I don’t pay too much attention to trends anymore, which is why this tie-dye thing—which is very big at the moment—caught me by surprise. I dislike most things that skew too hippie-girl, and so I’m liking those pieces that are pretty clean-lined—nothing handkerchief-hem or flouncy—and I’d wear them with similarly clean-lined pieces. I think this button-down is right on the money in that respect.

This huge quilted tote by M.Z. Wallace has a slightly Japanese shibori vibe.

This tee could actually be totally office-appropriate with the right pencil skirt or skinny pants.

A well-priced and ladylike knife-pleat skirt that looks very Prada from back when Prada was really cool.

I’ve got a few pricier-than-usual tees in this post, and this 6397 number is one of them, but I just love that red.

And because I’ve got a few expensive tees in this post, here’s a cute cheap one.

And another cheap tee, in a very pretty lilac.

This blazer is just a kick.

These espadrilles don’t overdo it, which is why I think they work. Perfect for the beach.

An ideal tote for carrying to the greenmarket.

This charmeuse blouse is the most hippie-ish piece here, but the subdued colors keep it sophisticated.

This tee almost looks like a floral print.

A chic pull-on skirt that’d be great on really hot days.

I like the stripe action here.

Just a very cozy-looking hoodie in the always fun color combination of pink and red.

I want this dress very much—the silhouette is nice and relaxed, and the print makes a statement but doesn’t overwhelm.

A lightweight summer scarf that’d be aces with an all-white outfit.

And finally: I think this cami is just gorgeous—brown and red are an unexpectedly good combination—and I would wear it peeking out from under a blazer or cardigan.

Apologies for the radio silence yesterday—I’m on a whirlwind trip to the lovely city of Montreal—arrived Sunday, back home today—working on a project that I can’t tell you about right now but which would be seriously cool if it all works out (care to guess exactly what it is in the comments?).  Anyway, I’ve got animal prints on my mind, which is odd because I always think of them as more of a fall/winter thing than something you’d throw on when it’s warm out. Still, the following pieces look like they’d work great this time of year. I am borderline obsessed with this crisp skirt, which has a great A-line shape and would be prefect with a simple white tee.

The print on this short-sleeved button-down is nice and light and so summery.

I might wear this zebra-print  dress with bright (red, maybe) espadrilles.

This jumpsuit is on the loud side, but I like that about it, and its lines are so pleasingly slouchy.

This skirt’s yellow print is delightfully unpredictable and quite graphic.

I always prefer a scoopneck tee to a crewneck or a V, and the army green here is aces.

I like the contrast of the tonal leopard print with the striped strap on this tote.

A retroish snakeskin-print bra that would look so cute peeking out from under a tank top.

You don’t see good giraffe prints—or really any giraffe prints—all that often, but this one is pretty stellar.

A caftan-ish silk and cotton dress that looks like it’s be perfection on really hot days.

Stylish French women always look fancy and polished to me, but the truth is, this isn’t such a tough look to pull off for cheap, because its building blocks are all really classic pieces.

It doesn’t get a whole lot more prototypically French than a navy-and-white striped tee, and this one is very nearly perfect.

I like this button-down shirt because the proportions are slightly shrunken for a more feminine shape.

The French women whose style I admire rarely seem to wear anything too tight, and I am all in favor of that; a pair of classic straight leg Levi’s seem exactly right.

Likewise, their trousers are always admirably slouchy—these are nicely tailored and really sharp.

OK, I lied a tiny bit in the headline, because these flats are just a hair above $100, but I love how un-prissy they are (I’ve got a thing about feeling prissy in flats) and they come in a kaleidoscope of colors. And here’s a pointy toe pair that actually is under $100, if you want to look like the woman pictured above.

This pair of clean-lined tan sandals with criss-cross straps would look fantastic with a lipstick red pedicure.

And if you’re craving footwear with some height, you could do worse than these cute espadrilles.

A straw market basket is ideal for the beach or the greenmarket, or for just kicking around.

This super-simple and unadorned crossbody bag has absolutely no hardware, and is big enough to fit the essentials.

These sunglasses strike me as very Catherine Deneuve.