Your Summer Shopping List Could Use a Dash of Vanilla Extract

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Nichole Ciotti is reveling in summer with a steady stream of white pieces: A chambray shirt with a white, lace, daisy skirt. Destroyed denim cutoffs with a ladylike white jacket. A white skater dress with a swiss dot lace inset. Upon hearing about the abundance of white in her wardrobe, it would be easy to dismiss Nichole's choices as bland. That would be a mistake. Spend a few minutes scrolling through this East Bay resident's blog, Vanilla Extract, and you'll see that Nichole knows how to add a splash of flavor to any outfit. Whether it's a jaunty hat, a wildly-printed bag, or killer heels, this style star's taste is anything but blah.

Name/hood/day job? Nichole Ciotti / East Bay / Blogger

When did you launch Vanilla Extract? I launched in August 2012 shortly after my boyfriend and I moved to the Bay Area from Tampa, FL. It was a way to chronicle our adventures and share things I was passionate about.

What makes you blog? Passion! I love creating content and have always been able to express myself best through writing. An outfit helps me express who I am that day and what I'm feeling. I love telling a story through both photography and writing.

Who takes your photos? My boyfriend, Brian. He edits all of them too (in addition to running all things website-related). He's a rockstar. I couldn't do it without him!

Tell us something about yourself we would have never guessed. When I was 13 years old my parents took me on a Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen fan cruise. I was obsessed with them growing up. I told my mom it was my "life goal" to meet them (12 year old Nichole talking here) and she made it happen. I really appreciate them as business women and am inspired by their style now, but I've outgrown the obsessed fangirl thing.

You're at work, and you get an email inviting you to a fabulous, dressed-up affair. You're wearing ripped jeans and loafers and don't have time to go home and change. What's your strategy? Oh boy. Is my office located near Nordstrom? That would be ideal. However, if push came to shove, I'd resort to a bold red lip or graciously decline.

How would you describe your sartorial personality and which Bay Area store best matches it? My sartorial personality is simple, but dynamic. I love chic and classic looks, but also have a bit of a tough, edgier side. Azalea Boutique in Hayes Valley gets me, but I can usually be found in Nordstrom.

If you had to sacrifice one, what would it be: lipstick, mascara or brow pencil/gel? I'd forgo the brow pencil/gel because I'd feel naked without lipstick or mascara!

What's your favorite thing about living in San Francisco? I love that it's at the center of innovation. People are solving problems and they're passionate about it. The energy is contagious here and it motivates me.

In five years I hope to be [fill in the blank] …Beyonce. —Additional reporting by Kristen Phillipkoski
· Vanilla Extract [Official Site]
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