When I asked Cynthia Guerra to describe her style, her answer made me smile. “I want to look like a gift,” she laughed. “I like to wear frills, patterns and colors that make me happy.” Here, the Long Beach-based baker, who’s known for her adorable Kawaii-style cakes, shares five outfits she put together in a week…
Above: Shirt: vintage. Dress: Free People. Jeans: Forever21. Hat: And Then. Socks: Sanrio, similar. Shoes: Nike SB.
T-shirt: Little Light. Skirt: Little Light, similar. Purse: Custom by Hello Sisi. Socks: Sanrio, similar. Shoes: Lisa Says Gah, similar.
“In high school, I loved theater and the idea of physically creating the characters in a story. For my personal style, I found inspiration from Kawaii culture. As a teen, I was always reading the latest Fruits Magazine, and at 16 I dyed my hair pink.”
“When my mom was a girl, she was really into Hello Kitty, but my grandparents couldn’t afford any of the items. So, when I was in first grade, my mom took me to a store to buy pencils, stationery and a backpack. She said she’d wanted those things as a little girl and was so happy that she could give them to me. My love for all the Sanrio characters took off from there.”
Top: thrifted, similar. Apron: White Bark Workwear. Jeans: Forever21, similar. Socks: Target. Shoes: Carel Paris.
“I started baking boxed mix cakes as a hobby in my early twenties, when I was living in Vegas and working in retail. For friends’ birthdays, I would always surprise them with cakes. Then I reached a point in my career where I felt like I had no direction. My mom suggested I take baking more seriously. The idea of pivoting to a new career scared me but in a good way.”
“When I turned 30, I moved in with my grandma in Long Beach, California, and signed up for the cheapest baking classes I could afford. Right before the pandemic, I got my first official baking job: a pastry baker at Susie Cakes. But when everything shut down, I was let go. During my time at home, however, I practiced every day. I baked and decorated cakes and posted them on Instagram. Then, one day, a stranger from Instagram asked if they could buy a cake. I worried that my work wasn’t good enough to sell, but I pushed myself. After that, I started selling more cakes and joining pop-ups, and my business has been growing ever since.”
Overalls: Ford x Sydney Sweeney collab, bought on Depop, similar. Top: pajama top from a shop in Chinatown. Shoes: Blundstones.
“I fell for these overalls because they represent two sides of me: cute and sweet, and being comfortable getting dirty and getting work done.”
“I wanted to decorate my headphones, so I bought a clear headphone case, glue adhesive, little charms, and pearls. I worked on it while watching my favorite shows, like Chef’s Table and The Peanuts. You know how people like doing puzzles? Making these headphones was like my version of a puzzle. I ended up decorating my phone and laptop, too.”
Top and skirt set: Garden of She. Socks: Urban Outfitters. Shoes: Converse.
“During my free time, I treat myself by visiting different bakeries. My favorite spots are Bub and Grandma’s, Colossus, and Okayama Kobo. When going on these solo dates, I always dress up. I work so hard, so why not have fun? Dressing up is a way of celebrating the life I’ve built.”
Thank you so much, Cynthia! You are wonderful.
P.S. More women share their week of outfits, including an author who scores the best finds at Target, and a designer who dresses like the rainbow.
(Photos by Nicki Sebastian.)
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