It is available in US sizes 5 to 12 across three colours that I find equally appealing. The black is urban and strong, the metallic is pretty and versatile, the beige is unique and probably the most retro looking of them all. Which colour do you like best?

The list cuts across all body types, age groups and budgets. It’s a question of finding the right style at the right price, AND wearing it in an age appropriate and flattering way that works for you. So unless you’re vehemently opposed to the aesthetic, try to keep an open mind and give these trends a bash. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

1. White bottoms: I say this every hot weather season! White jeans, pants, skirts, walk shorts, clamdiggers or dresses freshen up a warm weather look in the best possible way. It’s worth investing in great basic white bottoms because you’ll wear them every Spring and Summer.
2. Polka dots: Large, small, evenly sized or variegated, polka dots are one of the hottest prints right now. Think spots on soft blouses, dresses, skirts, lightweight scarves or cotton cardigans. Although they are particularly trendy this season, for me polka dots are always in fashion.
3. Denim shirt: A bit of 90’s fun never hurt anyone. Denim shirts are versatile and edgy. Think preppy chambray instead of denim if that’s more your style.
4. Tunic shirts: Another versatile item that can be worn either tailored or roomy. White is my top suggestion but colours and black work well too. Black works especially well when matched with white bottoms.
5. Floral printed dresses: In true 90’s fashion, small scale ditsy florals are all the rage. But any type of floral dress is fab. I’m still all over abstract floral designs, so that’s what I’ll be wearing when I give geometric prints a rest.
6. Flouncy skirts: Short A-line skirts are becoming more popular, so think flirty, flippy and fun breezy floral or polka dot skirts for hot days. But pencil skirts are always on trend, so don’t think that you’ll have to give up those anytime soon.
7. Leggings: My goodness. There is no stopping the trend. Solid black with zipper or stirrup details are still personal favourites, but grey, denim and patterned leggings can be just as sweet.
8. Walk shorts: You can’t go wrong with this classic item in denim, white or coloured twill.
9. Clamdiggers: I’ve had my clams for four years and continue to wear them like a basic. There seem to be loads of premium denim clamdiggers available, but few at lower price points. So purchase cheaper capris and shorten them to a flattering length.
10. Jailbird stripes: Nautical themes are big every year because stripes are classic. Great to wear with white bottoms and under a denim shirt.
11. Something lilac or/and coral: As a tribute to the ice-cream tones of the 90’s, an item or accessory in a light or deep lilac or coral is nostalgic.
12. A utilitarian piece: Military and safari inspired items are everywhere. Cargo pocket pants are hard to wear but military jackets, tops and shirt dresses are not. Think beyond beige and olive if they don’t work with your skin tone and purchase black, navy and light brown in these styles instead. Colours will also work.
13. Boyfriend blazer: A completely mainstream style that looks like it’s here to stay.
14. Lacy camisole: Interpreting the “boudoir trend” is alluring. Try a bit of lace under a denim shirt and treat yourself to a lacy bra.
15. Low heels: Kitten heels and low wedges are trending. Stock up if you like the heel height.
16. Flesh toned shoes: Skin toned shoes are popular and very flattering. A must in every wardrobe for their versatility and leg lengthening effects.
17. Caged shoes: Heeled or flat, it’s all about a strappy shoe that looks like a cage around the foot. Think of styles like the Sofft Vanessa and the Clarks Smooch for comfortable options.
18. Colourful beads: Turquoise glass or plastic beads get my top vote but all colours are fab including white beads.
19. Blue-hued handbag: Since handbags are my favourite accessory and turquoise is a hot colour this season, no one needs to convince me that I need a turquoise handbag. But if turquoise is not your colour, think cobalt, ink, and teal. And it’s fab to wear a blue handbag with blue jeans.
20. Weathered brown belt: I’m seeing this style of belt in many collections. From the runway shows at Fashion Week right down to the catalogue models of Banana Republic and H&M. Nice worn with both casual and dressy outfits.

The more daring might add the following to their must have list:  asymmetrical pieces (top, dress or skirt), strong or bold shouldered jackets (that’s with extended shoulder pads), ruched sleeve tops and blouses, tapered ankle length pants, chunky bangled arm candy, harem pants, slouchy high-waisted pleated pants, a sequined day item, camouflage, short-shorts, colour-blocked dresses, denim shoes, denim handbags and heeled clogs.

In some instances, items will double duty for Spring and Autumn. In other instances, items are classics and you’ll use them season after season. So how does the list look, ladies? What’s on your Spring and Summer shopping list?

But sometimes, you come across a sheath dress that’s perfect for those who are a little heavier on the bottom. And that’s the pretty periwinkle and black Michael Kors printed sheath dress below. Fully lined, well made and in a luxurious cotton spandex. It’s smart enough to dress up for a day wedding, or take you comfortably through a business formal day with a jacket. Alternatively, I’d throw my denim jacket or biker jacket over these dresses for casual edge. Lots of possibilities!

The periwinkle dress on the right is available for petites online and for regular sizes in store. It’s also got a bit of length for the tall gals. Regular length gals might even get away with wearing petites because of this extra length.

I haven’t had the polka dot dress on clients yet, so I’m not certain that it’s exactly the same Michael Kors, sheath dress fit. But it’s probably quite close, different necklines notwithstanding.

About a year and a half ago I began to be concerned with my health. I have been heavy my entire life, and my body was starting to show the strain. I decided that I was not prepared to live with an illness that my weight had caused, and I set about to make changes in my life. I had lost weight before. Five years ago, I lost about 25 pounds. I did it by eating a low carb diet and exercising, but I was not able to maintain the loss.

But I started trying again. The first thing was to have a goal in mind, and that needed to be a big one. At that point (according to every chart or calculator that I could find on the internet) I was Medically Obese – meaning 100 pounds overweight. I figured that if I were 100 pounds overweight, then I should lose that 100 pounds and not be overweight for the first time in my adult life. I didn’t have any experience with normal weight ranges, so I did some investigation on the internet and spoke to my doctor to make sure that was an attainable goal. With assurances in hand, I set about my journey. I set a goal of losing only 1 pound per week, knowing that it would take me two years to reach my goal. I wanted to make slow lifestyle changes and build upon them. I knew that whatever I did to lose the weight, I would have to continue to do in order to maintain it- and maintenance was my ultimate goal.

Weight loss has changed me in ways that I would never have imagined. I have discovered that I have reservoirs of perseverance previously untapped. It has not been an easy journey, and it has not been smooth; but it has been deeply rewarding. I am creating a whole new relationship with food and exercise, and my body as well. I can only hope that when I reach my goal (*when*- not if), these changes will have solidified. I am currently 61 pounds into my weight loss, with 39 more pounds to go. I’ve dropped 6 pants sizes, and about a size and two widths in shoes.

I had always been interested in fashion and clothing, but my weight loss (which was rapid at the beginning) required me to replace my entire wardrobe from season to season. I decided that this was a good opportunity to be a little more adventurous with my choices, knowing that things would only fit for a limited amount of time. I discovered You Look Fab, and began reading it daily. In no time at all, the forum at You Look Fab became not only a source of inspiration, but a sounding board for my changing body. Often, my eyes and brain needed time to catch up with my body. I was not always able to recognize in the mirror what others could see more plainly- be it shape, fit, or change.

I did not just lose weight, but my shape changed dramatically. I had to learn how to dress a completely new body, and discover my style as a normal sized person. The struggle has been as much mental and emotional as it was physical. The wonderful ladies on the You Look Fab forum have been a huge source of encouragement and support through this process, and I continue to cherish their input and feedback on fashion and weight loss as well as other subjects.

Remember that you can read more about Khris on her blog: Chewy Spaghetti.

When I was a young girl and my parents took our family on a trip to Washington DC, it was not images of the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial that stayed in my mind for years afterward. It was the display of dresses at the Smithsonian Institute. Dresses first ladies had worn for their husbands’ inaugural ceremonies.

Add to this the fact that the nomination, campaign, election, inauguration and administration of Barack Obama has captured my attention more than any of the previous presidential histories I’ve lived through, and you can understand why I am delighted to have won Angie’s raffle and the chance to review the new book by Mary Tomer, Mrs. O ,The Face of Fashion Democracy.

If you don’t love Michelle Obama when you buy this book, you probably will after you’ve read it. And chances are, once you open this book you won’t put it down soon. Be warned: it will cast its magic spell on you. It’s more than a treatment of the first lady’s wardrobe. It’s also a concise look at how the fashion industry works in America now.

As if the dresses, shoes, coats and jewelry weren’t transporting enough, Michelle Obama will impress you with her intelligence, confidence, compassion and sense of what’s appropriate fashion-wise and otherwise. The author drives home the point that the first lady has an undeniable sense of her signature style, a very personal style that’s not just a bland formula to rotate stock garments in and out of (the way Mrs. Clinton does her pants suits, or Nancy Pelosi her pearls and Armani, or even Sarah Palin her colorful parkas and pencil skirts).

For women who are high profile, elected officials (or women married to high profile, elected officials) sartorial choices amount to a tightrope walk between boxy suits and flirty dresses. Besides the sexuality issue, there are issues with economics and values.

The fashion choices Mrs. Obama has been making have cast her as neither elitist nor frivolous – never easy for a woman who loves fashion and is always being judged by media and the public. Both Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan were criticized for spending too much money on clothing. Jackie responded by wearing American designers, and Nancy let everyone know her gowns were donated to her and then donated to charity. Michelle responds by buying J. Crew online and wearing things she’s owned for years.

But there are plenty of drop-dead designer dresses in that White House closet we’d all love to peek into. This book is as close as you’ll get to that closet.

It has 236 pages in a 8- by 10-inch format, and almost every two-page spread features at least one color photo of the first lady in a different outfit, or perhaps a close-up picture of one of her brooches, shoes, or necklaces. After opening with a brief timeline-style biography, the text moves to a series of entries describing important events Mrs. Obama attended over the last two years and what she wore to each.

It was at these points, when reading about specific outfits worn at events, like meeting the Queen of England or attending an election debate, that the switch from historic facts of who, when and where, moves so quickly into dressmaking details that I sometimes felt like I was reading a J. Peterman catalog.

“The “whistle-stop” tour would depart from Philadelphia, making stops in Wilmington and Baltimore before arriving in Washington, D.C., that same evening. On the morning of January 17, a crowd convened in the North Waiting Room of the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. Mrs. Obama was smartly dressed in a tailored purple jacket and cashmere rollneck top by Zero + Maria Cornejo, paired with fitted black pants and black suede boots.”

Interspersed in this chronology are one-page profile/interviews with the designers and fashion journalists represented in the book. I found it interesting to read how different designers had chosen their careers, schooled themselves, and made their way through the ranks, as well as how they reacted to having one of their designs chosen by Mrs. Obama.

These interviews are sprinkled with questions like, “How did you want the first lady to feel wearing your dress?’ And “What do you make of the attention on Michelle Obama’s style?” And “What do you love most about what you do?”

The author does not dumb down fashion industry lingo, so at times I had to research certain people and terms, but part of the beauty of reading a good book is that it stretches you.

The couture clothing showcased in this book is so artistically designed and impeccably constructed that after reading their descriptions, I wanted to empty my closet and simply, totally, start over. Obviously I couldn’t do that, but what I did do was look through my closet and ask, “What would Michelle wear?” By playing this game, I was able to pull together some outfits, ones that I would never have thought of otherwise. It’s an interesting experiment I would recommend anyone try after reading the book. I mean, rather than take fashion cues from movie stars dressed and groomed by experts, why not follow the lead of a fashion-loving Harvard-educated attorney and corporate executive who was born female and black at a time when those categories amounted to major obstacles to success in America? Diane von Furstenburg says about Michelle Obama, “She represents the modern, confident, intelligent woman. Her personality will have a huge effect on fashion.”

Of course, much of the credit for the first lady’s style goes to the professionals who advise her, most notably Ikram Goldman, the woman who owns the Chicago boutique Ikram, where Mrs. Obama has gone for clothing since 2006. Ikram phones designers with assignments and special requests for either custom pieces or items from their clothing and jewelry collections.

Mrs. Obama’s style has been called friendly, approachable, and “imperfect in a charming way.” She favors sleeveless sheath dresses, but wears full skirted dresses as well. Cardigans are common. Colorful solids, embroidered or lace textures, bold graphics, floral motifs, belts, and large statement brooches are elements of her special look.

What’s consistent about Mrs. Obama’s style is that she makes choices that are appropriate for the occasion and that convey a message, and she does it without looking costume-y. For a visit to a London girls’ school she sported an asymmetrical, argyle sweater embellished with a line of sequins. For a mid-America, Fourth of July rally she showed up in a blue and white windowpane plaid sundress from Gap. For the oath of office ceremony and parade, she wowed the world with a high style ensemble in a refreshing new color. For a European tour she wore a dress and jacket designed by a French-Tunisian designer while the Obamas were guests of the French President and his fashion model wife.

Wherever she is, it’s clear from this book that Michelle Obama somehow looks elegant even when wearing capris and a royal blue tee shirt that says “Supporting our troops” in block letters. Look again at the photo and you’ll see she’s rolled up the sleeves and scrunched the hemline slightly. Andre Leon Talley of Vogue is quoted in the book as saying, “Her deportment, her way of turning casual into high style is the most powerful tool in her philosophy of ‘wear what you love.’”

Maria Cornejo, who has contributed dresses and tailored jackets to Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe for several years, says about her own approach to design, “I think the whole thing is to have beautiful clothes, but to look like you just threw them on in the morning.”

And Michael Kors, whose dress Mrs. Obama wore for her official portrait, says, “She gives off the message that it’s okay to be interested in fashion and taken seriously…Quite frankly, we haven’t had anyone in the White House like this before.”

Unless your politics get in the way, if you are fascinated by fashion you will enjoy this book. Although it is not oversized, I’m going to call it a coffee table book because the photographic reproduction and paper quality are excellent. The graphic design is sophisticated and easy on the eyes, but has an informal, contemporary edge befitting the subject matter.

The author has a website that posts frequent updates on what the first lady is wearing (Mrs-O.org). The book ends by quoting some of what fans have posted on the website about Mrs. Obama and her clothing, demonstrating the extent of her influence on people of all backgrounds, ages, and heritages. Accompanying these quotes are some simple and unique illustrations of the first lady.

On the downside, I found the book to be often repetitive with facts. How many times do we have to be told that Mrs. Obama gets clothing through Ikram in Chicago? I would like to have seen more side-by-side photos of Mrs. Obama wearing some of the same garment different ways on separate occasions. It would have been fun to see prices on some of the items. And, an index would have made the book more user-friendly.

To Angie, I say thank you for putting the book in my hands (beautifully gift-wrapped at that ) and giving me the chance to review it for other YLF readers. Now, I’m waiting for that inaugural gown to become part of the Smithsonian’s collection, so I can schedule my trip to D.C.

Here’s my rundown of the gowns and suits. First, the best dressed lasses:

1. I have a tie for first place! Both Vera Farmiga and Helen Mirren took my breath away. Vera’s dark red sculptured pleated gown was spectacular and the colour was delicious against her creamy white skin. Unfortunately, the picture you see below does not do her dress justice, so I hope you saw her on stage in all her glory. Helen’s silver grey dress with tulle shoulder wrap was simply stunning. Perfectly age appropriate and alluring at the same time.
2. Sandra Bullock was beautiful in a sleek and retro shimmery gold gown with lace insets. She epitomized old Hollywood glamour perfectly, the red lips and asymmetrical hairstyle adding a great final touch. Her acceptance speech was the best of the night and I’m thrilled that she won the award.
3. Queen Latifah was dazzling and so, so, so pretty in an extremely flattering one shouldered lilac gown. The colour against her skin was magical and she looked as elegant as ever.
4. Jennifer Lopez wore a dramatic gown that was a technical work of art. Wow! It was a little too pastel for my liking, but exquisite nonetheless. A real show stopper.
5. Oprah Winfrey never looked better. Her midnight blue, wrap top gown was gorgeous and she oozed femininity and a regal grace that was hard to beat.

I also liked Rachel McAdams’s muted water colour floral gown and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s printed strapless blue gown because they were different and risky. Tina Fey looked lovely in a beaded black asymmetrical gown. Sarah Jessica Parker‘s dress was fab from the side and back, but I wasn’t fond of it from the front. Meryl Streep looked classy in a long sleeved white gown with a plunging neckline. Good for Meryl! I loved Barbara Streisand’s tuxedo’d dress ensemble and immediately thought how fashion forward she was compared to many of the other women. Zoe Saldana’s gown was my least favorite of the night until I saw it on stage. It’s astounding how much better it looked on stage than on the red carpet.

The best dressed blokes:

1. Alec Baldwin was flawlessly clean cut in a classic tux with bow tie and later a black suit with skinny black tie. I loved his slicked back hair and the way his white cuffs peeked out from under his jacket sleeves. He and Steve Martin made the best Academy Award hosts ever.
2. Robin Williams was fabulous in an all black, textured tux. His goatee and specs absolutely rocked.
3. Gerard Butler was devastatingly handsome in his classic tux, but his accent is still his best accessory.
4. Tom Ford was just what you’d expect: PERFECT.
5. Jeremy Renner looked dashing in a black suit with silver grey tie and twinkle in his eye.

Robert Downey Jr. was adorable in an oversized blue bowtie and blue tinted specs. Super cute. Zac Efron looked superb is a 60’s inspired black suit and hip hair. Morgan Freeman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Colin Firth looked distinguished and fabulously polished.

I wasn’t very impressed with Jeff Bridges, George Clooney, Keanu Reeves and Sean Penn. Perhaps unruly hair and unkempt facial fuzz can be explained by their current acting assignments, but there is no excuse for a sloppy top button on a dress shirt. This is the Oscars and you should look exceptionally turned out.

I’m excited to compare Oscar fashion notes, so over to you. Who made your best and worst lists?

I love to play with accessories to add style quotient to my outfits, so I was honored when Angie asked me to review some of the silk items from Outfit Additions. After browsing the website I chose the small wallet in carbonado, the clutch in cherry red and two belts — one in turquoise and the other in a lovely midnight blue vine design. The clutch, wallet and turquoise belt are 100% silk, while the midnight belt is 100% polyester.  I was quite impressed with the quality of these items. The fabric is of beautiful quality and each item is meticulously crafted. There are no loose threads or crooked stitching on any of the items I received. The colors are vibrant and rich.

The small tri-fold wallet was put to use immediately. I like to carry two wallets — a full size to carry the myriad of cards and coupons that I manage to accumulate, and a smaller wallet that holds my driver’s license, bank card, credit card and cash. This is the wallet that I throw into my gym bag or grab for a quick trip to the store for one or two items. My current small wallet had seen better days, so I filled this pretty little wallet with my items and have been happily toting it along ever since. It feels soft and luxurious in my hands and services me quite nicely. The tri-fold design keeps everything put and I don’t have cards and coins spilling out into the bottom of my purse.

The clutch is actually more of what I would call a full size wallet. It has slots for several cards, cash and coins. I love the cherry red color of this clutch, although I would love for it to be designed more as a clutch handbag that I could fill with lipstick, cell phone and compact for an evening out. I did play around and snapped it over a long gold necklace I have. That proved to be a fun way to make it look more like a little purse.

To be honest, I was initially uninspired by the belts. While beautifully made, I was not thrilled with the design of the D-ring buckles and didn’t see the belts as ones that I could easily integrate into my wardrobe.  However, after playing around in my closet, I soon discovered that I was dead wrong. I used both belts to accessorize several different outfits from clothes that I already owned. I paired them with my fanciest black dress to create a slightly more casual outfit and was also able to add just a bit of pop and polish to a simple outfit of jeans and a knit top. I wore the belt both in the belt loops of my jeans and layered around my blouse or dress. I was pleased with both looks.

I would have preferred a more dressy buckle than the D-rings, but I played around a bit with weaving the belt through the buckle and found that creating a type of knot around the buckle and letting the end hang added some fun visual interest. The turquoise belt is 100% silk and will be a fun accessory to use in my wardrobe this spring. The midnight blue belt is 100% polyester and has a more matte finish than the silk.  This belt pairs well with the blacks and blues in my wardrobe.

If you’re looking for something different than the typical leather wallets and leather belts, stop by and browse the offerings of Outfit Additions. The selection of rich colors is quite enticing and the quality of the pieces is impressive.

Outfit Additions is giving away a $100 gift coupon to one lucky YLF reader. To enter the competition, please fill out this online survey. To confirm your entry, leave a comment here on YLF saying that you completed the survey. We will pick a winner by using a random generator. Please complete the survey and leave your comment by midnight, Wednesday 10th March.

The Smooch is superior quality to the fabulous $40 Voyage sandal I blogged about earlier this week. It also comes in wonderful colours and the red, champagne and black get my top vote. Great with skirts and dresses, or under leggings and jeans.

I won’t be getting these sandals because I have enough pairs to see me through our short hot weather season. But I highly recommend the style if you need a comfortable flat Summer walking shoe. These probably would have been 8-hour city shoes for my fussy feet.

Power dressing is the type of professional attire men and women wear in corporate and government environments to make themselves look and feel authoritative, strong and capable. In essence, power dressing refers to outfits that make you look and feel powerful.

Most of us don’t work in corporate or government settings, but we all have moments in our day to day lives when we want to look and feel powerful. It often has nothing to do with business meetings and wearing career wear. Power dressing takes on a different meaning in this context.

I have a variety of outfit combinations that make me feel more competent and authoritative. I can’t tell you why they make me feel this way, but it’s definitely the case. Here they are:

• Boots worn with just about anything. I feel like Wonder Woman when I wear boots. (Hopefully I don’t look like Wonder Woman, though).
• Pencil skirts worn with low heels
• Tailored blazers worn with jeans
• Sheath dresses worn with dressy flats
• Skinny jeans paired with voluminous belted blouses and high heels
• A cravat style scarf

As much as I love wearing my suit, I don’t feel particularly powerful in it! Do you have wardrobe items and outfit combinations that make you feel powerful?

I really like blue (think ink, denim and cobalt), paired with black, white and cream. It’s one of my favourite colour combinations, which is why you see me wearing it often. I just don’t seem to tire of it like I do with other colour combinations.

Layering a button down shirt under a sheath dress is a common marriage, so why not pop a denim shirt under a fun polka dot bubble dress? Scrunch the sleeves and add hose, booties, necklace and tote and rock the day the mod way.

This outfit represents another comfortable daytime work look. For my next set of denim shirt ensemble posts, I’ll be putting the oh so trendy and controversial denim on denim look through its paces. I wonder what Jasmine will think of those outfits.

That’s it for this series of denim shirts in dressy ensembles. Which one was your favourite: bubble dress, ball gown, or dressy skirt?