The thing about summer is always what to wear and how to wear it.  Fall and winter kind of work themselves out because you are either planning on staying warm or dry or mostly both if you live in North America. And spring you try to look brighter but still are focused on staying dry and warm.  Then comes summer and if you live anywhere on the West Coast it has been one of the most beautiful and warm summers ever!  The East is now just getting into its warmest part of summer and joining the West in revelling in summer’s heat and glow.  Effortless Chic in summer is all about staying fresh and true to your own style.

One of the best things about summer is dresses.  But I covered that in the last three blogs so I won’t go there today.  Suffice to say I believe in a cute dress, sandals and accessories and you can be completely dressed and polished with out too much effort.  But most of us don’t have endless money and endless closet space to have a dozen daytime dresses for summer.  So how else do you put together a cool look that is also polished and chic? I hope to show you some options you can adopt from using pieces you may already have in your own closet and just a small refresh.  Mind you right now all summer clothes are going on sale and it’s a great time to pick up a few pieces to carry though the rest of summer and to save for next year.  But let’s start with a few easy looks.

Here is a little look from Anthropologie featuring a draw string skirt by Cloth and Stone. Effortless, comfortable and cool.  Here it’s paired with tie up flats and it would look just as good with flat sandlas.  Notice how minimal the accessories are.  Then you are not tied down with any bulk.  This look will carry through the hottest, most humid day the weather can throw at you.

Another look from Anthropologie is this lace top by Harlyn.  When we talked about jeans, we talked about wearing a boyfriend jean with a top that just grazes the waist line.  This is a perfect kind of top for that.  Crop tops are huge this summer and will be strong going into fall.  Because we are not in our 20’s anymore it’s not that appropriate to show your mid drift all the time.  Look for crop tops that are a bit longer.  Anthropologie is a great place to find that kind of piece that will work with jeans, shorts, skirts, etc.

I have a lace top similar to this that I can pair with a lace skirt for dressy.As shown here. The lace in the top doesn’t exactly match the lace in the skirt but they are both a cotton lace and the same size pattern so they work together.  This season you can mix and match tones, colors and prints.  But as you get a bit more mature you want to stick to subtle things that use the trend.  So mixing laces that are similar works well.  I would pair this with delicate accessories and cute chunky sandals for a daytime event and high heel sandals for evening.

Here is the same lace top as above match with boyfriend jeans.  It is a ‘crop top” so it grazes the top of the waistband and same with the skirt above.  Here I would pair the outfit with high wedges, ballet flats or flat sandals that are a bit dressier.  You could also pair this with a pump for dressy.

You can also make effortless chic with shorts, or skirts.  I showed you a skirt look above.

Effortless and fun.  If you have the legs to wear this flutter short and tank.  It is a great, easy summer look.  Flats and cute necklace and you are all set to beat the heat and humidity in your day. Here is another shorts image ( from Anthropologie as well) where it is a bit dressier.  Soft Bermuda shorts and a cute top.  Pull the sleeves up over your shoulders and you could go to the office with this look.  Pair it with one of the little tops above and you change the look completely.

Another option is a skirt. Midi ( like this one from Nordstrom Rack) maxi or mini they all work for summer. Wear longer shirts with fitted shorter tops and wear mini skirts ( if you can ) with tanks and tees.  I love everything with a denim jacket.  But right now it’s likely too hot for a jacket but it won’t be in September with this same look.

One more look I want to show.  Sorry the image isn’t perfect, I am still not the best photographer.  I got these cute sweatpants at Anthropogie this spring.  I wear them a ton.  The floral pattern and skinny cut work way beyond where a regular sweat pant would and I absolutely love them paired with this denim top from Lucky Brand.  They work in the summer with flat black sandals and in the spring with ballet flats.

One last piece that I just picked up so I can have effortless chic.  This is a chiffon tunic top.  Pair it with the boyfriends above and a cute sandal, Bermuda shorts or skinny black pants.  It will work with all.  I love the floral pattern and I love that it has a black background so I can wear it into fall as well.

Effortless chic is as much about putting pieces together as it is confidence.  Enjoy playing with the clothes you have in your closet.  Go out and buy a magazine and look for inspiration.  Surf the web for inspiration.  Have fun with your clothes and try on an outfit before you plan to wear it just to make sure it works.

One last note,  with summer not only do clothes become lighter so does your makeup.  No need to pile on layers of foundation in the summer.  Go out and buy a good bronzer.  I love the Oil of Olay ones. They have a cc cream that makes your skin look wonderful.  Want something with a bit more coverage try Clairns cc cream.  You can literally wear the bronzer, a bit of blush, mascara and gloss and your done.  I like to put on eyeliner as well since I am fair, but really less is more when it comes to effortless chic with make up in the summer.  I have a great make up artist friend, Luc Lacroix from Pure Studio in Vancouver, who I always turn to for advice.  And as a woman gets older Luc advocates for the whole less is more approach to eye make up and heavy foundation that settles in creases in your face.  I will ask him to guest blog in the fall about what is in store for fall make up.

Hair too needs to be effortless.  I love the way the undone bun looks with some of the looks I post.  I wear a high ponytail with big hoop earrings when it’s too hot for my hair down.  Think of chic ways to pull your hair off your face and neck.  If you have a look with a hair band everyday, change it up. Try half up, half down.  Or a chic low ponytail for evenings.  Lots to try and lots of look in magaizines and online.

Good luck playing with your effortless chic looks.  Please see my contact details on the about page and let me know how you are doing.

We all have them.  The wedding that is at the end of August or Labour Day weekend and there is no last-minute shopping for it because all the stores have turned to Fall merchandise.  And the dresses you have been wearing all summer have already been seen by everyone.  What do you do?

Well, that depends on the kind of wedding you are going to.  Let’s go through the different types and look at ideas that won’t make you look like one of the bridesmaids.

The Black Tie (or White Tie) Wedding:

Belive it or not, 25 years ago my husband and I had a black tie wedding.  And our wedding was very much my parents and his parent’s wedding too and that is what they wanted.  Everyone was in formal attire.  My mom and my mother in law were in heaven. But it actually is the easiest type of wedding to dress for.  The dress code is very simple, formal long dresses.   But the problem with formal dresses is you have to be careful not to compete with the mother and mother in law of the bride and the bridesmaids.  Maybe try and choose something unexpected.Nordstrom online has this stunning strapless Alfred Sung High Low Sateen Twill Gown.  If you have the confidence and body to wear strapless (I have a couple of girlfriends who can rock this look and are both over 50) then wear it with floral print heels and shine!

Suplice Polyester is one of those fabrics that looks expensive when it’s not and floats so well over your body.  If strapless is not for you then try a dress that has a fabric that moves with your body.  This dress is also from Nordstrom online and its Dessy Collection Suplice Ruched Chiffon Gown.  It comes in lots of solid colors and if you want to buy it in black so you can wear it over and over that’s a good idea, but hey it’s a summer wedding why not wear a great floral with strappy sandals.

A couple of other ideas for formal gowns for a black tie wedding that would work if you are not into sleeveless, off the shoulder or strapless is something I always think is appropriate: Lace. An embroidered lace gown like this one from Tadashi Shoji at Nordstrom is elegant and easy to wear a bra with.  It is also perfect for someone who is conscious of their arms.  And I love the color! Lace can take you anywhere, even if you don’t want to do maxi length you can always do a midi length and it will still be appropriate. Another way to tastefully hid figure flaws in a formal gown is to wear a gown like this La Femme Popover Gown.  Navy is a great neutral for formal wear if you don’t want black and the way the chiffon falls around your upper body, it can camouflage a lot without being warm, after all it is summer.

With all these dresses heels and elegant jewellery are called for. You will notice in the top two pictures neither model is wearing a necklace just statement earrings while keeping the dress the star.  I love that look! Keep you bags to elegant metallic clutches.  A simple stunning clutch like this from Whiting & Davis at Nordstrom will go with all your formal attire for a long time.  Years ago I bought a couple of metallic clutches after Christmas on sale and I still pull them out.  I am also lucky that my mother was into fancy purses and have a couple of gems that she put away for me too.  You really only need one and it will last for a while.

The Formal or Black Tie Optional Wedding:

What this means is that if you want to you could wear a gown and go all out.  But it also opens you up to a lot of other things and isn’t nearly as limiting.  You can play around with the length of your dress, wear something two piece or even pull out a dressy jumpsuit (although I prefer wearing jumpsuits to a cocktail attired wedding than to a formal one).

The first thing I would do is find a dress that really speaks to what you want it to look like.  Here is where you could rock a midi dress.This stunning JS Collection Soutache Mesh Dress at Nordstrom is not super long but still perfectly dressy.  It comes in 13 colors!  I like this one with the pink background because it is summer and you don’t want the dress to be overwhelming.  This length looks good on almost everyone, it flatters the thinnest part of your leg.  With a strappy heel you will knock them dead with how great you look.  Lace is always appropriate for a formal event, especially a wedding.  This dress is from Pisarro Nights and it’s their Sequin lace shift dress.  It also comes in Navy.  Pisarro fits a mature figure very well and they always have a matching chiffon shawl to cover if you need to.  Pisarro is available at Nordstrom.

You can also go a little shorter for this type of wedding and wear something knee-length.  But if you are going to go shorter make sure the dress really makes a statement. This side ruched dress by Alex Evenings at Nordstrom will turn everyone’s head as you enter the room.  The Navy is classic and elegant and the dress has just enough to be something special. There are so many occasions around Christmas and New Years where you can wear a dark formal or cocktail dress, my choice for a summer formal wedding would be this fabulous floral maxi. It’s from Eliza J. at Nordstrom and yes you can totally wear a strapless bra with it.  To me this dress tells everyone you are elegant and sophisticated while keeping in mind it’s still summer.

For shoes I would keep to heeled sandals with everything and accessories depend on which dress you choose, with the sequin and navy dress I would still use my metallic clutch but with the soutache dress and this floral one I might choose something a little softer. This top handle clutch from Like Dreams at Nordstrom would compliment both dresses while not drawing attention away from either.

The Cocktail Wedding:

The Cocktail attired wedding definitely calls for something shorter than a maxi length and it’s even perfectly appropriate to wear a jumpsuit or pants if they are dressy enough.I adore this look, it’s Kay Unger’s Jumpsuit gown.  I would wear this to everything if I owned it.  This is perfect for a cocktail wedding and super unexpected.  I also love how it’s dressed down with neutral sandals.  If you wanted to wear this formal you could as well, just make the shoes more formal and voila off you go!  Because the dress is cocktail I would pick a jumpsuit that looks more dressy than casual. If you are curvy there is not a better look than Adrianna Papell’s One Shoulder Jumpsuit in basic black with the beautiful drape of fabric in the front.  I love the one shoulder too, larger women’s fashion is great right now and this jumpsuit would be wonderful.

Florals a super important this season and they will be going into fall as well.  And for a summer wedding nothing works better than a stunning floral dress This Alice+Olivia Tie Neck Silk blend dress is perfect for a cocktail wedding.  The beautiful floral is summery and the dress style is perfect. I probably will never wear white to a wedding but I do love this dress for a cocktail wedding.  The bride and her mother and mother in law will still be probably in long dresses but this dress is casual enough not to complete with the bride while being special enough for cocktail attire. It’s by Kay Unger and it’s her Off the Shoulder Lace dress.  The fabric is fairly casual but the off the shoulder gives it a more formal look.  Dress it up with elegant accessories and off you go!

Keep in mind that sometimes cocktail attired weddings are outdoors in tents or even just the cocktail part of the wedding or the ceremony is outdoors.  Usually there is a floor over the grass so your heels won’t get stuck.  But definitely wear sweat proof make up and make sure your heels are fairly comfortable for standing and dancing.  A little trick I learned the hard way is to take a pair of glittery flats or flat sandals with you in a little bag and if your heels get too much, just pop them on for the dancing. At my youngest son’s bar mitzvah party I had 3 pairs of shoes with me.  Super high for all the pictures and the cocktail party, then lower, almost kitten heels sandals for dancing and finally glittery flat sandals to say good night to everyone and go home in. No one says you can’t take an alternative pair of shoes to a wedding with you!

For a bag to carry stick with something smaller that compliments your outfit. We all have a great small black clutch.  If you were to invest in something like this from Chloe, it’s a leather bracelet minaudiere.

Everyone loves summer!! It has to be my favorite season.  I love the long warm days and the late sunsets.  I especially love not being cold all the time.  I also love warm weather dressing.  Every summer I have more cute dresses in my closet than I can wear but I still manage to wear them all.  I love wearing sandals instead of boots and tank tops instead of sweaters.  But the one thing I noticed is that it is super easy to dress for summer if you get to spend it doing what you want and not in an office or meeting clients.   You can wear white jeans and little tops to your heart’s content as long as you don’t have to be in court at noon.

So what about those ladies who do have to spend their summers in the office. If you are lucky and work in a creative office or techy office, then you pretty much can dress how you feel.  But if you are in the corporate world or a professional anything ( except dog walker) you need to look and feel your professional best.  But at least in summer there are options to wearing suits.

My favorite look for any office is one of the many dresses that all our favorite stores are showing for summer.  One of my favorite stores is Ann Taylor.  It has reasonable priced work dresses that are serious enough for your most corporate meetings. They have a Tie Neck Shift Dress that can be totally serious and yet perfectly summer.  It comes in Black and this beautiful Vivid Sapphire.  Put it together with Blush Round Toe ankle strap pumps and you can sit through a million board meetings. If you want something even more simplistic, yet fabulously stylish try in Cherry ( shown) or Black.  The Short Dolman Sleeve Wrap dress is perfect if you don’t want to wear a sleeveless dress.  It is comfortable because it is a poly spandex blend. Here I may add a block heel sandal (Flor Woven Block Heel Sandals) unless you feel you want a pump.

There maybe days when you prefer a skirtand there are a number of great skirts that work for office wear.  But let’s stick with AT for now. The Poplin Flounce skirt is fabulous with a blouse or silk t-shirt and pop a blazer on top when you need to look serious. A great blazer to have in the summer is one that is slightly unstructured but looks structured with a skirt. The Stripe Tweed Fringe Jacket is just that. It would be fab with the above skirt and yet is perfect with jeans and heels for night out.  You could even do the Striped Tweed Fringe head to toe for a great office look.  I always buy a matching skirt to a blazer, I like that look.  This look is summery and serious, the perfect office combination.

If summer time at the office just means picking a lighter weight suit out of your closet by all means stick with a suit. But maybe instead of a pant suit, try a dress and jacket that will lighten up your look.AT has a beautiful Seasonless Sheath dress in fresh Navy that you can wear alone, with the tweed jacket above or try a neutral color blazer for a fresh look like aCotton Sateen one Button blazer in a soft Pearl Blush. This Blazer would also look great with the Poplin flounce Skirt above and with the dress or the tweed skirt. I would recommend buying the matching pant and skirt to this jacket as well.  Both will work with the blazer and with the Tweed Jacket above.  The Pearl Blush color is a great color for summer for the office. You can wear it with all the pale shades and it looks fabulous with black and navy.

J. Crews Wear to Work shop is a lit more edgy than Ann Taylor’s.  So you need to decide what type of work look you need.  If you do work in a creative office or in an office where you can get away with a less conservative look, than by all means let your creative dressing juices flow. J. Crew’s Belted Gingham dress comes in Navy and Pink.  It falls to the knee and is great on a super hot day for an office look.  This is the type of dress you can wear to work with aFirey Red Lucite heel for day and strappy heels to go out for dinner after. The same pump also comes in off white suede with a tortoise shell heel if you prefer.  J. Crew also has a fabulous pair of Herringbone Linen pants in their Rhodes fit that would work great in a creative office with fun heels and shirts.They also have a fab white blazer in two-way cotton stretch.  Their Campbell blazer done for summer! Keep this white blazer handy to go over everything in your office for those impromptu meetings.

As you all know I love Nordstrom.  It is what every other department store should try to be like.  It’s easy to shop there and easy to shop online from there.  If you go to Nordstrom.com they always have an outfits page with outfits their stylists have put together.  One of my favorites from their Wear to Work page is this cute Vince Camuto Dress. It is colorful and conservative enough. Throw a Navy blazer on top and you are set for what ever comes your way in a work day. Nordstrom also has a number of house brands, one of their newest is Gibson.  I am in love with puffy sleeves this summer and this Gibson blouse which comes in 7 colors is great over skinny ankle pants for a creative office.  I also love it with a pencil skirt. A blouse like this shows creativity and yet it is elegant enough for any office. And nothing says summer like a head to toe white suit. This is a Vince Camuto one button blazer with Vince Camuto Flare Stretch Cotton Pants. Neural or bright accessories and shoes work great here.

I know I haven’t shown a lot of prints for the office. I would save the prints for dresses and tops and not do too many in pants, jackets and skirts. AT’s Leaves Silk Tie Blouse can work under any solid jacket or with any solid color pant or skirt to add a colorful yet tasteful flare to your outfit. And sometimes a Striped Pleated Sleeveless Top is all you need to wear under your jacket to add punch.  Also from AT.

Have you noticed I haven’t shown any off the shoulder or cold shoulder tops or dresses? Why? Because they are not appropriate for any office at any time once you are over 40 years old. Leave those looks for the young secretaries and summer interns. Stick with sophisticated style if you want to be taken seriously.

But you can add personalization to your office look in other ways.  Like with your shoes and accessories.  The Red Lucite heel pump from J. Crew is a great pump to wear with blues and whites for summer. J. Crew also has another pump that would be great with sheath dresses or skirts. Their Colette Bow Pump comes in a Poppy floral and a black and white Polka Dot.  Both great to add punch to an outfit. Ann Taylor has all kinds of classic pumps if that is what you are looking for, but I lovetheir Eryn Leopard Print Calf Hair pumps.  How great would these be with the Blush or White suit above if you work in a creative environment and if you don’t wear these with your black suit just to show you have a bit of style. Block heel sandals are also great for the office in summer.  You can do a simple pair like these from AT or try an interesting slide  . The J. Renee Monk Strap slide from Nordstrom would be great with a pant for daytime at the office. Or if you feel really adventurous for the office you can even wear an open toe bootie . This one is from Vince Camuto and comes in 6 colors so you are sure to find a great neutral that works with your office attire.

Accessories are another great way to personalize your look.  Most of the dresses we showed above are fairly simple in styling.  So that means they will all be enhanced with a necklace. A triple strand of faux pearls from J. Crew is a great way to enhance your suit or dress and keep everything very classic. Take it up a notch with this metallic Resin Bauble Necklace from AT. One of my favorite ways to look a bit taller is to wear a pendant long necklace.  They are great with dresses and tops. If you keep it fairly classic like this Kendra Scott Aiden Pendant Necklace from Nordstrom you will never go wrong.  Our puffy sleeve Gibson blouse above would look fabulous with a pendant necklace.

You can also wear earrings to make your statement.  But remember the rule, either statement earrings or a statement necklace. NEVER BOTH! Especially to the office. I love all the new earrings this season. Especially those with great details. AT’s Raffia earrings come in 3 colors and really complete a look. Bauble Earrings from AT are also fabulous just remember to wear them tastefully to enhance a navy or white outfit. J. Crew is showing a Pearl and Crystal earring in their work shop.  These would work in even the most conservative office as long as you keep the rest of the accessories simple. I love a simple gold hinge  bracelet for a conservative office (J.Crew). But if you can be a bit more creative, bracelets are a great way to show that. Cuffs like this Tribal Geo Cuff from AT or a great Beaded Tassel bracelet from J. Crew could totally hit the mark.

The other thing you need to think of for summer office dressing is Air conditioning.  I hate it when it’s really hot outside and then you get inside and you could make a snowman because the office is freezing.  Many men wear suits all year long so they like the air conditioning cranked way up.  The best way to deal with this is to keep a fabulous shawl or ruana in your office that is a neutral color or print and you can just pop it on whenever you need it. For a really cold office I would even recommend bringing a wool wrap. This Frye feather print wool wrap from Nordstrom is a good neutral that works with black, white and off white. J. Crew has a summer weight cape scarf that could also be your go to for a cold office. Or pick a tissue weight Cashmere scarf in any one of 20 colors and wear this around your shoulders if you feel a chill. This type of scarf is great all year round.  Worn as a shawl in the summer and as a scarf with coats in the winter, you will totally get your money’s worth investing in cashmere.

So I hope that helps you all figure out your summer work days. You can add more prints that I did or more color, just depending on the office you work in.  If you still have questions about work attire in the summer please just email me.

There will be 2 more blogs posted before I take my August holidays.  So if you have questions you want answered please send me an email and I will try to incorporate it in one of those.  Email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com. I am also starting to book my fall styling appointments for the end of August and September, so email soon before I get too booked up if you want personal styling.  Enjoy the warm days and nights this summer because before we know it we will be talking about fall.

Until next time…

I don’t know why but this week I have been obsessed with all the minimalist French style on Pinterest.  I think it’s because I love simplistic dressing and my two favorite colors are black and white.  French women dress with a style that we all envy, I have never been in Paris in the summer but there is nothing more chic on a winter Parisian street than a black turtleneck, perfect fitting jeans and booties.  The women in Paris wear basics like no one else.  So when the temperature starts creeping up and heat waves are hitting one after the other you need to appear to keep your cool even if you are looking for the next air-conditioned place you can find.   So let’s go through how you keep looking cool even if you’re not with a nod to how Parisian women always look like they are perfect!

There is a saying in French that loosely translates to ‘It’s not by accident that we are beautiful’ and let’s face it, after 40 it is really not by accident that any of us look good anymore. So no matter what size you wear or the color of your hair, looking polished in the heat is all about looking perfectly pulled together.

There are two basic colors that French women wear: Black and White.  In a heat wave these two colors are your best friends.  They always look good together or tone on tone and they mix perfectly well with denim or any other color your scarf, hat, bag or shoes are.

French women are notorious for wearing really only one print.  Horizontal black and white stripes.  But this summer we are seeing black and white polka dots and checks also play into Paris street fashion.  A striped top is essential to making all this work.  And yes no matter what your size or age you can wear a striped top if it fits properly. If you are happy with your arms, nothing beats the heat like a great fitting black and white tank top.  This one is from Madewell at Nordstrom Rack, it’s 100% cotton but my best recommendation is to buy one with a bit of spandex so it keeps it’s shape. This tank is from Talbots, on sale right now. It will cover a bit more than the one above.  Black and white stripe tanks are everywhere, find one that fits you best.

Black and White short sleeve t-shirts are French must haves.  The more basic the better. Again this one is from Madewell at Nordstrom Rack.  But if I were buying a black and white stripe t-shirt I would buy the reverse color way. This is from Project Social T also from Nordstrom Rack. Why would I prefer this color way? Because it’s easier to wear this color way all year.  I don’t know about you but in the fall and winter I don’t love a white t-shirt against my skin tone, but this one with the black background and white stripes will work on anyone all through the year.  If you live in Canada here is a great one from Joe Fresh that is only $12for that price you can buy both color ways!And get a long sleeve stripe to round out your all year wardrobe.  I have a top like this in the reverse color way, black with white that I bought at the Latest Scoop in Vancouver ( now open in Toronto!) and I wear it all the time.  The longer sleeve version is great in the summer if you work in an air-conditioned office, sometimes when it’s the hottest outside it’s the coldest inside.

So now you have a striped base, one tank, one tee and one long sleeve.  Add a simple black and white t-shirt to this and you have tops that go with anything.   Babaton by Aritzia makes this great V neck Tee in lots of colors but black and white will take you everywhere. Or if you prefer a crew neck to a v neck, Wilfred Free at Aritzia also has this . I am liking my t-shirts to fit closer to my body these days.  But if you are curvy and want something that will float over your curves and not fit too tight try a Talbots classic Pima Tee, they really fit well and will float over a curvy body.  If you want a bit more than basic, go for a basic black and white knit top with a bit of oomph. You could do a corset black Tee from Laundry by Shelli Segal or Caslon has one with a knot to bring it closer to your body.  Both of these are from Nordstrom Rack.  I don’t believe in spending a ton on t-shirts, it’s better to replace them seasonally.

The only other top I would add is maybe a denim sleeveless or short sleeve top. Either this sleeveless Tencel top from Banana Republic orthis Quinn Boyfriend shirt that can be worn as a jacket would work with all your French inspired bottoms.

On the bottom the essential french style is a pair of jeans. For summer stick with a bit lighter wash and do either a crop or a boyfriend. The boyfriend jean above is from Eileen Fisher, as you know I love their jeans. This boyfriend jean is NYDJ, it’s the Alina Convertible Ankle and you can find NYDJ at the Bay and Nordstrom, this pair is from Nordstrom Rack. What other bottoms would you put with this minimalist French look? Well for sure a great black skirt a pair of light weight skinny leg black pants. For summer I might also add a white pant or jean too. A great white jean like this one from Eileen Fisher will do for your summer wardrobe what a great black pair does for your fall and winter wardrobe.

Black skirts are plentiful, again find the right one for you.Your black skirt can be an easy maxi like this one from Bobeau at Nordstrom Rack. Or it can be a trendy pleated midi skirt like this one from Babaton at Aritzia. Or it can be a chic pencil skirt  like this one from Ann Taylor.  You won’t go wrong with any version. Or be bold and add a novelty skirt if you already own the basics.  This Retro Dot skirt and  this Dottie Tiered skirt will make a great pop in your wardrobe.  Both are from Anthropologie’s When in France collection.

But more than skirts it seems that French minimalist fashion is favoring pants and dresses.  Aside from jeans everyone needs a great pair of black pants, I have several and wear them all for different occasions. If you are only buying one pair for summer buy a cropped slim ankle pant like this one from Ann Taylor it’s a mix of cotton and spandex so it won’t lose it’s shape or color.  This one pair can take you anywhere and pair it with any top above.  For the rest of your summer pants, aside from jeans, maybe try one of the novelty fabrics that Parisian women are embracing.  Maybe do a pair of wide leg pants in either a stripe or gingham check both the Manon Flared Pants above the Wide leg Gingham pants from Anthropologie’s When in France collection would be a perfect novelty pair for this summer.

And when it’s really hot out dresses can be your best friends.  It is an easy way of looking pulled together. You can be as basic as a beautiful jersey tank maxi from Eileen Fisher or pick their Organic cotton Jersey shift dress a bit shorter and great for anything. This Nautical Stripe dress from Anthro will take you up a notch.  Or embrace the stripes in this Organic Jersey Linen stripe dress from Eileen Fisher.  Both are perfectly French minimalist style and will keep you cool and comfortable.

Jumpsuits are another way to add another layer to this.  You don’t see a ton of them in minimalist french style but they are so chic right now it would be a great piece to have.  Just keep to the minimalist image we are going for.  There are two great black jumpsuits from Eileen Fisher that would work.  Both have wide crop legs and one is a chic wrap. Or go off the solids and do a fab polka dot jumpsuit that can be worn everyday or for special occasions. This jumpsuit is from New York Collective at Nordstrom Rack.

What else can you add to your basics to make you have the French flair? Look no further than Anthro’s When in France collection for inspiration. A chic wide brim hat keeps the sun off your delicate skin. Do either a brightly colored or woven round cross body bag over everything. Or add a check or stripe tote bag to round out your outfit.

Sandals are your go to for summer. One great novelty pair like these from Paolo Mattei at Anthro and one great black pair like these adorable Graceful Bow slide sandals will be all you need to complete your look.  If you want more add a great fitting pair of black or white sneakers and maybe one pair of neutral platforms I have a pair with a similar color story to these Kork-Ease ones from Nordstrom that are my go to with everything.

The other thing I noticed in all my Pinterest viewing is that jewellery is very simple.  Hoop earrings and a simple necklace or scarf tied around your necklike this one from BR. The earrings and necklace are images from Shoshana Lewis of Shok Designs, she is our resident jewellery expert!

I encourage you to look at Pinterest posts and Anthropologie to get your own inspiration for this look.  It can be a wonderful way to dress for summer and can take you through the hottest of days looking cool and collected!

Do you need help navigating your wardrobe? Are you at a loss with regards to what looks good on your body? I can help.  Email me at Suethefashionista.com for an appointment.  Or use my blog as inspiration to find your own style.

Until next time…

I know I was going to post about cleaning out your closets to get ready for fall clothes, but I  am so not ready to rush summer, or the beautiful weather away, so I decided to put that off for another week.  The day this blog posts will be August 1.  Where has summer gone! It seems to go faster and faster every year.   By August 1st summer is half over and the stores start getting their first fall deliveries in.  So I am going to do my part in extending summer by doing one more post about what to wear when it is hot out.

I am one of those people who love the heat, the hotter the better. Now I am not talking New Orleans kind of heat where the humidity is as high as the temperature, but I am loving the west coast heat we have going on right now.  I run cold, which means I freeze all winter, I love temperatures in the high 20’s or 80’s when I can not have to worry about wearing an extra layer.

I tend to live in summer dresses.  My favorites, if you haven’t noticed already, are midi and maxi dresses and skirts.  That is pretty much how I beat the heat is in a light weight dress or skirt and tank top.   What are my go to’s you ask? I have a number of cotton maxi dresses similar to this one from Alternative at Nordstrom Rack.  I have bought mine over the years at Anthropology, The Gap, Banana Republic and a great store in Vancouver and Toronto called the Latest Scoop.  I do tie a lot of my maxi dresses and skirts like this at the bottom, if I don’t both to get them shortened, because I am not very tall.  I am also quite picky because I really only wear dresses that I can wear a bra with, and this year there are a lot of cute strappy maxis but they are not for me.

The other thing I seem to gravitate to is my maxi and midi skirts.  I have a basic black knit maxi skirt like this one from Bobeau, but I got mine on sale at Talbots.  I do wear it with tank tops and anything that is a bit more fitted.  But I also have print skirts and pleated skirts.  And I seem to wear those for everything. This year I picked up the Babaton midi skirt from Aritzia, yes on my it’s a maxi.  I pull it out all the time, I wear it with tank tops, dressy tops and everything in between.  Just this last week I wore it to a dressy garden party event with Babaton’s Murphy blouse in white, it would also look great tone on tone in all black, but hey it’s summer.  These two pieces work across my summer wardrobe.  I wear the Murphy blouse with all my cropped wide leg pants and denim. I also find cropped wide leg pants in any solid color, like these Marina Pants from Ann Taylor work with all the Murphy tops I have ( l loved this top so much I bought it in 4 colors!)

Even though I shy away from print maxi dresses that doesn’t mean I shy away from all prints.  I have a few print maxi skirts like this one from Bobeau that I wear with my solid tops.

I also find that soft fabric loose pants are a great way to beat the heat. Cute light-colored joggers in a floaty fabric with a top that isn’t too fitted, like this look from Splendid will keep you super comfortable running errands in the heat. And if you are absolutely not a skirt person, and I have some friends who aren’t, then try a great pair of print wide leg crops from Rebecca Minkoff that can take you to work, dinner and weekend depending on what top you put with it.

And sometimes I just pick up cute dresses and skirts that are one season wonders.  What is a one season wonder you ask?  It is something that is very inexpensive and cute that you will wear to death this summer and then toss before next summer.  Joe Fresh is my go to sometimes for that.  I just looked at Joe Fresh.com and who couldn’t use this cute summer dress for $29.  It comes in black, fern green and grey. I find I do quite well on Joe Fresh online and find things that I won’t find at the store.  For those of you who live in the US you will have to shop online or see if Nordstrom Rack has it.  But in Canada, most Loblaw stores that are big have a Joe Fresh section.  You can pick up a great little black tencel midi dress for under $40.  Now that’s a great one season wonder!

I talk a lot about tank tops too.  Now I only buy or wear tanks that work with a bra underneath and if you are reading this blog and are over 40, yes you need a bra too. I live in my Joe Fresh classic tanks.  They are only $8.  I really believe that as soon as a tank loses its color and freshness you need to replace it.  At $8 I can do that.  H&M is another great place to pick up inexpensive tank tops. H&M’s tank tops are $6.99 so if they work for you great. I really like the weight of the Joe Fresh one’s, they are not see through.

I also live in sandals all summer. I wear everything from flip-flops to wedges. It really depends on where I am going.  A funny thing happened to my feet with all my weight loss, a lot of my shoes got too big.  So I really am sticking to shoes like flip flops and sandals I can buckle to keep them on by feet. A flat sandal like this one from Catherine Malandrino is a go to for me.  I could wear this with all my maxi and midi skirts and dresses and a lot of my pants and jeans.  I vary my heel height on where I am going and what the occasion is. I also find in the heat my feet are not comfortable in high heels unless it’s a wedge, so I seem to stick to block heel sandals like these from Matisse. I also have a couple of pairs of wedges like these that I wear all the time.  I love a bit of a lift because I am not tall and I find that my legs look longer and leaner when I wear a bit of a wedge. I also love slides like these from Dolce Vita, I think thy look fresh and modern with all your summer dresses, skirts and pants.

Last hot weather tip.  I find I wear a lot less make up in the heat.  I have a fantastic sunscreen with a tint that I wear over my moisturizer. Mine has an SPF of 50 and it’s from Skinceuticals so it’s not only good for my skin, it protects it too.  Anna Lotan makes a great one with a 30 SPF and there are lots of BB and CC creams that have SPF’s too.  Then I just wear bronzer and do my eyes.I found a great bronzer at Sephora by Cover FX and it goes on beautifully and I put it all over my face.   I also wear a colored lip gloss with sunscreen from Sugar every day. You can find Sugar Lip Treatment at Beauty Bar in Vancouver and at Sephora nation wide.  I find a fresh face is the best in the heat.  But honestly do yourself a favor and at least put on eyebrows, sunscreen and lip gloss before you leave the house.  There is no woman who looks great au naturel over 40. I know that’s harsh but it’s true.  And even if you are sweltering you want to look your best.

So that’s a quick snapshot into my beating the heat dressing and details.  I am sure you all have mastered your own way of doing that.  I didn’t blog about shorts because I really don’t wear them but I was in Nordstrom last week and a curvy woman walked by me wearing white shorts and a black tank and she was meticulously put together.

So if you can rock a pair of shorts like these from Whitehouse Blackmarket and look as good as she did, I say go for it.  I really can’t pull this off so I will stick to my long skirts.  You have to be comfortable in your own skin.

Next week we will talk about cleaning out your closet and what to keep and what to toss for getting your closet ready for fall.  I will feel better about writing that blog in August!

If you have questions or comments please email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com. I will be blogging until August 22 and then I have to break until September 12 while I get my sons settled at their respective universities.  So please try and catch me before Aug. 21 with requests or after Sept 10.

Until next time…

I posted this earlier today but if you scroll down you can read a bit more about Miracle Suit.  I was contacted by their local rep.  Please read below!

As we mature we notice that certain items of clothing can’t be the same things we wore in our 20’s and 30’s.  This definitely goes for bathing suits and swim wear. Once you have had a couple of children your body definitely changes into something new.  Swim wear can be a challenge even if you have a perfect body, so for the 98% of us who don’t swim wear is a challenge.

I am one of those women who absolutely have buying bathing suits.  It is the one thing that is difficult to buy online, and hardly ever on sale when you need it.  Bathing suit shopping for me doesn’t follow any of my style rules.  So I absolutely enlist the help of the sales people working in the store when shopping.  I always shop in dedicated swim wear stores, I find the sales professionals way more knowledgeable about the swim wear compared to department stores and athletic stores.

There are 3 things you need to be aware of when swim suit shopping:  1) Be realistic about your body, try and understand where your figure flaws are and how you want to camoflague them.  2) Take a look in magazines or online and see what swim suit styles are in fashion this summer,  for example, the higher bottoms (covering your navel) in 2 piece suits have given a lot of women the ability to wear a 2 piece.  And 3) Try and find a store or someone in a Department store or Athletic store who really knows swim wear and is used to dealing with women aside from 20 year olds.

1) Being realistic about your body means that as you age you may need to switch from a bikini to a 2 piece or maillot (1 piece).  Take a good look in the mirror, do you have a C-Section scar that needs to be covered?  Do you need support for your chest? Do you have heavy legs and want a suit that flatters and maybe covers the widest part? Or do you need a suit for something specific?  There is more selection, sizes and styles than ever before, so once you know how you want to look in the suit it is easier to take the next step and go shopping.

2) Before you go shopping it doesn’t hurt to do a little research.  What does Nordstrom carry? Did you know Talbots carries bathing suits online but not in store? Is there a particular style or color I really like that is brand new this season.  I actually bought one of my favorite swim suits at Nordstrom 2 years ago. This is the Miracle Suit So Riche Zip Code 1 piece.  I put it on and instantly felt great in it.  And I will admit that hardly ever happens in swim wear for me. But it slimmed me in the right places and let me show the one asset I have.  I have bought bathing suits before and after and none made me feel like this one does.  The one thing I have been looking for is a tankini that makes me feel as good as this suit.  So if that is my goal and I have looked online at Nordstrom http://www.nordstrom.com , Swimco (Canada)www.swimco.com , Everything But Water (US)www.everythingbutwater.com .  Then I can go into one of the stores and try it on.  You don’t have to buy it in store, but sometimes if it doesn’t look good the advantage of being in the store is that the sales professional can suggest something that will look better.

3) Where do you want to shop? In Canada Swimco is a great place to shop. In the US, I really like Everything But Water.  But I have shopped at Nordstrom, The Bay and even Talbots online for swim wear in the past.  Many Lingerie stores also carry swimwear, and so do places like J. Crew and Zara.  Just decide where you like to shop, and look online first and make sure they carry it in store.  Stores like J. Crew or other specialty stores may only have swimwear online.

What should you look for this Summer?

Well one thing that is really prevalent on suits are Ruffles.  We saw a lot of Ruffles on clothing so it naturally goes into swimwear as well. At Everything But Water they have the Jane Ruffle Over The Shoulder Tankini Top in either pink or blue that you can pair with a solid bottom. At Swimco they have a Ruffle one piece by Everyday Sunday and you can click on the size you think you need online and it will tell you what store in your area carries it!

The high neck swim suit is in style as well this summer. Nordstrom, Swimco and EBW all carry Profile by Gottex.  This is Gottex’s more covered line for women who don’t want to let it all hang out. Everything But Water carries the EBW collection and they feature a Key Hole high neck that comes in 3 colors with an open back.

Another summer trend is scallping on a simple maillot in a bright color. This is what is being shown in a lot of magazines. It is Marysia’s Antibes Scallop suit.  I actually tried this suit on when I was in Phoenix in May, but the only one they had was a size too big and I find it hard to pull the trigger on really expensive swim wear and this suit is $400.  All the other suits I have been showing are under $200.

Nothing has changed that much in Tankini’s over the last few years.  Just make sure the body of the top isn’t too long or short on you. It should hit your hips at the longest point.

What is new is the alternative to wearing a bikini. The higher bottom and 2 piece look is a retro look but it can be really attractive on a curvy body.  Nordstrom has some great stylish high waisted bottoms. They carry Something Navy and this is the ribbed high waisted bottom, comes in red, black and leopard print. Pair it with the matching topin any one of the colors and you can have a great look under $150. Look online and see what you like.  If you want something fun try looking at J. Crew online, http://www.jcrew.com  they have lots of high waisted bottoms, their seamless high waisted bottom comes in solids and prints and you buy the bottom and top seperately.

One other thing that you may need as you mature. I find I need a bit more cup coverage, I am not as perky as I used to be.  Stores like Swimco and EBW will carry cup sizes in tops, so that is something to be aware of. EBW makes a point in having D and DD cups sizes in both suits, tankini and bikini tops.  Just look at the selection online and see if they have it in store.

So with summer upon us now and everyone taking a holiday, buy a new suit shouldn’t be so challenging.  You may still not enjoy it but hopefully you will find a suit that makes you feel as good as you are going to look.

One thing to note.  Miracle suit actually has slimming fabric! It can make you look 10lbs lighter!  It is exclusive to them.  Locally in Vancouver besides Swimco you can also find Miracle Suit at Splash Swim and Cruise http://www.splashswimandcruise.com .  I am a huge fan of Miracle Suit! Go try one on!!

I am taking a bit of a break over the summer but instead of no blogs until mid August, I am going to repost some of the blogs from the past few years that have gotten a lot of likes.  This way maybe you can find some fresh ideas even if I am not around. Blogs from July 1 – Aug 21 will be posted every 2 weeks instead of every week. So stay tuned!

Also I am now taking styling and closet clean up appointments starting mid August, so book early so you won’t be disappointed.  I am going to be busy with all my regular appointments so if you want styling or a wardrobing appointment in your own closet now is the time to book for Aug and Sept.  To book just email me at Suethefashionista@gmail.com.

Have a great summer!!

Hi everyone! My blog about swim wear will post on Sunday June 30.  So stay tuned and thanks for following along.