It’s extremely important to sport a healthy handbag. One way of ensuring this is to carry a simple flat tote that’s no deeper than one to four inches. You’ll keep the dramatic and fashionable effect of the oversized-tote-look, but without the weight (if you’re disciplined about keeping the contents of your handbag to a minimum). Hardware, bells and whistles, slouchy styles and wide handbags tend to be bulky and heavy, especially if they’re leather.

If you stick to a slim, streamlined tote that’s no bigger than the size of your upper body, you might be pleasantly surprised at how much easier it is to stride comfortably as you go about your day. This style of tote was all over the streets of San of Francisco when I visited earlier this year. Urbanites like to keep it practical, funky and stylish. My type of handbag.

When a handbag is simple, let the colour and fabrication do the talking. Patent or cracked patent leather or faux leather adds depth to this look and are my favourite options.

Say goodbye to excessive underarm perspiration with Certain Dri Anti-Perspirant. It’s an underarm formula that is applied at night and is supposed to last for 72 hours. I haven’t tested its ability to work this long (I’m paranoid about underarm odor), but I’ve been using it for the past week and it works brilliantly over a single day. No armpit perspiration and no need for deodorant. The effectiveness of the product blows me away.

I don’t know whether it is harmful to stop underarm perspiration completely. But you might like to use Certain Dri on days when you’re wearing a top or dress that is prone to showing underarm perspiration, or on days when you expect to get a little more anxious but would like to look cool, calm and collected.

It really works Betsy. Thank you for the recommendation!

Don’t let perspiration puddles put a damper on your day. Get Certain Dri for $5.95 at any drug store

As predicted, there have been loads of floral designs on skirts, dresses, tunics and tops this season. I think there is a floral for everyone, even if you don’t like prints.

I tend to like floral patterns that are abstract or geometric. Sometimes they are nicest when the actual floral design is a little hard to discern. I don’t like florals that look like Sanderson floral upholstery, or ditsy country-flower prints. I tend to tire of this type of print quickly. I might like the freshness of the vibrant colours at first glance, but I’ve had enough of the look after two minutes.

If you prefer to keep your clothing print free, there is also the option of floral printed shoes. I like this option and last season’s Faryl Robin shoes are still going strong. Do you like floral patterns, and if so, what kinds?

These are my kind of florals, but busier and brighter designs can be just as fab and very Summery. Horses for courses!

Time and time again my conclusions are confirmed: curvy gals look better in dresses than their slim counterparts. Aesthetically, dresses look best when they are filled in the bust, hip and bottom department. This requires curves and ideally a more voluptuous body type. Straighter bodies tend to lack the curves to fill out a dress silhouette in the best way, and therefore don’t look quite as fab.

The aesthetic conclusion makes perfect sense. Dresses were originally designed for women (I’m excluding Scottish men that look sensational in a kilt). Pants and jeans were originally designed for men. There was method to this madness. Woman are curvy; men are not. Perhaps this is why women with slim, straight boyish bodies look great in jeans. But they need to step aside when it comes to dresses because curvy girls have them beat.

Pretty dresses, but even these beautiful models are too slim to truly do them justice.