(a little warning:  we’re going to talk bras now, and there are pictures.  so maybe that makes this NSFW, if your boss is a prude…)

with summer fast approaching, invisible underpinnings are going to suddenly go from an ideal to an absolute necessity.  i don’t know about you, but i’m a little past the point in my life at which i want my black bra visible under the thin, tissue-weight tees i’ll be sporting all summer.

but “invisible” is fraught with trouble, too.  i don’t much care for spanx (i know i’m in the minority here), and most other base pieces designed to disappear are utterly unattractive.  plus, “nude” usually means some version of a pinkish peach shade that doesn’t actually match anyone’s skin that i know.

but imagine.  just imagine a company that not only makes them pretty, but also makes them functional.  oh, and they can actually match your skin tone!  this might just be the coolest concept in bras since the push-up.

the company is myskins, and when they gave me the chance to test out their line, i jumped at it (of course!).  they’ll mail you a color chart (or you can just print one online, as i did) to check your skin tone against their options.  pick a color, order your normal size in any of their 3 styles (i found the bras ran very true to size, but size up on the bottoms), and before you know it, a bra perfectly matched t your skin will appear at your door.

myskins sent me the t-shirt bra to test out, and i will say it managed to vanish under even my tissue-iest of tissue tees.  it was really comfy, matched my skin almost perfectly and gave just the right amount of oomph.  the wavy edges confused me at first, but they do a great job of making the seams disappear.  i was also a little worried about the padding levels (yes, i’m easily traumatized), but they were, as goldilocks would say, just right.

full disclosure: i also tried the girl shorts and, while i had high hopes, i wasn’t quite as in love with those.  but i’d chalk that up to the fact that i never end up loving seamless bottoms (can we stop saying “panty,” please?), which tend to move around too much.  and well, i’m just a cotton kind of girl at heart.  that said, sometimes comfort has to take an, um, back seat…and i’m a staunch opponent of the VPL, so i’m willing to suffer a bit for fashion.

ultimately, these are just about my favorite new “every day” bra – i’m planning to order at least one more any day now.  at $48 each, the pricing compares with most of my other bras, and the fit and function are definitely superior.  if nothing else, they’ve saved me the trauma of the lingerie dressing room, and i’ll take that deal any day.

i’m so pleased with my latest brainstorm, i can hardly stand it. it all started with tan trench coats invading the spring runways. slowly, it creeped into my brain that i actually owned such a coat – albeit one from at least five years ago, and not something i’d considered terribly stylish (hence its residence in the very back of my guest room closet). but these new trenches were hip and perfect, and i couldn’t figure out why.

finally, it dawned on me…black buttons! for some reason, it’s all about the black buttons – the contrast in color adds the perfect edge to this classic. then, i started seeing them paired with that amazing military belt from burberry prorsum. if you haven’t seen it, it’s $350 and, if that weren’t prohibitive enough, it’s also sold out absolutely everywhere.

i knew there had to be a better way. and so, i’ve turned my lust for this:

(wait…go back and take another look at that belt. so fabulous, i can’t stop thinking of ways to wear it!)

…into reality with this:

yep, that’s my old tan trench (find something like it here or here) + the application of larger black buttons (thank you, tailor) + a quick google to track down *actual* military belts = exactly the style i wanted for spring, and it was in my closet the entire time. my tailor wanted about $15 for the button swap, and the belt is a very thrifty $9.99, leaving me with a whole new piece for under $25. not bad for a little brainstorming! plus, that little $10 belt is going to do some serious work this spring – i already have plans to pair it with pastel cardigans and cutoff shorts, and to edge up my girly floral summer dresses.

now i’m finding myself trying to figure out what else in my closet could stand a little updating. is anything in your wardrobe ready for a remodel?

(editor’s note:  my belt arrived! and it’s fabulous in person – just what i was hoping for!   a little tip on sizing: make sure you measure your waist.  the sizes listed are exact lengths for the belts…i guessed based on my denim size, and was totally off.  i’d say a small would fit you if you wear up to a 28 in denim; if you’re a 29-32, you’ll want the medium.)

well hello, readers!  i missed you last week. but the whole time i was gone, i was taking furious notes of all the things i had to tell you about when i returned.  yes, i spent nearly all of last week revisiting my old stomping grounds in san francisco.  thank goodness the city is still as amazing as i remember…though i don’t miss that 9% sales tax!

i shopped and shopped, and then i shopped some more.  i got tees at H&M, mugs at jonathan adler, a tour of the new spring collection at michael kors, macarons (and way too much candy) at miette patisserie, made several trips to bloomingdales and barneys, neiman marcus and saks, and drank my weight in cappucinos at my favorite italian cafe.  and i topped it all off with lunch at neiman marcus’ rotunda restaurant, quite possibly my favorite lunch spot ever.  how can you not love a huge stained glass dome, birds-eye view of union square, all the popovers you can eat, and live models trailing couture past your table.

i also got to catch up with several of my dear friends that i left behind in san francisco (hi to A and J!), and spend some much-needed quality time with my sweet mom.  and i finally (finally!) got to meet the lovely connie, who’s been my e-friend for years, and is now a real live in-person friend.  love that!

sigh….i’m exhausted just reading that!  yes, i had missed my city.  and i worked very, very hard to hit all the spots i missed while i was gone.  i picked up so many new tips, brands and ideas that i can’t wait to share…but for now, i have to start with what i brought home, don’t you agree?

my big splurge was this amazing leather blazer by vince – on super markdown at barneys, i might add.  vince calls it their ‘paper leather,’ and it really is amazingly thin, light and matte – plus it has knit panels on the underside of the sleeve and along the sides, which makes it ultra-comfy and perfect for layering.  this is last fall’s style (which i prefer for being infinitely less trendy), but if you want to see the current incarnation with its asymmetrical lapels (also very cute), it’s right here.  i can hardly wait to start pairing it with cropped jeans and frilly spring dresses.  you know, something like…

…this ella moss version i picked up (also on the barneys supersale).  it’s not online any longer (the hazard of buying on sale…), but this one is awfully similar.  just imagine it with short sleeves and no black mesh detailing.  i’m already plotting to pair it with black tights and short boots now (and that fabulous new jacket!), and a chunky nude sandal come spring.  i love that there’s a bit of black in this print – it keeps it just shy of being girly overkill, and will make it so easy to layer with darker colors.

and last, i couldn’t resist these gorgeous bronze (really more of a coppery shade) mirrored cutout flats from belle by sigerson morrison – they were a last-minute treat from neiman marcus.  i love these as an alternative to sandals (especially when the pedicure’s looking a little less than perfect), and can’t wait to use them to dress up cutoff shorts or boyfriend jeans this summer.

other than that (ha!), i was pretty restrained.  i passed up oh so many luscious handbags, and managed to avert my eyes from the jewelry department every time i went to barneys.  but even with all that self-control (ha again), it was an ab fab trip, and i can’t wait to do it again.

how was your weekend?

when i first spotted this top (j.crew’s laporte drape blouse, $110), i loved the draping, but wondered whether it would flatter.  i really didn’t see the wisdom of it all until i saw the styling potential.

before:

nice enough, right?  perfect for those days when you’re looking to hide an extra cupcake or two.  but now check it out with styling…after:

fabulous, right?  the destroyed denim and the flat gladiator keep the silk-and-pearls look from being too dainty, and i love seeing those pearls worn cross-body.  i’d never have come up with it, but i have no doubt i’ll be using this trick all spring.  personally, i’d try this with any number of anonymous silk shells we all have in our closets…if you can, add a scarf to the mix to give the same texture and flow this top has, but i think it’ll be genius either way.

sometimes j.crew annoys me (please, please stop changing your denim cuts and shoe sizing!)…but then they show up with styling this good and utterly redeem themselves.

(oh, and by the way…nab 20% off j.crew purchases of $175+ through saturday! use code SHHH at checkout!)

i’ve actually never been the biggest fan of scott schuman’s incredibly popular blog, the sartorialist.  me, i like a little more text in my daily reads (shocking, i know).  and if i’m honest, i’m often bored by the ’street looks’ thing.  especially in this case, there just seemed to be too many looks i couldn’t wrap my mind around, or just plain hated.  which then made me feel fashion-challenged and inferior, and really, i’m not looking to get a complex from a blog.

the point (yes, there is one) is that i actually love his new book.  love it.  picked it up, leafed through every single one of its 512 pages, and have revisited it several times.  it’s a pared down version of the best and most interesting looks from his site – along with a little bit of text to explain just a few of the looks (true to form, schuman’s words are few, but well-placed).

after going through the book, i realized two things.  first, i shouldn’t have been letting his blog make me feel bad (duh).  every look is there because it’s unique and striking, not necessarily perfect (and definitely not perfect for me).  and second, i know i’m going to be turning to this book on a regular basis…in fact, i even got out my mini post-it flags to mark some of my favorites.  it’s a great place to look for ideas to update looks you’re already wearing, and to be reminded of old rules.  pairing a floral dress with a bright belt and black ankle boot is great.  but pale gold flats and a bicycle work equally well.  mixing patterns?  be bold!  tights can be transformative.  classic is always, always in style.  and, oh yes, never forget the potential of a rolled sleeve or pant cuff.

i’m probably still a little too fashion-challenged and inferior for that last one, but you never know…schuman may convince me yet!

i’ve been meaning to show you all this dress since i fell for it a month or so ago at anthropologie.  this might just be the most flattering, most versatile summer dress i’ve come across this season – though the photos on the website just don’t do it justice.  well worth your $98 for the accessorizing options alone, but the fact that this manages to simultaneously enhance the decollette, hide tummy troubles, provide a miniscule waist (even if you don’t normally have one) and be ultra-comfy makes this a definite must-do for summer.

if you stop by the store, they also have the dress in a stunning, universally-flattering shade of cobalt – my personal favorite.  but the gold and periwinkle are really lovely too.

sadly, i actually ended up returning mine…it’s best on ladies 5′7″ or shorter, unless you either have a super-long torso or are riskier with your hemlines than i am.  but if the growth chart fits, you absolutely can’t go wrong.

i loved it paired with that fab leafy necklace i showed you recently and some studded gladiators, but i was also planning to pair with…

a loose, unstructured vest (left open, please) and the biggest, baddest chain necklace i can find, and perhaps even…

a boyfriend blazer and booties, come fall.  ooh, or a leather moto jacket (as long as the length worked…keep it at least a couple of inches below the waistband on this one!).

of course, most of these styling ideas will work with whatever your favorite summer dress is this year…after all, it’s nearly time to start thinking about those summer-to-fall styling options.

ed. note: if you haven’t entered our fab contest this week, now’s your last chance.  entries close at midnight tonight…click here to enter!

i was all set to rave about the cutest skirt i saw at anthropologie on my coffee/retail therapy run this morning.  but online, it’s looking a bit like a lampshade, so now i’m thinking perhaps not.

instead, let’s talk strapless dresses.  i’ve never been a huge fan – being relatively well endowed in the (ahem) bosom area, i always seem to spend all of my time frantically yanking on the top of the dress, fearing (however irrationally) the inevitable.  and i tend to think of strapless frocks as either swim-coverup-casual, a la juicy couture, or exceedingly formal (my wedding gown).  it just seems to be too much skin exposure for an average day.  but lately, i’ve been seeing strapless looks done in such a perfectly modest, tailored and stylish way that i’m beginning to reconsider.

it all began with a post from superstar french style icon garance doré extolling the manner in which lovely italian women put together the strapless dress and the flat sandal.  and truly, the look is lovely, don’t you agree?  sophisticated, simple, and undeniably stylish, without being overly dressy.  oh, and did i mention it’s also incredibly easy to duplicate?   any black strapless will do – i’m actually a fan of this version at target.  add something like these chic braided sandals from modern vintage (check out that detachable strap…and on sale, no less!), a black belt you almost certainly already own, and some of that perfectly tousled hair, and presto: chic and so very simple.

shortly after spying this look, i was browsing anthropologie’s latest catalog, and saw the most clever styling of a strapless dress ever!  i love the jersey v-neck tee beneath – the neckline gives such interest, and it looks like an entirely different dress!  i never think of layering things underneath a strapless, but i just love this look.  definitely office-appropriate, and again, so simple!  i’m guessing you already have the tee in your closet, and the dress is just a click away.  i’d love to see this with a patterned tee and a solid dress, perhaps layered with a cropped denim jacket…the possibilities are, if not endless, definitely varied.

so, what do you think? are you ready to reconsider going strapless?

in case you haven’t noticed, i’ve toned down the exorbitantly expensive features of late.  not that we shouldn’t all be supporting the economy, but well, i know i’ve been spending more time at gap than nordstrom lately, so i assume the same is true of most of you.

that said, i’m always a fan of the occasional, well-placed splurge.  but how do you decide whether something really is a “worthy splurge”?  today, i’m going to share my cardinal splurge rules with you (exciting, i know).  

at $246, this bold “lollipop skirt” from tibi certainly qualifies as a potential splurge.  plus it’s bold, colorful, and definitely unique.  i spied it over at chick downtown, and decided it was the perfect test case.    

before you even start, make sure you love it.  really and truly.  not just that it’s “fun” or “pretty” or “useful.”  if it’s truly worthy, it makes you smile when you wear it – plain and simple.  once that’s decided, i use a pretty straightforward “3-2-1″ formula to weigh a splurge, as i find that pure logic sometimes helps in the face of unrelenting temptation:

wearability:  can i think of at least 3 completely different ways to wear the item?  

longevity:  can i envision it being worn in at least 2 different decades (other than this one)? 

uniqueness:  is it unique?  or, put another way, do i have even 1 other item in my closet that could do what this item does?  

in the case of this lovely tibi:  wearability options seem pretty endless.  make it classic with a sleeveless white shell and sandals, turn it tomboy with a ribbed tank and boyfriend blazer or leather jacket, or add a cardigan and a scarf to wear it to the office.  as for longevity, i can definitely see this in the 60s and the 80s, and even the early 90s – can’t you see your mom wearing something like this when she was in high school?  and as for being unique, i certainly don’t have anything like it in my closet.

on my 3-2-1 scale, the tibi skirt measures up pretty perfectly.  of course, all of this hinges on fit:  the one rule that trumps all of the others.  a splurge simply has to make you look and feel amazing…or really, what’s the point?

so, what do you think?  is this tibi a worthy splurge to you?

just goes to show, you can find style anywhere.  before i go too far, let me just say that (a) yes, i realize garnet hill is for old people, and (b) therefore, i may now be old.  but i was bored enough to flip through their latest catalog, and there were some pretty do-able pieces to be found, most of which were pretty darn cheap to boot!

this knit dress ($68) is such a perfect summer staple.  i hate having to think about what i’m wearing when it’s hotter than hades out.  yes, it’s basic, but the ruching at the neckline and the bow give it enough detail to keep it stylish, and the washed-out grey makes it look lived-in, which i love on dresses like these.  

i’d pair it with flip-flops (2 for $70, and they look exactly like my $60 j.crew flips) and a chunky necklace. or, even better, this great euro/indian scarf ($52), which is exactly what i’ve been looking for to get me through the summer:  lightweight, neutral, and effortless.

so, what do you think – have i lost my mind completely, or are you on board?

this skirt from brooklyn industries manages the impossible – it’s as frilly as can be, but work the look the right way, and this is the ultimate hip spring floral.  and it’s on sale for $58.

no question, florals are tricky – and in the spring, you risk looking more laura ashley than kate moss if you play them wrong.  but, done right, they’re ideal for the season, and end up looking oh-so-stylish, with that “i just threw this on and look amazing” perfection we’re all seeking.

so, the how to:  first, drop the girly quotient from the rest of the ensemble.  instead of pearls, think heavy chains.  bare legs will work with a bold shoe, but black tights are even better (with the blue, that is – stay bare with the black skirt).  for footwear, my choice is an edgy heel, but heel or flat, stick to black or a bold, bright and non-matching color.  red or hot pink with these cool floral skirts, for example, would be fantastic.  layer a couple of tanks or tees, and pair the whole thing with a blazer or a menswear vest (not a cardigan, unless it’s very oversized and a neutral shade) – maybe even a plaid or striped scarf to top things off.  let your inner tomboy/rocker chick come out to play when you don flowers, and the end result will be stunning.

check out this fantastic piece from whowhatwear with even more ideas for updating a floral.  incidentally, these ideas are also a great way to do the old “shop your closet” bit – you should be able to unearth a floral skirt or two from the ’90s, no?