Have you ever worn white jeans and stained them five minutes into your day? You are not alone. In my case it’s the adorable welcome of little wet Yorkie feet that often soils my cream trench, white pants and white shirts. You love the look but Murphy’s Law makes it unlikely that you will keep a white or light garment stain-free throughout the day.

I’ve resorted to carrying Tide-to-go in my handbag. It’s an on-the-go stain remover in the shape of a felt-tip pen. Rub the tip of the pen on the stain and it’s as good as gone half an hour later. It works well on most types of food and dirt stains, but not as well on ink and excessively greasy marks.

Tide-to-go has saved my outfit a number of times. Keep it in the car, an office drawer and take it along when you travel. It’s a nifty little trick at $3 a stick.

When I say “flip flops”, I’m not referring to stylish, structured, thong sandals. I’m talking about the ones with spongy, rubber-like soles and a rubber or canvas upper. When I was a child we called these “slops” (a well deserved name in my opinion). I fail to understand why they seem to be so extremely popular.

I’m all for casual thong sandals, but cheap, rubber flip flops look inappropriate and sloppy in everyday settings. Give them a miss unless you’re at the beach, lounging by a pool, relaxing at home, walking in a monsoon downpour, or waiting for toe nails to dry after a pedicure. You can do better. J Crew’s leather capri sandal is a good alternative.

I suspect I’m in the minority here, so please come to the defense of the flip flop if you think they have their merits. I doubt I’ll budge.

I adore cowl neck tops, but they are hard to find. Cowls can work for both busty and less endowed gals if the details are right. Here are a few guidelines:

• Wear a camisole if the cowl is low. It’s instantly work appropriate and wearable that way.
• Choose knits and wovens that drape. You’re after a cowl with maximum drape because they’re less bulky this way. Stay away from cowls in stiff fabrics unless they’re meticulously engineered (you’ll find these highly structured cowls in designer wear).
• Exploit the cowl’s vertical appeal. It elongates the neck and creates the illusion of height. Furthermore, if the edge of the cowl starts close to shoulder-neck-point, women with dainty shoulders and long necks are in business. (Yay! That’s me).
• Use them for visual interest. Cowls look great under jackets, cardigans or waistcoats, and on their own. Their ripple effect is attractive and punchy.

If you own cowl neck tops, tell me you love them too. If you don’t, start experimenting . It might take a while to find one that drapes the right way, but chances are high you’ll become a cowl convert too.

An assortment of Summer cowl neck tops. In cooler weather the neckline works just as well with longer sleeves and thicker fabrics, as long as there’s maximum drape-ability.

A quick note on several big sales that are happening online right now. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale continues until 4 August (we’ve had a lot of fun with this one on the forum). Liz Claiborne is running their Cyber Sidewalk Sale until 25 July. you can get a 25% saving off a different category every day. Macy’s is on the final day of an Extra 25% Fashion Clearance Sale.

Don’t feel pressured to buy. Summer sale season here in America will continue through to the end of the month and markdowns will get even better over the next week.