Fruit, Flowers, & Fashion

Feast your eyes and treat your taste buds as you salivate over some delicious fruit, beautiful flowers, and flawless fashion.

Strawberries and blueberries and raspberries and blackberries, oh my!  I want to pledge allegiance to berries and nail art galore this summer.  I took the photo on the left at my favorite farmer's market, and I have to admit that mouthwatering red and blue summer fruits make me that much more thankful for this wonderful country as Independence Day rolls around the corner.  Now I have to let you in on a little secret - the Ciate Caviar Manicure Kit in Red, White, & Blue pictured on the right was actually introduced for the summer Olympic games of 2012 that were held in Great Britain, but it's my manicure of choice anyways for this Fourth of July.  Shhhh, no one ever has to know.

Red, white, blue's in the sky

Summer's in the air and

Baby, heaven's in your eyes

                                                        -Lana Del Ray, "National Anthem"

Ah, the very pink of perfection.  From freshly washed flowers to delicate designer dresses, I have a weak spot for anything and everything pink.  The Diane von Furstenberg 'Machava' Cutout Shift Dress from Nordstrom for $325 shown on the left can be found here, and it is perfect for a dressy brunch or an outdoor event.  Pair it with a neutral blazer and kitten heels and it could even be office appropo!

Who knew palm trees could spruce up both Sunday brunch and the classic pant and blouse combo?  The palm tree fruit platter is a super easy way to get creative and make it look like you cut fruit for a living.  All you need are kiwis, bananas, and either clementines or blueberries, depending on whether you want to illustrate the sand or the sea.  The pants suit on the right can be found on Mickey's Girl's blog - a trendy and generally inexpensive online boutique I adore.

Step into the pretty little patch of dandelions on my neighborhood's golf course that I captured on camera and make a wish!  I'll tell you my wish if you tell me yours...I wish for the Sanctuary Braided Belt Lace Trim Dress from Nordstrom pictured on the left found here!  After all it's on sale right now, down 40% from $148.00 to $88.80.  It's perfect over a bathing suit or paired with sandals or booties for a casual summer look.

My favorite summer fruit is watermelon, and my favorite summer item of clothing is a bikini, obviously.  How else am I supposed to regain the tan all my Northern friends think I was blessed with at birth?  People from Florida are pasty in the winter too, folks!  But we glow in the summer because everyone knows shirts and shoes are not required when the sun's shining during the glorious months between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  So give me a slice of Lilly Pulitzer's Boardwalk Bikini Top pictured on the left!  You can find it here for $68, and all of Lilly's swimwear is mix-and-match and available in many different patterns.  

Believe me, I love a big bouquet of red roses just as much as the next girl (even if the giver is my dear old dad).  But there's something about wildflowers that gets me every time.  Wildflowers are so colorful and beautiful when they ripple with the wind, and I always stuck them behind my ear and gave them to my mom as presents when I was little, so I guess I'm nostalgic.  I promise that you will relive the carefree giddiness left behind in your childhood if you put on the V&K Studio Balloon Dress pictured on the left ($285), make a wreath of wildflowers for your hair, and run barefoot through a meadow.  And if you can't fit frolicking into your busy schedule, wear the dress and walk briskly through the parking lot on your way to work or school - same effect guaranteed.

Let me list some of the many health benefits of grapefruit: it curbs hunger, helps lower "bad" LDL cholesterol levels and triglycerides, boosts metabolism which can help you drop a few pounds, and firms skins by helping produce healthy collagen.  So cut a ripe one in half and take a big bite, and you can thank me later.  If you want to try a homemade exfoliating grapefruit face wash, you can find directions here (a super simple DIY - tested and loved by yours truly).  Now let me list some of the many fashion benefits of the Mara Hoffman Printed Sleeveless Column Shift Dress pictured on the right: it can easily be dressed up or down, the vibrant color looks wonderful with every skin tone, it looks great paired with flat sandals, heels, or wedges, the slit neck encourages you to accessorize with one of your favorite chunky necklaces, and the funky pattern is perfect for summer.  You can buy this dress from Bloomingdale's for $299 here.

I have been crazy about cherry blossoms ever since I visited the Jefferson Memorial during my fifth grade Safety Patrol field trip to Washington D.C. way back in the day.  While all the other kids were taking selfies together, I was exercising my youthful photography skills on the blossoming cherry trees...I had friends, I promise!  Not only am I a sucker for their exquisite shade of the palest of pinks, but their potent fragrance is memorable enough to have an entire line of products named after them at Bath and Body Works.  The Roland Mouret Piora Cross-Back Sheath Dress in Light Pink for $2,100 from Neiman Marcus pictured on the left can be found here.  Paired with nude pumps, this sleek feminine look is classic and striking.

Spotlight on Vogue

For all of you who worship Vogue as much as I do, you will love the feature "In Bloom: Floral Arrangements Inspired by the Spring Shows" by Katherine Bernard and Rebecca Stadlen.  Vogue asked florists to create arrangements inspired by a look from the spring collections.  Read the article here!

Photo courtesy of vogue.com

"There are always flowers for those who want to see them."

                                                 -Henri Matisse