Thank God for summertime. It's finally shorts, sandals, and bathing suit weather. Summer is my favorite time for clothing because crop tops are socially acceptable, and you don't have to worry about any of your clothes being functional. I mean, think about it; you don't have to worry about your coat and scarf hiding your cute top, and you don't have to find a matching sweater for every outfit before you leave the house. It's such a pain to have to drunkenly worry about keeping up with your winter layers as you venture out to a bar or frat house. Many good jackets have been lost to said frat houses (may they rest in peace, especially my maroon Lacoste sweater). My fashion philosophy is the more clothes=the less cute. So anyway, here's a couple of summer clothing picks that I will be wearing, or wishing that I could pull off.
Nanette Lepore and Mara Hoffman Swimwear
If I had $150 to spare, I would definitely be purchasing a Mara Hoffman or Nanette Lapore swimsuit. They sell these suits at Anthropology, which means that I have never actually seen one of them in real life because I don't allow myself to go into Anthropology. It's too torturous to only window shop at Anthro, and if I actually buy something from there it usually means I don't buy food for a few weeks...so I just steer clear. But these two designers make some really awesome and unique bikinis, and one-pieces that I would actually wear. To check out more swimsuits go to Anthropology, Nanette Lepore's website, or Mara Hoffman's site.
JuJu Footwear Babe Jelly Heeled Sandal
These sandals fall under the category of "things I would buy if I could actually pull them off". I don't know why I like these so much, but I just think they're cool as shit. These jelly sandals come in a couple of different colors, but I would definitely go with the clear sparkly kind. According to my sister, creds go to Jenny for the discovery of these shoes. And plus, she can actually pull them off (unlike me and many others). I went to Urban Outfitters (aka my second home) to try them on, but I decided against making the purchase. If I would have bought them, I probably would have worn them with a solid colored dress or a black skirt/shorts. But still, jelly shoes are cool as shit. Personally, I prefer the heeled kind to the flat sandals. If you're feeling adventurous you can purchase these sandals for $49 at Urban Outfitters.
Pom Pom Shorts
Since the beginning of the summer, these printed pom-pom shorts have exploded in popularity. And I totally understand why. These shorts have the comfort level of Nike shorts, but are still cute enough to wear out. You can wear these versatile shorts with sandals, or dress them up with wedges. They come in every pattern imaginable (I really like the pineapple ones pictured above). I got my pair for $12 at Forever21 (pictured to the right). They are seriously so comfortable and fun, so if you can find a cheap pair I would recommend buying them.
Addidas New Apparel Line
Addidas recently came out with a new line of matching crop tops and athletic shorts. I hunted online for the particular outfit pictured on the right, but unfortunately I could not find it in my size. I'm not entirely sure when I would ever wear it, but it just looks so damn cool. Addidas has a few different patterns left, but the sizing is pretty limited due to popularity. I'm personally a fan of the matching-top-and-bottom trend, it's pretty badass. For being a sports apparel company, Addidas actually has some really cool normal people clothing too. I wish workout clothes weren't so expensive because I would totally buy cute workout stuff, but for my wallet's sake I'm going to stick to the Nike shorts I've had since the 7th grade and one of my thousand sorority tank tops. You can check out some similar styles that Addidas has on their website. The cost is $35 for the crop top and $40 for the matching shorts.