The racerback and the criss cross are staples when it comes to tank tops but lately we have found that the classic is getting classed up. Trashbag Aesthetics is rocking an American Apparel Baby Rip Cross Back Summer Dress. She says it is basic, beautiful and perfectly cool for the hotter than Hades weather that is plaguing the Eastern Seaboard. The criss-cross action that has been bouncing through the blogosphere prompted us to search for our own cross dress on our beloved Shopstyle. The gods of fashion smiled on us as we found this silk jersey sleeveless dress with gathered waist and cross front from Barney's on sale. The perfect peach color is drew us like a moth to a flame and the half off price tag of $250 sealed the deal. It is a perfect immaterial obsession if there ever was one.

We just aren't going to let this death of the of dress thing die today. Ma Petite Chou has an excellent round up of little white dresses. We are wondering if it is appropriate to bust out the white dresses yet. We know we aren't supposed to wear white after Labor Day but does that also hold true for wearing it before Memorial Day? We suppose there is a little bit of circular logic there. Nonetheless, despite enjoying wearing our favorite pink sun dress recently we just don't feel that we are far enough along in the procession towards warm weather to justify our recently purchased little white dress. But a girl can never start shopping for them too early right? We think the ultimate little white dress for spring just might be this Zac Posen Winsome Dress.

Apparently women are no longer allowed to dress to impress. The dress is now officially over much to the chagrin of trend forecasters and mid-market contemporary trade shows. Everyone's favorite Elle editor Anne Slowey has declared “The dress has been done to death." She was however careful to add “not to sound really cliché.” Yes we imagine the dress has been done to death because like pants, shirts, and skirts it is a staple. So the cycle continues.

You might also want to avoid mentioning the dress is dead to junior retailers. Mod dresses and jumpers are going to be all the rage!

Wal-Mart still doesn't how how it feels about being a discount retailer despite George and Metro 7 flopping with their high priced $30 Mark Eisen creations. Its jumping back on the fashion band wagon with partnerships with Jones Apparel Group's l.e.i brand and Iconic Brand Group's Op. Somehow this involves advertising in magazines like Lucky and Cosmo using people we don't really know (apparently Kristin Cavallari and Pete Wentz). People so removed from our worldview we aren't even sure if this violates our no celebrity policy by mentioning them or not.

Chicago is having fashion week troubles. Apparently the city was supposed to fashion week style events last Wednesday, called Chicago Fashion Week, that were canceled at the last minute. These are not to be confused with Mayor Daly officially sanctioned fashion week called Fashion Focus Chicago which happens in September. Seems hiring a fashion czar Melissa Gamble hasn't done much for the second city. Which is too bad because we think models walking underneath Anish Kapoor's Egg in Millennium Park would be awesome.

We are giving this Missoni Chain-Strap Patio Dress props for being a decidedly non-twenty something frock. It's not often that you browse through designer offerings and think, 'Wow, I'm definitely going to wear that when I get older'. That is, most fashion makes you feel just the opposite. Leave it to Missoni, the domestic embodiment of beauty at every age, to create this dress that inspires us to daydream about our glamorous 65 year old selves. The scoop neck dress is fully lined with side pockets, it even comes with a sash. It could, of course, be worn well at any age, we just happen to like the fact that it's mature, flattering, and vibrant enough for a women with slightly more experience.


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