A few of my clients recently bought these tops and look absolutely smashing in them. Fabulous detailing, nice quality, better than a basic T-shirt, and very Summer-y. The boho peplum is great combined with flared or straight cropped pants, regular flared jeans, or a casual pencil skirt. The open-knit gauzy top is divine with a wrap jersey skirt or pair of Summer trousers and jeans. The blue tunic is elegant over flared white or black jeans.

• Loft Lacy Peplum Top: Breezy, pretty and romantic. A little sheer but fine without a camisole. Very forgiving on the midsection. Great on a larger bust and short waist. Size down.
• Nic + Zoe 'Backstory' Back Cutout Open Knit Top (Regular & Petite): This top looks much better in person. It's all about the fabulous cut-out criss-cross BACK detailing. So make sure you showcase that part of the garment. YES, you can wear a regular bra. Covered yet breezy. And surprisingly forgiving on the midsection. Does not cling.
• Furla Elena Leather Satchel: A beautifully made structured sour satchel at a great price. Looks as modern as it does classic. Impeccable.
• L.A.M.B. Ian Leather Clutch: A sassy graphic clutch with lots of room. Fab outside pouch pocket. Great wrist strap. Gorgeous quality.
• L.A.M.B. Ian Leather Clutch: A roomy clutch in an interesting textured metallic leather. Hard-edged and rock 'n' roll. Great wrist strap. Gorgeous quality.
• Karen Kane Print Asymmetrical Hem Top: One of the best casual asymmetrical tunics I've seen this year. Fabulous drape and quality. Roomy, yet streamlined. Works as well on a pear shape as it does on an inverted triangle shape. It's a magical fit. Best with black or white bottoms. Chic Boho-Lite.

Many of the items are on sale. You can see the items alongside my descriptions on the collection page.

Loft

Lacy Peplum Top

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19

Nordstrom

Nic + Zoe 'Backstory' Back Cutout Open Knit Top (Regular & Petite)

$148.00 $88.80

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7

Nordstrom Rack

Furla Elena Leather Satchel

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9

Nordstrom Rack

L.A.M.B. Ian Leather Clutch

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11

Nordstrom Rack

L.A.M.B. Ian Leather Clutch

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3

Nordstrom

Karen Kane Print Asymmetrical Hem Top

$108.00 $64.80

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8

Balance is a very important component of my style. I need to change things up from day to day, and from season to season, to be happy. It isn’t overly logical but much more of an emotional thing. I’m following my mood and listening to my feelings. 

Here are some examples of what I mean:

• After amassing a slew of trendy items into my style, I feel the need to ground them with the classics.  And after wearing the classics for a while, I desperately have the urge to inject trends and wildcards.
• A season of solids makes me crave prints.
• My personal era of masculine button-down shirts put me in the mood for romantic ruffles and flounces.
• After wearing slouchy outfits for what seems like forever, I’m in the mood to wear fitted pieces and sharp tailoring.
• Wearing jeans a little too frequently makes me want to wear trousers, skirts and dresses.
• Wearing neutrals makes me happy, but only if I can swap them out with lots of colour. And after wearing loud brights for a bit, I miss my quiet neutrals. 

Generally, I can achieve the balance I need from day to day by shopping my closet. That’s time and cost-effective, and I’m grateful that I have a wardrobe that panders to my changing moods. Sometimes the longer term balance does mean purchasing new items, but that takes patience because I’m strict about keeping to my budget.

I encourage people to be in touch with the way they feel about an outfit, and not to take the emotion out of their shopping decisions. This is a very important part of feeling fab in your outfits. On the other hand, you need to also make sure that your moods and emotions don’t boss you around, or you’ll never find peace with your style. And perhaps that’s the most important balance of all.

This ensemble was inspired by some outfits I put together for a client who wanted more than just a basic semi-tucked T-shirt to wear with straight or flared cropped jeans. The top had to be comfortable, covered, easy to launder, and casual. Enter the ruffle hem top. Romantic, on trend, and interesting. 

I’ve put together three versions to get you started. The rendition on the left is very casual. The next two renditions are dressier, and more work appropriate. Choose any colour palette in solids or patterns. 

Here are the components: 

Ruffle Top: You’re after a woven or knitted top with a ruffle on the hem. Choose any sleeve style. Tops can be as casual as a tee, or dressier like a blouse. Fits can be snug or roomy. A peplum top with a defined waist will do just fine. 

Bottoms: Think cropped jeans with straight or flared hems. Straight leg jeans or streamlined boyfriends with rolled hems. Streamlined culottes. Dressier ankle pants, or a pencil skirt. 

Footwear: Wear ankle accentuating footwear to balance the cropped lengths of the jeans and pants. Sandals, pumps and flats with ankle straps are fab, as are oxfords, loafers and mules. 

Accessories: Finish off the look with a bag of your choice. Throw on a neckerchief if you like. Add jewellery, eyewear and watch as desired. 

You can also combine a ruffle hem top with long flared jeans or trousers. Add pointy toe heels or heeled sandals and you’re in business. 

I love the outfit on the Shopbop model up top and am eyeing that top to wear with white or faded blue denim straight crops and gold loafers. I did a slightly dressier version with a boho-lite peplum eyelet shirt last year in Arizona.

After lots of trial and error, and life-changing advice from a dermatologist and savvy aesthetician, I learned that a simple beauty routine with the right products for my skin works best. And inexpensive skincare products seem to work best of all. 

Caudalie’s gentle buffing cream was recommended to me after a recent facial. I was skeptical because I thought it would be expensive (I’m done purchasing pricey skincare products that fight with my skin). But for $15 I was prepared to give it a go. I love this product, and now use it twice a week! It’s very gentle, scent-free, and makes your skin feel smooth and luxurious. It also does NOT strip your skin of its natural oils. What a win. 

As a vigilant daily user of creamy sunscreen on my face and neck, I’m also aware that my hands and bare forearms need sun protection. They catch the sun when I drive or when I’m walking our Yorkie Sam. The tops of my feet also seem to catch a lot of sun when I’m out and about. So I’ve bought Neutrogena’s sunscreen body mist to spray on those parts of my body. You can’t be too careful when you have sensitive pale skin and are frequently exposed to the sun. (YES. The sun continues to shine in Seattle and I’m LOVING it.)

Amazon

Caudalie Caudalie Gentle Buffing Cream-1.6 oz

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10

Amazon

Neutrogena Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen Body Mist, SPF 45, 5 Ounce

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5