LE CATCH

Happy 4th to you all! In between all the beaching, swimming, barbecuing, and Fourth of July parading this long weekend, I'll be cracking open this raved-about novel, sampling recipes from my new favorite cookbook, and lounging around in this newly purchased bikini top. I'd also like to while away the holiday with these stylish 80-degree staples: a pair of Le Specs mirrored sunnies, an off-the-shoulder Mango dress (similar to above), glimmery-glam K.Jacques sandals, a Janessa Leone straw hat, and a chic skin-baring beach-to-BBQ Zara top.

LA's current heat and humidity isn't getting in the way of my buying this Harvey Faircloth faux fur trimmed army jacket. Put simply: it's awesome! A perfect blend of laid-back and luxe. A genius layering piece. An everyday staple and night-worthy, too. And come fall, I'll be wearing it day in and day out! You can also find it here.

$118, trademark

A simple, little (gorgeous) piece that will keep giving and giving. . .

1. The Row blouse, $790, netaporter.com
2. Trademark choker, $118, trade-mark.com
3. Natasha Couture clutch, $78, nordstrom.com
4. Nicholas Kirkwood pointy toe flats, $395, bergdorfgoodman.com
5. A.L.C. scalloped shorts, $265, matchesfashion.com

I've long been lusting for Vika Gazinskaya's cropped top, beloved by fashionistas far and wide, including Leandra Medine and Lauren Santo Domingo, below. But the steep price tag? Not so much! So, I was quite delighted to come across this piece by Nicholas, which has the same asymmetrical detailing, breezy volume and outfit-making punch!

$49, hm.com

This fun fringed tunic will get me into the summer swing of things.

1. H&M fringed tunic, $49, hm.com
2. Wonderland leather sunglasses, $265, shopbop.com
3. Diane Kordas woven diamond and sapphire bracelet, $1450, netaporter.com
4. M2Malletier bag, $1900, bergdorfgoodman.com
5. Madewell lace-up sandals, $69, madewell.com
6. J.Crew sequin shorts, $150, jcrew.com

Suddenly, my beloved old pair of denim cut-off shorts are feeling... old! This weekend I put them on and promptly took them off as they looked too distressed, too schlumpy, too much of a thing of the past. And so I'm now on the hunt to find its polar opposite: a pair that's made with sleek, polished denim, one that looks tailored, sophisticated and, most importantly, new! Here's what I uncovered from Victoria Beckham, Chloe (40% off!), Frame, Derek Lam 10 Crosby, and Balenciaga (above).

$47, front row shop

I'd like to earn my style stripes this summer with this cute top!

1. Front Row Shop striped top, $47, frontrowshop.com
2. Cutler and Gross sunglasses, $500, jcrew.com
3. Sogoli chain bracelet, $75, shopbop.com
4. Sensi Studio straw bag, $255, shopbop.com
5. J.Crew sandals, $49, jcrew.com
6. Current/Elliott jeans, $220, netaporter.com

Caroline Issa recently made the men's fashion week rounds in Paris, above, and Milan, below, in dresses with body-baring slits. Strategically placed to show just the tiniest--but arguably sexiest--bit of skin, the slits make a fresh, this-very-minute statement and provide much-needed ventilation. I'd like to give this summer-perfect trend a whirl with these standouts from Ganni, Jil Sander (on sale!), Tanya Taylor, Forever 21 and Haney.

Photos: Tommy Tom/Style

$190, topshop

This dress exudes a carefree summer day vibe--I like!

1. Topshop lace dress, $190, topshop.com
2. Le Specs sunglasses, $79, shopbop.com
3. Samudra print clutch, $65, shopbop.com
4. Givenchy snake sandals, $975, netaporter.com

With all my frequent flying this past spring--Mexico, St. Barth's, Aspen, New York, San Francisco!--I am closer to cracking the code on chic vacation wear. I now know that whatever makes its way into my suitcase must be able to stand up to heat and humidity, miles of walking city streets, hours of sightseeing, and day-to-night dressing--and look drop-dead chic while doing so! Now with summer travel(s) on the horizon, I'm looking for more do-it-all-around-the-world pieces--and I've hit jackpot with the following. A Tory Burch dress, above, which can wend around Florence during the day with easy sneaks, then sit down to dinner with a pair of sandals at Capocaccia. I'm also coveting these cosmopolitan-cool dresses by Cos, Tibi, GoenJ, Asos, Veronica Beard, Equipment, and 4. Collective. I'll definitely pack a pair of culottes like this H&M (which I have) or this Rebecca Taylor, because they are stylish yet easy and straddle the day/night gap. Of course, sneakers are a must: they can work fashion magic with my daytime dresses, minis, and midi-skirts , plus will let me canvass new cities and jet through several time zones in comfort. My current faves: this Superga, this Rag & Bone and this A.P.C. I limit myself to just one pair of heels, a super versatile open-toe sandal like this J.Crew, this Givenchy (on sale) or this Madewell. It's always wise to bring a warm layer, whether it's to fend off an over zealous A/C or keep an evening breeze at bay. A go-with-everything cardigan, like this or this is a no-brainer, but if there's room, I'd also throw in an outfit-elevating lightweight jacket like this and this. Bon voyage!

Photo: 9 to 5 Chic