Smell the Skirts

Let's get right to the point: floral print skirts! Here at LGC it seems my focus this week is going to be about keeping my legs bare. It's one of the things I love most about spring, summer and early fall. I adore a thick tight/mini skirt combo, but not having to deal with legwear under a skirt or dress is such a pleasure, and frankly after this past winter I cannot wait to throw the tights in a drawer and forget about them for a good, long time. Notwithstanding my post-winter trauma, I am much more likely to reach for a dress or skirt when the weather is warmer because, yep, I'm lazy, and no tights means pulling on a skirt is a snap.

Prints are so much fun because you can play with them. Pairing floral prints with different things can really change up the overall feel of the print, and adds a ton of versatility to any piece. Here are my top 5 picks for this season:

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1. This knee-length beauty from Pure Sugar achieves a full look without lots of volume. The fabric has great drape and movement and the sky-blue background is so joyous! Pair this with a white linen tee and sneakers for errands. You'll knock the socks of the kid bagging your groceries.
2. Super-long (40"!) and super easy ("pull-on styling"!) doesn't mean super-slouch. Pair Firefleur's maxi skirt with a fitted cotton button down and espadrille wedges for a truly chic look. Not inclined to have such a starched look? A fitted tank and flat sandals will keep the slim line of this skirt going from head to toe.
3. Neoprene is a fantastic material. A neoprene floral midi is an all-around winner this season. Asos' skirt has crazy bright flowers, and the neutral background makes it office friendly with a button down and kitten heels. What something with a bit more edge? Add a black leather tank and black slingback sandals to amp it up. Even better, this multipurpose skirt is under $80.
4. Prabal Gurung knows a pretty posy and a great cut. His skirt is 100% silk and has slit pockets. There's something about a skirt with pockets that gets me every time. The all-over pansy print of this skirt will have me staring at my lap looking for little flower faces.
5. Cute and sexy co-exist in Veronica Beard's little skirt. The tulip style is cute and flirty and the neoprene (yep, again with the neoprene) is au courant. The explosion of color here is an easy add on to any warm weather wardrobe, and the material doesn't wrinkle. Hello traveling companion!

Don't Sweat It

The advent of elastic cuff, exercise-wear inspired pants (and pretty much any gym-gear-as-fashion) was a while ago, and this trend isn't going anywhere, thank goodness. I love a comfortable pant, but in the initial stages of sport-to-runway, I was unwilling to splurge on an expensive pair. I didn't want to substitute with a generic pair of sweatpants, because...yeah they're just sweatpants and I wouldn't be fooling anyone. Now, as the harem/track/jogger/sport moves into mainstream fashion, there are so many different looks and price points to choose from that hopping on this trend is both easy and looks great! Here are a few of my favorites:

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1. Slim Leg Pant: Michael Kors is my sportswear go-to, and these pants exemplify his all-American fashion sensibility. The details here, beautiful all-over print,drawstring with gold-tone aglets and the mid-rise waist are what takes them out of the realm of the gym and puts them squarely in my closet. Pair them with a short-sleeve cotton button down and a structured bag.

2. Poison Lover Pant: I saw these MinkPink pants on the NastyGal site and they stole my heart. Floral is a heavy trend this season, and the bright flower clusters on these pants easily make them the focal point of a look. For a night out, a black tank and black mules will work wonders. A bright tee and flat sandals will make them work for day.

3. Lidora Pant: These Joie pants are a bit more structured, with pleats and a zip fly and hook & bar closure. If not for the elasticized ankles and soft silk fabric, these pants would veer right into summer suit territory. Do you need them to act that way? Top them off with a blazer and kitten heel pumps and they're office-ready.

4. Drapey Cinched Pants: Leave it to Old Navy to come up with a covetable pair of track pants for less than $30. All the details are there: drawstring waist with tab ends, pockets, and yes, rayon!  The rayon fabric ensures that these pants will have both a nice drape and nice hand. This pant is available in three terrific patterns, the blue floral is my favorite.

5. Harper Jogger: Looking for black? Anthropologie's Harper pant is the one you're looking for. Slip pockets on the rear, slash zipper pockets in front and easy pull on styling along with a nice, slim leg make these an easy grab for any kind of day (or night).