Thank you SO much for weighing in on my wedding wardrobe conundrum!! My cousin’s wedding was last week and I ended up going with something completely different from the Vera Wang gown and Betsey Johnson dress I was considering.

Pretty much my whole family decided to wear Ghanaian kente cloth – kinda like our family uniform for the day – and my sister (that’s her on the right in the blue kente) surprised me by having a one-shoulder kaba blouse and slinky maxi skirt sewn for me.

I loved the way it fit (the tight skirt gave me hips!) and I felt like flitting all over the dance floor thanks to the ruffled one shoulder strap. Here’s a full-length view (that’s me with my aunt…not the one who advised me to show off legs and shiny lips).

Ironically, my outfit ended up encapsulating the idea of both dresses I was considering. It was floor-length like the Vera Wang gown, but bright with a flirty flourish up top like the Betsey Johnson dress. Think I made the right decision?

So it’s wedding season and for the first time since I’ve passed Flower Girl age, it matters to me. In July, I was a bridesmaid at my good friend’s beautiful wedding and next month, I’m going to my cousin’s wedding and I’m having a hard time figuring out what to wear.

The bridesmaid deal was awesome – all I had to do was show up and wear what the bride told me to. But as a guest, there are all these unspoken rules. Don’t wear white or anything that could compete with the bride’s gown. Don’t wear anything too flashy (i.e. slutty), but – in the words of an aunt at the wedding I just came from, “make sure your legs are showing and your lips are shining”… don’t ask. So, I’m asking for your advice. Think I should go for something like this lilac Vera Wang dress - strapless and ankle-length with a little fashionista flourish?

What about this flirty Betsey Johnson number? Too much?

Your thoughts, pleeeze!

I know you don’t wanna even THINK about fall right now, but the truth is, September is just weeks away. The good news is, very soon you can start experimenting with some of the coolest trends this month’s fashion mags are featuring. I’m most looking forward to wearing big boxy plaids with cowlneck sweaters (like the look Adam Lippes sent down the runway for fall):

Statement accessories:

Metallic flashes (that aren’t over-the-top) like this skirt by Abaete:

And all the pretty dresses!

For the past three weeks, it’s been Project Runway and Christian Siriano fever at the Bluefly offices as we prepped for the launch of PR’s fifth season and Christian Siriano’s exclusive Bluefly collection, which launches Thursday, July 23rd (that’s tomorrow, people!). When you get a sec, hop over to Bluefly.com and check it out.

The collection is very Christian – jackets, skinny pants, skirts, dresses, tee shirts, with strong ruffled details… so it’s no surprise Christian bought boyfriend, Brad Walsh the ruffle-panel Burberry top he wore to the Project Runway Season 5 Wrap Party.

Check out more pics from the party here.

It seems like just yesterday when Project Runway took over the Bluefly offices for the Season 4 Finale. Models were everywhere – yup, Jaslene from America’s Next Top Model was camped out in our reception area waiting to be seen for the Fashion Week casting – while the contestants were sequestered in our work space as our Merchandising Manager worked in secret with them on the shoes that would accompany their Fashion Week collections.

Then, as if they’d never been here, they left for Fashion Week. The show at Bryant Park was incredible. Victoria Beckham sat front and center with Heidi, Michael and Nina wearing divalicious oversized shades while the finalists’ models stomped down the runway, and of course, by now you know Christian Siriano took the top prize. Tonight, the madness starts all over again! Check our Project Runway page every Thursday to shop the winning look, score Bluefly loot and much more… and of course, I’ll have fun fashion recaps for you right here.

Okay, so not everyone’s got a job like Carrie Bradshaw’s that allows for naked arms in the dress code (let alone access to the Vogue closet) but if you do, the blazer vest is literally the coolest way to keep your look professional and comfortable in the summer months.

[photo from Sex and the City: The Movie (courtesy of Melcher Media/Collins) by Craig Blinkenhorn © MMVIII New Line Productions, Inc.]

For a little personality, belt it the way Sarah Jessica Parker did in the Sex & the City Movie. And if you just can’t do bare arms in the office – or the air conditioner’s set to arctic – go for a cropped blazer vest and leave it open over a cute blouse. You can always rock it sans the blouse when you meet up with the girls for after work drinks – just please make sure you’re wearing clear deodorant.

It’s raining. It’s pouring. It’s 90 degrees. What’s a fashionista to do?

This was my dilemma about two weeks ago when the sky suddenly flashed lightning and flushed the streets of NYC with inches of water. Thankfully, I had on flip-flops, but the next day, I saw a smartly dressed sister sporting a much chicer alternative – the rain flat. I’m sure she had to deal with the squishies (water must get in those shoes), but they’re rubber so, who cares?

Either way, it’s a sight better – and more comfortable – than Wellies in sweltering heat. Do yourself a favor and save the minidress and rain boots look for fall.

Now, I just need to find myself a pair! If you have a pair of rain flats you’re gaga over, please let me know where you found them!

In addition to the fact that Vogue Italia’s landmark July issue addressed the appalling lack of black models in fashion spreads, I was psyched to peep the return of the head scarf. And let’s face it, I couldn’t resist after last week’s heated summer scarf discussion.

Now that the heat – and humidity – are with us for the next three months, there’s nothing like a pretty silk scarf to cover the wild, swollen strands of summer. By day, you can rock it the way Gwyneth Paltrow’s character Marge did in The Talented Mr. Ripley – as a super-glam ponytail holder.

By night, create a chignon effect the way Tyra Banks did here (in a picture from the Italia spread) by smoothing it over your head and letting the scarf’s tails hang.
You can amp up the glam by knotting the scarf’s tails into a bun.

The coolest thing about the head scarf is it triples as a neck tie and shoulder throw – ‘cause in this economy it’s all about doubling your money. Speaking of, you can get the red Gucci scarf pictured above for 30% off on Bluefly.

If it’s fly, I’m all over it – which is one of the reasons I totally heart my job blogging for Bluefly.com. From the super chic (and sweet!) chicas in my neighboring cubes, to the fashionistas on the curb (our office is just a block away from NYC fashion mecca, Bryant Park!), it’s wall to wall flyness. And did I mention, I style-stalk celebs too?

I’ll be mentioning all that and then some as your very own FlySpy, helping you recreate looks spotted on celebs and the put-together ladies we run into on the street or the subway and envy just a bit. Check me here at The Tastemaker Diaries every Wednesday – and catch me (plus the rest of the Bluefly blog crew) daily on FlyPaper. Stay fly!