Wednesday 31 July 2013

Currently Coveting the Crop.

Fotor0731103514I've been told it's been a while since I did a CC, and I've had these on my mind for a good two months, so I think it's about time we discussed it. I find a lot of the trends I like lately to be very ironic, mainly because they 100% go against what my usual "style" has been. Grungier than usual, more Boho than I've ever been, and almost becoming a wee bit hippy like. My style is changing, and I'm loving the direction it's headed in, even if  I don't really know where that is just yet. One thing I have consciously done for as long as I can remember is not have my tummy be exposed. It's always been my main enemy of my body, never liked it and never wanted it on display. So imagine my surprise that every time I see an outfit with a crop top, I am in love. I want it. It needs. to. be. MINE.

Fotor0731103153 I have narrowed it down however, because it seems I do have some reservations for embracing the crop still. Let's be honest, this trend can go 50 shades of wrong, oh so very fast. The one person who has stood out as wearing this trend the best seems to be Nicole Richie (because seriously, she can do no wrong when it comes to fashion). She is a mother; and when she is wearing these outfits, they do not come across as trashy, they look very summery and cool. I think the key is how much tummy you're wanting to show off. Personally, anything belly button and below are kind of off limits, that's too much skin to be showing unless you're on a beach. Highlighting the teeniest part of your waist, with either a sliver or a bigger chunk is refreshing, not scandalous. Another key to this trend is to keep everything else faairly conservative. Keep your makeup neutral, accessories to accent, not tell the whole story.  The golden rule applies here as well: if you're showing your midriff, don't show off your legs and cleavage too. Just because you have the good doesn't mean you need everyone to see them. Long pencil or maxi skirts, full midi skirts, high-waisted trousers, these all even out the sexiness of the crop top, making the outfit fresh and chic, not inappropriate. If I'm going to be at the lake all day, you can bet your boots I'll be wearing my high-waisted cut offs with them (which by the way, I wear ALL THE TIME. Best DIY I've ever done for myself). But, on a normal outing, balance is always key, my fashionable friends. If I could I dream up the items in my closet, here is how I would wear this trend . While we're on the subject, if anyone can point me in the direction of a leopard print pencil skirt, I just may love you forever.  Fullscreen capture 73113 105634 AM.bmpHappy Cropping,

B

 

Monday 29 July 2013

things you learn when your world turns upside down.

Warning, cliches that I never thought existed to follow. Guess that's why they're called cliches. 

  1. Your true, true blue best friends become apparent, very fast; Your ho-hum friends become apparent, very fast; The people who do not have your best interests in mind become very apparent, the fastest.

  2. The thought of now having two closets becomes a sick, cruel little joke, because the reason why you now have two closets is heartbreaking.

  3. Your home becomes the Princess Palace, and pretty soon that is how you refer to it in all text messages. Mostly to your mom, but that's neither here nor there. It's an easier pill to swallow and sounds cuter to say.

  4. You keep wanting to order pizza, but then stop at the thought that the delivery guy might be the one who is also a lady killer. So, no pizza deliveries at the Princess Palace.

  5. You need to invest in a night-light, because you're a scaredy cat (↑ see above).

  6. Being naive is just as dangerous at 24 as it was at 17. Except this time you don't put up with bullshit, and you are more than confident saying so.

  7. Having hope, and faith in the universe is the only thing keeping you from falling apart. The "everything happens for a reason" tattoo you got because of said person, has moved up in ranks to be your favorite one.

  8. Every CD in your car is now unlistenable because every single song reminds you of something in your memory bank, and those somethings make you cry really quickly, so silent drives become mandatory.

  9. So do dinners at your mom & dad's house, because eating isn't really a priority at the moment.

  10. Meg Ryan movies are the best.

  11. Unless it's waterproof, don't even bother with the make-up.

  12. 5 & something years is a really long time.

  13. But one week feels like 6 months.

  14. Your dye your virgin hair blonde, because why the f-ck not.

  15. Do you know what's a fun way to spend a night? Look at old pictures of happier times. It's very soothing and I'm sure not at all detrimental to your health.

  16. The only person you want to talk to about this is the one person you shouldn't, so you settle for sleeping in one of their t-shirts that you sprayed with their cologne.

  17. It doesn't matter how old you are, heartbreak hurts just as much now as it did when you were a teenager. Actually, it hurts way worse now.

  18. Sometimes, trying your hardest isn't enough. Being madly in love is not enough.

  19. If you love something very much
    Let it go free.
    If it does not return, it was not meant to be yours.
    If it does return, love it as hard as you can for the rest of your life.

  20. You hope and pray, and then you hope and pray some more, that the reasons for this make sense soon, and then you cross every finger and toe, make wishes at stars, and hope & pray some more that this works out in the Fireworks, Fairytale and Beatles' songs way it is in your head. Because that's all you can do, the rest is up to fate.530589_10151248899780787_596668573_n

Thursday 25 July 2013

Sometimes it isn't enough.

I forgot what this felt like, this soul crushing, seemingly never-ending pain. The type that feels like your heart is just going to explode from all of this sadness, and take you with it. The last time I had this kind of heartbreak, I was 16 years old and broken up with my first boyfriend, my first love. I feel like I'm back in my bedroom at my parent's house, crying so hard I'm hyperventilating. Except this time I'm in my room I designed for us, looking at an empty closet where your clothes used to be. This wasn't in the plans. I was done. I had met my soul-mate, my other half, and we were going to get married, have ridiculously cute babies, and live happily ever after, taking vacations in Europe, Thailand, and anywhere else we wanted to go. Because we were in love. We are in love. But, as this lesson has been drilled in my head in the most painful way, loving each other wasn't enough. It didn't fix the problems that were there; we tried pushing them away, I tried fixing them myself, but those things don't just go away if you ignore them. They get bigger and push all the good out of your lives until that's all that is left, and you're left with a shell of what your relationship used to be. I don't know the exact date we stopped being "us", but slowly over time it happened, and the new "us" isn't the one who take happy vacations all over the world, they tip toe around each other, not wanting to address the elephant in the room. We stopped talking, we stopped kissing hello and hugging each other because we just felt like it. I didn't just lose my boyfriend, I've lost my best friend. My confidant, my bug squisher, heavy lifter, water-jug filler, partner in crime, my everything. The first person I want to tell my stories to, and go to for advice. I am a believer in the universe decides our plans for me, I have a tattoo to commemorate that belief, but I'll be damned if this doesn't make any sense. This isn't fair. I guess if our paths lead us back to each other, we'll know that there is nothing in this world that can come between us; but for now, I can't listen to any one of my cds because you either made them for me, or every song reminds me of a memory of you. I stole the t-shirt you wore on the day you asked me to be your girlfriend, so you wouldn't pack it and I could sleep with it at night, because just like the songs take me back, the smells do too. And it smells like you. It takes me back to you having a beard and long hair, and me having fake nails and wearing too much makeup. It takes me back to us lying in the grass with rain falling on our faces, and not paying attention, because we had just become us.

shirt

Wednesday 24 July 2013

I'm not even sorry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=o_v9MY_FMcw

Maybe it's my love of European accents; maybe it's the 5 handsome boy(s) band aspect. But either way, this song has been cheering me up, on days when I really need cheering up. Thank you, One Direction, this love of mine for you feels borderline inappropriate, and I'm not even sorry.

Monday 22 July 2013

This is what adults sometimes do on a Friday night.

Fotor0719191829Fotor0719192748  _MG_7865_MG_7868_MG_7872Fotor071919264  It is no secret that I love local food. For many reasons: 1. helps local farmers, and their families, 2. I know where my food is coming from, and usually I am buying it from the exact same person who plucked it out of the ground that day, and 3. it is organic & pesticide free. The Vernon farmer's market is one of my favorite weekly stops, and Andy and I love having a well stocked fridge full of veggies, so after work on Friday night we went, and it was glorious. And well, my produce bag is pretty snazzy too. Andy has been getting the weekend nights off, and doing things together apart from the "regular" dates feel so much more special, not to mention fun. Wait, did I just relate going grocery shopping to a fun date? Yes, I sure did. Ahh, growing up; it is pretty damn fun. If you have a farmer's market in your area (and unless you live under a rock, you will), you need to go and see what all the fuss is about. In Vernon here it's Monday & Thursday mornings, and Friday's from 3-7. If you hear a girl "ooh"ing and "ahh"ing over the different colors of zucchini, that would be moi ;)

Friday 19 July 2013

All I'm missing is the festival & Cooler weather.

_MG_7618     _MG_7637  _MG_7639  Fotor071985926Do you guys have this problem? I routinely dress like it's colder outside than it really is. Maybe it's wishful thinking? But I always wear a layer too many. I can't help it, my comfort zone lays in the layers. Spring & Fall, they're my happy place when it comes to dressing. Dead of Summer? Not so much. But really, I just needed an excuse to wear this delicious crochet top from Chicwish, and do you know of a better place than an outdoor concert? Because I sure don't! 7pm and 31c outside, why not wear full length sleeves and suede moccasins? All in the name of style, and I was definitely inspired by Coachella last night, I would have fit right in. If you haven't gotten around to checking out Chicwish.com yet, it's a must do. Free shipping, and insanely cute items for great prices. This is my fourth item from them, and I am one happy camper.

 

Wednesday 17 July 2013

What I Wore Wednesday

bag lady ~I feel like a bag lady, mixed with a little Mary-Kate Olsen, mixed with a little SoCal. & I love it. denim ~Have been hunting down a skirt like this for the better part of a year. Welcome, my love. The fun we will have together! Fotor0711112329 ~Sometimes, you just need to do a serious clusterf-ck of pattern mixing. The silhouette of the outfit kept it professional and not messy, and it was easily my favorite outfit of the week. jeans ~So those days, when you hate your wardrobe and every item in your closet? Add a big statement necklace & some bold shoes to the most basic outfit you can make, and voila!shorties~The 90's called, & oh you bet your boots I answered.

Tuesday 16 July 2013

Shopping is a serious business.

I'm going to give you a disclaimer: I am such an impulse shopper. I love it. It gives me a serious adrenaline rush. Such an impulse shopper, I rarely try things on - this is stupid, lazy, and stupid. Don't do this!  Now, I am not saying this a good thing; quite the opposite in fact, it's down right pretty dumb. Mainly because I end up with things I don't need, won't wear very often, or don't fit (see? try things on!!). Because of this, I have a system developed now before I allow myself to buy something. There are 5 checkpoints I have in my head, to avoid a closet full of "WTF's!?", so to speak. As a pretty simple rule of thumb: if you go shopping with a wee bit of a "wine at lunch day buzz", you might end up with more WTF's than you bargained for.

1. Does it fit you? Not just "not too tight, not too loose, perfect good to go!" Does it really fit you. Does it bunch in weird areas, or is it puckering over your boobs or thighs? Can you wave your hands in the air? Turn to the side, are there lumps and bumps visible? Just because something is your size doesn't mean it is suited for your shape. If it gapes in places it shouldn't, bunches or puckers in places you'd prefer it not to, it doesn't fit, and you need to move on!

2. Does it work with other pieces you own? Tee shirts, tank tops, "basic" pieces are pretty versatile, but if you're buying a blouse, skirt, trousers, etc., more of your "finer" pieces, can it be worn with more than just one item? If you love these pair of navy trousers, but they'll only go with one or two tops, then it's not worth your time.

3. Will you really wear it? I know, that sequined top is just so pretty, and is making your heart flutter with prettiness, but will you really wear it when you get home? A girlfriend of mine can rock the shiz out of sequin tops; me? ya right sister. I never feel comfortable enough, as pretty and girly as they are.  That hipster-esque crop top is making you feel so badass in the change room, will you wear it out to a friends house without feeling silly? a movie? running errands? If you can't for sure guarantee you will wear it feeling comfortable in the change room, odds are it is going to just collect dust in your closet once it comes home.

4. How many ways can you wear it? This is my new mantra. It fits in quite nicely with the CPW method.  If I love something in a store, unless I can make 4-5 outfits with it, it's not leaving with me. I truly, honestly feel like your closet should compliment each other, and almost everything can be worked together. So, unless you can remix it multiple ways: casual, office, evening, dressed up, down, can it be layered, etc., it may not be worth your hard earned money.

5. Do you love it? Like, do you really, love it? We know that feeling, that "now where have you been my entire life, cardigan?" feeling of wholeness when you find an item you just love. Just me? As if, you all have felt it. If you don't love it, or are just on the fence, don't buy it. I find that when I do that, two things will happen: I will forget all about it, which just shows I didn't need it, or I will think about it all day and think of how many ways I can wear it. If the second option happens, and it doesn't break your bank, go back and take what is rightfully yours.

spend-buy - Story of. my. life.

Friday 12 July 2013

Cost Per Wear.

Ahh, the cost per wear method. This has -in my mind- won me a lot of arguments here in the Stein-Lutz house, with the common used phrase, "Andy, at the rate I will wear these, I'm practically going to make money off of them". This is always followed with an eyeroll, but I do have a point. There are certain items that when you buy them cheap, they fall apart faster, fade faster, and have to be replaced faster. Why? Because if they can be purchased for cheap, you know they were made for cheaper. BUT, when you pay the extra little or lot bit of money for a nicer product, odds are you won't have to replace said item for at least a few years, if not more. My first ever swanky pair of jeans was a Seven for all Mankind bootcut number, bought when my sister and I went on a shopping trip to Vancouver the summer before grade 12. I had saved every penny I made for months prior to going, and I was ready to do some damage. I remember trying them on, feeling like I had just acquired a new set of skin my body had forgotten to make, and then practically losing my lunch when I saw the price. Are you for REAL!? American Eagle makes just as nice jeans, albeit my bum has never looked this good, but that's okay, I can deal. So I put all of my items on hold (this was also my first experience at Aritzia, sigh, shoulda known that place would suck my wallet dry every trip to Vancouver since), and we walked to a couple more stores to see if there was a pair of good jeans for less that did the trick. Guess what? there wasn't. To seal the deal, this is the wisdom my sister imparted on to me, forever changing my life:
"Bri, there is a system called the Cost Per Wear. When you buy something that may be more expensive than you had originally planned on, but you know you will wear the item multiple times, you have to factor that into the cost. These jeans are $250, but you will wear them probably 3-4x a week for the next 2-3 years. Within the first year and a half, you've "earned" back what you spent. Also, you will not have to buy another pair of jeans in that time to replace these ones, saving you the $50-$60 additional dollars it would cost to replace them with something cheaper."

Those jeans? I bought them when I was 17; I just got rid of them this year. Because they fell apart? No, they were still in mint condition, unfortunately the hips I had in grade 12 didn't follow me into adulthood. But! Those jeans lasted me seven years. There is something to be said about where to spend your money as far as clothing goes, and where to save it. White t-shirts or buttons ups? Well, they will yellow at the same rate regardless of the price, so save your money. I also believe this is the case with most casual tank tops. But jeans, boots, winter coats? Now, this is where I strongly believe that you get what you pay for. In the case of jeans, the cheapo pairs can definitely serve their purpose, but getting more than a season or two out of them is pretty rare. The denim is thinner, more brittle, and loses it's shape too soon. Leather boots should walk through years with you, without ruining your arches and creating calluses the size of quarters from cheaply made, hard plastic soles. I quote this theory a lot when it comes to my Stella & Dot jewellery. Yes, it is definitely more expensive, especially for "Costume Jewelry". But? It is practically the only accessories I wear, and the only ones that don't stain my skin, bug my sensitive to metal ears, or break. Now with every piece of jewellery, they have the risk of being a little defective, but in my experience, I still have the same Stella pieces from 4 years ago, in great condition.

My one condition to the rule: One time wears. We know the items; bought for a fancy dinner/wedding, and we know that odds are that we will only wear it a handful of times, at most. In this case, I say it is up to the buyer, but I know for the dresses I spent $100+ on and have only worn max twice, I feel bitter when I look at them in my closet, not like I just made a good fashion investment. If you can achieve the same look without breaking the bank, do it.

Thursday 11 July 2013

Cyberbullying, you're a real jerk.

Is anyone immune to cyber bullying these days? It doesn't seem like it. With the awesome perks that come with social media and the internet: making connections that wouldn't have been possible, making friends across the world, sharing your interests with people farther than your city, etc.,  there comes a major downfall: bullying. I know, I'm certainly not the pioneer in bringing this up, but I've had it. When I was in grade 5, and trust me when I say I will never forget this day, I was cyber bullied. I came home from a normal day at school, sat down to my computer, and there were 5 emails from my "friends" - this is when hotmail was basically brand new, and getting emails were everything. Needless to say, 5 emails? I was a freaking rockstar! Not quite. Every single email told me they didn't want to be my friend anymore. I remember not wanting my mom to see me react (our computer was in the family room), so I went upstairs to my room and just sobbed. Sobbed the way you do when your heart has been broken. I finally went down and cuddled with her and continued to sob as I couldn't understand what I had done, said, or not done to cause this. And you know what happened the next day? Those girls acted as though nothing wrong had been done. They told me someone else had put them up to it, and shrugged off a "sorry Bri", like it was nothing. Why could they do this? Because they sat behind a screen and gained a whole lot of confidence in doing so. They wouldn't have had the guts to say it to my face, and they didn't. But their acts ruined my self-esteem and the confidence in myself, where it stayed ruined for a long time. There was no reason for it. It was mean.

My heart breaks for celebrities, because the hurt I felt by the actions of 5 people? They feel it by 5 million. We see it all the time, be it on Facebook posts, gossip sites, etc. But today was my breaking point. I was on Facebook today, and GAP had posted an album of bloggers who wore the brand's clothes, and were highlighting how each individual styled it. Well, what do you know, little miss anonymous no one from who knows where decides to comment how "ugly" this girl's outfit is, or how "over done, gross," this girl's outfit is. Excuse me!? Who are you to decide whether or not that girl's style is good/bad/chic? Because it isn't your taste? Or because it's not your taste, and you don't have to see that girl's face when you tell her she looks awful. I cannot tell you how many times I have commented on threads like this for the sole purpose of saying, "Hey you know what, what you're saying is not kind and maybe you should keep opinions to yourself." When did we become a society who feels entitled to say anything that comes out of our mouths? That if we have an opinion, it is necessary to be heard? Because the same consequences don't apply that do in "real life"? Because we won't see the hurt in the person's face, so obviously it is okay to do so? It is not okay. I am terrified for when I have kids, because one quick scan on what kids say to each other over Instagram pictures and my heart hurts, knowing the pain that little one is going to feel reading these comments, and knowing I can't fix it, just as my mom couldn't fix it for me. We as a society need to change, we need to practice being kind to one another, and re-evaluate our morals. Are the days of "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" gone? I really hope not. Everyone has their bad days, and I am not standing here on a soapbox telling you I never have my snarky days, but I'll be damned if I don't try to spend every day being kind to the people I interact with, and being nice, even if that's not what is given to me in return. Why? Because I know how it feels, and I would never want to be responsible for someone else feeling that way because of my actions. Quite bluntly, I would never forgive myself.

I don't know where I am going with this, I just know I needed to voice my thoughts. I do know that I for one am sick of how we treat each other, and it's only going to get worse unless we make a daily, conscious effort to change it. My one hope and wish and prayer in life is that my future generations don't have to live with this, they don't have to endure the heartbreak that comes with bullying. I think of my nieces and nephew, and the thought that they one day might be hurt in this way, and I just want to cry. I want to protect them and save them from ever dealing with it, but I can't. I can only hope we raise our future generations with the ideal that being kind wins over being mean, and being a helping hand is always the best decision. And for those who argue that bullying helps kids develop a thick skin, you may be a little bit right. I think what I went through taught me a lot of who I am and who I want to be in this one life I'm given, but man it would have been much easier to learn some other way.

kindness~Thank you for listening, I'm going to get off of my soapbox now.

B

Wednesday 10 July 2013

What I Wore Wednesday

Fotor0710124836 ~Shorts: Target (On sale now!), Tank: Winners, Vest: F21, Shoes: AldoWIWT ~Blouse: BCBG, Jeans & Bag: GAP, Shoes: AldoWIWT2~Blouse: Thrifted (thanks mama!) Mexx, Skirt: Chicwish, Shoes: Aldo

Sometimes, it's so damn hot out that you wear the least amount of clothing appropriate to stay cool. Sometimes, these outfits are not photo worthy. Next week will be back to normal, as I have finally regulated to the heat and no longer feel like I may boil from the inside out.

 

Xo, B

 

Friday 5 July 2013

Not your mom's jeans.

Fullscreen capture 70413 113537 AM.bmp

I love love love anything high-waisted, because I am a girl with an hourglass shape, and it's my favorite part of my body to highlight. I also love that these shorts are so trendy, but refused to shell out $30+up when I just knew that there were hundreds of thrift store early 90's "mom jeans" just waiting to be re-loved in the modern world. So this was a summer project I've been dying to do. Now, I need to mark this day down in history, because of two reasons:

  1. A DIY project actually WORKED for me. I have no idea why I have so many issues, but I seem to.

  2. I didn't ruin a pair of denim jeans, the reason for why I've never done this successfully before (I wreck them every time. How!? I have no idea - that's a lie, I actually do, I hate skin-tight shorts, and skinny jeans obviously = skin-tight cut offs).


DIY High-Waisted Jean Shorts

You will needMOMJEANS

  • Pair of high-waisted denim jeans. I found two things helped this task more (which proved to be a little trickier than I thought); first buy jeans that are looser on the leg, not skin tight. With this style, the waist will be tight regardless, but a looser leg is easier to work with. Also, I found one of the pairs in the men's section, just at the smallest waist size possible. For some reason I found men's jeans have thicker denim, which is easier to work with and distress. ~ For reference, the cuffed versions are men's, the frayed ones are women's. 

  • Pencil/Pen/Something to mark your cut line

  • Scissors

  • Distressing tools: Steak knife, cheese grater, bleach (optional - I didn't use it), pumice stone or sandpaper

  • Any other details you'd like: lace appliques, patches, studs, etc.Fotor0704110833


Step One: Try on your jeans, see how they fit and decide where you want to cut. Always start off too long (I had to cut an additional extra 2 1/2 inches off of the frayed shorts). You can always cut more off, but you can't put length back on. You can also use a pair of shorts you already own and like the length of, to act as a guide.

Step Two: Make the mark where you will cut them. For the first pair I knew I was going to cuff them, so I visualized two "rolls" while making my cut mark.

Step Three: Take them off, lay flat and cut! Cut them on a slight diagonal, going up on the outsides and a little lower on the inner seam, it creates a more flattering fit.Fotor0704112057

Step Four: Mirror the pant legs together and cut the second leg - note: if you are not cuffing them, or even if you are, don't be too stressed about having straight cut lines, the uneven-ness will help the frayed edges be a little more unique, and if you're cuffing them, then it's really not an issue is it? I also cut a teeny slit on both outer sides of my undone pair, to really ensure no tightness around my thighs.

Step Five: Try on your jeans, check if they need to be cut more, - mine did - if not, let's start distressing!

Distressing: I'm going to be honest here, apart from some basic pinterest tutorials, I went in blind as to how to actually distress properly. And truth is, until you wash them, your cut lines are going to look pretty rookie, because the edges haven't frayed yet. I used a large steak knife, a smaller steak knife, and a cheese grater (which wasn't sharp enough, so I need to find me some sandpaper). Hold one section of the shorts taught, and in the other hand, make small cuts on the denim, vertically, horizontally, it doesn't matter- however you want them to look. I roughed up the seams a little bit, added a few holes in the back pockets, and made three average-small cut lines on the one side. I wanted mine to look distressed, but not wrecked so I played it fairly safe. They can be as tame or beat up as you want, so go nuts! Pumice stones or sandpaper work really well to weather the denim and show wear marks, so I will definitely be picking some up for the back pockets.

IMG_8545~Voila! The finished products

All in all, I love my new shorts. I wish they were appropriate to wear to work, because I want to wear them every chance I get! When we hit the autumn weather, I can't wait to pair them with opaque tights and oxford booties. If you're using the Cost per Wear* average, pretty sure by the end of Summer I will be making money off these little beauts.

Fotor0705100134

*Have we discussed this theory yet? It's a gooder, and pretty much part of the Lutz Ladies fashion Bible. If you want to hear more about it, sound off in the comments below!

B

 

Wednesday 3 July 2013

Are you Melting yet? I'm Melting.

Ahh, summertime here in the Okanagan. It has hit, I know this because I am A) burnt, and B) we had to make a fort bed in front of our A/C, where it will stay until further notice because someone broke the fan in our bedroom (hint, it was me.) A few things remind me of summers here: the smell of campfire (or in the not as fun, but very common case: forest fire smell), BBQ's a plenty with good friends, and the stinking. hot. HEAT. Now, I am not complaining too loudly, because I know it could be way worse - looking at you, Arizona - but still, I am a hot little chicka. I enjoy the heat, I really do. From a safe spot, say, 5 ft away from a pool or lake, with a cold drink in my hand. Or beside me, I'm not picky. But as I have said before, I have healthy sweat glands, and nothing makes me irritable faster than being dressed up, or hell, even dressed, and having my makeup melt, my hair stick to the back of my neck, and my clothes feel like 10 pounds of heat on top of me. So, since we can't all be naked all summer, how do we deal? By wearing the least amount of clothing possible, while still being occasion-appropriate, of course ;).

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~For the 9-5 office: Thankfully my office is well air-conditioned, oh hallelujah for that. But still, just because it feels 20 in there doesn't mean I'm about to wear a blazer and trousers, I think I'd literally burst into flames come 4:30 and walking out into the real heat. On these hazy summer days, nothing becomes your friend faster than an office appropriate dress. My take on office friendly dresses should follow three simple rules:1. the fingertip test - if your finger tips fall farther than your dress does when your arms are by your sides, the dress is too short. If the dress is longer than your fingers, you're in the clear. 2. No cleavage. If the dress has cleavage, you need to be wearing a shirt underneath. No exceptions. 3. The dress has to have some structure to it, so it won't be confused with a sundress. A skater style skirt or a-line dress are perfect for the office, in either a solid color or tasteful print. Nothing too loud. If you choose to go with a print, keep accessories minimal and let the dress be statement enough.

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~For Soccer/Baseball/Rugby/ Games Game: This one is big for me, as I like to watch Andy play soccer during the summer, but am counting down the minutes until the sun sets and I can get some relief. This one has a lot more lee-way, but again you don't want to feel insecure if your grandma/aunt/mother-in-law decides to come watch the game as well. Jean shorts and a loose, flowy top with some funky gladiator sandals, but don't forget a hat! Sun stroke is no joke.

date night~Date Night: I frequently think about how ironic this fact is, but man oh man do maxi skirts keep me cool. Chiffon and Chiffon type fabrics are the best because they have a lot of air flow to them, and don't feel tight or restrictive in any way. I would pair this with a peplum top, or something that doesn't need to be tucked in to keep optimal coolness (temperature, though you will look pretty spiffy, too). For accessories, I'd say stick to lighter weight pieces, made with beads or lucite. Chunky, heavy metal necklaces will not only be uncomfortable, but nothing breaks down metal faster than sweat and oil.

Happy Dressing! As much as I'm not complaining about this glorious weather, I won't be complaining if we all of a sudden get a teeny little cold snap, either. ;)

Stay cool, my friends. B