Black and white cuteness as clear as can be!

1. Pixie Market top,
2. Super Sunglasses,
3. RumbaTime watch,
4. Nannacay tote,
5. Gucci embellished flats.
5. Frame Denim jeans,

Every summer, the skinny jeans in my wardrobe take a vacation. They retreat to a dark, quiet spot in my closet and hibernate till fall. Subbing in for them: my looser-fitting pairs that look suitably relaxed yet still polished, like the ones, above, by . Other great laid-back, summer-ready options are from (20% off), , and .

*Shopbop is offering an extra 25% off already marked down items with this through 6/24.

Photo: The Frugality

This itsy, bitsy strapless top is my kind of cute and fun!

Don't ask me how a cultural tour of Los Angeles with my visiting college-aged niece this past weekend ended up at Topshop in The Grove. But it did--and, thrillingly, it enriched with us with a newfound appreciation for artful, embroidered denim! We discovered a trove of it, all inspired by Gucci's pre-fall 2016 collection (, another cool pair ). Topshop's embroidered jeans are whimsically cool, featuring both (now mine) and (scooped up by my sister), plus they're delightfully affordable. I also adore this white floral and this sequined . I foresee many more spin-offs down the road, but I like the idea of wearing them now before they saturate the streets!

I'd blow off summer steam in this chic, lightweight top!

For me, summer usually comes with the challenge of finding the newest, most flattering white jeans. But this season it's all about an off-white pair, a shade that looks refreshingly different, more sophisticated, and, I think, more flattering! Designers like and are also crazy for this creamy-colored denim--and they along with others are making my jean-finding mission a lot easier this time around! My cream of the crop picks come from , , , , and .

An amazing riff on Gucci's current season sweatshirt--at an amazing price!

In my mind the trends that come back in over and over again are the ones that work. Case in point: this spring's back-in therefore must-have straight-leg jeans. These work because they give the illusion of a taller, slimmer figure, and who doesn't want that?? Check out these straight-out stylish pairs by , , , , , and .

Something just made my spring shopping significantly easier: the J.Crew Style Guide, because a substantial portion of what I want to wear next season (and later) is contained inside! For starters, the cooly re-invented , above, that are inspired by the cultish ). I love the featured with them too! My other favorites also happen to be fresh takes on wardrobe classics, including these , this off-duty , these statement-making (last pic), this (below), this cotton linen (as sexy over a bikini as with a pair of jeans), these attention-getting chandelier and this grey . You can check it all out for yourself .

The double layered ruffle sleeve sweetens the deal here!