almost impossible to find. So I ended up designing and sewing my own dress for the occasion. It was such an incredible feeling to wear something that I created on my own.
7) What does your typical day look like?
Cuddling with my cats. Just Kidding! No, but really. They are quite distracting. On days that I don’t work I really like to plan them out, even if that means vegging out on my bed watching hours of Netflix, I like to pencil it in. My days usually consist of cleaning my space first; otherwise I just can’t get anything done. Once the space is to my liking I sit down at my desk and usually plan things out for my blog. Recently my days have consisted of two DIY projects, double buckle belts and velvet ribbon necklaces.
8) What are your future goals, in general?
I’d like to say that I am Jill of all trades and a master of none, but my ultimate goal is to be a master at one. Short term wise I would love to learn a new language, preferably Spanish since half of my family speaks Spanish, long term wise I hope to make a career doing something I am passionate about and I am passionate about people and style.
9) What makes you feel most beautiful?
On the surface level, shoes. Shoes are my thing, doesn’t matter how big or small you are, shoes will always fit. There are never ending styles and I just love the way I feel when I have a killer pair of shoes on. On a deeper level I would say being biracial makes me feel beautiful. I am half Costa Rican and half Irish, my parents came from two different worlds and I feel so beautiful to come from family where I get to experience two cultures.
10) What makes your heart beat?
What really makes my heart beat is building the confidence of others. I had such a lack of confidence growing up and now that I have it I want to share it with everyone. I love being able to help the ones around me feel confident, especially with their style.
Get to know Michelle more on instagram;
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