I’m an online shopper through and through. I’m not really into crowded malls, and would much rather spend my time sitting on my couch drinking a latte while purchasing this season’s most darling [insert clothing item here]. Plus, with the majority of my favorite stores implementing easy and free returns, why not?

However, I’ve been stuck in an online retailer rut - not really venturing out into new online shopping territory. That is, until Lucky Magazine published their 100 under $100 online shopping guide in their July issue. Woohoo! More ways to spend my money!

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How do you know where your hem should hit? A simple rule of thumb is that skirts and dresses should fall just to the top of your knee, above the kneecap; if you are tall you can go a little longer. But if you’re petite, or if you have short legs, keep hemlines on the high side.

A skirt that hits in the wrong place will age you faster than those gray hairs you’re worrying about. A short skirt on a woman over 25 can look desperate, while a too-long skirt looks dowdy. Instead of hiking up your hemline to sexy up your look (or dropping the line of your skirt for modesty’s sake) think about the overall shape of your dress and your body.

Let’s look at some Don’ts.

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My favorite look for summer is the maxi dress; I can’t tell you how happy I am to see actual dresses cropping up as day wear. The maxi dress is great because it flatters a wide range of figures, and can be as casual, or as dramatic, as you like.

How can you make a maxi work for you? Simple!

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I have to be honest with you. It took everything in my power not to entitle this post, Absolutely Crazy Trend Watch (WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE THINKING?) - Neon. Let’s be serious for a second. Neon? Like the Day-Glo Eighties phenomenon? Who wants to re-hash that nightmare?

Well, apparently, W magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and many other fine publications are more than willing to shove neon right back in our faces.

(Looking for a rock to crawl under.)

Is it possible to alter this trend to make it work for the majority of women who would rather not be reminded of acid green Ray-Bans and jelly bracelets from our school days? Of course we can! This blog is called The Working Closet, isn’t it?

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You know what’s back for spring? Bare arms! We can thank Michelle Obama for this, with her fantastic wardrobe of sleeveless sheath dresses. We can also look to Jillian Michaels to get us ready for the sleeveless dress, although I’ve found that carrying a toddler around all day will do just as good a job as any thirty day exercise program.

Seriously.

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When you’re shopping on a budget (and who isn’t these days?) you want to get the most for your money, no matter what you’re buying. Dresses can seem like an extravagance, especially for busy moms — pants are so much more practical, right, especially when you’re trying to move between mom things and work things. But a dress can be equally practical — and fun and pretty — if you choose the right one.

This week, my friend Rita came home from Target with this incredibly cute dress.

Merona Collection keyhole dress in Kickapoo Green, $42.99
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One of my current obsessions is the television show Mad Men - have you seen it? Oh, it’s fantastic. Forget the story line (although it’s wonderful), the set design and costumes alone should have you tuning in on a weekly basis.

You see, the show takes place in New York City in the early 1960s. The glorious fashion era of the 1950-60s. Pencil skirts, swing skirts, perfect hairstyles, pearls, gloves…acting and looking “every inch the lady” was taught virtually from the cradle. Watching the show, I would find myself slack-jawed over Joan Holloway’s ensembles every week.

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This week, I dove into some internet research on plus-size styles, and I must say, I’m a little alarmed at most of the plus-sized “tips” out there.  Several of the articles I read seemed to lump all plus-size women into one generic category, which seems a little odd to me.

Luckily, I stumbled across a piece in Good Housekeeping about how to flatter different plus-size shapes according to a few different body types; rectangle, hourglass and pear. Here’s what I found out.

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If I had to choose one piece of attire that has completely infiltrated my brain this season, it would most definitely be the sweater dress. I adore the versatility of sweater dresses; in fact, let me count the reasons for you.

1. You can dress them up - add opaque tights, patent Mary Jane pumps and pearls.

2. You can dress them down - add a bohemian scarf and ballet flats.

3. You can wear as a tunic - the shorter shifts look amazing with skinny jeans or wide-leg trousers.

4. Show some leg without really showing leg - you can feel more comfortable wearing shorter sweater dresses knowing that seasonal tights can cover bare legs.

5. A belt changes the silhouette completely - by adding one of this season’s highly coveted wide belts, you can totally change the shape of the dress while accenting your waist.

6. The perfect complement to boots - those highly-coveted riding boots in your closet would look fabulous with a sweater dress, I promise.

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I recently read an article in In Style magazine about The Fab 5 pieces every woman should have in their closet. I can’t disagree - they listed five classic, go-to items, but I think some could be open to interpretation.

Let’s interpret, shall we?

The five items listed were:

1. Little Black Dress
2. Cardigan
3. White Button-Front Shirt
4. Jeans
5. Black Suit

Do you have all five of these items in your closet? It’s true, with the right accessories, these articles of clothing can get you through almost everything, but I’d like to add some food for thought. Before we start, it’s important to point out that these are the types of items that you should expect to spend more of your fashion budget on due to their longevity in your closet.

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