Outfit: Summer lanes

Photos: David Potter

Outfit details:
Anthropologie blouse (old)
Old Navy shorts
Kate Spade sneakers (old)
Betsey Johnson sunglasses
earrings from Presents of Mind (Portland, OR)

Shorts can be tricky business--finding the right length, the right cut and, of course, finding a suitable top. I'm always amused when people think that wearing a dress is so "fancy" and "dressed-up"; it takes less work to throw on a dress (it's all one piece! Very few decisions!). Because I don't wear shorts very often, I usually play it safe (basic black, khaki or denim) and then pair them with a fun blouse. I particulalry love the print of this Anthropologie blouse. It looks like an old-fashioned illustration, like something out of an old botany textbook. It is, however, quite voluminous. Something I've learned over the last couple years is not be afraid of billowing blouses--I tended to avoid them, as they can enlargen areas you'd rather appear petite--but tucking things in, either into a skirt or shorts, can completely turn a piece around. Pairing it with a slimmer cut bottom achieves a nice balance.