I love a classic, well made dress. You know, the kind of dress that always looks “right” and fits like a glove?

If you do, too, you absolutely must visit Shibui Designs Annual Sample Sale. This is Shibui’s annual sample sale of one of a kind, handmade dresses and skirts at 50 – 70% off custom, made to measure prices!

Friday and Saturday, August 27-28 2010

11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Shibui Designs
3217 Main Street
Barnstable Village, Cape Cod

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition toStyle on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

The mood of fashion this summer is easy, breezy and comfortable. The thought of ironing makes me swoon in this heat, so I personally tend to gravitate toward easy care fabrics that either shake out or look better a bit rumpled.

Lucky for me, I found the perfect summer go-everywhere dress from Mata Traders. Pictured here in mint green, the Cadeau dress is a knit tank dress with a perky polka dot skirt. The fabric is not only adorable, it also contains a history and preserves an art.  Hand block printed with eco-friendly vegetable dyes, this is an artisan based textile tradition existing in India for centuries.

Ultra flattering, the top has a razor back and the skirt hits just at the knee. I love that this dress does double or even triple duty. Wear it for a fun barbeque or outdoor party, as a quick beach cover-up, or even with a cardi and slides for dress down Friday at work! Retail $52.00

Mata Traders is my new secret style weapon against the ongoing sluggish economy because it’s such a great resource for all sorts of wonderful, fashionable pieces that won’t break the bank. From accessories, to bags, to all types of clothing and even fun jewelry you’ll find it there.

But Mata Traders offers more than just great style. The company actually empowers women around the globe because Mata Traders works with organizations that educate and employ women.

Mata products are original designs handmade in India by women’s cooperatives and artisan groups that practice fair trade principles. This means that their producers are paid a livable wage in safe and fair conditions, and do their work at home and in small workshops rather than factories.  Services like on-site day-care, medical check-ups, and even over-time pay are offered!

Mata also uses fair trade certified cottons, which means that they support small family farms that are paid a fair price for their cotton and follow environmental standards that restrict the use of agrochemicals and encourage sustainability.

For a store near you, visit Mata Traders or see they entire line of beautiful items in the online Mata catalog.

Summertime and the livin’ is easy …

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition to Style on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

Few pieces of clothing truly catch and keep my attention, which is why I always buy a particular shirt or dress in every color available if I really like it. And usually, I’ll love whatever I buy for a few weeks, then it’ll filter to the back of my closet because it loses its allure. I have a feeling that I wouldn’t have that problem with this dress…

The infinite and fancy collections by Hayley Starr can be worn 100 different ways. No…that’s not a typo. One hundred different ways. The key is the long straps that wrap around your neck, shoulders and waist in a ton of different ways to make changing the style of the dress super easy. It can be a tube dress, a short-sleeve dress, a sleeveless dress, a halter dress…need I go on?

The fancy collection is made of a nylon blend, with one shiny side and one matte side. The dresses come in five different colors, including an incredible mauve-y shade of purple that I love. When I saw the website-listed price on the dresses from this collection, I wasn’t really that shocked—they’re $220 each, which makes sense considering they give you 100 options.

The infinite collection is made from a polyester/spandex jersey and features three different color combinations, including a brown/light pink combo, a teal/white combo (my favorite) and a black/white combo. This means you can drastically change your look just by flipping it inside out! Now, I expected this collection to sell for the same price—$220, but I was so wrong. Beginning Monday, dresses from the infinite collection were featured on QVC for just $38.50!

Wish I’d thought of a dress this clever! Hayley said on the QVC special that she wanted to come up with a dress design that flattered every figure—even pregnant women! Since the dresses are super stretchy and versatile, they do look great on every body type. You can even view real customers donning Hayley’s dresses on her website, and they all look fabulous!

Not only does Hayley sell this ultra-versatile dress, but she offers custom designs as well, which have been spotted on a slew of celebs, including Jessica Simpson, Jewel, Carmen Electra, Rose McGowan, Rachel Bilson, and the entire cast of America’s Next Top Model Season 8, just to name a handful. Clearly, Miss Starr knows what she’s doing.

I’ll be lusting after this one till my next paycheck!
(photo used with permission)

-Keri

Summer is in full swing and that means that Burn Notice is back on USA! Part of the allure for me, is of course main character Michael Westen himself.  Really, who can’t help fall a little for Westen, played by Jeffrey Donovan? He’s smart, sexy, and retains a little boy charm that’s simply endearing – even as he consistently puts the bad guys away!

But one of the biggest reasons I’m a huge Burn Notice fan is the show’s ongoing fashion show, as modeled by character Fiona Glenanne, portrayed by Gabrielle Anwar. A former IRA operative, Fiona frequently sports sexy, short confections in shocking tangerine, cobalt, or crimson. The fact that she’s also usually packing heat, is well versed in hand-to-hand combat, and has a penchant for explosives makes her style of dress somehow even more alluring. Here’s a bad a** girl who still looks like a lady (well, minus the machine gun!).

In the spirit of Fiona’s fabulous style, I found a few must-haves that will add just a little South Beach flair to my wardrobe.

First, Fi is never ready to roll without a serious set of shades. She favors the oversized ones, and these “Celebrity” sunglasses (pictured above) from Sunglass Warehouse fit the bill to perfection. Not only are they great looking, these shades also have UV 400 protection, so I’ll stay safe from harmful ultra violet rays. Although they are available in a rainbow of colors — from vivid yellow to purple and aqua – Fiona would probably choose basic black.

Next, this sexy halter dress (at right) from TLé Designs is pure Fi. Bright, bold, and sassy, this little number is sure to get me noticed with colors that evoke the sky and sea of sexy South Beach. TLé Designs is well known for creating fabulous dresses with a flattering fit, and this halter is no exception with its plunging halter top and waist-whittling contrast color.

To finish off the Burn Notice look, I’ll need a sun kissed glow, but not from a dangerous tanning bed or even sun worshipping. The perfect solution is the Kymaro sunless tanning kit . This sunless tanning system uses a 3 part system to achieve a perfect sunless tan. The kit includes a Body Scrub (with dual exfoliating and conditioning action), Sunless Lotion (dye free), and a Sunless Light Wand. The wand is really the key – Kymaro has no makeup and dyes. Instead this sunless tanner has a light responsive formula, so you can check where you have applied the lotion. The light wand highlights where you have applied the lotion allowing you to check for any mistakes before it’s too late. The result? Absolutely perfect sunless tanning with no uneven, orange streaks!

Now, just lead me to the bad guys…

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition to Style on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait!and Susan Said What?!

It’s absolutely true that necessity is the mother of invention. When I found Trudy Miller Layers , I knew that this self-titled “solutionista” had solved a problem that women have grappled with since the invention of suitcase. What to take on vacation?!

You see, when I travel, I agonize over the “what ifs.” You know… What if it’s hot? What if it’s cold? What if it rains? What if I need mountain climbing gear?

Miller has come up with one answer to every question (well, everything except the mountain climbing). Deceptively simple, wonderfully comfortable, and fabulously stylish, this is a collection of traditional apparel that can be combined and worn in a huge variety of ways.

According to Miller, ever since her childhood watching Star Trek and playing with a Rubik’s cube, she had been waiting around for the perfect, future-forward wardrobe to show up. Her criteria?  Extreme comfort. Ability for individualization. Gorgeous and flattering to a variety of figure types. In 2005, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer! So, she created Layers.

In addition to looking fantastic, Miller’s collections also deliver high levels of endurance and utility, without compromising aesthetics. Plus, each flexible silhouette is fully customizable to individual body type, lifestyle needs, and the fluctuations of weight and shape that occur over time.

I have two favorites, but the Layers’ collections are vast, with tons of color choices and styling options. For a trip, I personally think you can’t go wrong with the Cocktail Dress . As pictured, this can be worn in a loads of ways, and is available in acid yellow (shown), berry, cherry red and classic black. Constructed of rayon jersey, this is a dream for packing. Plus, the dress is currently on sale for $105. (And when was the last time you got three dresses for just over $100?)

I also love the Frilly Belt, although that’s a complete misnomer. At only $48, this little slip of fabric is a major bargain doing triple-duty as a fabulous top, whittling the waist as a chic belt, or adding a shot of color to a plain dress.

Still not enough choices? Layers has so many options you won’t know where to start. Visit Trudy Miller Layers to see them all.

Susan McNeill is a wife, mother, author, entrepreneur and social activist. In addition to Style on a WHIM Susan also writes for It’s how you play the game! , Success Won’t Wait! and Susan Said What?!

I am constantly in search of the perfect “everyday” dress—something not too dressy and not too casual, but a dress I can pair knee-high boots with and wear to work just as easily as slip on a pair of flats and run errands without looking like I tried to look good for the grocery store (I’m always awkwardly running into people I knew back in high school—ugh).

I found the Channel Flannel Dress at ModCloth, and though I’m not a huge fan of plaid, I love the neckline and the three-quarter length sleeves. The model photo of the dress shows it paired with thigh high socks, which I like, but I would opt for cream colored leggings for extra warmth because of the high hemline. I would wear it to work because we’re casual here at Style on a Whim, but leave it till the weekend if you’re a corporate girl.

For a flirty-casual look, try ModCloth’s Belay On Dress. The fluttery sleeves and sheer fabric soften it, while the waist tie cinches you enough to show off a little shape. It’s feminine, but you can pair it with a slouchy sweater and coordinating thick knit tights to make it more casual. This one can definitely go to the office with a black sweater, some dark tights and sensible but stylish low-heeled boots. Sport it with just a big floppy straw hat and sandals in the summer. 

I love ModCloth’s Bienvenido a Miami painterly dolman-style dress, with its pastel colors. It truly reminds me of tropical beaches—and who doesn’t love tropical beaches?! In cold weather, I would wear knee high socks and an oversized sweater under a cinch-waisted peacoat. In warm weather, I’d run errands in this and a pair of my cheapy flip flops!

(photos courtesy of ModCloth.com)

-Keri

Grace Kelly. Ingrid Bergman. Jackie Kennedy. Have you ever wondered why some women always seem so effortlessly put together, elegant and sophisticated? According to Shibui Designs’ founder Elizabeth Nill, the answer is, in a word, tailoring.

Now, you can have that look too!

Elizabeth’s firm, Shibui Designs, creates handcrafted, one-of-a-kind investment dresses and skirts that fit like they were made just for you – because they are! Fashioned from a huge choice of amazing, fine fabrics, these dresses and skirts are subtle and classic, and destined to become the go-to pieces you reach for time and again. In fact, Shibui dresses are haute couture style and fit without haute couture prices.

How does it work? It’s easy and I had a great time playing on the website. Simply go to Create Your Dress. Choose a style from the slide show of dress images that appears on the left. My personal favorite is the Jackie, a simple sleeveless sheath dress with a timeless appeal. This dress would be lovely on its own with a statement necklace, paired with a jacket, or even a cardigan.

Then comes the real fun! There almost endless fabric swatches to choose from — from simple jersey knits and printed cotton, to sensible Cashmere and wool, to jacquards and gorgeous embroidered silk shantung. There are even fine Italian wool knits and delectable French brocades. It’s like an endless game of dress-up, with the bonus that these are mom’s old cast-off prom gowns!

Visit Elizabeth in the little village of Barnstable on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Or visit Shibui Designs online.

Who needs a partridge in a pear tree, anyway?!

I’m a huge fan of vintage clothing because it’s almost like dressing up for Halloween everyday! Ok, so you don’t really want to look exactly like Lucy Ricardo or Cyndi Lauper, but a few vintage pieces mixed in with more updated looks creates a whole new wardrobe of fabulousness, and who doesn’t love that?!

Cue ModCloth.com, a super fun site with a TON of vintage-inspired and actual vintage pieces for you to gobble up before they’re gone. They sell everything from 20s-inspired drop-waist frocks to kitschy apartment accessories and everything in between. I’ve chosen a few of my favorite dresses from the website (it was really hard narrowing it down to just these five), and I’ll post my five favorite accessories in my 5 Favorite Fashion Picks this Friday.

The Dream Interpretation Dress from ModCloth is ultra chic and the waistband detailing is out of this world! I’m not a fan of big bows—regardless of the fact that they’re quite popular right now—so the rosettes are right up my ally. The double-V plunging neckline is super sexy without trying too hard, so you’ll end up looking classy and put-together like you woke up looking that way.

The Feathered Façade Dress is a little more casual, but still just as stylish. The rounded neckline is flattering for every figure and the short fluttery sleeves add a girly touch. An all-over feather pattern is fun and unique and leaves your accessories options open—keep it monochrome with black, white and gray accessories or jazz it up with bright, bold shades.

ModCloth’s Once in a Blue Moon Dress has gathering detail to die for—it creates a flattering silhouette no matter what your dress size. The cap sleeves add a little more coverage than a strapless option, but you’ll still be cool enough to dance all night long. The sheer top layer is feminine and fabulous. Don’t be afraid to pair this with a cropped black blazer—navy blue and black can work well together, as evidenced by this dress.

Deep purple is in, in, IN this season! Become a ravishing starlet of a fashionista in this 50s-style Soda Fountain Dress. The waist tie will accentuate an hourglass figure, and the length is perfectly appropriate for a “meet-the-parents” date with your man. The color itself will help you avoid looking like Lucy Ricardo, but to further update the look, unbutton a few buttons to show off a multi-strand chain necklace and pair it with knee-high black boots!

For a dazzling night out, try their All That Jazz Dress. This glittery frock snubs the need for excessive jewelry—keep it minimal with a chunky bangle and perhaps a wide belt to cinch your waistline. If you want to sex it up a little, wear with stilettos and a head of flowing curls. For chilly nights, throw on a shrug or a cropped leather jacket.

All photos courtesy of ModCloth.com.

-Keri