My new summer uniform

We were packing for Chicago this morning, and I was thinking about summer uniforms. What's yours this summer? I keep spotting beautiful women around town wearing white jeans with grey T-shirts. Fresh, clean, classic. Perfect for day or night. Here's how to get the look...
Grey tee: Get this one. People usually think of tees as basics that you can find anywhere—Gap, Old Navy—but not all T-shirts are created equal. Certain tees can be wildly unflattering. You want to stay away from fluttery sleeves (like this), high necks (like this) and any thick fabrics. Instead, find a thin tee with a lower crew neck or V-neck, which are soooooo much prettier.

White jeans: My favorite pair, hands down. The cut is fantastic. I bought these before a trip to Paris three years ago and have loved wearing them ever since.

(Photos by the Sartorialist and Boden)

Summer Uniform: City Glamour

When I saw this street-style photo, I was blown away by the outfit on the right. How gorgeous does she look in her chambray shirt and yellow skirt? What a perfect combo, especially for the transition from summer to fall. While I don't know this lovely lady, I did some sleuthing...

Here's how to get the look:
Chambray shirt: EmersonMade, $128.
Yellow skirt: ASOS, $60.
Black bag: Michael Kors, $98.
Snake-skin heels: Charles David, $285, or Steve Madden, $99.
Necklace: Octavia Bloom, $76.
Cuff bracelet: Bario-Neal, $90.

Thoughts? Would you wear this? xo

P.S. More summer uniforms.

(Photo by Streetfsn, via Melanie)

Summer Uniform: Pretty tomboy

My friend Elizabeth Antonia doesn't take herself too seriously, yet she still manages to look fresh and tomboyishly sexy. So, I'm excited to share her summer uniform (and get some red jeans!)...

Here's Elizabeth's take:

We were taking a family bike ride to Gjelina for lunch for my husband's birthday. My bike is a old Raleigh that I've had for ten years. It's been with me in Seattle, Brooklyn and now Los Angeles--my old clunker that I can't bear to leave behind! For my hair, I love, love, love John Master's Organics Sea Mist--it makes my hair a tousled mess just how I like it.

Here's how to get the look:
White tee: James Perse, $50, or Target, $5!
Red skinny jeans: J Brand, $176.
Tote: Anya Hindmarch, varied prices on eBay.
Natural sunscreen: Badger, $14.
Beach-blown hair: John Master's Organics Sea Mist, $14.50.

P.S. Two more gorgeous summer uniforms.

Summer Uniform: Hamptons beauty

I always joke that my friend Susan Cernek is the nicest person in fashion. She has a mouthful of a title at Glamour, but she always looks drop-dead gorgeous and friendly, with a megawatt smile and easy laugh. So, I asked her to share her summer uniform with us (in hopes that we could copy ruthlessly:).

Here's Susan's take:

Here, my husband Rob and I are on grill duty at our dear friend's house in Southampton. I've worn these tortoise Ray-Ban Wayfarers since '06. I've tried on a zillion other pairs since then, but these are the only sunglasses that suit my face/don't make me look like a crazy person.

I got the shirtdress at Zara last year for our honeymoon, and it's now my summer go-to. The special twist is that it looks like a man's dress shirt since it scoops up a bit on the sides--making it a bit risque to wear to work but flirty and sexy for weekends. A word of caution: Never use the fabric belt that shirt dresses come with. Fabric belts can look floppy--not exactly a description you want anywhere near your midsection. You need structure to flatter your waist, so go with a thin leather belt.

For beauty, I stay light. I love Diptyque bath oil; I dab it on after the shower for a light scent, instead of a heavy perfume. And my go-to lip "marker"--Revlon's Just Bitten in Flame--gives you a cheery, pretty hint of color, like you just ate a popsicle from the Mister Softee truck.

Here's how to get the look:
Wayfarer sunglasses: Ray-Ban, $194.
Shirtdress: Similar styles here.
Belt: 7 Hills, $36.
Thong sandals: L.L. Bean Signature, $69.
Lipstain: Revlon, $8.99.
Messy French bun.

P.S. Another lovely summer uniform.

Summer Uniform: Greek goddess

My sweets, do you have a favorite summer outfit? I'm excited to announce a new series on Cup of Jo, where I'll feature photos of stylish friends and show how to put together the look (mostly because I want to copy them myself!).

First up: My friend Kendra Smoot always looks gorgeous, but I especially love this ensemble (above) she wore on vacation in Greece. Relaxed, easy and beautiful, don't you think?

Here's how to get the look:
Polka-dot scarf: The Hill-Side, $50.
Round sunglasses: Halogen, $68.
Gray tee: LNA, $48.
Boyfriend shorts: Victoria's Secret, $44.50.
Gladiator sandals: Juicy Couture, $151, or Steve Madden, $42.
Pink nail polish: Essie, $8.

Do you have a summer uniform? xo

(Photo by Akira Ruiz)