Glam Slam: Five Warm Weather Wardrobe Musts!

We’re heading into Summer, which means more time outdoors (yay!) with Memorial Day weekend shindigs, Summer BBQ’s and poolside cocktail parties all on the agenda. Hey, wait, that means I need a whole new wardrobe, right? Ummm, maybe not.

If you are on a budget (and these days, most of us are) you can update your look with a few key pieces. I gave Designer Bradley Bayou, whose famous fans include Oprah, Megan Fox and Eva Mendes, the task of narrowing things down to five must-haves. Bradley, who has two lines, including his couture line and a very affordable QVC line, was up for the challenge!

SUMMER DRESS
Feminine frilly dresses in pastels, floral prints or lace can be dressed up or down. Take your dress to work under a boyfriend blazer or out on the town in a pair of heels and glittery jewelry. Don’t be afraid to be a little naughty and nice – pair your feminine dress with a biker jacket and bold jewelry for a little edge. Choose a dress silhouette that best suits your shape – the fun flirty nature of this garment can accentuate assets and hide many flaws. Make your Summer dress work with your body so you can be your fun and flirtiest!

SHORTS
A must have for every body shape. Wear them rolled up at the hem with a slouchy T-shirt and blazer on the weekend or dress them up in a luxe version for cocktails. They are a great way to show off legs and can be found in full flowing or cut close to the body. Pick a style that best suits your shape and have fun. Don’t be afraid to pair it with a button down and jacket and wear them to work.

BOYFRIEND JACKET
It isn’t going away! Get one and get it quick! You can wear this piece now, through the Summer and into the Fall. It is great over almost everything: shorts, dresses, jeans and leggings. As a layering piece it will hide a multitude of flaws – using a dark jacket over a lighter color will trim off a couple of pounds making you look longer and leaner. But make sure you pick a jacket that suits your body shape and defines your waist, you don’t want to get lost in the jacket; that would have the opposite effect, making you look larger than you are. Your boyfriend jacket can be dressed up and taken out for cocktails with a little glam – pair it with a sexy top and some jewelry, to either find a boyfriend or impress the one you’ve got!

UNDERWEAR AS OUTERWEAR
Super sexy and fun! A camisole, tank or fitted blouse is a great piece for under your boyfriend jacket. These are layering pieces that will bring your wardrobe up to date. It is perfect for adding texture under a suit at work, but will fit right in with come cocktails. You can access this trend by just adding pieces edged in lace or knits with boned bra cups. If you are feeling too exposed feel free to play with chiffon and tulle as layering pieces.

WARM WEATHER ACCESSORIES
Layer accessories to bring daytime outfits into the evening and evening outfits into the office. As we play with sequins, satins, beading and underwear as outerwear… the line between day and evening fabrics and silhouettes is blurred; use this to your advantage. Dress up cottons and knits with bling. Use metals and plastics to down play what may be a more traditional garment. And don’t be afraid of color – this season the brighter the better! Adding a pop of color will do wonders to beef up last year’s wardrobe. Bangles, scarves and sandals are a definite must have. But don’t forget – to use accessories that are appropriate for your shape and size. Larger ladies can wear larger pieces, while smaller frames need to utilize smaller accessories.

Bradley will be showcasing his new QVC looks (his QVC line is a fave with Haylie Duff and Karina Smirnoff) tonight at 7pm EST and on May 20th at 9am EST. For more info, check out QVC.com.