What I Wore -- Peasant top

Polka dot peasant top ($48, Vince Camuto), trouser jeans ($99, Seven for All Man Kind), necklace (Banana Republic)

What I Wore - Shirt Dress

The way Seattle summers work is this -- as soon as the temperature hits upper 60's, the short skirts and the dresses come out.  I for one love wearing dress.  In my dream life, I'd be wearing a different dress every day, heck, it'd be a different dress for day and evening.  Given that the Seattle summer is so short, it's only responsible of me to wear my dresses as much as possible to reduce their cost per wear.

Dress ($40, Laundry), nude pumps ($120, Via Spiga), necklace ($40, Ralph Lauren) and yellow bracelet ($20, Banana Republic).

Catholic Wedding Attire

One of the best things about attending a wedding is playing dress up. Well, no so much with the most recent wedding I went to. It was a catholic wedding with a strict dress code reminiscent of the Royal Wedding -- no bare shoulders, nothing above the knee, no tight fitting, etc. I was of course not about to invest in a new dress to fit into those guidelines so I has to get creative. Luckily, I had kept around a full skirt from Banana Republic that was slightly too big for me that happened to be below the knee. From there the outfit came together. However, I also became clear to me why nearly every other skirt or dress I own is above the knee. I simply don't have the long legs to look good in a below the knee skirt. At least the guidelines didn't dictate what kind of shoes we couldn't wear so I was able to elongate my legs with a pair of strappy heels.

The guidelines came with the wedding invitation.

Lace short sleeve top in blush ($50, Aritzia), black skirt (Banana Republic), wide belt (Betsy Johnson), floral necklace (Forever 21).

Fav Trend - Orange, White and Grey

While flipping through an issue of Lucky magazine I spotted a new fav spring trend: Orange, white and grey. Once it caught my eye, I started seeing it everywhere. Why, what a lovely way to give the neutral combination of grey and white a bunch of colour? I've been looking for these colours in my own closet and trying to put together such combinations.

Grey Cardigan at Banana Republic

Club Monaco Spring collection 2009

Banana Republic Review

Banana Republic's look is simple, classic and affordable. Almost everything eventually goes on sale so you can often find nice tops for around $20 and pants for $50. At that price you can feel guilt-free when you buy new clothes every season. A couple of years ago I was talked into getting a Banana Republic credit card. I don't usually like to get store brand cards but I knew I was already spending a few hundred dollars a year at BR that I might as well get something extra out of it. You get a 5% reward on what you spend with your BR card that you can spend at BR, the Gap and Old Navy. So I'd often get $10 cards after I've spent $200. You also get 15% off coupons regularly to use online or in store. In the first year I spent enough using my BR card that I became a Luxe member. I don't even want to know what I spent to qualify for that. But with the Luxe card I get free shipping on everything online. That just opened the flood gates and I'm now a more loyal BR shopper than ever. Everything I buy online can be returned at the store for an instant credit. There's little hesitation towards ordering something on a whim and just return it when you get buyer's remorse a week later.

Flutter sleeve stirred top - $39.00. I usually go for the basics at BR. A simple top like this is flattering and comfortable and you can easily dress up with a necklace. It's good for the office but also casual enough for the weekends. I've noticed that the quality of the BR tops are much better than the Gap (same company) , even though when you buy things on sale, the prices are more or less the same.

Knotted necklace - $44. BR has some really gorgeous fashion jewelry. They look high quality but they're not as expensive as something you would find at say, Nordstrom. The pieces last much longer than cheaper jewelry that you would find at Forever 21 or Aldo. I usually wait for these to go on sale and then scoop up a few necklaces to pair with basic tops.

The important details about BananaRepublic.com

Shipping: $7 for standard shipping, free for BR card holders for over $100 and free for all Luxe card holders.
Returns: free to return in store. They ship their clothes in convenient resealable bags so that they're also easy to send back in the mail. Return by mail is also free, BR pays the shipping.

Rating: 4 out of 5
The bottom line: So I admit that Banana Republic won't suit everyone's taste. Their styles are not cutting edge or overly trendy. But if you love the classics and you like Banana Republic, then this integrated experience between the BR stores, website and the Luxe card really rounds out a great shopping experience. You should take advantage of it!

I Love My Bermuda Shorts

So far, my favourite summer outfits always include my Banada Republic bermuda shorts. The look is flattering and professional; the fit is comfortable. I have a pair in black and a pair in white.

Martin cotton bermuda shorts - $19.99 sale
I like to pair the shorts with a bright coloured top such as this one:

Cap sleeve knot top - $19.99 sale
then top it off with a charming fashion necklace:

Fringe necklace - $29.99