Women's Summer Clothing Style Classics - Tips for Dressing to Stay Cool, Crisp and Comfortable

Many European women - especially those in Paris and Provence - seem to have a pulled together effortless look that looks so young and fresh. They also almost always manage to look thin and pull off a healthy look. This put together summer look builds basic goof proof staples for your wardrobe. This look is often emulated in the wealthier communities such as the gold coast of Connecticut and the wealthier suburban sections of New York. Many of the basic pieces of this type of dressing can also be found at stores like J Crew and Banana Republic clothing items that sell well each summer season are always classics that sell well. Lilly Pulitzer items are brightly colored but coordinate well with some basic pieces. The general concepts work for both older and younger women, but younger women may want to add more trendy colors and accessories to the basic wardrobe staples found in this list.

Fit is very important even in casual clothes. Just because you are not at a formal event does not mean that you want to wear a pair of pants that make your butt look big. Casual summer clothes should not be too tight or too loose, but just skimming the body slightly to show a feminine form. Remember when you go out to places like the mall that you almost always run into someone you know -whether from work or social connections, so think about how you want this person to see you. If you run into a colleague or client in the winter, you likely have your coat on and what you are wearing does not matter that much. But in the summer, you can appear sweaty, disheveled, disorganized and sloppy by mixing up casual with sloppy, so think through what looks nicely assembled together without too much fuss. When you run into a potential client, you will be glad you looked presentable.

Khakis are very popular in France, but not a heavy work clothes type fabric, look for khakis made of a finer fabric that are a good cut for your body as they will go with almost anything from casual errands to paired with a blazer for a sharper look. Brooks Brothers for women carries a similar type of khaki, and J Crew offers free alterations to their credit card members, so consider investing in a good pair of khakis that fit you well instead of several pairs of jeans and pants that are not flattering. Decide if you are tall enough or long legged enough to wear Capri length pants and if so, what length they should be. If you are not that tall but love shorts and Capri's, some variant of a khaki Capri is your best bet to not visually make you look shorter and fatter like how a pair of cut-offs might. A ballet flat is a more classic look with Capri's (think Audrey Hepburn) but espadrilles are a popular choice.

A pale cotton shirtdress is comfortable and when paired with a sandal, mule, or flip flops seems to convey a put together look with very little effort. Attention to details like your pedicure, manicure and simple neat hairstyle match this sort of look that comes together quickly when you are in a rush.

Fussy details seem best in the colors of the tops you pair with your khakis or linen pants or simple slim wrap skirts. A stripped top is classic, and a strappy bare look top works well with a long thin skirt.

Invest in a good cardigan like sweater, wrap, cute cropped jacket or pashmina that will not look frumpy when nights or air conditioning are cooler and you need something extra.

Fabrics are important. Certain fabrics are more conducive to this cool and crisp look - linens and cottons can have basic structure while still being very comfortable and easy to care for. Many companies make wrinkle free linen blends that keep their shape well even when packed in a suitcase. Flowing pants are very forgiving and make you look taller and thinner. Simple natural fabrics look good in any lighting, whereas artificial fibers might look good in store lighting but can look very coarse and unnatural in direct daylight. Some fabrics also look terrible when you perspire, whereas at least cotton and linen blends are a bit more discrete than a polyester blend.

Choose colors that are foolproof. Splashes of color come and go with seasonal trends and can be added to spruce up and update your wardrobe, but colors like navy blue and white are classics that always look rich and fresh. Olive and cream, pink, pale gray, powder blue are versatile and these can frequently be paired with the colors of the season for a crisp look. It is hard to go wrong when pairing these colors. Solid black in summer often looks too heavy and will absorb light, making you hotter and more uncomfortable. Remember when wearing white to have underwear in a nude to brown shade, not white underwear, since white shows through sheerer fabrics and nude or brown will blend. To that end, cotton underwear or silk is the most breathable and allows the best drape to your summer clothing.

If you love a bold or bright print fabric, stick to those with a simple shape. For some reason dark and bright fabrics and lots of detailing just appear fussier and too hot a look when you want to look cool and simple.

Revealing clothes are really intended for the beach or the pool, otherwise add a long wrap skirt or something to cover your bikini when you are headed to the beach. A trip to target is not the time to wear a bikini top with cut off shorts. You might know you are on the way to the beach, but everyone else does not. Also do remember that running into a work client or colleague concept, and now do it with a bikini top on. For other wardrobe mishaps to avoid that will conflict with your "cool, calm and collected" look, visit the article: How to Avoid Wardrobe Malfunctions - Tips and Tricks for Streamline Dressing to avoid ruining your look with distracting wardrobe mistakes. For instance, did you know that if you are wearing a white blouse, pants or t-shirt, that you should wear beige or brown underwear, not white, to avoid a bra and panty line?

Certain accessories just appear too heavy in summer - such as leather belts or the black leather purses you use in winter should be put away for the season. Think straw and weaved materials for purses, belts and strappy shoes whenever possible. Try to put away your loafers for the summer and try a weaved or open back shoe. Jewelry should be limited and also not appear too heavy. Gemstone and handmade beadwork is a nice splash of color. Headbands or hair accessories should be weaved or simple, not too detailed and look light and effortless. Velvets and leathers are too heavy for this time of year unless it is a very simple leather ponytail holder.