When it comes to getting excited about dressing for a season, admittedly, I'm a fall/winter girl. That said, this spring/summer holds a lot of promise as most of trends that the designers are mapping to are not only wearable, but are also extremely flattering on most everyone. I've picked 5 of my favorites and found some great pieces to invest in that will keep you on-trend as well as looking lovely this season.


Neutrals
Although not every shade of neutral works with every skin tone, this season you're sure to find a tone that will work  – in a style that will flatter, as it's one of the biggest trends of the season. I'm featuring a few of my favorite tops right now that come in neutrals. I think that all of these would be a great buy as they're all very flattering cuts and are all extremely versatile. You can wear these tops with nearly style of dress pant or denim; or try them with one of the pairs of shorts I'm featuring in this article along with your new gladiator sandals.


Product info, left to right:

Banana Republic, Monogram Twist Detail Top, $120
bananarepublic.com

Ann Taylor, Silk Camp Shirt, $78
www.anntaylor.com

J.Crew, Laporte Drape Blouse, $110
www.jcrew.com


Floral Prints
Year after year the florals return in the spring and summer but this year they are especially prevalent as they graced many a runway this past fall. I chose to feature dresses as a key category where we're seeing these bold and beautiful prints, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a silhouette this season that doesn't feature the trend. Each of these dresses are as appropriate to wear lunch as they would be out to dinner, and with their incredible price points you can afford to buy yourself the key accessories (heels/belt/bracelets), to make the look complete.


Urban Outfitters, Nettie Floral Dress, $88
www.urbanoutfitters.com

Ann Taylor, Modern Print Floral Sheath Dress, $158
www.anntaylor.com

Net-A-Porter, Tibi, Dahlia Silk Dress, $345
www.net-a-porter.com


Shorts
Shorts are back in a big way this year and although I know many of you think "I can't wear shorts", I'm here to tell you that you can. Times have changed and shorts are no longer only for long-legged models or teenagers, today they come in more shapes, fabrics and lengths than ever that's why I guarantee you can find a pair that will flatter YOU! I'm featuring a few of my favorite pairs; both of the black shorts I would wear to work with flats or heels and I would also wear them out in the evening. To me shorts are a lot like denim you can dress them up just as easily as you can dress them down – have fun finding your signature way to wear them this season.



Net-A-Porter, Wool Pinstriped D&G Shorts, $235
www.net-a-porter.com

Barneys, Theory "Manu" Short, $180
www.barneys.com

Free People, Benji's Linen Cargo Short, $68
www.freepeople.com


Gladiator Sandals
As finding a stylish pair of wear all day or any day sandals seems to be one of my many fashion quests for this time of year. I recommend this year trying a pair of gladiator-style flats. This style of shoe has always been one of my favorites because it's one of the few styles that I feel are truly comfortable and while looking sexy. I love that this year it seems more than ever there are a million flat versions of the gladiator to choose from. My favorite pair of course is the lovely design by Gucci, so clean, so perfect! But even if you're not in the position to drop $800 on a pair of sandals, the two pairs by Dolce Vita and Loeffler Randall are close runner-ups at a fraction of the price!



Loeffler Randall, Audra Snap Flat Sandals, $295
www.shopbop.com

Gucci, "Venus" Sandal, $795
www.gucci.com

ShopBop, Dolce Vita Ezra Stud Crisscross Sandals, $138
www.shopbop.com


Utility
I looked up the definition of the word utility in the dictionary and here are a few words I found used to define it: heavy-duty, practical, useful. Now when I look at a few of my favorites from the trend, do I think that they map back to the description? I do actually, but along with the descriptive words above I would add a few others that describe why I love this trend such as: comfortable, edgy, versatile. I would dress-up each of these picks and wear them to a night out with friends as easily as I would kick-around in them on the weekend – now that's "practical".



Piperlime, Sanctuary, Original Peace Pant, $130
piperlime.com

Belstaff, Jenn Lady Boot, $705
www.net-a-porter.com

Martin + Osa, Airfield Jacket, $150
www.martinandosa.com


Jennifer Bakken is a San Francisco based wardrobe consultant.
For more information: cabinetdenvie.com.