Chriselle Lim Is In Her “Baddie” Era

Anyone who counts themself as one of Chriselle Lim’s millions of followers can account for the fact that she’s quite the open book. Yes, the content creator and Phlur founder is happy to divulge all manner of style secrets and tips, but she’s also quite honest about her personal life as well. Over the years, Lim’s loyal fan base has followed along as she’s navigated college, dating, marriage, divorce, and life as a single mom, watching her evolve in more ways than one. Most recently, the L.A. resident announced her engagement to Sebastian Manes, marking yet another new chapter. A storyteller at heart, Lim loves how her life journey has played out in her personal style.

“I think style is a representation of where you’re at in your life and an extension of you, essentially,” she says on recent phone call with TZR. “I think it really represents where you’re at mentally and emotionally. Postdivorce, I think my style definitely got a lot more simple and clean, and I think that was very intentional. I feel good in just simple classic looks, but adding kind of an edge to it, like sleek, minimal with a dash of coolness because I do feel like a baddie in this era of my life.”

A perfect example of this is Lim’s look for the Chanel Fall/Winter 2025 show in Paris on March 11. Amid the pearl-covered tweed sets, the 39-year-old opted for a metallic skirt and hoodie set that read very L.A. cool girl. “It had kind of this futuristic element to it, but then I layered my own personal kind of leather coat on top of it,” says Lim. “One, it was cold, but two, I appreciate that Chanel always encourages us to give [looks] our own spin. So, just adding that element of my everyday kind of coat, made me really feel like myself.”

It’s because of this symbiotic, collaborative effort that has made Lim a “Chanel girl” for more than a decade now. The entrepreneur says she loves that the brand encourages her to infuse her personality into any and all looks. “I appreciate that with a brand like Chanel, which has so much heritage and [POV] on how they want things to look, it’s really important that outfits feel authentic to their ambassadors and who really represents the company.”

Also, to be clear, it’s Chanel. The 115-year-old label has been a longstanding pillar of luxury style for good reason, something that isn’t lost on Lim. “I really identify with [the Chanel girl] — she’s modern, she’s classic, she’s sophisticated, but there's an element beyond just like aesthetics,” she explains. “There’s this real authenticity about Chanel, the craftsmanship, and the DNA of the brand. They’ve been super consistent through the years even post Karl [Lagerfeld]. I just think that they’ve been really consistent of representing who that girl is, and she’s fun, she’s confident, she’s cool.”

Indeed, the same can be said of Lim, who has become the poster child for laid-back California-cool living. Even in her go-to everyday formula of baggy jeans, T-shirt, and boxy blazer, the style star exudes an effortless sophistication. But perhaps this all boils down to her commitment to authenticity. In fact, when the topic of fashion’s never-ending trend cycle comes up, Lim is quick to note she’s not one to follow a fad. That is, however, unless the aesthetic in question speaks to her on a personal level.

“I do love that the ’90s are back full throttle, because that was the era I grew up in,” she says. “I remember the baggy jeans that I used to wear and the little crop tops and the rib tanks. It’s still a big part of who I am because that’s how I used to dress, but now it might be in a more elevated version. I am a ’90s girl at heart, so I love to see it back.”