In every season there are new trends of fashion that sometimes spring up like wild flowers and at other times come back from hibernation. From bold colors to crop tops, this Summer we are veering away form traditional rules of matchmaking in fashion and trying on a bolder approach of blending different styles, colors and patterns. Color blocking, crop tops and maxi skirts are the three major trends that seem to be dominating the fashion scene this summer.

Color Blocking
Bold colors like turquoise, magenta, yellows and plums are upstaging all other colors on the color wheel. This season, women are encouraged to match colors like plum and tangerine, blue and yellow, turquoise and fuchsia. All over the Runways from Prada to Gucci these color pallets and combinations are uplifting and energizing. One thing to consider with this trend are the extra looks and gazes that will surely come your way, so make sure you’re ready for the attention. Perhaps what was seen before as clashing now is erupting with a new kind of popularity. If you want to veer away form solids, there are many patterns that you can choose from that are embodying this color palette. If you tend to be a pair shape (smaller on top with a wider bottom half), try pairing a bright colored, patterned top with a darker, solid bottom for a balanced and fashionable look.

Crop Tops
These belly bearing tops have been taking over the summer fashion. Yves Saint Laurent, Rodarte and Salvatore Ferragamo have all featured the crop tops paired with maxi skirts or pantsuits on their runways. Although a flat tummy is favored for this trend, a fashion tip if you have a tummy pouch is to pair a crop top with high waisted maxi skirt, shorts or pants to hide the stomach and bring attention to your ribcage instead. Go for bold colors like magenta, orange, green and blues. If you’ve never worn a crop top before, I encourage you to try this style; you might be surprised with the result.

Maxi Skirts
Long, flowy skirts are a fresh breath from the maxi dresses. Still sexy and alluring these skirts have an endless pairing variety factor. Color block a maxi skirt with a crop top for fashionable and fun outfit. There are many styles of maxi skirts, so you’ll be sure to find a type that fits your personality and still allows you to be in on the trend. Kate Bosworth, Mary Kate and Anne Hathaway are just some of the few Hollywood starlets that are embracing these summer trends.

We are all busy people. Between work, home life, and trying to keep up with our social obligations life gets pretty demanding. Who has the time to stop, go to the eye doctor’s office, get an eye exam and then pick out glasses? While we know this is something we should get done once every one to two years, we often put it off in lieu of other things. Besides the cost, which can be astronomical, the task itself is time consuming. Yet, there is another solution. While nothing should tear you away from getting a 15 minute eye exam, you no longer need to waste time look for glasses. With the advent of the Internet, shopping online has become a favorite past-time for people on the go who don’t have time to waste. Shopping for glasses online is no different. Before you embark on a mission to find your perfect pair of eyeglasses frames online, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you even start shopping.

Do you have a copy of your prescription (rx) for your eyeglasses? It may seem like common-sense but having a copy on hand makes the process a lot easier. If you do not have a copy of your eyeglasses prescription, you will not be able to buy glasses online. If you have a copy of your prescription for contact lenses, head back to your eye doctor for an eyeglasses rx. Why? There is a lot of information written on your eyeglasses prescription that won’t be on your rx for contact lenses – like your pupil distance (PD), for example. Plus, your contact lenses don’t always contain the same prescription as your eyeglasses do. Additionally, it’s important to walk out of every eye exam with a copy of your prescription. If you don’t and your doctor refuses to give it to you – remind your doctor that he or she is violating United States Federal Law.

Online optical stores make buying glasses really easy but it’s helpful to know if your face is better suited for small, medium, or larger faces. If you currently wear glasses, look on the inside of your frames – you’ll see a set of three numbers (ex. 50-17-140). Those three numbers help tell you what size frame you should go for. In this example, 50 millimeters (mm) stands for the lens width; 17mm is the bridge width; and 140mm is the length of your temples. Using this as a guide, you can do an advanced search for glasses that meet these criteria or the criteria of 1mm above or below what you have already. If you do not wear glasses, ask your eye doctor to measure you for eyeglasses and take those measurements with you when you shop online.

Here are some other great things to think about before buying glasses online: do you want plastic or metal frames? Should they be rimless, semi-rimless, or full framed? Do you want a bold color like red or purple; or do you want to play it safe and stick with black, brown, or gunmetal? If you can’t answer even one of these questions, head to the site’s virtual mirror to “try on” any pair of glasses before you buy them.