Cheryl Marie Cordeiro

La Agrade cerise canvas flats from Lacoste.
Photo for CMC: Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

White canvas shoes from Bata designed in a similar fashion to the ones shown above, were a staple in the school uniform when I was growing up. Admittedly not as elegant or sleek as the ones above from Lacoste, the canvas shoes from Bata twenty to thirty years ago were heavier soled and came in an all white canvas top that we had blancoed every weekend to get them pristine looking again for the following week at school. The front of the white canvas school shoes were also cut deeper and were known as ‘boat shoes’ because of their shape. I appreciated those shoes for their design because of how I could easily slip into them in a hurry – a practical detail for the days when I just could not get out of bed early enough for school.

Pink shoes albeit in canvas, are still not part of the Singapore school uniform code today, where white canvas shoes are preferred.

I’ve been through many pairs of shoes through the years, both casual and formal in function and many of them for everyday office wear. And if I had to pick out the more comfortable types of shoes to wear, I would have to say that flat canvas shoes rank high on that list of shoes that are kind to your feet.

I once read that the idea of ‘breaking in’ to a pair of new shoes is a myth – the shoes either fit you and are comfortable from the moment you put them on, or they blister your feet and will continue to do so even after several occasions of use. These pink canvas flats from Lacoste were perfect first time around!

Leaf patterns on the inner soles are reflected embossed on the outside and on the soles of the shoes.

What I’m loving about the twist on these canvas shoes from Lacoste is not just the pop of colour they add to your outfit when you wear them, but its details – the white leaf pattern imprint runs on the insoles and is reflected embossed on the front and undersides of the shoes.

These shoes give a perfect spring / summer holiday feel, with the knowledge that school days are long gone and you can well go ahead and buy whatever canvas shoes you like, in whatever rainbow colour you prefer.

By the road, in nautical, flower picking.
Photo © J E Nilsson for CMC, 2009

It took me years to get over my loathe of horizontally striped clothes, to see them as chic or flattering after a girl friend of mine once commented that a red and white striped t-shirt I had on was the ugliest thing she had ever seen.

It also didn’t help that one of the first fashion basics that we learnt in school was that horizontally striped clothes tended to make the body look broader whilst vertically striped clothes tended to lengthen the body.

But growing up, you often learn to unlearn what others have taught you or have impressed upon you through the years and these days, I don’t think much about wearing horizontal stripes. In fact, I think these nautically themed tops such as this black and white striped jumper from H&M can look effortlessly chic, depending on what you choose to pair it with.

While nautical is all the season’s rage on the runways, from Armani in Italy to Ralph Lauren in the USA in both menswear and womenswear, Gothenburg is a harbour city where come summer, you’ll find more nautically inspired clothing out on the streets as staples than perhaps any other city in Sweden. People often throw over a sailing jacket in white and navy or red and navy, that is both wind and waterproof when out shopping, paired with leather docksides. Here, nautically themed clothes are an indication of the city’s history and heritage as a trading port and home to the Swedish East Indiaman company and its ships some 300 years ago.

While April doesn’t usually allow for bare legs and shorts, Sweden seems to be experiencing a warm spell these weeks, with summer weather already here in the middle of spring. The clear blue skies are encouraging people to take to their hobby in sailing, and a view of several sailing boats at sea is exactly what you’ll find in the archipelago region along the Swedish west coast.

In this post, I’ll be sharing a few different looks with a single striped top.

For something casual (shown in the first picture above), I’ve paired the striped top with a pair of black woollen shorts from Warehouse and a pair of patent leather ballerina shoes from Marc Jacobs, as an alternative to docksides.

By the shadow of a picket fence: Marc Jacobs ballerinas in red patent leather with contrasting pink bows.

Keeping the red patent, pink bowed shoes, the top also works when worn with white shorts for another casual look (pictured below). These white cotton shorts are from Bay Trading from the UK, a company that sell quality items at affordable prices. I like how these shorts tend to look like a mini-skirt from the way it has been cut and sewn.

For something more dressed up, shorts are good to pair with heels, the trend being seen on the runways since 2006 with Luella and Gucci both having their own renditions of shorts with heels.

L’Autre Chose brogue mules with tie front detail.

In my own ensemble, I’ve paired the black and white top with white shorts and a pair of L’Autre Chose brogue detailed mules. I find mules, even stilettoed ones, less dressy than courts and quite common a shoe form in more tropical climates, which make them perfect for a smart casual do with shorts. Espadrilles are another favourite of mine to pair with shorts.

Nautical black and white top with white shorts, paired with the L’Autre Chose shoes.

An inspirational multimedia clip from Bill Cunningham, On the Street: a show of legs in Paris (22 March 2009) shows in pictures, how wonderful it is to have legs as a fashion feature, be it in early spring or summer. And I think here, shorts have also gained in popularity as an item to be worn paired with dark leggings and heels; a look that elongates your legs without the use of vertical stripes.

In my ensemble, I’ve paired the black wool shorts with a pair of black patent leather, pointed toe stilettos from Roberto Cavalli. No leggings necessary in this weather, if it keeps up. Cavalli is one of my favourite designers because he never loses sight of what is feminine in a woman, and puts that theme consciously into his designs in women’s clothes, shoes and bags.

Black and white top with black Warehouse shorts and Roberto Cavalli heels.

Roberto Cavalli black patent leather stilettos.

As an indication of the warm weather, here’s a happy bunch of Easter lilies, basking in the warmth of the summer temperatures in spring.

Yellow Easter lilies basking in the early summer warmth.

Enjoy the warm weather upcoming!

Angelina Jolie for St. John

Scandinavia has varying codes of dress for the PhD viva voce, with Hanken in Finland being one of the most formal in terms of ceremonial rites and dress, up to and including how family members should dress and where they should sit during the event i.e. in the front rows of the examination hall. A brief extract from their website, translated from Swedish to English, on dress codes for the viva include:

The respondent chooses how s/he wants to be dressed and the opponent acts accordingly. For men, it is a choice between an evening dress or a dark suit. If tailcoats are chosen, the vests should be in black. In Finland, a PhD public defense is never conducted wearing a blazer or sweater. For women, the basic rule is that the dress or suit should be black. A white blouse and white accessories are fine. If you want to be hyper-correct, then wear only pearls as jewellery: they are white. At some colleges there are “defense caps” to borrow.

Opponent (the opponent) and kustos have their hats with the Act. They wear the hat on the left arm with the emblem facing forward during the entry and put the hat on the table in front of them when seated. The emblen on the hat should face the audience.

The family, friends and colleagues of the family should be slightly dressed-up. The next-of-kin should also be seated at the front of the examination hall. The viva however, is an open event and all who wish to attend can do so, regardless of dress. Acquaintances and those who intend to leave before the viva has finished, should be seated further back in the room, so that they can leave the hall without attracting attention.

Continue reading “Project LBD (Little Black Dress)” →

Draped emerald green top by Vogue. Green is the feng shui color of renewal, fresh energy and new beginnings. Combined with purple some believe that it will even be good for generating wealth.
Photo for CMC © Jan-Erik Nilsson, 2009.

It’s finally spring and the days are getting longer up in the Nordic countries. And who’s not looking for something fresh and new to start up the season with?

According to conventional feng shui wisdom all shades of the color green is good for revitalising energy. So in that sense, green in its various shades and hues can be used to this effect. Lillian Too, a fengshui expert, also believes that green is the colour to wear for 2009 for the purposes of attracting financial success.
Continue reading “Draped emerald green top” →

A pair of strappy ankle shoe boots with cone shaped heels by UK designer, Jasper Conran.
Photo for CMC by: Jan-Erik Nilsson © 2009.

I’m absolutely in love with cone shaped heels at the moment! I find Rodarte’s and Lanvin’s renditions of the cone shaped heel from 2008 sexiest! Chloé’s are elegant in shape and form, and in this post, you see Jasper Conran’s chunkier rendition of the cone shaped heel.

These shoe boots from Jasper Conran are made in antiqued leather with a softly rounded toe and brass details on loose fitting straps around the tops. The strappy design is a nod to Chloé’s strappy and wrapped boots design from previous seasons, and Conran’s loosely draped straps at the top of the booties, make them good for a casual or dress down day. Continue reading “Jasper Conran’s cone shaped heel booties” →