Everyone knows I love lingerie, a good cocktail, and my maltipoo, Smitty.  Something else I love more than the average juice fasting female is swimwear.  Some girls are all about bags, some about shoes and while I love both, a bikini is always certain to catch my attention as well as my paycheck.  I even consider myself a bit of a bathing suit expert.  I mean, I spent two years having the pleasure of filling Bendel’s with barely there beachwear.

I love bathing suits so much there are times when I wonder why I don’t just move to an island and live in a bikini whilst sipping on fresh coconuts, but then I get bored even imagining it and continue on in my concrete jungle.

Sure, this took me the greater portion of a day to pull together, but because I love swimwear so much, I enjoyed every moment of it.  Whether you love a one piece or the teeniest of itsy bitsy bikinis, I’ve rounded up a suit in almost all of this spring’s biggest trends that should tickle your fancy or at least your fanny.  So, here it is.  The most elaborate swimsuit guide you’ll see and ever need to get you beach bum and poolside ready.

1. Peekaboo Panels: Indah Slam Mesh Patches Top and Bottoms, T by Alexander Wang Mesh Paneled Swimsuit, UNIF Relic Suit, Lee + Lani The Rio one Piece, Norma Kamali Spliced Bandeau One Piece,
2. Dirty Pop: Beach Riot Ay Papi Freemont Bikini Top and Colada Bikini Bottoms, Cynthia Rowley Underwire Bikini, Salinas Ocean Print Racerback Swimsuit, Giejo Abstract Plaid Bra Top and Mixed Boy Briefs
3. Global Graphics:  Zimmerman Instinct Paneled One Piece, Cecilia Prado Optico Triangle Top and Tie Side Bottoms, Mara Hoffman Laser Cut Bandeau Top and Bottoms, Kushcush Bali Bikini Top and Bikini Bottoms, Tori Praver Cabazon Top and Bottoms
4. Team Spirit: Minimale Animale Calamity Jane Bikini, Lisa Marie Fernandez The Lisa Marie Two Tone Bikini, Lisa Marie Fernandez The Farrah Neoprene Swimsuit, T by Alexander Wang Mesh Combo Halter Top and Bottoms
5. Black (and White) To Basics: Clover Canyon Torqued Walls Bikini Top and Bikini Bottoms, Zinke Emmi Reversible Bikini Top and Reversible Bottoms, Beach Bunny Laser Cut Top and Skimpy Bottom, Rachel Pally Gia Maillot, Jason Wu Bandeau Bikini
6. Fresh Blooms: Red Carter Floriculture Peplum One Piece, Nanette Lepore Fleur de la Mer Bikini Top and Bottoms, Minimale Animale Work It Bikini, Miu Miu Floral Print Ruched Bikini, Dolce & Gabban Zaraga Blossom Print Swimsuit, Shimmi Stevie Embroidered Wrap Bikini
7. On the Fringe: Indah Sports Illustrated Marley Crochet One Piece, L*Space Skinnie Minnie Bikini Top and Blake Bikini Bottoms, Indah Havana Bikini Top and Santiago Bikini Bottoms,  Indah Patron Fringe Bandeau, Luli FamaCosta Buena Fringe Plunge Bikini Top
8. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Croptops: Maaji Crop Top and Bikini Bottoms, Beach Riot Coral Gables Bandeau Top and Bikini Bottoms, Mara Hoffman Naga Cropped Bikini Top and Tie Side Bottom,  Thayer Ruffle Bralette Bikini Top, Ella Moss Belle Floral Ruffle Bandeau Top and Tunnel Bottoms, Wildfox Couture Tankini Top and Reve Crisscross Brazilian Bottoms
9. Perfect Pastels: Nookie Beach Hermosas Bandeau Bikini, Zimmerman Verano Layered Frill Bikini, MIKOH Swimwear Banyans String Racerback Top and Lanai Multi String Bottoms, Zinke Weekender One Piece
10. Heavy Metal: Zimmerman Scout High Triangle String Bikini, Vix Swimwear Solid Copper Triangle Top and Bikini Bottoms, Lisa Marie Fernandez Genevieve Bikini, Agent Provocateur Zonia Sequined Triangle Top and Bikini Briefs, Zimmerman Scout Balcony One Piece

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Your definition of “spring break” doesn’t necessarily need to include a wet t-shirt contest and well tequila shot from a super soaker into your already inebriated mouth.  Sometimes the best kind of spring breaks are those spent with close friends in low key locations.  Sure, during my years as a co-ed I visited the obvious and oh so exotic locales of Aculpulco, Cancun, and Panama City, but never did I appear in a Girls Gone Wild DVD, nor did I awake in nothing but plastic beads.  I did, however, misplace my purse and nearly face a lifetime spent in Mexico without government ID.  But alas, UPS delivers to all of Northern America and I was returned home safely to two less than impressed parental units.  While my behavior south of the border was less than stellar, let’s just remember that I was far from bikini clad, AK47 holding, Riff Raff groupie, so I call that a “win.”  And why should we ditch the tradition once we’ve earned our undergraduate degrees?  Maybe, much like naps, spring break is a tradition that should span on throughout all of adulthood.

Le Specs Cheshire Round Frame Acetate Mirrored Sunglasses, Etro Woven Pandanus and Printed Cotton Fedora, Alexander Wang Prisma Silicone Tote, Sophia Webster Violeta Vinyl Sandals

xx,

WhyDid

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Although it was fifty degrees over the weekend and snow flurrying today, we really are in the home stretch of winter.  Just hang in there, pretty birds, relief is on the way.  While we wait for the last frost of the season to cease, let us refresh ourselves on the clothing that is just waiting to make itself quite comfortable in our closets come spring.  Since each fashion week presents collections a solid six months in advance of when we can actually get our greedy little hands on it, it’s easy to forget what we need to start scoping for and what to relegate to the back of our wardrobes for the time being.  The fashion elite may be a bit clairvoyant perhaps predicting the dreadfully long winter we’ve endured as the spring collections did not shy away from color, bold patterns, and plenty of shiny embellishment.  Though black and white were ever present, it’s time to drop the dull all black uniform and have a little bit of fun.

While florals are really nothing new for spring, this season’s are a bit bolder and less feminine incorporating the trend of black and white as well as darker tones as opposed to the predictable pastel colorways.  Speaking of which, Easter egg colors abound and are best done head to toe, but if that has you feeling apprehensive of emulating Great Aunt Ida, the presence of a pastel leather jacket or clutch will do the trick.

Along with bold graphics that will have even the biggest globetrotters giddy, art aficionados rejoice.  Patterns for spring give a nod to pop art using brights that make them downright framable.  Wearable art, if you will.

Embellishment was big and came in the form of fringe, 3D embellishments and gilded golds, bronze, and silver.  An alternative to shine in the form of straightforward metallics is presented in the option of iridescence.

And to those who attempted a croptop intervention on me… bad news: the croptop (which will live on through Fall 2014) is stronger than ever for spring.  Might I suggest enrolling in a Pilates class, like last week?  Though tops are shrinking bottoms get a bit of volume in the form of wide leg trousers and full skirts seen prevalently in the midi length.

Most notably to me was that all of the various trends seem to work together quite seamlessly and in some cases there’s quite a bit of overlap.  Full metallic skirts, crop tops with sheer panels, and boldy printed wide leg trousers make hitting a few trends at once a spring breeze.

1. Fresh Blooms: Rebecca Taylor Sweet William Dress, Joie Talina B Pants, Elizabeth and James Klaus Floral Print Silk and Mesh Dress
2. Go Wide: by Malene Birger Cosyna High Waited Silk-Satin Pants, Diane von Furstenberg Salma Wide Leg Silk Pants, alice + olivia Pleated Eric Pants
   
3. Dirty Pop: Paul Smith Black Label Maxi Skirt, Lisa Perry Patchwork Skirt, M Missoni Neon Crochet Knit Mini Dress
4. Heavy Metals: Rachel Zoe Pearl Sequin Fishtail Skirt, DAY Birger et Mikkelsen Metallic Chiffon Wrap Dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim Crossover Biker Skirt
5. Peekaboo Panels: Yigal Azrouel Scuba Waterprint Mesh Skirt, Rag & Bone Molly Skirt, Rebecca Minkoff Antoni Silk Top
   
6. Full Circle…Skirts: JOA Striped Skirt, TOME Taffeta Skirt, Tibi Full Pleated Skirt
7. Team Spirit: SEA Cotton-Blend Tweed Shorts, Sacai Luck Striped Cotton and Taffeta Dress, Equipment Abbot Silk Bomber Blouson Jacket
8. On the Fringe: alice + olivia Caitlin Fringe Maxi Skirt, Haute Hippie Fringe Pencil Skirt, Jason Wu Cropped Fringed Crepe Top
9. Buttoned Up: Diane von Furstenberg Trudy Blouse, MiH The Oversize Shirt, Carven Silk Floral Print Collared Cotton Shirt
10. Perfect Pastels: Halston Heritage Asymmetric Satin Twill Peplum Dress, J Brand Ready To Wear Durham Oversized Leather Biker Jacket, Lotusgrace Polka Dot Sheath Dress
11. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop Croptops: Tibi Cropped Embellished Cotton Blend Top, Jonathan Simkhai Cropped Intarsia Jersey Top, BCBGMAXAZRIA Kaja Harness Top
12. Black (and White) to Basics: A.L.C. Harrison Skirt, Donna Karan Printed Silk Wide Leg Pants, McQ Alexander McQueen Slash Effect Stretch Knit Dress
13. Iridescent Does It: Acne Tine Sequined Silk Georgette Shorts, Roksanda Ilincic Oriel Colorblock Wool Crepe Dress, 3.1 Phillip Lim Colorblock Suede A-Line Skirt
14. Global Graphics Clover Canyon Diamond Quilt Printed Cropped Track Pants, Diane von Furstenberg Phaedra Jacquard Skirt, Line & Dot Silk Palm Tree Print Dress

xx,

WhyDid

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To show a little more skin in this dress from For Love & Lemons, I scratched the catsuit and slipped into a silk slip.  As soon as there was more skin showing, the level of drama was amped up.  Mo’ skin, mo’ drama?  Since it is still arctic, I added a fur jacket, gold chains, and a big bag to stow my scarf and gloves in between transit.

dress: For Love & Lemons, slip: Skin, booties: Steve Madden (similar here), bag: Alexander Wang, jacket: vintage, necklaces: vintage (similar here),

xx,

WhyDid

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If you’ve tired of cashmere turtlenecks and grandpa cardigans, there’s some new knitwear in town.  Well, not really “new” because I’ve suggested it once before this past fall, but it’s the sweatshirt.  The last time we visited sweatshirts, I feared for poor Karl’s health, but hopefully he’s recovered from his panic attack by now… because it would appear that sweatshirts have not only grown in popularity, but have been adopted by just about every designer on the market.  An article of clothing once relegated to the gym, males, and lazy Sundays at home, the new sweatshirt is far beyond a marled grey crewneck. Whether in printed neoprene or with heavy embellishments of sequins and chiffon, this season’s sweatshirts might even sway Mr. Lagerfeld.

1. Givenchy Patchwork Print Sweatshirt, 2. Erdem Petal Embroidered Sweatshirt, 3. Acne Beta Geometric Printed Scuba Jersey Sweatshirt, 4. Clover Canyon Gatsby Sequined Printed Sweatshirt, 5. Alexander Wang Parental Advisory Sweatshirt, 6. Cédric Charlier Printed Sweatshirt, 7. McQ Embroidered Ribless Sweatshirt, 8. Carven Aplliquéd Cotton Jersey Sweatshirt, 9. Milly Printed Panel Sweatshirt, 10.Lulu & Co Never Again Sequined Cotton Sweatshirt

Just remember not to pair one with its counterpart, the sweatpant, because that means you’ve given up- and you’re not a quitter.

xx,

WhyDid

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