Nothing better than discovering a new place to spend my money. Especially if that place is stocked with fresh basics and witty accessories like Miel (it means “honey” in French and Spanish!) in Costa Mesa.
It’s a tiny space to be filled with so much style and whimsy tucked as it is in the warren of cool eateries and fun shops at OC Mix.
Miel is the first foray into retail by two SoCal girls Grace Lee and Kayla Park, old friends who met in school and share the same passion for kicky clothes with a bit of East Coast edge. They also love style on a budget so shopping here will not break the budget.
Miel carries L.A.-based Persee, Mustard Seed denim, and Lani California. The style is very much OC meets NYC with the expected drapey pants and kimonos alongside a distressed striped Tee from Rock and Rose and a made -for-the-club gold mesh shirt from Rehab.
Jewelry is mostly from Irvine’s Bearfruit and has a delicate but edgy feel with lots of potential for layering.
But my favorite thing at Miel are the witty clutches from Bam Forever (ok, so they maybe, kind of are rip-offs of Karen Walker’s iconic clutches from fall but they’re a tenth of the cost too!).
I got the denim “Faster, Better, Stronger” clutch – the yellow print adds a pop while the faded denim makes it neutral; win-win! (And it cost less than $30!)
Some of the styles skew a little young, but this is OC and no one lets age rules define them. There are plenty of basics (like the cool striped tee below) and grown up pieces like work-approp white button downs, scarf-hemmed leather jackets, cozy sweaters and the Merlot-colored bell-sleeved tunic I picked up to wear with satin evening trousers.
Miel is at 3315 Hyland at the OC Mix in SoCo. Check it out or go to Facebook/mielclothinghoney and Instagram/melclothinghoney to see their cool style.
Jewe
My Life in Shoes 