Best Summer Dresses of 2009

Bubble Hem Light-hearted and lightweight, a cocktail number with a balloon-skirt is the perfect summer alternative to a little black dress. Audrey Tautou’s Chanel design shares the same pleasing shape as this embellished dress from Anna Sui.

BUY ONLINE NOW Embellished bustier minidress, $445; at net-a-porter.com

Belted a sheath with a built-in cincher will not only make the most of your hourglass, it'll leave you with one less add-on to worry about. Frida Pinto chose a waist-accenting design from Dries Van Noten in high contrast red and black get a similar effect in a more relaxed silhouette with an obi dress by McQ Alexander McQueen.

BUY ONLINE NOW $294; at chickdowntown.com

Ladylike Figure-flattering, retro-inspired dresses are the surest way to put a wiggle in your walk. Beyonce was all woman in an Elie Saab dress with an all-important curve-creating waistband. Try out the Mad Men look with this formfitting Black Halo design.

BUY ONLINE NOW $385; at chickdowntown.com

Maxi Length

A floor-sweeping gown is both a spotlight stealer and the ultimate in comfort (the long skirt means you can wear flats!). Joy Bryant was the picture of easy glamour in an embellished design from Missoni—get the look in this multi-color chiffon dress from Milly (far left).

BUY ONLINE NOW $475; at net-a-porter.com

Goddess there's a reason this style has been around for centuries—a single-shoulder Grecian gown is universally flattering. Rosario Dawson showed just the right amount of skin in a Monique Lhuillier dress with an asymmetrical neckline and a knee-length skirt. Get a similar effect with this T-Bags design in slinky jersey.

BUY ONLINE NOW $210; at net-a-porter.com

Flirty Tiers For a breezy, easy evening look, nothing beats light layers. The tiers on this American Eagle dress (left) will float over anything you'd like to hide, leaving your body a blissfully Spanx-free zone. Vanessa Hudgens (far left) got the idea in a chiffon design from Gold Hawk.

BUY ONLINE NOW $40; at ae.com

Mod Shapes have a Mary Tyler Moore moment in a structured '60s-inspired shift that's perfect for the office, like Kerry Washington's polished tweed dress (far left) from Chanel. For an after-dark take on the look, try a jacquard number in mint from Tibi.

BUY ONLINE NOW $376; at chickdowntown.com

Floaty Bohemian nothing says California cool like a flyaway chiffon gown in a haute hippie print. Nicole Richie (far left) went the full Stevie Nicks route in an sheer Zandra Rhodes design with a handkerchief hem. Not such a free spirit? Look for dresses with a full lining, like this one from Jill Stuart (left), that will keep you covered where it counts.

GET THE LOOK ONLINE NOW $458; at chickdowntown.com

‘80s Pass up the dramatic Dynasty dresses for an easy-to-wear T-shirt shape with strong shoulders. Emma Roberts (far left) did the decade proud in an Myne design; a silk tunic from Diane von Furstenberg will be equally flattering.

BUY ONLINE NOW Silk charmeuse tunic, $265; at net-a-porter.com

Go light in summer.

Photo: Imaxtree

Alexander Wang, spring/summer 2009

With warm weather here to stay, it’s time to contemplate infusing color into your summer wardrobe. For evening, think outside the little-black-dress box. Alexander Wang was inspired by the tropical art deco pastels of Miami’s South Beach for his spring-summer 2009 collection, slapping snow-cone colors onto barely there minidresses. Wang’s offerings of good-times ’80s-themed party wear in a palette of Miami Vice hues—like powdery blue, misty lavender, aloe vera green, and creamsicle orange—beg to be worn out for an all-night dance session. Glistening skin only enhances the look. Summer is all about light colors.

2009 Fashion Trends

Don't miss out! Everything you need to beat the heat – from the hottest shoes,
the coolest shades to the sexiest bikinis.

Be In A Style

2009 Style with head to toe. What is best out there and what is NOT. Look chick not cheap. This summer is an extension of spring, but rather spring exploding into a crescendo of FULL bloom. Bold prints, shocking colors and bright whites still saturate the market and juxtapose a trend in safari inspired khakis and neutral beiges. Summer forecasts even more of a trend in black and white inspired ensembles, too.

Dress plays a huge role this year as it did in spring. All you need are shoes, THE dress, a bag and you’re out the door—efficient simplicity for a busy mom. There’s no need to coordinate, just choose from the wide and exciting variety of accessories out there.