Summer Style

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of summer.  Don't get me wrong-- I love the fact that I don't have to wear a coat and there is no snow on the ground.  I like the freedom of my kids being out of school and the longer days.  What I don't like about summer is trying to clothe myself.  Being a mom of three, I have a few... problem areas.  They are much harder to hide in tank tops and shorts.  My secret?  Buy clothes that fit well and are designed in a way that enhance my good features and distract from my bad ones.  My go-to styles are shorts with about a five inch inseam and loose fitting, flowy tops.  I do wear tighter fitting shirts too but always with another layer on top such as a vest or knit shrug. 

Some of my favorites for this season:

Yes, those are my actual legs and my actual shorts.  Please forgive the quality of the picture, as it is hard to take a good picture of yourself by yourself with three kids running around you the whole time. 

An easy way to dress up your summer style without trying too hard is plaid shorts.  I have a pair that I love from Old Navy.  Just pick out one of the colors from the plaid and find a solid color shirt or tank that matches.  So simple and so cute!  The beauty of an outfit like this is that because the shorts are so loud, you don't need to do much accessorizing over them,  It's a great choice when you are in a hurry.

The beauty in a nice pair of dark shorts is that they hide so much.  Those of us who are little too well endowed in the rear can benefit from a nice fitting pair of dark shorts, because they make us look like we aren't carrying so much junk in our trunks.  I chose this top because of the beautiful print and the lace detail at the collar, and because it's nice and flowy at the waistline which helps hide my mommy tummy.  I love this paisley print especially because the dark wash of the shorts pops out the dark blue flowers on the paisley.  I don't recommend the cuffed shorts for anyone who has thighs that need to be minimized.  They tend to draw attention to that area. 

There is nothing more comfortable than a pair of knit capris.  Of course, they are great for working out but in order to get more mileage out of them, I pair them with a pretty top.  The key to this looking good is making sure the top comes down over your butt, just enough that it could be considered a very short skirt, just past the pubic area.  Also, the top needs to be a little fitted.  Too loose and it looks like you are on your way to the gym.  Whenever I wear a more fitted top, I always pair it with some sort of accessory to help hide my belly.  In this case, a nice scarf. 

I am totally loving this vest.  Such a great find!  I like to wear skirts when its super hot.  They are cooler and can be worn a little longer than shorts and still look nice, which means I don't burn the back of my legs on the leather in my car when I am wearing them.  (Oh the things that I consider when choosing my clothing for the day.) I found the v-neck t-shirt at the same store that I found the vest and they go together perfectly.  The shirt is just plain enough that it doesn't distract from the detail of the vest, which is really the centerpiece of this ensemble.  But it also has enough detail that it adds to the interest of the outfit.  Again, since the shirt is a little bit on the fitted side, I have put a vest over it to distract from my mommy pooch. 

Always Fabulous,