Here’s what Mai wears out to hear live music — a short skirt because she knows she won’t be sitting much anyway, and extra comfy shoes for the same reason.
Her V-neck sweater is Comme des Garcons for Play. It comes with the creepy little heart.
I’m pretty covetous of Mai’s pink sequin skirt, though I doubt I’d get the use out of it she does. For example, I’d wear it on New Year’s Eve; she wears it grocery shopping.
Who makes a sequin skirt with pockets? F. House, a Ho Chi Minh City-based designer — Mai spent several months in Vietnam recently. The skirt is a sample that never went into production.
Mai’s shoes are by Ann Demeulemeester. Great for travel, and for round about the cauldron goings on.
And again, a little something happening at the heel.
Her bag is also Comme des Garcons. It’s a Beach Ball Handbag and has big leather knots on either side.
Mai did her hair in about fifteen seconds by rolling it up from the bottom and securing with bobby pins. I don’t know why more women don’t use bobby pins anymore. They make it so easy to pull your hair back in an interesting way.
Mai loves to jump in photos. She’s an instigator of jumping photos too. Tomorrow, join us for Mai’s Secretary About Town look.
Mighty Girl 
gasp! ann demeulemeester AND comme des garcons in the same post! drool!
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I love Mai and this series.
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Hooray to pictures of Mai jumping!
I would be all over bobbie pins if I only knew how to use them. Anyone want to teach a gal how? Someone somewhere on some blog must have a vintage instructional diagram for rolling and pinning…
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Zan? Ima tutorial your ass. You asked for it.
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Please tutorial my ass too. I feel like I could do a lot more with my curls if I knew something simple like that.
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Mai is a fashion superhero. The skirt is happy, shiny fun!
Also, yes for a hair tutorial, please. Tips for dealing with hair that bends most bobbie pins without mercy would also be fabulous. Please and Thank you.
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Maybe its a regional thing but everyone around here uses bobby pins… I use them to get rid of my bangs when they are irritable and seriously my kids wear them to school ALL the time…
so maybe they are enjoying a resurgence in popularity!
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I like to do a messy braided bun thing with a thin elastic and then improve upon the mess with some bobby pins. I love them!
Back in high school, too, when my hair was all dyed and crunchy, I used to set my hair in pincurls at night for texture, and then in the morning I’d take out the curls, shake out, and pin everything *back* up with the same pins in a looser configuration.
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I would cut a bitch for that skirt.
A most unladylike thing to say, I know, but nevertheless true.
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At first, I thought Mai Le got a hair cut, and then I got to the part about the bobby pins. I can’t get those little suckers to stay in my hair. It just falls down regardless of the few hundred I use for reinforcements
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Please tell me you have 362 more days of Mai? And please let one of them include a shot of Mai in her sleep gown? I’ve never met a girl with a prettier pajama. That is NO LIE.
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This woman is just gorgeous.
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Love it. Especially the shoes.
I have trouble with normal bobby pins because they spring backwards out of my curly hair, injuring passers-by.
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I love this series, but it would be great to see someone who doesn’t dress entirely in expensive/exclusive designer brands and still manages to look good! When I saw that Mai’s sweater cost more than $300 I think my heart stopped.
(Thanks for profiling someone who isn’t a tall skinny blonde supermodel though.)
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Thanks for everyone’s comments (Especially the BS peeps – hi!). And for Maggie taking/posting flattering photos.
@cee – my sweater actually cost me $30 at Cross Roads, a Bay Area vintage store that other Mighty Closet peeps have shopped at as well.
I mix vintage and new stuff pretty liberally, leaning mostly towards vintage (my wardrobe is at least 85% vintage). So this outfit (not counting the shoes or handbag – which was a gift) was $100: $30 for the sweater, $65 for the skirt, and for the $5 tights. I feel like that is affordable for statement pieces, like the skirt.
I’m pretty sure I don’t spend anymore on clothes than the average 20-30 something woman, and I suspect that I sometimes spend a whole lot less.
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One more thing. I concede that I may have more “statement” pieces in my wardrobe than most. š
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She is so adorable! I love the skirt; but I would never have the guts to wear it.
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Oh, I am a proud supporter of bobby pins. CVS sells a great no slip kind. Start with those!
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I love this outfit. Much more flattering and great that she wears it grocery shopping. The shoes look so comfortable.
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I love that the women featured have such great individualized style! Very few of the outfits would suit me or my personal style, but that doesn’t matter and I don’t get the impression that’s what this series is about anyway. I love it! And I too love that pink sequin skirt.
For hair that won’t submit to regular bobby pins – try a chignon pin. You can find them at funky old beauty supply stores, or online – just google.
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mai, that you manage to find some of my favorite brands (and such lovely statement pieces) on a budget pretty much makes you an actual superhero.
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Mai is killing it with that pink sequin skirt. It contrasts perfectly with the black top and tights.
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I am so coveting all of Mai’s shoes! Also her clearly way advanced thrifting/vintage clothes-fu.
(I’d also welcome that roll with bobby pins tutorial. Although I suspect it would take approx. 1000 bobby pins to actually secure my hair.)
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am I the only one that’s not so enamored with everything thrifty and vintage? I think people (Not Mai, not any of the other closet ladies, but others in general) need to focus more on quality pieces and not just loving something because it’s $5 and used to be expensive. You know why it’s $5 now? Because its shabby and looks like crap. Yes, it has history, whatever. But pilled sweaters, frayed cuffs, scuffed shoes, etc., make a ragamuffin, not a fashion maven.
I long for a time when people wear well-fitting clothing that’s in good shape. I guess I’ll just never understand this trend.
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I love this woman!
Scunci makes a nice curved bobby pin that can lie flat against your head. I have thick hair and use these in combination with large hair pins (open wider than your standard bobby pin) with good results.
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@Nicole – I think it definitely depends on where you live. The thrift stores in my town are full of old, ragged crap, because it’s not a particularly fashion-forward or wealthy town. There are no stylish rich people donating their old clothes! I would never in a million years find a Comme des Garcons sweater in a shop here.
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YES. I love the skirt!!! And the whole outfit.
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Wait. You mean people mean sleep in something other than old tee shirts? Bring on the pretty pajama!
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