Heating Up Your Wardrobe Just In Time For Summer

Finally, it's summertime again! After too many layers and dark colors, it's time to drag out the clothes perfect for enjoying breezy days at the beach, tasty cocktails on an outdoor terrace, and nights under the stars. But dressing for summer can be far more challenging than dressing for winter. After all, once you're not a teenager anymore, how do you know the difference between dressing for the season and looking too casual? Thankfully, it's not that hard to throw together a summer wardrobe that will have heads turning even as the first breezes of fall start shaking the leaves off the trees. It's time to heat up that wardrobe for summer!

One of the easiest places to start dressing for a season with older articles of clothing is simply by looking at what the colors are going to be. Nudes were back in a huge way last year, and the trend appears to continue on, especially in regard to very muted yellows and pinks. While greens and blues were a big hit, this time around, it's going to be purples and plums. Think classic 1970s summer fashion or the sophisticated evening dresses from a couple of decades before, and you'll have a good handle on what items from your closet can make their second debut this season.

Looking to invest in just one thing to really pull together a summer outfit or maybe spruce up something older and make it look more this season? We're noticing a serious move towards bright, chunky accessories, and it's totally apparent in the necklaces being designed right now. Versatile enough to wear with a lovely dress for night time or a tasteful v-neck for the daylight hours, investing in one really cute necklace will do wonders for your wardrobe this summer.

Instead, get fun and have a great time choosing accessories. The whole minimal approach to just a little bit of gold or silver has flown out the window, though that doesn't mean that you shouldn't follow the most important rule of accessorizing: less is always, ALWAYS, more. Don't feel the need to grab bracelets, bangles, and necklaces all for one outfit, but do definitely invest in at least one fun bangle bracelet and one bright and colorful necklace. It's a very simple way to dress up a plain black dress or one of those single-shouldered numbers you just picked up, and changing the accessories helps you get a ton of mileage out of your clothes.

It's tough to guess the colors of a season, even after seeing the runway shoes, but this shift towards muted but notably brighter palates on the runway seem to be pointing towards a continuance of yellow and green making a huge splash along with lighter orange and pink really taking the racks by storm. Just be advised that there's no need for you to attempt all the colors at once at any point, no matter what you see an Olsen Twin doing on Perez.

Traditional accessories that were a huge hit on the runway this season were a more tolerable version of 1980s inspiration. Upscale bangles are a huge hit, and make a great accessory when it comes to wearing a more plain outfit. They're bold, they're made out of all possible materials to match your fabric, and they won't break the bank but they'll leave their mark.

One trend we're all hoping and praying catches on this summer is a lack of fake baking. Yes, far too many celebrities have shown up to premiers looking like Oompa Loompas, and it's time for the general public to heed the warning of the season--if you can't make it happen lounging on a chair outside for a couple of hours, it doesn't mean you need to lather yourself in nasty skin-dying oils or have a go at a tanning bed. Looking like a rotisserie chicken is one definite fashion don't for this summer, as it will totally ruin your other fashion forward moves!

No matter if you're planning on stocking up on all of the hottest items of this season or only have a little bit to spend to make your wardrobe just slightly more fabulous, it's going to be easy to look hot and feel hot this summer. Get a few new things in your closet and you're certain to feel like a million bucks the minute you have your first summer weekend. Here's to hoping all of your summer fashion dreams come true.