Juicy Fruits: Cherry

Back again with another "kawaii" fruit: cherries! I was surprised to learn that in the US their season is in June. I thought they were a winter fruit for some reason. I guess I associated their deep red color with that of pomegranates, which are a winter fruit here in the US. Anyway, cherries are by far one of the cutest fruits that I can think of. 

Real cherries don't blush/have faces. But they're so round, and round=cute.

They're popular as prints as well:

Polka-dotted cherries would be cute and hopefully yummy.

And they're used to make the classic, American dessert of cherry pie. Personally, I don't like cherry pie or cooked cherries. I think they're a great summer snack when they're fresh. None of that's the main point, though! They're cute and classic, so they inspired an adorable vintage look.

 

First, start off with a bright cherry-red skirt. Its classic A-line shape harkens back to the era of circle skirts and polka dots. The take on the vintage look is perfection when topped with a crisp tie-front, white sleeveless shirt. The tie-front reminded me of cherry leaves. I added a pair of sweet, peep-toe, red gingham, pumps. The classic American print reminds me of picnics and summer. Carrying a sage-green purse evokes the cherry leaves, and the soft color is a nice compliment to the red and brings the freshness factor of summer. A delicate silver ring with a cherry blossom is the perfect way to accessorize the look. A spritz of a fruity scent like Escada: Cherry in the Air which features notes of black cherry, raspberry and other sweet fruits will definitely brighten up your day. Finally, a bright cherry-red lip is the cherry on top of the cute, cherry-inspired vintage summer look. 

Do you like cherries? What do you think of vintage-inspired outfits? What's your favorite color to wear in the summer?

Outfit Math 201: Business Formal

Business formal. It gives the best of us a lingering feeling of dread. But it doesn't have to be that way. 
Be the talk of your office: in a good way, and dress to impress.
The basis of any business formal wear is a nice, tailored suit. A pantsuit, skirt suit, really, any suit is acceptable. It must be in a business color: black, navy, charcoal, dark grey. You want to tell the world, "I mean business! Take me seriously". 
No matter which suit you settle on, you need a shirt under it. It's quite against any dress code without one. A beautiful silk blouse in a flattering color would do your suit justice.
Sensible shoes don't have to be unattractive. Black goes with everything, and a classic style like a mid-heel pointy pump will serve you for your career. Unless the shoes are ruined somehow. Then you ought to get a new pair. 
The purse, the briefcase, the career sac. Whatever you call it, it must match your shoes! This is business formal, and once again, a black bag in a classic silhouette will last forever. It can hold your iPhone, your Blackberry, your pager, your agenda, your personal cell phone, your iPad, your laptop, breath mints, wallet, and spare flats. Basically, it holds your life.
Office perfume should only be strong enough that a person hugging you would be able to smell it. That is all. Not even a person sitting next to you at a boring meeting should smell it. It should be a nice, clean smell, nothing too exciting and nothing gourmand or sexy. (Read: no sweet, fruity, cupcake, cookie, anything you can eat scents). Graduate from middle school.
A great watch, like this minimalist design, will serve you well. You can discreetly check the time during said boring meeting. Counting the seconds till the end of the day always helps it go by faster.

Cheekiness aside, business formal is one of the easiest dress codes to figure out, because it's rather formulaic. Suit, shirt, watch, bag, shoes. Now take those calls with confidence!  

Black Tie

Boss Lady

You mean business. You're Miranda Priestly, Anna Wintour, Sheryl Sandberg, Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton and thousands of other powerful women out there who get things done. Nothing can get in your way and in your sky-high booties. These boots were made for walking, indeed.