Staying Cool In the Summer Sun

We got a great question from a "football mom" who is outside with her son at practices in the scorching summer sun.  She has been sporting running shorts and tanks.  Defiantly good to stay cool but not so fashionable.  She asks what can I wear to stay cool and look cool at the same time?

1.)  Wear cool fabrics.  Silk, satin and such are an obvious no.  For one, too dressy.  Secondly, when you sweat it will cling and get wet spots...not a cute look.  Stick to thin cottons, linen, and other such natural fabrics.  Stay away from the synthetics such as polyester.
2.)  When in doubt, stick to the basics.  A t-shirt and shorts will do just fine.  Try stepping it up a notch by going with a shape or style that is more current.  We love a pair of distressed cut-offs with a loose-fitting tee. 
3.)  The looser the better (in regards to your clothing).  Breezy t-shirts, peasant tops, and dresses will keep you cool while still allowing you to have a little style.
4.)  Don't forget to accessorize.  When dressing for practicality and comfort (i.e. usually plain and basic), accessories are your best friend.  They can take you from blah to hot football mom!

Try out some of these ideas.

Sheer Plaid Boyshirt $68 at Madewell, Classic Bermuda Short $29.99 at J.Crew, Ecote Basketweave Sandal $24 at Urban Outfitters, Pins and Needles Open Weave Fedora with Bow $34 at Urban Outfitters

Joie Soft Stellaluna Tank Top $54.99 at Piperlime, Cutoff Jean Shorts $30 at American Eagle, Kimchi Blue Metalic Suede Sandal $38 at Urban Oufitters, Jade Cross Necklace $6.80 at Forever 21, Oversized Round Sunglasses $9.99 at Forever 21

Slouch Pocket Tee $38 at Madewell, Level 99 Boyfriend Shorts $75 at Piperlime, Vans Authentic Lo Pro Sneaker $41.95 at Nordstrom, BDG Shirting Stripe Fedora $31 at Urban Outfitters, Skinny Slots Belt $49.95 at Anthropologie 

Damask Stripe Tank $26 at Threads for Thought, Buckle Short $49.50 at J.Crew, Cairo Studded Capri Sandal $49.99 at J.Crew, Lizzi Fortunato Jewels Beaded Bracelet $32 at Madewell

Still in doubt?  Throw on a casual knit dress or maxi dress.  Even a romper will work.  Add a pair of sandals and your are out the door.

Slub Tank Dress $14.99 at Gap

Lucca Couture Floral Romper $58 at Urban Outfitters

 Xhilaration Smocked Back Maxi Dress $24.99 at Target

How to make your swimsuit last longer

With beach trips and poolside afternoons your favorite swimsuit can take a beating:  from the sun, your own perspiration and even the sunblock, you could be using.  Now we do believe in buying a quality bathing suit that will last and that means digging deep into your pockets.  The last thing we want to happen is ruining that suit and not getting enough use out of it.  Stretching our dollars is what we are all about nowadays, aren't we?

Britney Spears

Kourtney Kardashian

Here are some tips that we have found to help lengthen the life of your suit:

1.)  Avoid hot tubs with that expensive suit.  Heat is not good for the color and elasticity of the suit.  Opt for a cheap suit when hot tubbing!

2.)  Hand wash your suit with a gentle soap like Woolite and never wash in the washing machine.  Let the suit soak for about 30 minutes if possible.

3.)  Do not dry your suit in the sun.  Dry off excess water on teh suit with a towel after hand washing and lay it flat to dry.

4.)  Don't wrap your suit in your towel after use.  Your towel will contain chemicals from your body and added with the heat, it will let those chemicals manifest.

 

5.)  Be careful where you sit.  Pool edges are hard on those bottoms!  Try placing a towel underneath you.

Men's Style

Us gals can't always be blamed for all of the fashion missteps in the world!  The men make just as many (if not more) mistakes as we do.  Check out this list from GQ and the team who wrote Undateable (if you haven't heard of this book, it's hilarious).  Is your man doing any of these fashion no-no's?

Embellished Jeans!  Such a don't for men!

If your guy is like ours they suffer from fashion cluelessness.  We feel it's our duty as the women in their lives to help them out and give them a little guidance.  If you don't, who will?  We love this list from GQ.  The 10 Commandments of Style.  It includes matching socks to pants (not to shoes), and how to know which undershirt to wear.

What does your guy wear that drives you crazy?  Are there any fashion don'ts for men that you feel were left off the list?

Nautical Stripes

Nautical stripes are a trend that is not going away and as the summer gets closer to an end and we get closer to fall, stripes is one of the best trends that will transition right into the new season.  So embrace your sailor (well not literally) and try out these looks for that transition.  Here are a few celebs that got it right!

Whitney Port and Brooklyn Decker

Eva Mendes

Tips on How to Wear:

DO be conscience of where the stripes fall.  They tend to expand certain areas.

DO pair with a solid cardigan, shrug or blazer for the fall.

DO wear with a trouser pant and clog.

DON'T lose your silhouette.  Use a belt to cinch your waist.  Try an oversized shirt and a rope or a brown belt.

DON'T be scared to go past the striped shirt.  Try a great dress as well!  We are loving the ones at GAP right now.

What NOT to do!

We are great with the "how-to's" on all the latest and greatest out there. "How to wear it" or "How to buy the same look for less" etc.  Lately we have seen a lot of what NOT to do out there and Hollywood is our target. How these celebs keep getting it wrong we have no idea.  They have stylists, publicists, and designers throwing free clothes at them and yet somehow these looks still went very, very wrong.

Wrong!

Oh how we love Jennifer Garner...and with the likes of Rachel Zoe at her disposal why oh why does she look like she rolled out of bed and threw on Ben's clothes before going out? The best thing about this is sweet Violet in her rain boots!

Right!

Simplicity is the key and Jessica Alba nails it.  A weekend look that works for her and anyone really. We are hoping Jennifer takes a cue from her!

Wrong!

Well, lets be honest, Paris doesn't get it "right" a lot and we could write a book on how money doesn't buy a keen fashion sense and she would be the example on each scenario!  Although we are loving the statement necklaces out there, this is just too matchy and someone that's tall may want to steer away from stripes...yikes!  The necklace itself is a statement so when wanting to wear a bold color like this, it is best to pair it with solid colors in your clothes.

Right!

Olivia Palermo knows how to wear a statement necklace.  Some may wonder if she invented it!

Here, this necklace is metallic and textured so she pairs it with some great basics so the necklace is not competing with the outfit.  Take notes Paris!

Oh Britney...we have all given you a well deserved second chance and you are supposedly "back" but here we wonder if that mind is still not quite working quite right.  Where do we begin?  Lets just say this:  boxers are not shorts!

Here are some of her friends out there that seem know how to wear shorts and what constitutes as a short and a pajama bottom. Pay attention Brit!

airport style

Now that travel season is here, some of you may be jet-setting and flying off to your destinations.  Navigating the airport dress code can be a little dicey.  Of course you want to go for comfort but don't want to end up looking like you just rolled out of bed (even though that may be exactly what you just did).

Exhibit A :

 (Sigh.  Where do we start?)

Let's agree to leave the men's boxers at home ladies and we will be two happy girls. 

Airplanes can be cold while the airports are stuffy.  You may be doing a good bit of walking but let us not forget that you have to loose the shoes for the dreaded barefoot walk through security (so pack some socks in your carry-on).  You want to be comfortable for sure but don't want to look like a mess with no style.  It's enough to make even the most put-together of girls a little confused.  These celebs got it right.

We love LC's airport look.  Try a pair of skinny jeans (look for lots to stretch for the most comfort), a loose tee, and a zip-up jacket. 

Cropped cargos, a tank, and a jacket may seem like a simple, boring outfit.  Jessica Alba makes it her own by adding studded sandals and a straw fedora.

Penelope Cruz shows that it's all about the accessories.  Start with your favorite jeans and tank.  Add a pair of comfortable to walk in Chucks, a scarf and bright jacket for warmth, and a cool hat to complete the look.

If you still can't let go of the sweats, take a cue from cutie pie Carrie Underwood.  Stick with basic black pants and add a brightly colored hoodie.

Our Picks:

Jersey Fold Over Wide Leg Pant $79 at Splendid (aka The most comfortable pants you will ever own.  Worth the buy.)

All Over Stars Tee $28 at Threads for Thought (A comfy tee is a must and this is our favorite brand.)

Eyelash Striped Cashmere Wrap $78 at Nordstrom (A wrap can be worn as a scarf when you aren't using it to stay warm.)

twilight hair

In case you live under a rock, the third installment of Twilight comes out in theaters today.  In honor of it's release, we are getting inspired by the ladies of Twilight.  Even if you aren't a fan of the series, you can appreciate and learn from these gals (yes, even Kristen Stewart has her moments).

Bella/Kristin Stewart

To get this Bella hair look, use a medium barreled curling iron to curl your hair in sections.  Take two small sections of hair from the front, loosely twist them them and pin them back with bobby pins. 

Pre-Joan Jett mullet haircut, Kristen had great hair (who knew?).  To get this look begin with wavy hair if possible.  Add in extra curl by wrapping two inch strands around the barrel of the curling iron without using the clamp.  Finish with a cream such as Bumbles and Bumble Grooming Creme to give it a more piecy look.

Alice/Ashley Greene

If you have a pixie cut like Alice, use reworkable styling putty like Shu Umeura Art of Hair Shape Paste on the ends of your hair.  Use a flat iron to straighten your hair and make the ends flip up and out.

In real life, Ashley has a take on the bob:  a little below her chin with a few layers in the front.  Use a serum to cut down on fly-aways such as John Frieda Frizz-Ease Serum.  Blow dry or flat iron your hair strait. 

Rosalie/Nikki Reed

Rosalie's hair is very achievable.  Beginning with straight hair, use a large barrel curling iron to give yourself some loose curls on the lower half of your hair.  If you want some extra hold, try Tresemme 24-Hour Body Root Boosting Spray.

Nikki has long hair with some long layers in the front.  If you have naturally straight hair you can simply blow dry as usual and finish with a flat iron for a more polished look.  Wavy hair may take a little more work with the flat iron.  Finish with a spray such as Citre Shine Shine Mist.

summer job outfit inspiration

This one is for your corporate gals out there!  We've both been there; dressing for an office job in the summertime can be tough.  It's hot but you don't want to look inappropriate by flashing too much skin around the office.  Even worse:  striking out on interviews in the summer.  It can be tough but we found this great video from Lucky Magazine that gives some fabulous tips.

How to Wear White on White

We have told you how much we love a white jean for the summer but we like to take it a step further and pile white on.  Cream, white and all that is pale looks great worn together if you do it right.

Victoria Beckham paired her white jeans with a pale gray tank that gives her an all over soft and alluring look!

Here are some tips when wearing this:

DO layer with different textures to avoid a drab look.

Pair this textured vest with the simple silk camisole.

Heirloom Lace Vest $148.00 at Anthropologie

Joie Jan Silk Top $148.00 at Nordstom

DON'T be afraid to mix white and cream together, forget those old school rules!

DO go for the head to toe look so break out those white or cream colored shoes.

Try a cream or white oxford with a short dress or short!

Sam Edelman Oxford $102.00 at Zappos

DO layer with a cream or white necklace to give a dramatic affect so the look does not blend together too much.

Cara Accessories Cream Bib Necklace $48.00 at Nordstrom

how to wear chambray shirts

Chambray (denim's lighter cousin) is super popular as we told you way back when.  It's a great trend for summer that is so classic that it truly can be worn by all.  Think of it as a more casual white button down shirt.  It can be dressed up or dressed down.  Follow our simple tips for your best look.

We will go ahead and say right out of the gate that we don't love chambray denim with your regular denim.  It can be a little denim overload in our opinions.  If you must, please please stick to super dark denim.  You need the contrast that dark denim will give you.

If you do want to be casual but don't want to do dark denim, try white denim, which is always a popular summer pick.  It looks equally good, if not better, than your basic dark denim.  Not to mention that it is so much more summer-ready.

We especially love chambray with colored bottoms.  It gives your outfit a pop of color that can add some fun to a basic piece.  Be creative and have fun.  We love this simple look from J.Crew.  A pair of flats allow you to run your errands, or add some chunky wedges for a casual night out.

If your office is a little more on the casual side you can rock the chambray shirt there as well.  Tuck it into a black skirt, add your heals and accessories and you have a simple summer office look.

Leave it to Rihanna to give her spin to even the most simple of items.  We love a gal who isn't afraid to show her own style without fear!  She shows that you can take your chambray shirt out on the town in a fun skirt, and funky heals (mohawk optional).

Get your own chambray shirt:

Perfect Chambray Shirt $68 at Madewell

Lauren Chambray Shirt $50 at Ralph Lauren