3 Ways to Wear White Summer Fashions

An all-white ensemble isn't just for brides. Anyone can wear white. Wearing white accessories with white clothing makes a striking summer fashion statement - cool, coordinated, and sophisticated.

White's not known as slimming, so petites can use strategies to help; choose semi-fitted dress styles, straight-legged pants, or fluid blouses of drapey fabric. White shoes can make feet look bigger, so if this is a concern, try white shoes with pointed toes or thin strappy sandals, and skip the ankle straps.

You can also tweak an all-white outfit by selecting some metallic accessories, rather than wearing all white accessories. Choose gold metallic accessories for a sun-kissed look, and select silver metallic accessories for a cooler look.

Black and white looks modern for summer because so many designers included black and white combinations in their spring/summer 2009 collections. The stark contrast of black and white gives this stylish combo a sophisticated look.

There are many ways to combine black and white, but the trendiest way with pattern this season is the black and white print. You'll find black and white prints in the petites department as well as in misses. If you prefer solid colors in clothing, you can mix it up with a black skirt or jeans and a white top. Black recedes and white advances, so this strategy de-emphasizes hips. Petites who have inverted triangle figure types can minimize the top by selecting a black blouse with a white skirt or pants.

Color, color, color - color runs riot for summer 2009. Wearing bright colors is one of summer's hottest trends. Since white is a neutral and it's also a summer tradition, combining white with a bright color is a great way to dress for summer. You can look trendy and cool at the same time. Try bright white with one of these colors for an on-trend summer look:

• Bright turquoise
• Fuchsia
• Primary yellow
• Grass green
• True red

Other bright colors will work with white too, so don't be afraid to wear your favorite brights with white.