Savvy hostess with the mostest!

Welcome to Monday, my designer divas!

Two days ago was my dad's 86th birthday and we had a little party for him at our house. Because it was "only" 104 degrees (I bet you never thought you'd hear THOSE words in the same sentence!) it was kind of an indoor/outdoor party and that got me thinking about being comfortable while still being stylish-not in a Kate Hudson-I-look-adorable-in-this-only-$400-bikini- way, but in a human-I'm-going-to-cook-and-serve-while-trying-not-to-look-like-a-frizzy-frump-way. So of course I started thinking about the many ways to express the authentic "YOU" (the true essence of style) while still being the hostess with the mostest! And I came up with some great ideas!

To start with, I have the palest skin you can have in Las Vegas without being kicked out of the city, so I've always dreaded this season of shorts and dresses. They look adorable on other girls/women, but I've always had the icky kind of pallor that, I'm convinced, makes me look two sizes bigger than I am. That is, until I discovered THE SPRAY TAN. Now I've tried bottle tans, fake bakes and grow-a-tans and never been comfortable with looking like a streaky Cheeto. I'd even tried spray tans and disliked them as fading way too soon until I cracked the code. Here it is, savvy sprayers. EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE, EXFOLIATE and after the tan, full body moisturizer twice a day. Now I can keep enough color on my legs to wear something more summery than full body armor - and THAT makes me feel good in my skin! And for those of you who can't justify a spray tan because of the expense, look for a Groupon and check out other specials. You CAN afford to be golden - and you'll feel great about bearing the bod!!

Want another idea? Ever thought of a swim suit as underwear? Why not? If you're two-piece-trim, a bikini top looks really cute with shorts or a skirt or, if you don't dare to be bare, peek it out of a sun dress or thin T-shirt, think of it as "underwear with panache!" For example, that plain navy blue two piece you've been wearing for four years looks and feels fresh with white shorts or a white denim skirt and any color of espadrille. And a one piece with a long peasant skirt over it works just as well for entertaining at home as it does on the beach in Cabo. Pair it with flat sandals and you look like the essence of chic while you feel cool as a cucumber!

Having a sweaty bad hair day? I bought a cream straw fedora (for $29) that looks cute with almost anything and weighs next to nothing. It's an easy, comfy cure for pool hair, too.  I wear it with shorts and a tee, a bathing suit and long skirt, or a sundress...pretty much any ensemble can be jazzed up with a cute hat! You feel great so you look great, which expresses the "YOU-ness" of you and you enjoy your party more 'cause you can relax and be comfortable in your own skin. And isn't that what summer fun really means? So have some stylish summer fun and remember, "trend" is today, "style" is forever!