According to our friends at Glamour, dresses are all bright and patterned this season. In honor of the hot summer months, the editors have pulled together the perfect ones for every body shape. Take a look! Says the staff, "you'll never look like you're wearing curtains!"
If You're Busty Go For...
A cinched waist. It's figure-defining for a D-cup like 26-year-old Jessica Lenehan.
Armani Exchange, XS-XL, $120, Armaniexchange.com
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
A Wrapdress Plays Up Curves
Banana Republic, sizes 0-14, $130, Bananarepublic.com
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
Heart-Shaped Necklines Cover and Highlight
French Connection, sizes 0-12, $178, select Bloomingdale's, call (800) 232-1854
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
And Try A Small Print for Demure Days
DKNY, sizes P-L, $295, select DKNY stores, call (800) 231-0884
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
If You're Tall Go For...
A bold pattern and shorter length, like what Alexandra Daum, 22, sports.
Jodi Arnold, sizes 0-10, $348, Jodi Arnold, NYC, call (212) 228-4410
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
Horizontal Prints Balance Your Height
Calvin Klein, sizes 2-16, $99, select Macy's, call (800) 343-0121
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
A Skirt With Some Volume--You Can Carry it Off!
Kersh, sizes XS-XL, $100, call (888) 688-3657
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
And a Banded Hem Breaks Up Your Length
Esprit, sizes 0-14, $120, select Esprit stores, call (877) 377-7488
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
If You're Pear-Shaped Go For...
A strappy A-line, like this dress on Yamile Mufdi, 23.
Jack BB Dakota, sizes XS-L, $60, Dakotacollective.com
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
Pops of Color Put the Focus on Legs and Shoulders
Simply Vera Vera Wang, sizes S-XL, $68,Kohls.com
Glamour: Dress Your Body - Find Your Most Flattering Summer Dress
The temperatures are scorching, and the bright sun is shining -- which means there's no better time to show off your sizzling sense of summer style.
Glamour magazine rounded up some of their favorite personal-style bloggers, who gave suggestions for breezy summer outfits for every occasion--from a daytime barbecue to--you guessed it--a hot night on the town.
Layer on a little lace to dress things up.
Set the mood by adding romantic lace to casual basics. "I like this outfit because it incorporates two of my favorite spring-summer trends, chambray and lace," says Jessica.
Jessica of Wardrobes and Whimsy wears a thrifted top and belt, a Ross skirt and Forever 21 shoes.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Flirt it up with fun summer colors.
Don't be afraid to show off your experimental side by mixing and matching contrasting colors. "Bright colors lift my mood, and this outfit is no exception!" says Kristina. "I love mixing different textures, like sequins, and playing with more than one color in an ensemble."
Kristina of Pretty Shiny Sparkly wears a Forever 21 skirt, a vintage top, Calvin Klein shimmer tights and leopard flats from Target.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Show off some skin with an unusual neckline.
The season's one-shoulder tops and dresses let you flaunt your fab arms without having to worry about roaming bra straps slipping you up.
Stella of Fab Gab Blog wears a BCBG Max Azria dress, a Liz Claiborne clutch and H&M shoes.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Dress around one showstopping piece.
Show off your favorite statement piece--whether it's a bright necklace, killer shoes or a sassy skirt--by keeping the rest of your outfit low-key. "This summer look is perfectly delicate but with a punch of color," says Taylor. "I love wearing a flirty and fun skirt on a hot summer day, and this one is great with the bright florescent flowers."
Taylor of Sterling Style wears a vintage top, a Forever 21 skirt and necklace, Dolce Vita shoes and a Banana Republic bag.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Stay cool in breathable fabrics.
"On hot summer days, I gravitate toward breathable fabrics like linen and stretchy cotton--and of course, bare legs," says Keiko. Note that "breathable" doesn't have to mean blah or floaty--Keiko's tight mini can really move!
Keiko of Keiko Lynn wears an H&M shirt, a skirt from Beacon's Closet and Dots heels.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Have a summer fling with warm-weather colors.
Next to midday margaritas and the smell of suntan lotion, nothing says summer like wearing sky blue and bright white.
Anna of Passport Glamour wears a vintage top, a Zara skirt and Aldo shoes.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Bring out your year-round heels at the peak of summer.
Your favorite pumps--you know, the ones you wear nonstop from September through February--can look just as fab now. Just lighten 'em up with a breezy summer dress and an "I'm on vacation" smile!
Christine of My Style Pill wears a BB Dakota dress, an Urban Outfitters belt and Steve Madden shoes.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Update your bold basics with cool prints.
Last year's brights and neons look off-the-vine fresh when paired with hip little prints and stripes. "I like this outfit because it's bright!" says Jessica. "The floral print and bright red work well together for a fun summer look."
Jessica of Wardrobes and Whimsy wears a Gap tank, a thrifted skirt and Nine West shoes.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Bring out your best vintage finds.
There's no better time to wear your so-filmy-it's-almost-see-through vintage dress than a summer's night. (FYI: Sometimes the harsh sunlight can drill right through fabric, making your, ahem, undergarments highly visible.) "I would wear this 1950s vintage yellow dress to a cocktail party or just out for drinks with my friends," says Alyce. "It's such a vibrant color and an instant mood lifter."
Alyce of The Vintage Valley wears a vintage 1950s dress found at Lucy in Disguise, Sachi brown clogs and a vintage brown waist belt.
Glamour: 18 Hot Summer Outfits
Show your sundress who's boss.
Amp up the glamour factor of a simple sundress with a bold necklace and movie-star sunglasses. "One of the best things about summer is the ability to throw on a great dress and be done!" says Katy.
Katy of Kansas Couture wears an Aqua dress with a vintage necklace and sandals.
Little black dresses have been there for you through it all: hot dates, lame parties, big birthdays and so much more.
In fact, if your closet had a top five most-called-upon, little black dresses would be every girl's numero uno.
But even a wardrobe classic can use a little update every now and then! We found 11 glam new LBDs that we think will become your new fashion bestie.
One-Shouldered LBD
Leave it to the French to figure out how to look both fashionable and flirty. Marion Cotillard's elegant one-shouldered dress is trendy and shows the perfect PG-amount of skin.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Sequined LBD
The key to pulling off an embellished LBD is remembering that a little sheen goes a long way. Anne Hathaway's sparkly sequins don't upstage her dress's prim-and-proper silhouette, but they do give her LBD a little somethin'-somethin' extra!
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Refined-but-Not-Your-Grandmother's LBD
Penélope Cruz can do no wrong on the red carpet or the runway. Here she walks the fine line between being covered up yet still body-conscious. As Penélope proves, with a high neckline and a below-the-knee hem, you don't have to have a dress cut up to there to make a lasting impression.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Satin LBD
Even a conservatively cut LBD like Zoë Saldana's looks especially sleek and sultry when satin's involved. Bonus: The luxe fabric is super soft to the touch.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Belted LBD
Gals, it's time to flaunt those gorgeous curves! A belted or embellished waist will draw attention to what you've got while streamlining it all into a "wow" hourglass shape. America Ferrera is off-the-charts hot in this sleeveless LBD, and her fancy midsection is perfection.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
¾-length LBD
Goldilocks would like this LBD: Not too long and not too short, an off-the-shoulder cut with a calf-length cut is a great way to show off your ladylike style. Just take it from Rachel Weisz, who glows in this cool asymmetrical dress.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Embellished LBD
Finding the perfect accessory to complement your outfit is usually the most stressful part of the whole getting-dressed-and-out-the-door scenario. So why not skip it entirely? An embellished LBD like Taylor Swift's shoulder-detailed dress will save you a lot of time and worry-and will make you look totally pulled-together.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Long-Sleeve LBD
When sporting long sleeves, make sure to balance proportions with a short hem-it'll also help keep the look fun and not fit for a high school drama teacher. (No offense, Mrs. Coburn.) As Cindy Crawford proves, this type of dress works on all ages (but sadly, sexy husband and fab career not included).
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Halter-Neck LBD
Showcase a toned upper body and draw the eye up in a chic and tailored cut like Kristen Bell's.
11 Little Black Dresses Thatll Be Your Fashion BFF
Strapless LBD
Take your cue from fashionista Whitney Port and pair your strapless dress with mega heels and glam makeup. Then bring your real-life BFF and her LBD along when you hit the town-ensembles this hot don't belong in the back of the closet.
If you're looking to amp up the "wow" factor this season, no need to go out and buy a push-up bra or fishnets. A few smart buys and some little wardrobe tweaks will earn you tons of compliments and a perfect 10 in the spring style category.
Try the red-and-khaki color combo.
Love the shoe-matching lipstick shade, love the "oh, this old thing" giggles! Who knew khaki could be so unboring!
Kate Bosworth
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Flirt with polka dots.
Other than playing hooky, seeing a matinee and having some margaritas with friends, there's no better way to brighten up an average Monday than by wearing a cheery polka-dot dress like Kelly Osbourne's. (Although we might skip the matchy-matchy gloves-or any gloves for that matter.)
Kelly Osbourne
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Shimmy into a cutout LBD.
Showing a little skin is a big trend this season. Not that into exposing your epidermis? Take the conservative-and super-classy-route and try a tastefully cutout LBD like America Ferrera's.
America Ferrera
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Add a floral accent.
Pin on a bloom-accented pin or tie on a floral belt to spring-ify all of last year's dresses, even the dark, wintry ones!
Christina Hendricks
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Dress up the basic blouse-and-pants combo.
Making the "blah" blouse-and-trouser outfit look glam is a painless one-step process: Just add seriously sexy heels. (Or a fancy purse. Or fab earrings-your call.) Even if you're sitting down at your desk all day, you'll know that you've got don't-mess-with-me pumps on.
Rachel Roy & Rachel Bilson
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Add a Western accent.
Got big plans this weekend? A ball game? A dinner party? A How I Met Your Mother marathon? Western-feeling pieces-like Solange Knowles' Pendleton Navajo-print jacket-will give your weekend outfits a sense of adventure, no matter what's on the calendar.
Solange Knowles
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Wear something feathery.
No need to wait till your birthday to wear something as spiffy as Jessica Alba's peacock feather–trimmed dress. It's hard not to have a good time at a party when you're wearing a compliment magnet something fun and feathery.
Jessica Alba
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Spiff up your sundress.
All those easy-breezy sundresses you've got stuffed in your closet are great for Saturday brunch with friends. But if you want to get the most out of your wardrobe, take a solid-color sundress and add a dark, structured belt and serious heels to turn it into office-appropriate look. When the clock strikes six, take off the belt before you head out the door to cocktails.
Kerry Washington
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Invest in a short suit.
Allow us to introduce you to your new Friday-night date. A hip alternative to the sparkly dress or black-pants-and-tank-top classic, an always-cool outfit like The City's Olivia Palermo's works everywhere from sports bars to swanky restaurants. Plus, the matching jacket can be worn with jeans on those weird between-winter-and-spring days.
Olivia Palermo
Glamour: 11 Ways to Glam Up Your Look for Spring
Mix and match your patterns. A lot.
Prints are like sweets this season: There's no such thing as too much of a good thing. Pile 'em on, mix 'em up-but keep a simple jacket or black tights handy to tame the patterns a bit.
Whitney Port
As any fashion-forward gal can tell you, walking the fine line between "totally trendy" and "much too much" can be tough. Put your best foot forward this spring by brushing up on these simple style rules.
DO go head-to-toe indigo
From chambray button-downs to embellished skinny jeans, denim-inspired stuff has never looked so good! Try a navy blazer and jeans for a pulled-together look, but DON'T go denim-on-denim-unless you've got a Ph.D. from Pantone, the colors will be too hard to match up.
Ralph Lauren, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DO try out the new nude trend.
Spring's nude trend is all about wearing light pinks, beige and caramel colors-not about wearing your flesh-color shapewear tank as a going-out top. (Spanx should be felt, not seen!)
Thakoon, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DON'T forgot to keep things simple when wearing a feather skirt.
Hellooo, gorgeous! Ten bucks says you'll hear that greeting every time you walk into a room with a kicky little number like this on. When wearing a plume-accented skirt,
DO skip headbands or dangly earrings-one party-friendly item is all you need.
ADAM, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DON'T shelf the sparkly tops in the "for the fancy parties I go to once or twice a year" section of your closet.
Throw on a cardigan and wear one with a pair of basic shorts to make your Saturday-afternoon outfit a little more glam.
Prada, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DON'T overdo the novelty-print thing.
We like to smile as much as the next person (more, actually), but wearing a cutesy novelty print-like polka dots, shooting stars or Miu Miu's kitten print-from head to toe gets into crazy cat-lady territory, fast.
Miu Miu, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DO make tie-dye look sophisticated with non-boho accessories.
DON'T wear yours with Birkenstocks, friendship bracelets and denim cutoffs unless you're a camp counselor-or don't mind being mistaken for one. Instead, tone down the feel-good print's hippie vibe with a serious-looking accessory like a structured belt or oxford shoes.
Blumarine, spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DO liven up your wardrobe with a high-impact pattern.
Bright florals are always hip, but this year's batch is especially bold. Just DON'T OD on the fierce factor with other wild accessories. Keep it simple by skipping the jewelry and wearing with chic black shoes.
DKNY, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DO have a sense of adventure this season.
Go ahead and test-drive spring's safari-inspired pieces. But when you're wearing the tailored stuff out on the town, DON'T bring the binoculars, canteen and compass-save it for that family camping trip you keep trying to put off.
Alexander Wang, Spring 2010
Glamour: The DOs and DONTs of Spring 2010 Fashion Trends
DON'T stash those silver and gold pieces until date night!
Go ahead and wear 'em during the day: Spring's metallic skirts, shoes and blazers are dressy enough to spiff up basic tees and jeans-but tailored enough to keep you from looking like you're on the Walk of Shame.
Burberry, Spring 2010
Advertisement
