OLIVE POPE

More and more in the recent months I have had my style compared to the likes of Scandal superstar Olivia Pope, played by the gorgeous Kerry Washington.  I am always left humbled by the comments and take pride in my ability to craft sophisticated, sexy, yet "edgy" looks that connect with women all over the world.  Over the years I have watched my style develop and grow with me as I began to blossom professionally and personally. Long gone are the days of my bright pink crop tops, yellow pumps and polka dot peplums... today I am in the best place of my life and I am so thrilled that my style meets me right where I am.  But the real MVP is this little girl in the background rocking this pink tutu. Yes Honey.... You better #SLAY in my picture!!!

So as you can see, I have a thing for neutrals, like all year long..... Literally, it doesn't matter the season, I am keeping the minimalist colors on repeat. For this look, I pulled out my olive trench vest I copped from Target for the astonishing $39.99 as my center piece. As I advise my clients, creating an outfit around ONE dominate piece helps to maintain balance and focus.  By centering in on one specific key item the rest of the fit falls fashionably in the background where it belongs.  By doing this, you nail a chic look that doesn't look fussy and busy by making everything the center of attention.

A question that always seems to come up during style consultations is if it's okay to wear so many dark colors in the summer. "Like won't I be hot??" they ask. The answer is "Absolutely it's okay and no you should not be hot." Deep hues aren't reserved exclusively for the cooler months; the key is simply finding the balance of materials and fabric choices within your outfit so that you stay cool in the dark colors.

For this complete look I decide to do a simple layering effect with my vest and rocked this little white bralette from Forever 21 (super airy) and a basic black long pencil skirt in a summer knit which is essentially a light-weight material.  On the feet, I pulled out my clear heels from Ego to further emphasize the "breezy" look.

Cari's Look: Bralette Forever 21 | Skirt Rachel Roy | Heels Ego | Handbag Halston Heritage

Photography Credit: Chan Vu