Planning The Perfect
Summer Wardrobe

Well, girls, it's finally here! If you're anything like me, you wait all year for warm weather to come so you can show off your clothes without having to wear a coat, boots, hat, and gloves over them, and so you can wear those darling sandals you bought for that aborted trip to the Bahamas you scheduled for March. (Long story. Some other time.) Now the days are long, the opportunities for outdoor socializing are endless, and you have so many choices for "What to wear today?" that you're positively giddy. Let me remind you that now is the perfect time to hit the sale racks and pick up some spring essentials for a song, so any gaping hopes in your wardrobe can be filled with more options than you ever dreamed.

By now you should have the following pieces for summer:

• Tunics: long for cover-up or with jeans), short (with crops or Bermudas), and short-sleeved or sleeveless for the hottest days
• Shorts: short with rolled cuffs, Bermudas, and some patterns
• Skirts: long and full, short and sweet, and boho details
• Sundresses: full and flowy, slim and preppy and sexy,figure-flattering wrap
• Pants: cropped and skinny and wide and mannish
• Denims: white and cropped
• Tops: blouson, woven, and patterned
• Knits: classic tees, sporty tanks, preppy polos and flirty camis
• Shoes: flat sandals, wedge sandals, platforms, espadrilles, this season's hot ankle wraps. Believe me, you will need them all. (And there is no such thing as too many shoes!)
• Bags: small, medium, and beach tote. And just for kicks, a great travel duffle for those weekends in the Hamptons. Or Malibu. Or Tahoe. Or Napa. Take your pick.
• Swimsuits: two-piece and more covered up (for "off" days)
• Belts: wide, skinny, and hip-slung
• Hat: face-protecting—let's keep those wrinkles at bay for as long as possible!
• New undies! Out with the old, in with the new (and un-shabby).

Work within these themes (but not all at the same time!):

1. Black-and-white
2. Earthy neutrals
3. Nauticals
4. Preppy bright
5. Ethnic details

Now, to some of us, sale shopping can be a bit daunting: all the clothes in one department stacked in just a few racks, and the selection is quite a bit thinner than it was in April, but look at it this way: your perseverance will be rewarded when you come up with that pair of Joe's Jeans from earlier in the season tucked in the wrong size section that fit you perfectly and are 75% off the original price! And since some of these trends (boho, b&w) were around last summer, too, you may have some luck in the major discount retailers (one starts with a "T" and ends with a "Maxx"), which are always a source of good staples (tees, a black belt, khaki shorts) and occasionally offer a truckload from Bergdorf's with a Badgley Mischka in exactly your size for way less than the original five-figure price. Again, your patience (and frequent visits) will be rewarded!

And one more thing: lately, I've found myself dressing down a lot, saving my sassiest outfits for some imagined future social engagement. Don't! With no coat to cover your ensemble, you can show off your most fabulous creations just walking to your evening's appointment. Dress as gorgeous as you can, just because. (But no espadrilles in the rain.)

So enjoy this brief respite from clothing-for-thermal-preservation, and make sure your pedicure is fresh. See you at the beach!

xoxo,

Shop Girl

Be sure to check out the homepage for updates from She She Me and the new Hot Products in the She She Mall. Also, don't miss the great girly merchandise in our Chic Shop.

The Budget Fashionista

How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less by Kathryn Finney (Ballantine Books, $12.95; June 2006)

"Kathryn Finney's tips help real women everywhere be their own stylists. A fun read that inspires you to shop smart!"
-Lloyd Boston, style contributor for NBC's Today show, author of Before You Put That On

How to Be a Budget Fashionista: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Fabulous for Less is chock-full of information, tips, and advice to increase a woman's style quotient without breaking her bank account.  The blogger behind the popular shopping and fashion blog/site, * TheBudgetFashionista.com teaches women everywhere how to score the best fashion and beauty deals.  This Diva of Discounts shares more than thirty budget fashionista-tested tips and explains key budget styling principles from Shopping Saving Accounts to the Secret Tricks of Celebrity Stylists.

Get your copy now! How to Be a Budget Fashionista. Sign up for FREE Budget Fashionista Newsletter.

SHE SHE ME is happy to announce that
our über-chic note cards were selected
to be included in the celebrity gift bags
for the 2006 ALMA Awards!

Enter to win your own gift bag filled with the
very same goodies that the stars received!