By now, the weather has either just about killed you because the temperatures haven’t fallen below 90 degrees in two months our you’re wishing for the temperature to rise above 70 degrees so you can wear those summer clothes that we keep talking about.

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If you’re in the first group, I feel your pain. While my thermometer currently reads 102, I am sitting at computer wishing for a frozen margarita and a pool to magically appear. I’m doing this while wearing the #1 summer essential for those of you that endure the summer heat from May to September, a sleeveless top.

At this point, I don’t even care that my arms don’t look like Michelle Obama’s arms and that I still look like the ghost of Christmas past (I’m still working on that tan!), it’s just too darn hot to hide those arms! So, biting the bullet and going sleeveless is the obvious route when the temperature is way up.

True story: I bought a cheap tank top and ended up ripping it on a file folder at the end of the day at work. I think three offices down heard me yell some inappropriate obscenities in several different languages when I heard my shirt rip.

I’m always going to tell you to go with the luxurious options, so let’s take a look at a few of our less boring sleeveless essential options for 2009. Wearing a plain camisole or a plain jersey knit top day after day is just like wearing black pants or dark washed jeans everyday. It’s sad! And I don’t want anyone to be sad!

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T-Bags Printed Detail Chained Cami

This is pictured with a white skirt, but paired with some dark jeans and some funky heels or flats is how I would wear it…all the time. I love the colors. Brown, blue, red, yelow, white…all in one. Who could ask for more? Oh, the luxury shopper could! Because the chains give you even more of a boost. Now you don’t even have to wear a necklace…how cheesy! The top is $87.50 now…that’s 50% off the original price.

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ALLDRESSED UP Ballin Tunic Top

If you’re not as daring as some girls are with a cami, then this tunic top may be a good choice. How about some light khakis or some linen pants with this top? It’s 60% off and is currently $82.

Net-A-Porter

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania Jersey Knit Top

Who said that jersey had to be boring? I didn’t! I love the pleats throughout this Vivienne Westwood top. The square neckline is to die for. This top is a bit pricier, it’s $335, but for Vivienne Westwood..I’d pay $335 for sure.

Ashley Shute spends eight hours a day working as a blue jean and t-shirt wearing community organizer in San Antonio. The other 16 hours are dedicated to dreaming about and shopping for the latest luxury fashions. Her style icon is Jacqueline Kennedy; classic, clean, and always professional. You will never find a fake bag in her closet and she wants a collection of Manolo Blahnik shoes before she turns 30.

New York City never ceases to amaze me. Last night, June 15, 2009, while I was watching TV, counting down the days until the Independence Day, the most fabulous fashion designers and insiders were living up the night at the 2009 Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) Awards.

Zuma Press

Much like the MET Costume ball a few months ago, part of the fun of the night was seeing who was wearing what and who was with who. As you can imagine there was a plethora of images to choose from. There were some fashion dos, like Blake Lively’s neon gown, and there were some don’t that I’m just not going to mention because these were fashion designer for goodness sakes!

The CFDA has a track record of honoring and recognizing up and coming designers, such as Jason Wu and Thakoon Panichgul who Michelle Obama absolutely adores (who were both nominated for Emerging Talent Awards but didn’t win). All award winners, whether Michelle Obama endorsed or not, received some type of financial backing as an incentive.

Oh, and speaking of Michelle Obama, the CFDA members honored the First Lady with a a special Tribute Award. The Award came a few days too late, Mrs. Obama was not at the ceremony to accept the praises of the CFDA president, Diane Von Furstenberg. However, the first lady did accept the award with a pre-tapped message saying that fashion is an  ”art form” with “ingenuity and craftsmanship that contribute so much to our economy and culture.”

The First Lady was not the only winner of course! Those who received some special recognition from the CFDA included:

Designer Jason Wu & Actress Diane Kruger

Accessory Designer of the Year: Proenza Schouler
Popular Vote Award: Ralph Lauren
Menswear Designer of the Year: Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein and Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders (tie)
Swarovski Award for Menswear: Tim Hamilton
Swarovski Award for Womenswear: Alexander Wang
Swarovski Award for Accessories: Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewellery
Womenswear Designer of the Year: Rodarte

All fabulous choices!

**The CFDA is a non-profit foundation which was created to encourage and develop American fashion design talent. Like most not-for-profit organizations, its main goal is to bring attention to the many facets of the fashion industry: ranging from the clothes (of course!) to the trade and leadership in the fashion industry itself. Like any good non-profit, the CFDA has a fabulous event to recognize its members and its cause, this event being the CFDA Awards. Now, I may be interested in the non-profit aspect of things, but most others are stoked about the clothes!

For More Information on Michelle Obama’s Tribute

For More Information on the Winners

For More Information on the CFDA

Jason Wu Pictures from INF

Ashley Shute spends eight hours a day working as a blue jean and t-shirt wearing community organizer in San Antonio. The other 16 hours are dedicated to dreaming about and shopping for the latest luxury fashions. Her style icon is Jacqueline Kennedy; classic, clean, and always professional. You will never find a fake bag in her closet and she wants a collection of Manolo Blahnik shoes before she turns 30.

Let’s see. A women is called a ’slut’ on national TV, and her 14 year old daughter is mentioned to ‘get knocked up’ by Alex Rodriguez in the middle of Yankee stadium, and leading feminists are silent. Double standard? Is their silence due to the fact that Gov. Sarah Palin is a conservative? Would someone dare make a similar joke about Michelle Obama, or one of her girls? Can you imagine the outrage if that would happen.

Whether you agree or disagree with Gov. Palin’s politics, doesn’t she deserve the same respect as any other women? The fact that she is one of the most influential women in the world, is of apparent little value, because she believes in oil drilling, and tax cuts, and as such she loses the support of the National Organization of Women, and other similar groups. Seems preposterous to any rational thinker.

Shame on you all for not protesting loudly on behalf of common decency and not coming to the aid of a fellow women.

There is little question as to Michelle Obama’s fashion prowess, but he judgement maybe a bit lacking. After all how does she justify wearing $450 sneakers to volunteer at a food bank. Isn’t that just a bit insensitive to the very poor people she is trying to help?

According to the NY Daily News: “Michelle Obamahas taken casual to a haute new level.

While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crewcardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.

That’s right: These sneakers – suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps – are made by French design house Lanvin, one of fashion’s hottest labels. They come in denim and satin versions, and have been a brisk seller all spring.”

She could have worn a $40 pair of Keds, and given the extra $400 to the poor.

Michelle certainly has a style unlike any first lady since Jackie Kennedy. Now she just needs to work on her tact a bit and she will be a great first lady.

We found that for women surfing the internet for fashion ideas, there was little in the way of quality blogs to choose from. Here are 4 blogs that make the grade and are worth a read.

If you are looking for product reviews, check out Prettybynature.com . There is even a review of toothpaste that helps you sleep better. “My goal was to produce an effective and natural toothpaste that could reduce stress and enhance sleep without any dangerous side effects,” says the dentist. “I aimed to find the perfect balance of natural supplements known to relax, calm and help the body to sleep.”

Looking for the latest in accessories, check out Heraccessories.com. In a recent post Cloe critiques First Lady’s Michelle Obama’s choice of accessories.

If you are looking for spring fashion take a look at the Thelatestluxe.com. They look at long sleeve fashion for the spring season.

For you teens out there take a look at teenstylelounge.com, where you will find the latest in cool hats, jeans, and where you can find trendy clothes for cheap.

With so much focus on Barack, we were interested in seeing what his first lady, Michelle Obama, had to say about child rearing.  As a mother of two young children, it’s interesting to read her views on raising a family.

Know when to fold them: In an interview aired in September on the season premiere of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Michelle Obama was asked whether she and her husband were planning to have a third child.

“I think I’m done,” Ms. Obama told Ms. DeGeneres. “I think our third child is this campaign.”

Co-opt their father into helping more:  From The Chicago Sun Times, “Michelle keeps him very grounded. She makes him throw out the trash,” said Davila.  “He makes the bed when he’s in town. They are a couple. He’s a husband and father, so when he’s home he has to do things the way other people do them.”

Incorporate more snuggle time: From the Wall Street Journal, Michelle Obama talks about the effects of the presidential campaign on family life.

WSJ: With Mr. Obama traveling almost nonstop, are you doing anything differently with your daughters?

Michelle Obama: Without Barack there in the morning, the girls and I have “snuggle time” in my bed. I turn on the lights and we stay there cuddling … have deep conversations and talk about what it would be like if we could stay in bed all day but that wouldn’t be realistic, we wouldn’t learn to read…