We are in the midst of summer and it’s turning into a White Hot Summer.  White is the new Black.  I’ve been asked why I don’t provide links to the clothing I feature.  It’s because I’m not necessarily promoting these actual outfits, but I’m using them as a guideline.  Look in your own closet…Yes, shop in your own closet, and find looks that you yourself can emulate.  I’ve been doing it for years.  Of course feathering in some Etcetera and Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s internet shopping sprees, but working the new in with the old.  My favorite summer trends are loose, shift dresses and the off-the-shoulder and the cold-shoulder dresses and tops.

Here are some of my favorite white summer looks.

Shorts are a tad short, unless you are under 20, but love the bag and love the blouse-y blouse!

Metallic accessories are the perfect way to dress up your whites.

Also loving the brown purse with the white dress.

Classic.  Oldey but goody.

I’m especially loving the loose summer dresses.

Another loose summer dress.  You cannot go wrong with this look.  Of course, the hat is an all-day decision.  Bear that in mind when you pop a fedora on your head.

Love, love, love.

Off the shoulder is my absolute favorite summer trend!  Now is the time to buy as summer clothes are now on sale.

An off the shoulder loose summer shift dress.  Win-win.

White pant suit.  Yes, you can wear white after Labor Day (sorry, Kathy P).

White skinny jeans with white off the shoulder top and nude pumps.

Short in front.  Long in the back.

Love this paired with the gladiator lace up sandals.

More of the same.

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perfect for work.

Love, love, love.  But perhaps not “age-appropriate”.

Loose white pants with white sandals.

More age appropriate!

With just a touch of blue.

love the Tiffany colored bracelet.

You can find a whole array of Little White Dresses at Nordstrom.

India Hicks Carmen Clutch

The India Hicks Carmen Clutch.  🙂

Basic Rules for Wearing White

From: womens-fashion.lovetoknow.com

With the modern day emphasis on style being more of an individualized concept than of people blindly following advice without knowing the original basis, you might feel there are no hard-and-fast rules to follow when it comes to fashion. Still, if you’re more of a traditionalist, are afraid of showing up wearing the wrong thing or just like sticking to style guidelines (even if others say they’re outdated), you can follow these “rules”:

• Don’t wear a white dress to a wedding: This is one that most fashionistas seem to agree on. The only woman who should wear a white dress to a wedding is the bride. It’s fine if your ensemble has white in it, but head-to-toe white for anyone but the lady exchanging vows is generally seen as a no-no.
• Wear off-white in cool weather: If you just love white and the way it complements your complexion, but you’re still afraid to wear it during the winter, choose off-white, cream and beige clothing instead. Even die-hard fashion traditionalists usually O.K. winter white.
• Warmer climates usually have more leeway: If you live in a tropical environment, white clothing probably seems necessary, even in winter, especially if your days are full of 80 degree weather. You can probably pull off cute summer dresses in light colors year-round and no one in such a hot climate will bat an eye.
• Wear the right shoes: Heavy black pumps paired with lightweight white dresses can be an odd combination. If you wear a white dress in the spring or summer, better options include natural toned or white sandals. If you choose to wear white in fall and winter, brown shoes still look better than black (and for sticklers to the rules, white shoes should be avoided after Labor Day).
• Avoid white clothes in city environments: For anyone who lives in a bustling city and relies mainly on public transportation, wearing white clothes is akin to courting disaster. Between subways, taxis, dirty seats and puddles, it would be a miracle for a white dress or slacks to make it through the day unscathed. This is one of the main reasons you see so many metropolitan women sticking to black ensembles – not only are they slimming, they don’t show dirt as much.

Song of the Day:  Whenever I see Your Smiling Face by James Taylor… because I was lucky enough to be at  the James Taylor and Jackson Browne last week at Wrigley Field… and Even more lucky to be with my daughter Meredith at the concert!

Whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself because I love you, yes, I do.
And when you give me that pretty little pout, it turns me inside out.
There’s something about you, baby, I don’t know.

Coming off a truly fantastic holiday weekend and looking forward to a great weekend with two of our favorites!

What I’m reading:

The Calendar Girl Series – by Audrey Carlan.  There are 12 books in all.  This was recommended to me as a “fun summer read”.  Because it’s a 12-book “series”, I felt obligated to finish it.  Thankfully each book can be read in about an hour.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – I’m reading this because I saw the movie and Loved it!

Living with the Devil – by Lori Hart and Cindy Mulligan.  Loved this book so much I blogged about it yesterday.

Movies I’m recommending:

Finding Dory. 🙂  Even better when you see it at the iPic with 1/2 priced wine night.

Me Before You.  Loved it so much I bought the book.  I love, love, love this movie.

What else is new?  I had my first shot of Fireball.  And had my last shot of Fireball. 🙂

Have a fun and festive summer weekend!

xoxo,

T.

Pretty much.

The happiest of meals!

It’s like they’re not even trying! 🙂

Tags: Dressed to a T, Dressedtoat, IHTribe, India Hicks, White Hot Summer