Miss Couturable Author Noel Duan

As New York Fashion Week winds down, we're end capping our style coverage with an interview with another favorite fashion blogger, Miss Couturable, a.k.a. Noel Duan, 18, from San Jose, California. Not only does she cover obsessions like petticoats and Barbie (which I share!) but she also muses thoughtfully about summers past and future, and she smartly references key Vogue spreads from 1992. Plus, she wants to own a fro-yo machine. Is this girl my new best friend or what?

Why/when/how did you start blogging?
It was the summer before my junior year of high school, and I had just come back from journalism camp and was finishing up an internship with a local fashion designer. I was so fired up about NYC, fashion, and writing that I figured starting a blog would let me pour out the creative thoughts in my head.

Who are your favorite designers?
I adore Colleen Quen, a local designer who creates absolutely breathtaking couture pieces in a non-cliché East-meets-West sense. I have a lot of reverence for the artists in my community! Also, Christian Lacroix for his ability to remake historical costumes and bring out the timelessness of these opulent pieces -- I love how he pursued museum studies because I'm planning on studying art history myself. Akiko Ogawa, who's originally from Japan but she brings a playful Tokyo style to New York. And Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano for what they've done for Chanel and Christian Dior, respectively. Most of all though, I love the early female designers, such as Coco Chanel and Madeleine Vionnet. In a time when men (like Paul Poiret) were at the top of the fashion industry, they shook up the norms. Also, I met Alexander Wang at his studio this past summer (he used to attend my high school), and he has such an amazing aesthetic sense.

Favorite places/ways to shop?
My friends hate shopping with me because I take it so seriously! While I was interning in New York City last summer, I visited designer sample sales every weekend -- and sometimes even after work. It was wonderful to be able to find my favorite Botkier bag and my current favorite little black dress from By Francine for much lower prices. I am a huge fan of Target for everything from headbands to ankle socks to day dresses. Some other favorite stores (local and chain) include Anthropologie, Anne Fontaine, Ooma, H&M, J. Crew, and Uniqlo. Keeping with my obsession for discounted goods, I bought my favorite pair of Sonia Rykiel sandals from the invite-only shopping site, ideeli.com. I also love browsing Gilt Groupe, Editor's Closet, and HauteLook -- I'm unhealthily addicted to private online sales. The internet's making shopping too easy, heh.

What's on your wish list right now?
I'm saving up or looking for a poofy crinoline skirt or petticoat with lace trim, Stella McCartney two-tone pumps, a particular black-and-white Vera Wang gown for prom, a sequined Balmain jacket, more headbands for when I'm actually having a good hair day, tiny delicate purses to balance the period of my life when I obsessed over tote bags, and more stockings because I always rip them. Fashion aside, I'd also like to own my own frozen yogurt machine.

Who are your style muses?
Being a short and petite girl, it's harder to find inspiration for myself in tall and leggy models. I love Miroslava Mikheeva-Duma, a contributor for Russian Harper's Bazaar. She pulls off the most daring silhouettes to complement her small frame.

Best reader comment you've ever gotten?
Casey of Teen Fashionista wrote, "I genuinely hope we are friends (and/or coworkers) in New York City years from now." I was asking my readers to tell me something I need to know about them. I actually met Casey last summer because we were both interning in the city. That particular comment made me realize how much smaller of a world blogging can create -- that a college student from Missouri could have frozen yogurt with a high-school student from California in a city they're both just becoming familiar with.

Sigh. You know you love Miss Couturable now. Go visit her often, and leave some love.