Look naughty and nautical in this cutie-pie poplin dress from Topshop. Of course, Topshop hasn’t opened Stateside yet (be patient until April, our pet) so you’ll have to import this little number from England. It comes in red, too, in case you’re channeling “candy striper,” not “longshoreman.” [About $80, TopShop.com]

The first real day of spring—not the official start of spring, but the first day you notice the leaves are green, the birds are singing, and you feel warmth on your skin—will arrive in no time, so it’s time to get your wardrobe ready. This sweater dress oozes sex appeal and sophistication, but it’s also a perfect transition piece, since it’s made of a lightweight fabric. We think it’ll look best with a belt, heels, and simple jewelry. [$140, BananaRepublic.com]

A caftan is one of the most multi-functional items of clothing because you can wear it as a dress, swimsuit cover-up, or loungewear. People will think you bought yours in some exotic, far away land, but all you really had to do was click your mouth a couple of times. Sweet!

This girl is wearing what I call a “jumper” and others call a sleeveless dress with a shirt underneath. What a wonderful way to wear favorite summer dress during the winter! Just make sure to put on a slip underneath—my tights always create static cling with thinner, unlined skirts. [Weardrobe]

Michelle Obama is wearing a gold-infused yellow dress and coat set by Isabel Toledo for the Inauguration Day events, but what about Inauguration Night? Of course, we’re dying to know what designer she’s chosen, but we’re even more curious about the color of it after today’s surprising pale lemon (with green shoes).

Occasionally these slideshows are conceptualized for selfish reasons. When I went to Paris a couple years ago, I scored the sweetest pair of Tara Jarmon two-tone flat brown riding boots (somewhat similar pair to the left). They are basically my most favorite things ever, but I do find them a little hard to pair with the clothes in my closet. Sure I can tuck my jeans into them, but I actually think they look best with tights and a floaty mini-dress—layer a coat over top and I’ve got a pretty sweet Fall/Winter ensemble. After the jump, 10 dresses I found that would work perfectly—and if you’re down for finding your own pair of riding boots, PiperLime.com has a bunch of different styles for all budgets.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge fan of putting together the perfect outfit, pants, shirt, fun belt, accessories etc. But there’s something to be said for a dress that looks amazing all on its own — that’s how I feel about this unbelievably elegant silk tank empire waist dress by Leifsdottir. It just looks so smart, and it doesn’t need anything but a pair of tights and black patent heels. And there’s something so striking about the black and blue combination. For those of you in need of a little more color, check out the equally gorgeous floral print version. Um, is it bad that I kind of want to buy both? [$278, Bloomingdales]

Two pieces from Whitney Port’s fashion line are now available at Kitson Online. While certainly more fancy pants and glimmery than co-star Lauren Conrad’s collection, the pieces do retail at a high cost—between $345 and $495. Check out the other dress after the jump. Do we likey? I likey the similar stuff you can buy at Forever 21 more. [Shop Kitson]

When you think of the brand Reef, flip flops and surfer gear probably come to mind—at least that’s what we thought until we happened upon this dress, which looks grown-up and flirty (hello, V-neck) at the same time. And since it’s on sale for about $56, we might just have to buy it in both colors. [$55.76, DogFunk.com]

Wearing parrot-print dresses is cool. Smoking is not. This message provided by me and the Surgeon General. [Trender Bender]

A dress with pockets is basically my most favorite thing ever. Previous to dresses with pockets (I think there was a lull in this trend between the 60’s and now), I had to always carry a frickin’ purse with me when I went out at night, but now I can show my keys and my credit card in a little slit and hightail it out on the town without being weighted down by my huge tote. You see, I have this thing about bags needing to have a certain amount of fullness, so if I HAVE to bring a bag somewhere, I always carry more than I technically need. Pain in the butt really. [$198, Shop Manhattanite]

Only way classier than a mullet. This is one of those times where I go, “Dammit, why wasn’t I born a Vanderbilt? Then I could afford this dress from Rebecca Taylor, even when it ISN’T on sale!” I love everything about it. It makes my teeth sweat. [$216, ShopBop.com]

I was reading this great little blog on Tumblr called Oh, One More Thing, and was inspired by the writer’s love of peacock feathers to do a slideshow of all peacock clothes, accessories, and gifts. There’s something very refined and stylish about the peacock, isn’t there? Check the ten picks, after the jump.

Summer is in the air, a time of year to get in touch with your softer side—softer hairstyles (my favorite being soft, loose, beachy-waves), softer makeup, softer colors, and softer silhouettes. While my personal style is kind of on the edgy/eclectic side, I have a friend who seldom navigates away from flirty, ultra-femme styles. She rocks this look everywhere, from formal dates, to casual dates, from upscale bars to seedy, dive bars, this gal loves to embrace her femininity. This style is also a favorite of one of my favorite fashion trend-setters, Zooey Deschanel (one half of Frisky favorite, She & Him), who appropriately graces the cover of Lucky‘s July issue in a sweet floaty number, a style she’s loved for as long as she can remember.

So I’m flipping through Lucky this morning, which is normally filled with clothes I totally can’t afford (seriously, a $700 shirt guys?), when I noticed a blurb about Quiksilver. You know, the surf clothing company? Apparently they’ve hired a new designer and she’s taking their women’s street wear line in a totally new, awesome direction. Check out the look above, plus a few others after the jump. Catherine, who is out of the office today, is totally going to go ape&%$# for that tie-neck dress. The line won’t start becoming available until mid-July, so mark your calendars. If that dress sells out though, we will know who to blame! [Quiksilver.com]

This girl’s gray blazer is quite nice. And so is her white collar. [Trender Bender]

Bobbie Thomas spoke on Today about getting the fashions in the

Catherine and I wear dresses about four out of five work days, and not because we’re trying to dress up, be fancy pants, and impress anyone. We just like them. A lot. After the jump, some summer dresses we really like. Now if only our office building would turn the damned air-conditioning down. We’re freezing.

Anne Slowey, fashion news director at Elle, told The New York Times that the dress will end its long reign at the end of August, and we should all wear trousers instead. This is a sad prediction, and rather unexpected. Retail analysts at NPD Group determined that from April 2006 to April 2007, there were more than $5 billion sales of dresses, 30 percent higher than the previous year. We wear them about four days out of every week and are not sure how our legs will react to being encased in fabric all day. Dresses are wonderful creations. Yes, they’re feminine and flattering, but they have other merits, as well. As Amelia says, “They’re drafty, and they make it easier to pee in public.” [NY Times]