In this age more than ever before, there is a lot more clothing variety for us girls than there is for blokes. There are more choices of item, silhouette, colour and fabrication in ladies garments, not to mention the variety that exists in the world of ladies accessories and footwear. That’s why the multi-billion dollar fashion industry is focused on women’s fashion.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret. Even though I love, love, love the abundance of clothing and dressing choices that lie before me as a woman, there are aspects of men’s dressing choices that make me envious :

• I want to wear socks with shoes as often as most men do because my fussy feet like this combination best.
• At weddings and fancy occasions in Autumn and Winter, us gals freeze in our little dresses when the blokes get to cover up with a suit. I want to feel as toasty as they do.
• Part of me appreciates the ultra simplicity of a male wardrobe. Most of their bottoms work with most of their tops because there is a reduced set of variables. Fewer colours and fewer silhouettes lead to simple outfit compilations. More boring maybe, but easier for sure.

I guess I want my toast buttered on both sides. As much as I am envious of these aspects of men’s dressing, I also love wearing items that men don’t wear. I love being a girly-girl!

Are there aspects of men’s dressing that you wish you could incorporate into your own dressing style?

Today we bring back freelance writer, forum member, and super stylish Mum on the go Laura who lives in Chicago. Laura has road tested several of my Mum on the go outfit formulas and her posts have been very popular. With vacation season just a few weeks away I asked Laura to write about an outfit formula for the beach and pool with little ones in tow.

School’s out! Are you ready for fun with your family at the pool or beach? I am.

I like to feel pulled together yet relaxed, alluring yet modest, and ready to play with my two young sons at the beach or pool. Yes, this is a tall order!

Here are the components of the formula:

Bathing suit + cover-up + sandals + sunglasses + hat + tote bag

+ cotton dress and undergarments for après swim

Because I like to be comfy and covered in the right places (no bikini top slippage or awkward overexposure, please!), I prefer a one-piece suit. I love Miraclesuit’s Sonatina for its tummy-reducing magic and own it in black — and would also love to add a second in a print.

So before I head out to the beach or pool, I’ll put on my bathing suit and over it I’ll wear a turquoise cover-up dress. And here’s your chance to wear flip flops to your heart’s content! Mine are colorful and fun – no chance of mixing up your basic black flip flops with some other mom’s at a crowded pool. Sunscreen and sunglasses complete my outfit.

When I swim I take off the dress, but pop it back on as soon as I come out the water or when we eat lunch. The mesh is great for that reason because it dries super fast in the sun since it gets wet when my bathing suit is still wet. Alternatively, I’ll cover up with a black knee-length swim skirt instead of the mesh dress. Board shorts will also work if dresses and skirts are not your choice of cover-up.

With those key pieces in place, you can add tote bags, towels, hats, portable coolers and beach umbrellas. One tote isn’t enough: Our family usually brings three. Two totes never leave my car — I keep all of the sand toys, kids’ towels, juice boxes, snacks and sunscreen packed and ready. When we get home, I wash the towels and pop them right back into the bags when clean, and reload the snacks. That way, I only need to pack my own bag and put the kids in their swimsuits, and we’re ready for a day in the sun.

Before heading home, I like to change into dry clothes to avoid soaking the seat of my car. In my tote, I pack a simple, lightweight cotton dress, like the Patagonia Kamala dress that’s in Angie’s store, with a set of undergarments.

Let’s hear from you! Do you have any favorite mom on the go items that make your life easier at the pool or beach? And how are you doing on assembling your own swimwear capsule? Anything we’ve forgotten?

Laura’s previous MOTG posts:

• Roadtesting Angie’s mom-on-the-go formulas
• Mom-on-the-go road test: dresses and skirts
• Autumn Mom on the Go: flop proof outfit #3
• Autumn Mom on the Go: flop proof outfit #9

It’s somewhat predictable to show off the décolleté, especially if that’s a pretty part of your body. But how about bit of unexpected back exposure?  I vote yay. I enjoy seeing ladies wear garments with interesting back cutout detailing because it draws attention to a less commonly revealed part of the body.

Often our backs are in superb shape and we forget how gorgeous they are. Showcasing a lovely back is just as attractive and alluring as revealing a bit of beautiful chest. And if you’re bony in the chest area like I am, or if you have sun damage on your décolleté, your back might be a more comfortable way to expose some skin.

My yay vote comes with the caveat that I need to feel adequately covered. I still need to wear a bra with a backless garment and feel secure that my dress or top isn’t going to slide off my shoulders.  As with all revealing pieces, the amount of exposure has to be just right so that I don’t feel naked. With my short hair I tend to feel even more exposed because I don’t have cascading locks to cover up skin.

How do you vote? Would you wear an item with back cutouts? If not, can you appreciate the look on others?

You’d get away with wearing the right style of bra with these backless styles and I like that important detail. It’s fun to make a dramatic exit.

Here’s a story combining two topics that generated a lot of discussion on YLF recently: plus sized models and nudity in the fashion media.

French Marie Claire chose larger models to showcase a bathing costume and lingerie line in their June edition. Quite refreshing. I enjoy seeing all sorts of body types represented in fashion shoots – after all, that’s the reality on the street.

Of course, the definition of “plus size” can be debated, but the models here are definitely a lot curvier than the norm for their profession.

We don’t see many larger models in fashion magazines so its newsworthy when it happens. This would not have happened 15 years ago, but the fashion world still has a long way to go if it wants all of its audience to feel like their body types are represented. I’m not sure they will ever get that part right, but I’m hopeful. Every year the media seems to be moving in the right direction with shoots like this and Lane Bryant’s recent television commercial.

Nudity is commonplace in European advertising, so it’s no surprise that one of the models is topless. She looks magnificent. Remember that this is French Marie Claire and it’s common for ladies to tan topless in France, so this type of coverage probably doesn’t kick up any fuss over there.

I originally read about this in the Huffington Post, but proceed with caution because the article contains images that might not be suitable for your work environment. Be especially careful if you work in Investment Banking.