{summer style tip} shorts x Old Navy...

Sometimes I fear that my blog sends very mixed messages when it comes to fashion budgeting. Sometimes I'm all, "I really need these $420 sunglasses," and sometimes it's more like, "Hey, these $28 shoes are amazing." I think that's just the nature of everyone's personal style, though. It's up to you to decide when to splurge and when to cap yourself at $50 for a cotton shirt.

One thing I know for sure though, is summer is a season I rarely, rarely splurge on. I find that the pieces I wear most during these hot and humid months are ones that I don't want to send out to the dry cleaner after each wearing. H&M and Forever 21 have us covered for the trend-of-the-month items, but my other dirty little summer budgeting secret is none other than Old Navy. You guys, they have the best shorts. The sizing is spot on, they're never too short, and you can stock up on an array of colors and fabrics to get you through every occasion of the season.

Old Navy

Here are my favorite styles at the moment. Classic, cuffed washed out navy shorts for $17? Please! A pair of belted olive shorts to wear with a tucked in silk blouse and espadrille wedges? White shorts and a gingham button down? Do you see where I'm going with this? It's all about the mix. Shorts are meant for running around; for wear and tear, and not to be fretted over. You can build an incredibly chic outfit to fit any style profile around a wildly basic and seriously inexpensive pair of shorts from this oft overlooked mass retailer. (Each of these pairs is $25 or under.)

I'll be trotting over to the Old Navy on 6th Avenue this weekend to pick up a few pairs, and perhaps some fill-in-the-gaps extras like a new bandeau top, a bright tee or some kick-around sandals.

As painful and tear-your-eyeballs-out awful as their television commercials are (remember the 'town gown!?'), I dare you to take a deep breath, bolster yourself with an iced coffee, and consider the delight you'll feel when fall rolls around and you didn't spend $155 on denim shorts you can't wear again for nine months.

{NYFW} Rachel Roy's color palette...

I am rather obsessed with this color scheme in Rachel Roy's SS12 collection.

Salmon, white, dove grey and black. 

It's chic and new and I'm totally on-board.

[Photos via style.com]

mid-summer must: j. crew hot pink shorts

J. Crew 3" chino short - $42.50

I've seen at least three or four girls sporting these electric little shorts around New York City since returning from South Carolina. My instinct tells me they would be much more appropriate down south, but seeing these stylish city-dwellers jaunting around in them - paired with everything from a plain white tee to a chambray button down - has me totally jonesing for a touch of summer neon. Additionally, they're currently on sale in a slue of other hues, my favorite (and potential immediate purchase) is the GTH red:

For me, three inches is a pretty substantial inseam, so I'll be cuffing them up once for a more youthful and less conservative length. It's summer after all - and my legs are tan. I will not apologize for letting them get out on the town and say hello. You shouldn't either!

I'm already having a great time in my mental closet, pairing these shorts with any of my button downs, some dainty sandals, shades and a giant iced tea. The iced tea isn't in my closet, but you get the idea.

{via Fashionologie} thanks H&M, now i've got spring on the brain...

Though New York Fashion Week is just a mere few days away - causing closet-based anxiety throughout the city - I can't help but let my mind leap forward to, say, May, when the sun will be shining, flowers will be blooming, and I can retire my worn-to-the-bone black tights. Until this week, I've been doing a pretty spectacular job keeping my thoughts anchored in the exercise in experimental layering that is February. I really do enjoy spending my weeks seeing how many shirts and sweaters I can fit under a knee-length down jacket...

Well, that's all ruined now. In a mental break I would relate (on a completely non-serious level) to an alcoholic falling off the wagon, I let myself browse the airy, light, and mostly white H&M Spring 2011 Conscious Collection, slated to hit stores in April. Miami Vice blazer! Scalloped hems! Swingy dresses!

See what I mean? Torturous. Now, instead of dreaming up one more way I can style my black leggings into an outfit that doesn't look like everything else I've worn for the last two months, I'm picturing myself skipping through the grass in Central Park, donning those scalloped shorts and a silk cap-sleeve floral blouse with some espadrille wedges. So not productive. And how about that white blazer? Over a sundress? With a slouchy t-shirt and boyfriend jeans?

Le sigh. Before I completely lose my head in delusions of open-toed shoe weather, I'm going to go rub the sidewalk salt off my (if-i-have-to-wear-these-one-more-time-I-might-cry) black rubber wellingtons.

(Images via H&M via Fashionologie.)