Some of my best girlfriends and I, spread all along the West Coast, email each other periodic fashion updates. I’m lucky to be part of this little circle of extremely attractive, intelligent, and well dressed ladies, and it’s good inspiration to see how my ladies outfit themselves for work or play. None of us is totally crazy with fashion but I’d like to say we’re all pretty good at tweaking classic, classy looks to jive with what’s current. Having no acceptable place at home to snap a head-to-toe in the morning, I often have to resort to the wildly unflattering office restroom’s full length mirror and the equally disappointing iphone photo. Despite all this, it does the job. This outfit is from Friday (work, then drinks) and I was encouraged by the ladies to blog it. This could become part of a series… so watch out for some classic figure-flattering looks.

Year-round, there is nothing I love better than a well-fitting dress. Not only do dresses skim over my less flattering features (overdeveloped midsection and lack of hips) and highlight my more flattering features (rack + gams), but they’re also super feminine, and the best part: virtually no thought needs to go into getting dressed. With pants or a skirt, I have to find at least two or three pieces that match and flatter – top, bottom, cardi or sweater. With a dress, I can throw it on and go, saving time and knowing it’s a look that will work.

In the last couple of years, pockets in dresses have made a comeback to the point where if I am trying on a dress and it DOESN’T have pockets, I get super disappointed. This dress (banana republic heritage collection, but I couldn’t find it online) is perfect for summer 2010 – a two tone grey feather print that’s just abstract enough, flirty ruffled cap sleeves, a drawstring waist that flatters but is still breezy, and the beloved pockets for my office elevator key card and lip gloss. I think this dress could go with any shoes at all – especially this season’s strappy heeled sandals with hardware details to toughen up the girly floatiness of the dress, but I paired it with vampy red platform slingbacks, shoes that are guaranteed to make one feel like a total sexpot.