TLe "Luna" dress.

I have a job working with fabrics and stitching, sewing, serging them together to make costumes for plays. And if I recall correctly, chiffon is stinkin’ hard to work with. It’s soft and flimsy, and it’s nearly impossible getting your stitches in straight when the material keeps slipping through your fingers.

But I would gladly sew a gazillion chiffon dresses together for TLé Designs “Luna” dress. It’s not made of just any old chiffon … it’s made with crinkle chiffon! Which gives it the nice textured look and the illusion that the fabric is moving, even when you’re not! A cute mini with vented sleeves and a thin strappy leather belt — you can wear it with a pair of leggings or be a little adventurous and bare your legs.

Either way, you win.

Harajuku Lovers "Rock & Roll" slouch tank.

I love graffiti. I think it’s one of the most unappreciated art forms, and I desperately wish that I was capable of tagging.  Scrawl my name in colors on billboards and trucks and trains.

Not that I am promoting vandalism.

One way to enjoy political art without getting into trouble with the cops is with this Harajuku Lovers “Rock & Roll” slouch tank. It has the logo stylishly running down the back on a femme flower pattern, perfect for summer. On the front is a bold sketch of a glam girl (could it be Joan Jett?), and it comes with a yellow bandeau to be worn together or separately.

Artsy and cute? I’m down.

The guys behind My Ninja!, Korean Americans Peter Rocks and Sam Hong, are all about a positive message, and that message is this: “We love. We live. We balance. We forgive. Repeat.”

My Ninja! "Crazy.Sexy.Cool" tee.

Founder and creative director Rocks glommed onto the name while touring the U.S. as a musician a few years back. “As the only Asian on tour, people began to call me ‘My Ninja!’” he says, as a play on “my n****.” And it stuck. Rocks decided to take a negative stereotype and turn it into something positive.

Rocks started My Ninja! clothing in 2008, not as a shirt, design or a concept, he says, but a statement on how people can relate to each other in the constant cultural blend that is our generation. With bold, minimal graphics like “My Ninja!” and “Ninjette” splashed across cut-off tees, My Ninja! clothing is reminiscent of the ’80s Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Relax” tees, with a hearty dose of what Rocks calls ’80s Benetton-meets-streetwear.

So join the conversation with My Ninja!’s Crazy.Sexy.Cool tee. Like their message, it’s simple and to the point. Just don’t forget to repeat.

Summertime is one time when I do not feel like fussing and preening. When the weather’s this nice, I don’t even feel like shopping! Of course, that doesn’t mean I’m just going to let myself go. Thank goodness for these quick fixes that’ll make the hottest season just a little bit cooler.

Goody Pro Volumizing Comb and Simple Styles Spin Pin

Be forewarned: I’m not a hair person. That is to say, I’m a lazy hair person. I can’t straighten, pin curl, or do anything requiring bobby pins. I’ve never been a very good French braider. That’s why I love the messy ponytail seen on spring runways — I know no other kind.

Shu Pei Qin in Vera Wang, spring 2010. Photo courtesy of Style.com.

Liu Wen in Alexander Wang, spring 2010. Photo courtesy of Style.com.

On the other hand, a messy updo is a bit trickier and generally far too complicated for my unskilled paws. To get it just unkempt enough, but still chic, one needs a whole lotta bobby pins, more than a pair of hands and apparently eyes on the back of one’s head. To wit, Filipina-Irish-Native American Vanessa Hudgen’s wonderfully undone updo:

Vanessa Hudgens at the Night of Fashion & Technology with LG Phones event held at Soho House on May 24, 2010. Vanessa is wearing an M.C.L. by Matthew Campbell Laurenza big pave blooming flower pyramid ring. Photo courtesy of D'Orazio & Associates.

Goody Simple Styles Spin Pin.

But I have to admit. Goody makes it pretty easy. Their Pro Get Volume comb features several rows of tines of variegated length, so all it takes is a couple of backcombing swipes for instant volume.

Then use their Spin Pin, which is fairly easy, even for me. Just twist your hair into a bun, then spin the pins in. The twisting action magically keeps your hair in place, but not so much so. Instant undone! It gives you that perfectly undone chignon we all covet on actresses on the red carpet. And best of all, no bobby pins.

Goody Pro volumizing comb.

Available in blonde and brunette shades. Get it at Walmart or Target, starting at $2.50, or at Goody.

We Love Colors shoelaces

Versace, spring 2010.

One of my favorite things to do is tweaking my existing wardrobe with little DIY projects that instantly update for the new season.

Case in point: last year’s booties. The easiest update for last year’s lace-up booties is with bright neon laces. Whether in black, cognac or grey, a pop of neon color instantly gives your shoes a modern twist.

I like We Love Colors splash color laces in every color from pastels to neon. It’s a little bit surfer chic a la Proenza Schouler and Versace, a little futuristic a la Balenciaga.

We Love Colors laces, starting at $2.

We Love Colors splash color laces.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI

I never believe those testimonials in beauty magazines anymore — “dab it on your blemish and it’s gone tomorrow!” Sure, that may work for the occasional teeny tiny red spot that models swear they get. But for those nasty, hormonal, once-a-month, deep-down painful, rock-hard bulbs, there is little one can do. You just have to wait for the angry mass to run its course. And use plenty of cover-up.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI intensive acne spot treatment.

Now, I’m a big fan of La Roche-Posay. Nothing beats their sunscreens. But when I came across the brand’s Effaclar AI — an “intensive acne spot treatment” — I was skeptical. Like I said, I’ve tried quite a few products as an Audrey editor. But this one not only had a higher percentage of benzoyl peroxide (5.5%) than I’ve ever seen, it also claimed to treat the residual reddish brown spot that lingers long after the blemish itself has actually healed.

So I gave it a shot. The minute I felt that painful lump, I dabbed Effaclar AI on it. No, the lump did not magically disappear the next morning. But the pain was gone, a miracle in and of itself. And the lump did magically disappear in three days.

The ultimate proof? I dabbed it on my husband’s angry little blemish for a couple days, and then forgot about it. A week later, I asked him about it. He couldn’t remember where it was.

La Roche-Posay Effaclar AI intensive acne spot treatment, $29.

What’s your favorite quick fix style secret this summer?

IZESX floral tube dress with belt in black.

Who says a sweet chick and a punk rock girl can’t play nice?

With a heart-shaped, form-fitting corset on a vintage floral print, matched with a double-studded black belt, this tube dress is the perfect balance of an absolutely charming summer dress with a bit of an edge. Layered with tulle lining to give the dress a subtle A-line shape and some sass in its flounce, this dress makes the bold statement that says nice and badass work.

Four seasons? Hardly. In Southern California, we’re lucky if we get two.

In fashion, it’s the opposite. There are now officially seven sartorial seasons. (Good for fashion rags, good — or bad, depending on your wardrobe budget — for consumers.) Besides the traditional four, there’s also resort, pre-spring and pre-fall.

I know. Confusing, especially when one hails from the West Coast where, really, the only weather considerations are “nice” and “not nice.”

But fear not. All it really means is you have more choice and don’t have to resign yourself to wearing that tired, old look displayed in every magazine, on every red carpet. After all, with the frenetic pace of fashion and 24/7 media saturation of what everyone is wearing everywhere, it really is too easy to develop some serious fashion ADD.

A look from Ardistia's spring/summer 2010 collection.

So just take a step back, wind down and enjoy a leisurely evening of style, beauty and drinks at Ardistia‘s private sneak preview sale! Yes, the award-winning, Indonesian American designer Ardistia Dwiasri, whom we featured in our Oct/Nov 2007 issue, will have her spring/summer collection on sale (and summer’s just started!), but she’ll also have her pre-fall collection available for preview.

The perfect yellow in an Ardistia spring dress.

Ardistia is known for her architectural cuts (she got her undergrad and master’s degrees in industrial and and manufacturing engineering before turning to fashion design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York). Famous for her structured coats and jackets, she creates pieces always with an element of innovation or surprise — there’s so much more there than meets the eye.

While you discover the ins and outs of Ardistia’s workmanship, enjoy some pampering with complimentary hand massages courtesy of Juara Skincare as  you peruse their line of rich, natural, lusciously-scented products. Juara was founded by four Asian American women — Metta Murdaya, Tami Chuang, Yoshiko Roth and Jill Sung — with the goal of harnessing the active botanicals of Indonesian herbal recipes (rice, tamarind, turmeric, etc.) and fusing them with Western science to create products that represent the best of both worlds.

Sip some wine, nibble on chocolate, get pampered. Let that sweet, fleeting season that is pre-fall sink in.

The Ardistia and Juara spring/summer sale and pre-fall preview, June 30, 2010.

Ardistia's specialty -- the best coats and jackets.

DETAILS

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
6 pm – 9 pm
Ardistia Showroom
280 Park Avenue South, Suite 9E, New York
RSVP to: ardistia@ardistianewyork.com
Find out more at the Facebook event page.

www.ardistianewyork.com
www.juaraskincare.com

Shorty Clothing "Le Petite" pouf skirt.

With a delicate A-line silhouette puffing from its slim waistline, Shorty Clothing’s “Le Petite” pouf skirt can be worn during the day for a fresh summer look or at night to give some flava to your evening wear. Lighter colors would definitely pop against this matte gold while darker colors would amp up your sex appeal.

What gets me going about this skirt is that it looks like the designer spun it from gold silk or decided to fashion it with a Hershey’s kiss foil. There’s a careless disheveled quality to it that solicits your attention, and upon closer examination, you can see how well it’s pieced together despite its cavalier look.

Whether you dress it up or down, Shorty Clothing’s pouf skirt give you the perfect sun-kissed look for this summer.

VAVA by Joy Han "Melanie" romper.

A couple of months ago I was out shopping with my 50-plus-year-old mother and she suggested I buy a romper telling me that it was “the newest trend.” Flash-forward to now, lo and behold, they are everywhere!

Joy Han’s designs for VAVA are meant to make women feel young, beautiful and confident. You will definitely feel young and beautiful and exude confidence with the “Melanie” romper. The top features a ruffle front neckline with very summer-ish colors. The shorts have a smocked elastic waist so you’ll be über comfortable while strolling along the beach or enjoying BBQ and lemonade on the patio.

Althea Harper native print leggings.

I didn’t quite understand the enthusiasm for leggings when they first started to gain popularity, but I have grown to like them very much and appreciate them. It’s no secret that the weather in my hometown of Chicago is unpredictable and it can go from being 40 degrees and snowing one day to being 70 degrees and sunny the next. Planning one’s outfits for the week can be a bit stressful in the Windy City.

Leggings are the perfect solution when you have a cute dress or mini-skirt on and you don’t want to sacrifice fashion for keeping your legs warm. The Althea Harper native print leggings are 100 percent cotton stretch fabric with a flat, elastic waistband and are sure to flatter any woman’s shape.

The bold print of these leggings make it super trendy and flirty; you’ll probably opt to wear them even if the weather is warm. What’s another great thing about these sexy leggings? You won’t just have to settle for one outfit with them because the various colors can go with just about anything in your wardrobe.

Celebs love her. She calls her design aesthetic “Twisted Vintage.” And one thing you can count on, Joy Han knows how to please her customer.

Take her “Versailles” blouson dress — a flowing drape of 100 percent silk, brightened with a vintage-inspired oo-la-la print. The slits in the sleeve add a hint of sexiness, the peony pink and gold show off your tan, and the blouson silhouette with skinny, stretchy skirt flatter any body type.

Voom by Joy Han "Versailles" blouson dress.