All Natural

The fashion this summer may be clingy knits but word to the wise something cotton and breezy may be healthier. Those undergarments that help keep you smooth are made of Lycra, spandex or other synthetic fibers may not so good for extended wear in heat and humidity. They do not allow skin to breathe and can contribute to infections.

Same goes for a wet bathing suit. Limit your time and keep yourself healthy. When you can choose cotton panties. Not Grannie panties just cotton panties. There are several organic ones on the market as well as thongs and v-kinis so you can still be sexy and synthetic free.

Tangled Up in Blue

Let’s face it ladies, it’s certainly nice to be fashionable but not every single thing will fit on every single body.

My nemesis — and two hot fashions of the past few seasons I cannot wear — are pencil skirts and skinny jeans. Yesterday we looked at pencil skirts, today let’s look at jeans. If you are hippy (not a hippie as in flower child) or even hourglass shaped skinny jeans are just the wrong proportion.

For a pant or jean to fit well even with a bit of stretch they should glide overt your hip and go straight down from there, slimming the body and giving you a graceful silhouette. Skinny jeans for a mature women’s figure are like sausage casings. Your best bet in jeans? Dark wash with a boot cut leg.

Style Meant to Move

Pencil skirts used to fit the curves of women when they were a staple in the closets of curvy starlets of long ago. Now they are straighter and less forgiving. Unlike skinny jeans, however, there are a few ways they can be worn.

If they have panels that elongate the look or stretch that skims your curves then it can work. Do the sit down test. No, really, if it is something you are wearing to work it needs to have movement, be comfortable and not look like an accordion when you stand. Also if you have to tug it back into place every time you move, it’s too much trouble no matter how good it looks.

Channel your inner Audrey Hepburn

…or whoever your style icon is.

For an Audrey Hepburn look try a pair of solid color slimmish ankle pants with a sleeveless shirt or sleeves whatever works best for your body type and ballet  flats. A colorful clutch or shoulder bag, breezy scarf and your sexiest sunglasses.Make your hair sleek back in a pony tail or straight. Even if you weren’t blessed with straight hair, a flattening iron can give you the look for a day.

Look to add a solid contrasting color sweater, a cardigan works best. You can ditch the scarf and throw the sweater casually over your shoulders. That works well for inside frigid air conditioning and also outside as the evening cools off. Think effortless style.

Red Hot

Rethink the basics. In general when one thinks of neutral colors: white, black, gray, navy, taupe come to mind. My very fashionable friend’s mother Cicely always maintained that red was a neutral color as well. And when you think about it, there is a red out there for every coloring. The darker your skin tone and hair color the more vibrant and ruby your red can be. For the blonde’s and lighter complected, warmer tones of watermelon, fire engine or coral work best. There is one shade in there that will work for you. And if a piece of clothing or an accessory is too much of a commitment how about a lovely shade of red for a luscious summer mouth.

Photo thanks to Thomas Hawk

A better bag

Want a better ziplock bag? How about a reusable one from Sephora. The medium size is clear and sturdy and costs $4.00 and comes in a few colors. Have travelled internationally and never had a problem with it. It also keeps your cosmetics handy to just put on the sink when you get to where you are going.

Nordstrom has a bag with clear bottles as well. And as long as it’s clear and about the size of a quart bag you can pick one up at your favorite drugstore. Zip and unzip it a bunch of times to make sure it’s durable.

The Skies Above

I’m flying to the states today. That trip always reminds me it doesn’t matter the length of the journey, it matters how well prepared you are to make it. Worn out baggy track suits are a no-no. Everyone feels stressed when they travel. And then, when you look at yourself in that flat dark mirror in the airplane bathroom seventeen times in ten hours, well lets just say it’s not very positive reinforcement for how fabulous you look. How will you feel with the terrible lighting and wrinkled sloppy look?

Two creative travel tips: Drink water at every opportunity. If you spill it in the low humidity it doesn’t stain. Add some color. A solid colored cotton scarf can do wonders on a plain white t-shirt. It can also double as a blanket if you get cold.