1.  Comfy, go-with-everything sandals – A comfortable pair of sandals that will go with everything is essential for summer, and with all the styles available too choose from, finding the perfect pair is easy!  Brights are definitely in this season, so grab a pair in neon yellow or pink.  If you aren’t into brights, go for a neutral or metallic, both are versatile and can be worn for day or night.

2.  Fun sunglasses - Break away from the conventional, because there are multiple ways to show your style with sunglasses this season.  Oversize 70′s glasses and cat-eyes create a chic look, while my personal favorite remains the wayfarer.  There are so many different colors and patterns to choose from as well!  So have fun with them and let your personality show.  I always have multiple pairs and colors on hand to keep my options open!

3.  The oh-so-versatile summer dress – Have at least one good summer dress that is versatile enough to wear at the beach during the day and can carry you all the way to cocktails at night, just by changing a few accessories.  Floral patterns make it so easy to do this, especially if they have a dark base, such as black or navy in the floral background.

4. Wedge or chunky heeled sandals – A lifesaver compared to stilettos, many chunky heels can actually be comfortable!  The perfect shoe to dress up or down, and can be worn with shorts, skirts, dresses and pants.  The only thing to watch out for is making sure you don’t get a style that is too bulky, especially if you have thin ankles.  The result can be quite comical when your feet look too heavy for you!

5.  Stripes! – Nautical stripes are always in for summer, but this season its all about standing out!  Having at least one navy and white striped tee in your summer wardrobe is absolutely essential, but you don’t have to limit yourself to just those colors!  Mix bright colored stripes, and even add striped accessories.  If you do keep it classic, pair the nautical stripes with white or beige bottoms, it’s a look that will always be in style.

6.  Floppy hat –They shade your face from the sun, and make any outfit look instantly more glamorous while keeping up with the seventies trend.  This is one addition you will be glad you got over anything else. I’m still looking for the perfect one, but this piece will be joining my collection very soon!

7.  The Perfect Swimsuit – Swimsuits are an area where it isn’t always best to get what’s on trend, but what is best on your body type.  Luckily, this season’s trends make it easy to find the perfect one.  Retro, vintage-inspired suits are making a huge statement for 2011, as are ruffles and crochet (not sure how I feel about this one yet – wet yarn brings an image of sagging suits in my mind).

So there you have it – your most essential summer wardrobe pieces.  If you liked this post, you can read more at my personal blog Indigo Impression for more!

Tory Burch has succeeded again with the Contrast Elastic Wedge Espadrilles.

The Tory Burch Contrast Elastic Wedge Espadrilles are possibly the best espadrilles to be released this year. So many of the hottest Spring / Summer 2011 shoe trends are together in these shoes and they all work together perfectly. The shoes are bright yellow, super high wedges, and are jute wrapped at the base.

The bright yellow is balanced perfectly with a neutral khaki so they are not too overpowering with the yellow. Even though the shoes have a 4.5″ wedge heel, there is a 1″ platform to help not only balance better when wearing them but also helps alleviate the pressure on the balls of your feet so you can wear the shoes comfortably. Another feature that helps you walk in such high heels are the criss cross straps at the vamp and the ankles which will securely hold your feet in the shoes. The jute wrap bases of the shoes are a very popular look, giving them a bit of a natural nautical feel to them.

Tory Burch Contrast Elastic Wedge Espadrilles

These are a great pair of shoes to wear when you are wearing a neutral color outfit because the pop of yellow will brighten you up. You also can wear this when you are wearing some yellow so you can carry this color to your feet. These shoes will look great with shorts, capri length pants or jeans, as well as a maxi skirt/dress.

Everywhere you turn it seems like shoes, especially sandals are getting higher and higher in height. While these shoes are great to look at, they are not so easy to wear. Not only do you have to worry about twisting an ankle or falling, but the high height can put a lot of pressure on your feet, making it uncomfortable to walk for long periods of time.  The good news is that there are so many sliver wedge sandals to buy and wear this spring and summer that are very fashionable, but more importantly, comfortable to wear as well.

The Gentle Souls by Kenneth Cole It’s So Fun are a low wedge sandal that comes in many colors. My favorite of the colors though is the silver and gold snake print shoes. It’s So Fun are the perfect shoe to wear when you are going to be on your feet for a long time and want something that is fashionable as well as comfortable.

Gentle Souls – It’s So Fun

A popular embellishment for shoes is chains and the Black Rooster Digit sliver wedge sandals are a less than 1″ stacked wedge heel sandal with a chain decoration. This sandal is available in black (pictured), tan, leopard. and zebra.

Black Rooster – Digit (Black)

A colorful, comfortable, and most importantly,fashionable sliver wedge sandal is the Nicole Devious Sandal in Ocean. This bright blue leather strap sandal has metallic accents all over and is the perfect shoe to brighten up an outfit.

Nicole – Devious (Ocean)

The Circa Joan & David Bechira Sandals have a gladiator look to them and are adorned with diamond shaped metallic accents on the shoe. The Bechira has two adjustable straps for secure closure.

Circa Joan & David – Bechira (Brown Leather)

No matter how attractive a 4″ or 5″ high wedge may be, you need to remain practical at times and choose a shoe that will offer comfort and support as well as style. Make sure to click any of the above links to learn more about the shoes and see what other great colors they come in.

One of the biggest, most fashionable  looks that came from the late 1960s and early 1970s was tie dye.  This homemade look was created by the hippies who dyed tee shirts, dresses, socks, hats, or whatever other cotton materials  they could get their hands on.  Manufacturers eventually picked up on this trend and started producing tie-dye clothing themselves.  Over time the outrageous colored clothing has become more refined, muted, and elegant and has expanded to be part of designer runway collections.

One of the most interesting and unique ways to wear tie dye for spring and summer 2011 is with a pair of tie dyed shoes.  There are not too many choices when it comes tie dye shoes but the ones that are out there are trendy and will most definitely make a statement.

80% 20 is a brand you may not have heard of but the meaning of the name should resonate with you. The designer of the brand, Ce Ce Chin, believes that we wear our favorite 20% of our wardrobe 80% of the time and that it is this small percentage that makes the biggest impression. For Spring 2011, the inspiration of the shoe collection is “surfer in the city”. These shoes are ones that are going to be fashionable for the city girl but with a twist of a laid back surfer vibe. One of the biggest patterns for a laid back look is tie dye and 80%20 has two great tie dye shoes. The Georgie Tie Dye Leather Concealed Wedge Open Toe Boots are a tie dye open toe leather ankle boot with ruching at the front and a bow at the side. Hidden in the shoe is a wedge heel so it appears as a flat but in reality you get some lift in height. These are great shoes to wear with a pair of shorts and a shirt or with a maxi dress. The other great tie dye 80%20 shoe is the Dawn Tie Dye Cork Wedge. This shoe is a leather peep toe shoe with a bow at the front and open sides. A 3″ cork wedge gives this shoe height and style. This is a great shoe to wear with a midi or maxi dress as well as with shorts.

80%20 Georgie Tie Dye Leather Concealed Wedge Open Toe Boots

80%20 Dawn Tiedye Leather Cork Wedge

Another great tie dye shoe is the Loeffler Randall Yumi Sandal. This black tie dye shoe is classic and timeless in style but given a bit of an edge with the tie dye pattern all over. The Yumi even carries the tie dye pattern to the heel of the shoe.

Loeffler Randall – Yumi (Black) – Footwear

Since tie dye shoes are so visual, it is best to wear them with a simple outfit that does not compete with the shoes. You will want the shoes to grab the attention, not compete.

Clogs have been around for centuries and were originally created for workers to protect their feet at the farm or the factory. Over time though clogs have become fashionable and mainstream. Top designers like Chanel and Louis Vuitton have put models in these shoes to prance down the runways in Paris, Milan, and New York. As the shoes have become more fashion than function the look of clogs has changed drastically but the common ground for all clogs is that they are comfortable, slip on shoes though currently designers have stretched this definition a bit and created clog sandals that has a strap that needs to be buckled. Most of these new clogs have wood heels and stapled or riveted uppers which are common to a clog.

The Tuleste Market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals are a high wedge sandal with metal rosettes on the ankle straps. The neutral color leather uppers make these sandals a great shoe for summer and will match almost everything. Though the Brooke Sandals have an ankle strap, they have rivets along the sidewalls like a traditional clog shoe.

tuleste market Brooke Rosette Clog Wedge Sandals

The Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandal is another great wooden shoe with studded sidewalls. This shoe is more of a sandal than a clog and a great all around shoe. I love the crisscross straps and double buckle closure. This clog sandal is available in black and in natural.

Ash Vicky Crisscross Clog Sandals

The Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals is a 5.5″ high sandal with 2.5″ platform. Like a classic clog the base is a solid wood and the uppers are attached with studs. These are the perfect shoe to wear with a maxi dress.

Giuseppe Zanotti High Platform Clog Sandals

The Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandal resembles a clog the least of all the shoes mentioned. It is a great sandal with sidewall studs like a clog and does have a wooden heel but the overall style and shape of the sandal does not resemble a clog. The Flynn is rather easy to slip on and off since it has an elastic sling back strap.

Diane von Furstenberg Flynn Clog Sandals

All of these  great clog sandals are perfect for summer outfits especially if you are going for a retro 70s look.

Matiko shoes is a fairly new brand but is making quite an impact on the world of shoes.  Jesse Howard created Matiko in 2003 because he  wanted a shoe brand that took the quality, styling, and silhouettes from Europe but was mixed with the funky and eclectic style of Southern California. There may have been skeptics early on with the melding of styles but over time Matiko has established itself as a brand here to stay and is well recognized with its innovative shoe looks. No matter if you are looking for  flats, wedges, heels, or boots,  Matiko has a shoe for you. I assure you when you wear Matiko heads will turn and you will be asked all the time where you found those great shoes.

The Matiko  Rosa Flat is a bold, colorful, and textured shoe that catches your eye. This flat has a teal strap across the toes adorned with small silver studs,  two criss crossing animal straps, and a silver snake skin ankle strap. This sandal has a very small heel so it gives you a bit of a lift but is very comfortable and perfect for when you are going to be on your feet for a long time. These shoes would look great with a dress, shorts, or jeans.

Rosa Flat in Teal

Just because nude is the “IT” color for spring and summer 2011 does not mean that it is plain and boring. The Matiko Trix 5″ platform sandal is a great neutral color that has 4 buckles on the outside edge  of the sandal. Each buckle strap is a lighter beige faux snake skin giving the shoe dimension.

Trix Sandal in Nude

If you want a wedge sandal that has a lot of height and are also a fan of a gladiator sandal, you will love the Matiko Sela Wedge. This 4″ wedge sandal has gladiator straps from top to bottom and is available in silver and nude. These shoes would look great with short, jeans ( especially flare jeans ), a maxi, or a mini dress.

Sela Wedge in Silver

Perhaps such a high height sandal scares you a bit, well the Matiko Maddox is a great flat gladiator sandal that has a bit of an edge to it with the studding along the sides. These sandals do have a 2″ hidden wedge so they are not completely flat. I love all the buckles and the bright fuchsia color.

Maddox in Fuchsia

My favorite Matiko shoes are the Sachi Wedges. Similar in color to the Rosa sandals, but these wedges are a 4″ pewter snake print wedge sandal with cutouts and teal buckles on the shoe. These are a very unique in style shoe. The Sachi is also available in a black and pewter version if you would prefer a less bold shoe though with such a one of a kind shoe I would want to make it as bright and attention grabbing as possible.

Sachi Wedge in Teal

The Matiko shoe line can be found at the most exclusive of boutiques as well as some the largest department stores around. You can of course also find these shoes at top rated online stores.

When Jessica Simpson burst onto the music scene in 1999 who would have thought that a little over a decade later she would run a clothing, shoes, and accessories company worth close to $1 Billion.  The Jessica Simpson Collection is a series contender in the world of fashion. Her line is available in over 650 department stores so it is easily accessible as well as being very affordable.

My favorite part of her collection is the shoe line. All of the shoes are well designed and on trend. You can find a shoe that is not only attractive and in style, but most importantly are  comfortable and affordable. My favorite type of shoes this season, from any designer, are wedges. Wedges  that have either a rope or straw detailing somewhere on the shoe peak my interests even more. Straw for me immediately makes me think of something light and airy and summer. Rope detailing is very nautical and that is a very popular look right now.

The Jessica Simpson Casie Wedge is a sandal with distressed leather uppers and a great woven bottm. This is a wedge that is quite high so it will elongate your legs

Jessica Simpson – Casie (Natural Atando) – Footwear

Everyone should have a go to everyday sandal that can be worn with the majority of your closet. The Stevania is this sandal. While it is a 5″ wedge with a 1.5″ platform, this is still a sandal that can be worn comfortably and for long periods of time. The Stevania is available in a nautural, guava, and a coffee

Jessica Simpson – Stevania (Guava Summer Haze) – Footwear

The Jessica Simpson Charli is a great heel that is just gorgeous. It has a bit of a rocker feel to the shoe and can worn day or night.

Jessica Simpson – Charli (Mahogany/Camel) – Footwear

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Shoes are  a very personal preference and even if one style of a shoe is suppose to be the “it” shoe it does not mean that the rest of your shoes need to be put in the back of the closet in the hopes that that particular style will make a comeback soon. More specifically what I am referring to is wedge shoes. Right now the “in” shoe is a flatform platform wedge shoe but that does not mean that you can not wear any other type of wedge. In fact there are not too many true flatform shoes to be found but there are a lot of extreme ( 3.5″+) wedge shoes to be found for Spring 2011.

I love Missoni and their signature zig zags and when I saw the Missoni Women’s PM43 Platform Wedge it was love at first sight. The bright turquoise patent leather peek a boo toe and the great colors of the base of the shoe immediately had me imagining all the clothes that I could wear with these shoes. Now these shoes are super high and thank goodness there is a secure ankle strap to hold the foot in.

Everyone should have a neutral color sandal for spring and summer. While it does not have to be an extreme wedge sandal, the Stuart Weitzman Women’s Exit Wedge Sandal is a great shoe. Yes the shoe is extremely high but with the criss-cross straps your foot is securely held in place so there is not a huge feel of your foot rolling.

I have to admit while I am really drawn to the GUESS by Marciano Women’s Ivonna Wedge Sandal I am a bit scared of them as well. These shoes have a 5″ heel and the only thing holding your foot in this shoe is a ankle wrap tie and I am a bit scared of an ankle roll in these.

Cork is a great base for a shoe, it is breathable and very shock absorbing. Having a shoe that absorbs shock well is important when you are wearing a shoe that has an extreme height to it since it distributes the pressure evenly allowing you to wear the shoe comfortable for many hours. The Rock & Republic Women’s Veronica Wedge Sandal is a very comfortable metallic slide sandal wedge.