to wear... or not to wear...

spring and summer are slowly creeping upon us.  (not as fast as i'd like, quite frankly.  i'm a bit over this whole rain and chilly thing)  i am READY.  have switched out the wardrobe (perhaps a teeny bit early but i am eager) so bring it on!

the question was posed to me - what NOT to wear this summer.  i mulled it over a bit - and it's more thematic than specific.  what NOT to wear in summer?  anything too tight or too short.  let's be honest.  .01% of the population can pull it off.  and even those girls teeter on looking like a hoochie.  wearing something too tight does NOT make you look thinner - it makes you look bigger.  and too short - well that's just going to show your bits when you move the wrong way.  so DON'T.    another NOT for summer is anything too structured or overly "put together".  a head to toe "look" just "looks" like you're trying too hard.  and summer is SO not the time to try to hard.

this inevitably brings us to what TO wear, to avoid the above tribulations...  for me, summer is the time of the dress. it is the easiest possible piece of clothing imaginable.  it's one thing - you put it on and you're dressed.  how great is that?  then the fun part - the accessories.  add a belt and some heels -  you're dressed.  flat sandals?  you're casual.  but let's focus...  the dress.  aside from being ridiculously easy - it is also nice and cool, which is always a bonus.  there are literally dresses for every conceivable shape and size.  and for every possible occasion.  i am of course a HUGE fan of the tee shirt dress, as a logical extension of my love of the tee.  and they are out there in droves right now - American Apparel has some brilliant dresses for great prices, and the LA Made drapier versions are fantastic.  if you're feeling a little boho, the tie-dye Gypsy 05 tee -- LOVE....  if you're in an office and need to look a bit more "dressed" so to speak - i've become a bit obsessed with this Gypsy 05 silk shirt dress.  i've seen loads of others as well - they are out there in abundance...   you can also swing into the mix the tunic.  they're also out there EVERYWHERE - H&M has them in droves, and i am currently loving on this cute little number from Tolani...  go for an easy fit - not too tight, not too sloppy.  go for a length that works for you - a little bit above the knee works for almost everyone.  if you have killer legs - go a teeny bit shorter.  if you're feeling shy - throw on some leggings!   and develop a loving relationship with belts. makes one dress into two looks!

the bottom line is that spring and summer are the fun months - back to childhood - even if you're not on school vacation for the whole summer (and who doesn't wish we all were?) you can still take it easy a bit and take it down a notch - and that includes getting dressed.