The fabulous shopping season continues as stores sell the last few months of their Spring and Summer collections. Size ranges and colour options are depleting and that’s the challenge at this time of year. Take a good long look at your wardrobe, lifestyle and sartorial preferences, and assess what you still need or want for the warm-weather season. Duplicate wardrobe workhorses and make sure you have your bases covered. This week’s top picks might help out.
- Kiyonna Stella Cinch Top: A wrap top that's tailored and fluid in all the right places. Works well on a curvy figure with a larger bust. Gorgeous drapey flutter sleeve. Might be a little long for petites.
- Kiyonna Stella Cinch Top: Vertical stripes are unique and rare, especially in blue and white. The streamlined integrity is effective, and the flutter sleeves drape like a dream. Works well on a curvy figure with a larger bust. Might be a little long for petites. Good on narrow shoulders.
- Old Navy Plus-Size Lace-Up-Front Swing Dress: Breezy Casual Dress Fabness. Comes in florals. Read the rave reviews.
- Sol Angeles | Anthropologie Sol Angeles Floral Tee: A casually polished tee. Very nice round hem and fun watercolour floral pattern. Great semi-tucked, and exceptional with white jeans. You have to be okay with the high neckline. Read the rave reviews.
- Maeve | Anthropologie Sherbrooke Tie-Waist Top: Good structured knit top for Team Long Torso with a defined waist.
- Left Of Center | Anthropologie Puglia Ruffled Tank: A very casual and easy throw-on-and-go sleeveless ruffled tank in an assortment of colours. Quite streamlined despite the swingy silhouette. Good on petites. Armhole coverage is great. Read the rave reviews.
- VELVET by Graham & Spencer Women's Gauzy Whisper Classics Surplice Tank: A faux wrap top to wear with flared skirts, pants/jeans, or under a jacket. Sleek fit and will cling so consider yourself warned. Does not camouflage muffin top. Available in white.
- Lands' End Women's Plus Size Underwire Wrap Bikini Top: I haven't seen this Modern Retro bikini in person yet, but it looks gorgeous and comes in a few more patterns. Unfortunately, the top does not come in bra sizes, but it might be worth a try because of the fabulous structure of the cut.
- Boden Georgia Maxi Dress: Casual maxi dresses are popular, and the offerings from Boden are exceptional quality and generally a great fit. This style works well on a larger bust because of the structured torso. Great vertical back ruching on the bodice. Not as clingy on the tummy area as it looks. Sizes go up to a US18. Read the rave reviews.
- Boden Diana Jersey Maxi Dress: A very casual jersey maxi dress with excellent reviews. Comes in an assortment of patterns, has pockets, and goes up to a US18. Fabulous quality and great drape. Forgiving on the midsection. Works on a range of bust sizes.
- Brooks Brothers Jersey Faux Wrap Top: Polished and professional to wear on its own or as a layering piece. Sufficiently short to pair with a flared skirt. Nice quality. Might run a size big.
- Boden Evelyn Embroidered Dress: Boho Summer Fabness. The navy and turquoise version is just as lovely. Works on a range of body types because it has structure on the torso, a roomy fit on the skirt, and stops at an elegant length. Looks good on a larger bust. Fab drape, and excellent quality.
- VANELi Tallis: Well-made and fashionable slides that come in six colours and FOUR widths, so all foot volumes are covered. Very comfy, cushioning and quite supportive.
- Club Monaco Quynh Silk Dress: GORGEOUS dress that looks as fabulous layered with a blazer. The hem isn't too short on the one side unless you're very tall, and the diagonal line does magical things on the body. Fluid and flattering. Fit can work on petites.
- Bailey 44 Fennel Dress: A fitted frock that works extremely well on a curvy hourglass and pear-shaped body type. Not as clingy as it looks. Quite forgiving of lumpage and bumpage. The length and diagonal hem are the brilliant part about the cut because it creates an attractive fit on the body. It adds curves to straight figures and straightens the curves of a curvy figure. CLEVER.
- Gabor Gabor 83.700: Extremely comfy slides for regular and higher volume feet. Generally too wide for low-volume feet. Cushioning, soft and reasonably supportive. Well made.
- VANELi Hirin: A clean and simple Trendy Classic available in three colours and a few widths. LOVE that low block heel. Dressy yet uncomplicated.
- Sesto Meucci Sylke: Fun sandals with a surprisingly refined cut for the chunky style. Available in five colours and across a few widths. Lots of rave reviews.
- Karen Millen Single Shoulder Top: The asymmetrical cold shoulder looks fresh, and isn't as breezy as symmetrical cold shoulders. Covered yet alluring. I like this silhouette, but haven't seen it in person yet. Could look lovely with white, black or navy pants.
- Alfani Women's Voyage Wedge Sandals, Created for Macy's: WOW, these are comfy, classic, versatile, and under $40. They fit an assortment of feet because the elastic is forgiving. They even worked for my low-volume feet if I sized down half a size. They are almost sold out online, but check out in stores for more colours and sizes. Excellent value. Exceptional reviews for good reason.
- Treasure&Bond Ruched Knit Midi Skirt: A tube skirt with asymmetrical ruching looks fresh and fab. The diagonal hem creates a flattering line on the lower leg. Works on a range of body types. Super cute with casual flats.
- Nordstrom Two-Tone Floppy Straw Hat: St. Tropez Chic. One of the best sun hats of the season. Our forum member rocked the look. Comes in tan.
- White House Black Market Cold Shoulder Stripe Knit Shift Dress: A repeat style that works well on petites. Might need to size down. A lot more forgiving on the hips and midsection than you might expect. The style is almost sold out online, but they have variations in stores.
- Anne Klein Printed Faux-Wrap Shirtdress: A classic fit-and-flare that works well on a curvy body type. Dress it up or down. Available in plus sizes.
- Tommy Hilfiger Pleated Fit & Flare Dress: The fit of this Modern Retro frock wowed me on the forum. It has enough length and is awfully pretty. Cute with a tough denim jacket.
- Calvin Klein Handkerchief-Hem Midi Dress: An elegant midi for a curvy body type. Might run a size big. Fab drape, streamlined despite the flare, and good swooshing integrity. The pattern-mixed floral is more calming on the eye than you might expect.
- H&M Faux Suede Biker Jacket: Oh my word. A petite and curvy forum member ROCKED this on our forum last week. It blew me away. The sleeves were not too long. Works well on a pear-shaped body type.
- Naturalizer Wendy: These are SUBLIMELY comfy, and come in three widths. I bought them in a narrow and they are a perfect width. Not too flat, super soft and quite pretty on the foot in a boho huarache way. White all the way, if you're after a pretty look. The tan are more boho.
- Club Monaco Elianna Knit Dress: A navy and white striped casual and very polished midi with a GORGEOUS fit. Drapes like a dream. Heft, substance and well made. It's very structured up top so you have to be okay with defining your torso and midsection. The length and asymmetrical hem are elegant and swooshy. Very comfy.The DOUBLE belt is NOT attached to the dress so you can place it where you like. Genius. The stripes of the belt go in different directions which is super cute. Looks great with simple flats. Machine washable. Impeccable.
- Banana Republic Petite Stripe Soft Ponte Twist-Front Dress: An easy breezy FLUID Summer dress that suits a range of body types. Works well on a larger bust, and if you're not too tall the hem just covers the knee. Looks great with sneakers.
- Kork-Ease Marianna: Super comfy sandals that look great on the feet. A dressier casual vibe. Manageable heel height and best on regular volume feet.
- Lauren Ralph Lauren Striped Asymmetrical Dress: I haven't seen this dress in person yet, but I love the diagonal lines. It will probably work for a larger bust because diagonal lines create a streamlined effect. You have to be okay with the volume on the midsection. Might need to size down. Super cute over cropped black skinnies too.
- Boden Lizzie Dress: I loved this on one of our forum members. Fabulous dress on a curvy petite. Works well on a pretty pear shape. Elegant and breezy. Fab with flat sandals. Immaculate quality.
- Boden Kassidy Jersey Dress: GORGEOUS dress on a curvy figure with a regular size bust. Grab it if you wear V-necks well. Elegant, yet very simple, and well made. FUN pockets.
- Boden Elisa Jersey Dress: Very elegant on a broad shoulder line and a small to regular size bust. Gorgeous tiered skirt detailing. Fabulous quality.
- Boden Emory Jersey Dress: The photo does not do this very pretty frock justice. It looks SO much better on my clients and on our forum members than on the model. Elegant and easy breezy. Very comfy.
- Boden Louisa Jersey Dress: Boho Fabness that can work well on petites in the right size. Beautifully made and makes quite the statement. Works well on both a straighter and curvier figure. My friend blew me away when I saw it on. She paired it with yellow mules and bag. KILLER.
- Banana Republic Lace Midi Pencil Skirt: AMAZING lace midi that is as soft as can be. Very forgiving fit and extremely comfy. Works well on curvy bottom halves. Beautiful elegant length. Comes in black, but the white is sublime. Runs a size big. I was sized out of the smallest size, or it would have been mine. CHIC.
Here’s the collection page if you would like to see the items alongside my descriptions.
