This season sees a revival of longer length shorts. Fashioned after the classic Bermuda shorts, they're more refined (with the exception of their denim counterparts) made with more modish fabrics and cut with a slimmer fit throughout.  As such they're known as tailored or city shorts. 

Long shorts have never appealed to me even during the Bermuda shorts heyday. Their longer length runs the risk of creating a visually shorter leg, and unless you're blessed with legs forever, they're not a flattering choice! 

Reluctant to invest in a trend that would visually shrink my 5'5" stature, I decided to alter a pair of trousers that I no longer loved, sort of like getting a free ticket to jump on the bandwagon! The trousers were shortened to a couple of inches above the knee turning them into a perfect pair of "tailored" (pun intended) city shorts.

At the risk of telling myself "I told you so", my tailored shorts give me the legs of a dachshund! This is why followers of fashion need to practice immense restraint and recognize that not everything works for everybody! 

Not prepared to give up without putting my best style forward, here is how I recommend anyone under six feet tall wears tailored city shorts! 

Let's tackle the dachshund legs first! Heels of course - the easiest way to add height.  Notice the additional three inches added to the leg by way of the elongated foot in a heeled shoe. For this reason, be sure you can see the foot with a sandal or pump (court shoe) and avoid a full cover shoe or bootie which defeats the object.

City shorts are a shortened version of trousers, in the case of mine, they literally are! Therefore, styling them as you might a pair of smart trousers makes perfect sense. Summer tops, blouses, camisoles all work depending on the amount of coverage you desire. 

The key is to keep the look chic, not boho or beachy! For this look I wore a seersucker black and white gingham off-the-shoulder top with statement sleeves (last year) from H&M, a pearl buckle belt to keep the look slick and not too casual, and of course the sky high black mesh heels with a pink floral design to carry the color theme throughout. Accessorized with pearl hoop earrings and a simple over-sized clutch to finish the ensemble.

Taking the city shorts downtown as a shorts suit.  A white pinstripe blazer (also last year from H&M) keeps the pink satin cami modest.  Pink sling-back heels completes a column of color throughout which also aids in lengthening the silhouette. Chunky gold earrings add a touch of glam and a fanny pack bag enables a hands free situation for business on the go!  

The long and the short of it - the longer the shorts the shorter the legs appear. These tailored city shorts are summers answer to smart trousers, so style them accordingly and they will be 'nothing short' of a chic summer staple! 
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​There are affiliate links in this post which means I may receive a small percentage of sales made.  This does not affect the price you pay. 

Zara can be an overwhelming store. It's big and bright (except for the changing rooms) and there's a lot to take in from clothes and accessories at eye level to shoes and bags at ground level and tables of flat lay clothes in between!

Tennis players and golfers are bound to own a skort or two, that ingenious invention of a miniskirt with a built-in pair of shorts underneath. Undoubtedly, ruffled miniskirts minus the risk of over exposure was a tempting draw to the game of tennis for me! 

The skort is equally as practical off the court or the fairway! When it comes to bending over, a gust of wind, getting in and out of cars, the color of your panties will remain your secret! 

In the never-ending struggle of wardrobe maintenance, ensuring a perfect outfit for every occasion from walking the dog in monsoon rains, attending a fashion show on a balmy spring evening and battling the furnace that is Arizona in the middle of an August day… let’s just say I have my work cut out.
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Not only can this be a costly endeavor but an overcrowded one, and with neither a pile of money or a spacious closet, strategic measures must be taken.

While the fad for easy-care clothing continues, I was recently intrigued by a new offering from a well-known retailer, Chico’s – a white cotton shirt that repels stains, specifically red wine. The brands marketing targets midlife women, which might suggest we are clumsier than our younger counterparts, or perhaps we drink too much resulting in a few tipsy spills? 

When style and functionality come together in the form of a trench coat, it's a modern-day fashion fairy-tale! Inevitably such pieces have been around for donkeys’ years and for good reason - everybody loves a fairy-tale!  In the ever-fast-moving fashion industry, when something is here for the long haul it's generally worth the investment.

Say hello to my "little" friend... the mini trench coat. In short (pun intended), the fresh and updated version of the classic trench coat, this year's spring must-have, and undoubtedly many more springs to come! And, if you’re old enough to remember the trench coat’s predecessor, you’re welcome to call it a mini mac! 

Kimonos are a blessing to the fashion world. Their ability to add the finishing touch to an otherwise plain outfit is like the icing on the cake! They bring color, drama, texture, movement, an utterly feminine statement and the ultimate top layer of forgiveness to whatever may be going on underneath... like food babies! 

Just because you don't get to wear white trousers everyday doesn't mean you don't need a pair. In fact, white pants score high when it comes to evening functions and special occasions giving your look more panache than the common alternative, black pants! They also make the perfect dressy look for day or evening, just tweak how you style them, and you've got versatility nailed. 

Would you wear a hat that originated in the 17th century worn by peasants in southern France? How about a hat worn by revolutionary activists or military forces across the globe?  If your answer is yes to any or all the above, you are clearly a fashionista with an eye for style!  

The current obsession with animal print is rather like a number one hit record. Every time you turn on the radio, it's that song playing again and everywhere you look, it's animal print again! 

Before the numbness sets in and we go off it altogether, the fashion powers that be have decided to spice things up! What better way than to throw in some unexpected colors. Rich deep reds, blues, greens and yellows are now sporting our beloved leopard spots and snake prints, yes indeed... step aside neutrals, colored prints matter!

Let's slip into something more comfortable, shall we? With the holidays fast approaching, we don't want to feel trussed up like a Butterball turkey in our party regalia. If you prefer the holidays with free-range rather than restricted movement, fearing your outfit may tear, snag, catch on something or simply bust open at the seams in its efforts to relieve itself of your person, then consider a slip dress. 
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When you've been waiting for the perfect dress to come along in one of your favorite prints that just happens to be so "of the moment", well leopard always was, it's totally worth swinging from the chandelier and spreading the word, it would be rude not to! Here's to the ultimate leopard print dress, and the desire to swing from a chandelier!

Animal prints have long been the back bone of the fashion industry when it comes to pattern, and rightly so, it's instinctive one might say. Caveman was wearing animal prints before he even knew it was fashionable, albeit in the form of real skins and fur!  So, it makes sense that animal print has largely dominated the style arena - the foundation was set in history, relegating the reptiles to shoes and handbags. After all, how many snakes would it take to make a loin cloth, or more importantly a dress? With the invention of textile printing and the social lean toward "fashionable faux" this or that, it matters not in this era.  Now we can have endless lengths of Boa Constrictor or friendly Python wrapped about our person having materialized from a 100 yard by 54-inch bolt!

You may have noticed that this has been the year of the one piece swimsuit. Step aside itsy-bitsy bikini, there is a not-so-new player taking center stage and it's redefining sexy swimwear! 

​Once I left the corporate world of employment many moons ago, I said goodbye to the uniform. It’s not that I’m opposed to uniforms, especially when they come in the form of Firemen or Naval Officers! But having worn a uniform from Infant School to High School, throughout an extensive hotel career and then the corporate world of “wear what you like if it follows these guidelines”, I laid to rest my power suit, pantyhose and ever so prim shoes!
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