It’s official. I’m obsessed. It was love at first sight.

Dooney & Bourke always makes hot, classy purses, right? But the Toggle Bag seems to stand out from the rest of the summer newbies. It’s a soft, white leather messenger bag with brown rolled up leather toggles and navy triangle accents stitched to the front with yellow thread. Hot.

SHOP NEW DOONEY HERE!

The only thing that makes it look like a traditional D&B purse is the signature blue ducky silver purse charm. Otherwise, it’s totes fresh, simple, and new, which makes it the perfect summer purse for ‘09! Holla.

Shop Tulip Skirts now.
Shop Boots That Go With Everything now.

I never knew how becoming the tulip skirt was until I tried one on myself. I have a pear-shaped body, but the combination of an empire waist and tulip skirt on the dress I recently purchased made for a surprisingly flattering silhouette. Even though a tulip skirt is full around the thigh area, it provides a slimming effect as it narrows towards the bottom (especially if the skirt drapes across from one side to the other, as seen on the Boulevard Before Dawn Dress, below).

For a more laid-back look for summer, pair a casual tulip skirt with a tank or tee and a pair of ankle boots.
Shown below (L-R): Bandana Bandit 2 boots by Not Rated, Stonewashed Leather Boot by Humanoid, Ankle Boots by MOMA.

See more BOOTS THAT GO WITH EVERYTHING.

Shown above (L-R): Mini Tulip Skirt in black by A Piece Apart, Silence & Noise Knit Burnout Skirt, Silence & Noise Mineralist Skirt. See more TULIP SKIRTS.

Nautical is always in for summer, but plain stripes on plain tees get old fast. The key to rocking this look through summer 2009 and beyond is to seek out stripes on tees with unexpected fabrics and fun stylistic flourishes. My favorite picks from a whole flock of hot tops in Striped Tops With a Twist are below (L-R):

Eco-Ganik Stripe Pocket Tank, Splendid White Rugby Stripe T-Shirt, BGD Scoopneck Tee

Summer is about simplicity. Layering too many accessories and products makes your look stuffy and over-done. Sticking with key trendy summer essentials allows you to keep the rest of your look laid-back and relaxed, the way summer should be. My favorite summer must-haves are shown below, but there are plenty of items in several other summer categories to shop through. Happy clicking!

See all: Yellow Purses, Coral Blushes, Cork Wedge Heels, White Jewelry, Braided Jewelry, Retro Sunglasses.

Shown above (L-R): Berbenno handbag in light yellow by ALDO, CORALista blush by benefit, Mely Wedge in Chocolate by BCBGirls, Braided Magnetic Cuff Bracelet by Accessories & Beyond, sunglasses by Forever21.

OTHER SUMMER ESSENTIALS:
(Basics so easy, you’ll rock them every day!)

Baggy Tees
Beach Totes
Bandeau Tops
Charm Bracelets
Havaianas Sandals
Bronzers
Sarongs
Loose Powder Makeup
Anti-Cellulite Products

SHOP SLASHED LEGGINGS NOW.
We all know trends get recycled, and slashing your pantalones up to make a fashion statement is nothing new. But this does not mean that the stripped, ripped, and thrashed black leggings of 2009 aren’t supes sexy and chic-ly risque. I have yet to see a non-celeb rocking “slashed-up-to-there” leggings (which makes me want to get a pair even more! Trendsetterrrr!), but I’m sure this fad will spread faster than the swine flu, especially among the teens and early twenty-somethings who are growing tired of their plain old leggings. Zzzz!

Shown: 1. LnA Olivia Thrashed Gathered Bottom Leggings in Noir, 2. LnA Ripped Zipper Leggings in Flat Black, 3. David Lerner Ripped Leggings, 4. Leyendecker Kerouac Ripped Leggings.

Click here to see more hot slashed leggings!

Wear with: a baggy t-shirt.
Click here to shop Baggy Tees.

I’m not one who religiously reads her horoscope. Nor am I someone who takes her daily star reading 100% seriously. I do, however, freak out when my horoscope describes my current life situation to a T (which has happened more than once). And, as cliché as it may sound, I think it’s a cute idea to give zodiac-themed birthday gifts to friends (especially since there are so many ridiculously cute/unique/designer accessories to choose from these days).

My faves right now are the Zodiac Constellation Cuffs by Jessica Kagan Cushman, shown below. Who wouldn’t want to rock this definite conversation-starter? Be sure to check out my other astrologically-themed buyer’s guides full of all 12 signs worth of cute Zodiac jewelry: Zodiac Hoop Earrings, Hello Kitty Zodiac Designer Jewelry, and FettY Zodiac Necklaces.

I don’t know why, but it seems impossible to be in a gloomy mood when I wear yellow. Yellow’s said to instill optimism and energy while stimulating memory. No wonder I like it so much. Yellow is a great color to wear during the summer months and there’s a perfect shade of it for every skin tone. Yellow isn’t just a daytime color, either. It’s rare to see yellow rocked at night, but I think that’s what makes it even hotter! Pair some Canary Yellow Shoes from my buyer’s guide with a little black dress and some silver hoops and you’re good to go! Yellow Purses and Faux Canary Yellow Diamonds are hot too! I’m obsessed.
Shown: Cosa Sandal by Kelsi Dagger in Gold.

Whenever I see someone wearing a top with a unique and sexy design or cut on the back, I always stop to ask her where she got it. The person usually replies with the name of a foreign country, to which I reply, “Figures. It’s super hot!” But I think these types of tanks are unique, sexy, and necessary additions to any chic chick’s wardrobe, especially for summer. So, I went in search for some Black Tanks With Sexy Backs that I don’t need to travel across the world to purchase. Check ‘em out.

Shown - from left: Kimchi Blue Lace T Back Halter, Silence & Noise Swirl Tank, and Silence & Noise Leather Back Applique Tank.

SHOP SHORT DRESSES HERE.
SHOP LONG DRESSES HERE.

It’s prom time and I cannot be more jealous of high schoolers! Everyone knows the dress is the most important part of prom and I unfortunately abhorred both of mine. I wish I could go back and do it again with the amazing selection of dresses that have come out this year. (Though I’m tads concerned with the maturity of these garments that are meant to be worn by 17 year old girls. I’m pretty sure my dad wouldn’t have let me out of the house wearing some of these styles! . . .Basically, they’re hot.) It seems as though the long, sequined, brightly colored dresses have made a comeback in 2009, but this year, they’re backless, low-cut, and supes slinky. Check out some hot Long Prom Dresses that stood out from the bunch.

Shown (above from L to R): Terani Prom Dress 1599, Faviana Prom Dress 6231, Sexy Evening Gown by Faviana 6304.

Short dresses are just as hot. Prom’s your night to shine, so I say go big with a sequined dress. I’ve selected some Short Prom Dresses that I would’ve loved to rock at my prom back in ‘02.

Shown (above from L to R): Unique Short Prom Dress, Alyce 6364 Pageant Gown, and Jovani 10740 Prom Dress.

Some other potential prom dresses could be found in a few of my previous buyer’s guides on Kazowie. Take a look: Hourglass Dresses, Watercolor Dresses, & Metallic Dresses.

For some of us, swimsuit season has already begun. For those who haven’t found the time yet to pick out a new suit to strut around in, I’ve done the work for you! I’ve been keeping an eye out for hot swimwear for the past couple of months and have complied a number of different buyer’s guides that I hope will help you choose your perfect suit for this summer!

Free People Swimsuits are natural, colorful, feminine, and boho-chic.
Retro Swimsuits are making a comeback. Highlight your figure in a one or two-piece vintage suit.
Basic Black Bikinis will never fail you! I promise!
One-piece Cutout Swimwear is sexy and sophisticated. Pile on sunscreen to avoid awkward tanlines!
Sexy Swimsuits come in all shapes and cuts, so you won’t want to overlook this shopper’s guide.

Shown (from left): Sailor Jane Nautical Swimsuit, Solar Orbit Bikini, Monokini by Sauvage, Cheetah by Sauvage, and Melissa Odabash Wood-Link Halter Bikini.