I have been getting out and about now that the weather has turned toward summer in the Northern Hemisphere and have noticed a trend on many a woman’s neck.

Long, necklaces of all colours, made of various materials, price ranges, and worn with tanks, tees, dresses, and tunics. I have even started buying many of the longer necklaces myself to wear with my v-neck tees because I am liking the look.

Some of my online finds as examples:

Above: Pop Rocks Necklace at Lulus.com

Above: Long Circle Necklace with Beads in Turquoise at Shopintuition

Get the whole scoop »

Since it’s been raining cats and dogs all April, May and June in NYC, we’ve been trying to figure out how to keep it cute in spite of the fact that the park benches are wet, the grass patches are muddy, and the city streets are generally gross. We think we got it covered with The Fashionista’s Rain Survival Guide below, but if you have any additional pointers on staying fly in the rain, please do share as we’re sure there are more sun showers to come.

1. A STURDY UMBRELLA

We’ve all been caught in a gale force storm with a $5 cheapie, and I doubt any of us would like to do it again. Invest in a sturdy (and cute) umbrella like this striped heart version by Felix Rey that will stand up to a storm and hold down your chic summer outfit.

2. A QUICK-DRYING OUTFIT

Get yourself a few adorable beach coverups – they’re made to get wet and dry quickly – and wear them as tunics or dresses on the rainiest days; no one will know the difference. (Just make sure to wear black or nude undies so you won’t be an inadvertent participant in a wet t-shirt/dress contest.)

(top: l to r Red Carter silk chiffon flutter coverup; Diane von Furstenberg linen-silk halter coverup; bottom: l to r Debbie Katz teal cotton gauze coverup; Debbie Katz pink crinkled coverup)

Get the whole scoop »

I’m not the biggest fan of the term “real girl” (because I think models and actresses – in spite of their above average looks – deserve the respect of being recognized as “real” too), but for those of us who don’t have a paid glam squad on hand to style us into fabulousness, the trend lists can be daunting. Sure “boyfriend” jeans and jackets are in, but so are “boho” dresses, “’80s pop colors,” “aggressive accessories” and gladiator sandals. How does one pull it all together in a look that doesn’t feel too fashion victim-y? I found inspiration from Bluefly’s buyers.

Our buyers have distinctly different styles, so seeing how they translated the “boyfriend” trend was illuminating. Kate (far left) is hipster chic, so she paired a boyfriend tee by Torn with a vest and wore it over leggings and flat gladiator sandals. Joanna (next to Kate) likes to mix and match classic pieces with statement accessories and killer outerwear (she’s the coats buyer, of course), so she rocked a cropped leather bomber with a bright purple tee by LnA in a nod to classic ’80s style. Sandy (standing next to Joanna) keeps it boho chic, so she chose a Wildfox Couture tee with a hippie-inspired graphic, while Jessica (far right), always luxe and on-trend, pulled a jacket-to-jeans boyfriend look together complete with aggressive cut-out platforms by Pour La Victoire.

The Style Note here is: Find the individual trend piece(s) that jive with your style, then mix and match them with what you’ve already got to update your look.d

Michelle Obama is known for her down-to-earth personality and love of affordable clothing. That’s exciting, but whenever she wears something from J. Crew or the Gap, the clothes immediately sell out. Check out my inexpensive takes on two of the First Lady’s looks:

• Dillard’s yellow dress, Arden B cardigan, Forever 21 studded belt

Get the whole scoop »

This week, I’m ceding control to a guest writer and one of our favorite StyleFeeders, John Palfrey. John is a trusted advisor to the company, as well as a very active StyleFeeder who also happens to have great taste. So rather than guess what the stylish men in our life are craving for Father’s Day (coming up fast on June 21, 2009), let’s ask one! Take it away, John!

For the sporty dad

We always need a new pair of running shoes, but it can be dicey to choose the right pair and the right fit. Tennis shirts are safer. A light jacket is a versatile pick. And Nike’s golf gear is rarely looked at askance on Father’s Day by the sporty dad.

For the classic dad

Dads who have to grind out a 9-to-5 in a suit-bound environment often appreciate a wardrobe pick-me-up. Think of a nice new suit, an Armani tie, new Cole Haan kicks, or some stainless steel cufflinks. You can never have too many.

Get the whole scoop »

I’m back! I apologize for my absence — when you’re in your last semester of college, your priorities are rearranged for you. Hopefully I’ll be posting a little more regularly now that I have more time to indulge the shoe addict in me.

Yes, I graduated from college! Here are the shoes I wore on my graduation day:

I bought these a year ago for $16 at Ross and had never worn them. Notice the picture on the left of me trying to discreetly massage my feet with a smile on my face!

Graduation means freedom and an entrance into the “real world” (which, in the current economy, is a bit scary for the class of 2009), but on a more materialistic note, it also means graduation presents. I’ve been blessed to have a loving and generous family, and I received a lot of great gifts — most of which went straight into my savings account, as it should be with any grad.

Anyway, with a $20 Victoria’s Secret gift card (and a very well-timed 25%-off-a-single-item special), I was able to score these 4-inch Colin Stuart heels for under $30 — and the original price was $88!

What do you think? What shoes do you have your eye on this summer?

Spring is here, and believe it or not organic vegetable gardening is a really hot trend! It seems like anyone who has a yard or a patio is planning to plant tomatoes, lettuce and culinary herbs. Here are some suggestions for those of you who would like to jump on this bandwagon.

One way to get started with gardening is to get the Culinary Herb Garden Kit, which includes seeds and growing instructions for eight useful herbs, and plant them in these practical Self-watering Flower Pots by Eva Solo. Both of these are great gifts too.

Tend to your plants like a pro wearing these Tattoo City Waterproof Gardening Boots and using a colorful Calle Gardening Tool Set.

Get the whole scoop »

Make sure you check out the limited-edition Loomstate collection for Target!

The 100% certified organic cotton clothing (for men and women) is super-soft to the touch and fits great to the body. The men’s clothing, in particular, stands out with basics like t-shirts jazzed up with graphics.

Check out some of my picks:

• Pelican Tee
• Owl Tee
• Breathe Tee
• Black woven tank
• Plaid shirt dress